1480. 'That the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful' means that the knowledge which is comprised of cognitions is to itself highly pleasing. This is clear from what has been stated above at verse 11, to the effect that in childhood knowledge is of such a nature. Within knowledge an inclination so to speak exists - for that inclination is innate in man - which disposes it first of all to take pleasure in knowing just for the sake of knowing, and with no other end in view. This is so with everyone: his spirit takes great delight in knowing, so that it scarcely desires anything better, knowledge being its food by which it is sustained and renewed, as the external man is by earthly food. And this which nourishes his spirit is communicated to the external man to the end that the external man may be adapted so as to serve the internal. These foods exist consecutively, in the following order: Celestial food consists in every good of love and charity received from the Lord, while spiritual food consists in every truth of faith; these are the kinds of food by which angels live. From these comes the food - also celestial and spiritual, but of a lower angelic degree - by which angelic spirits live. And from this again comes celestial and spiritual food of a still lower degree, which is that of reason and from this of knowledge, by which good spirits live. Last of all comes bodily food, which is proper to man while he lives in the body. All these foods correspond to one another in a remarkable manner. From this it is also evident why and how knowledge is to itself most pleasing, for that pleasure is as appetite and taste; therefore also eating with man corresponds in the world of spirits to facts, and appetite and taste themselves to the intense desire for facts, as is clear from experience which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be presented further on.
Arcana Coelestia #9527
9527. 'And you shall make a table' means a receptacle of heavenly blessings [that belong to the good of love]. This is clear from the meaning of 'a table' as heaven in respect of its reception of such blessings as come from the Lord there, which are the good of love and the good of faith, and the joy and bliss derived from them. These blessings are meant by 'a table' because 'food' means the heavenly blessings that belong to the good of love and faith, and the wisdom and intelligence gained from them, which in everyday language too are called heavenly food and also in the Word are meant by 'food', see 56-58, 680, 681, 1480, 4459, 4792, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003. What is more, a visual representation of those blessings is now and again made in heaven by means of a table on which all kinds of food are laid. From all this it is evident that 'a table' means a receptacle of heavenly blessings, thus heaven in respect of its reception of such blessings as come from the Lord. These blessings are also meant by 'table' in Luke,
Jesus said, I bestow on you, just as My father bestowed on Me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom. Luke 22:29-30.
And in Matthew,
Many will come from the east and the west and will recline with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 8:11.
Also in David,
I will fear no evil. You will spread a table before me in the presence of my enemies, You will make my head fat with oil; my cup will overflow. Goodness and mercy will follow me. Psalms 23:4-6.
In the contrary sense however 'table' means a receptacle of such things as exist in hell. In Isaiah,
They go astray through strong drink. They err among the seers, they are tottery in judgement. All tables are full of vomit. Whom will He teach knowledge, and whom will He cause to understand what is heard? Isaiah 28:7-9.
In the same prophet,
You who forsake Jehovah, who set a table for Gad, and fill a drink offering for Meni. Isaiah 65:11.
And in David,
They gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. Their table before them will become a snare. Psalms 69:21-22.
Exodus 25
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And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
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Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
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And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
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And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
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And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
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Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
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Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
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And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
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According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
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And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
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And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
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And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.
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And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
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And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
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The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.
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And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.
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And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
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And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
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And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
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And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
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And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
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And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
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Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
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And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.
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And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
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And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.
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Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
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And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.
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And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.
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And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.
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And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
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And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
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Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and Three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
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And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.
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And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
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Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.
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And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.
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And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
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Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
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And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
