The Bible

 

Hosea 14

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1 Israel, return to Yahweh your God; for you have fallen because of your sin.

2 Take words with you, and return to Yahweh. Tell him, "Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good: so we offer our lips like bulls.

3 Assyria can't save us. We won't ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, 'Our gods!' for in you the fatherless finds mercy."

4 "I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from him.

5 I will be like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, and send down his roots like Lebanon.

6 His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.

7 Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.

8 Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green fir tree; from me your fruit is found."

9 Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous walk in them; But the rebellious stumble in them.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9389

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9389. 'And twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel' means a representative sign of the Lord's Divine Human in respect of God's truth which springs wholly and completely from Him. This is clear from the meaning of 'a pillar' as a representative sign of the Lord's Divine Human in respect of truth, the reason why 'a pillar' has this meaning being that 'an altar' means a representative sign of the Lord's Divine Human in respect of good, and 'a pillar' in the representative sense means the holiness of truth that comes from the Lord, 4580, 4582; and from the meaning of 'twelve' and 'the twelve tribes' as all truths and forms of good in their entirety, dealt with in 577, 2089, 3858, 3913, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6397, 6640, 7973, thus those which spring from the Lord. The reason why the Lord's Divine Human is meant by 'an altar' and by 'pillars' is that all the Church's representative signs which are spoken of in the Word have regard in the highest sense to the Lord Himself. This being so, the subject of the Word in its inmost or highest sense is solely the Lord, in particular the glorification of His Human. This is what gives the Word all its holiness. But that sense presents itself chiefly in the inmost or third heaven, where those are who are governed by love to the Lord, and consequently possess wisdom more than all others.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #5327

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5327. 'And without you shall no man lift up his hand' means that all power in the spiritual was received from the celestial of the spiritual. This is clear from the meaning of 'hand' as power, dealt with in 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5296. Consequently 'no man lifting up his hand without you' means that they had no power at all except from this, thus that all power rested with this, that is to say, with the celestial of the spiritual. As regards power in the spiritual being meant by 'hand', this will be seen in the next paragraph.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.