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Arcana Coelestia #3797

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3797. 'And the flock of Laban his mother's brother' means the Church and doctrine from that origin. This is clear from the meaning of 'the flock' as the Church and doctrine, dealt with in 3767, 3768, 3783. The reason why Laban is also called 'his mother's brother' here is that this phrase again means acknowledgement of the origin, as in the previous paragraph.

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

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Arcana Coelestia #10705

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10705. 'And the children of Israel saw Moses' face, that the skin of Moses' face was gleaming' means that the Israelite nation did, it is true, acknowledge the presence in the Word of something inward, but that they had no wish to know the nature of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing' as perception, understanding, and faith, dealt with in 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 3869, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5114, 5400, 6805, 7650, 9128, consequently acknowledgement as well, 897, 3796; from the meaning of 'the face of Moses' as the inward things of the Word, dealt with above in 10703; and from the meaning of 'the gleaming of the skin of his face' as the shining forth of what is inward in what is outward, also dealt with above in 10703. It is well known that this nation acknowledges the presence in the Word of something inward, for they speak of the concealment of Divine arcana or secrets there within every letter. But when they are told that those secrets have regard to the Lord, to His kingdom in heaven and on earth, and to loving Him and believing in Him, they do not wish to know these things. This is what should be understood when it is said that this nation did, it is true, acknowledge the presence in the Word of something inward, but that they had no wish to know the nature of it. This also accounts for what is stated next, that Moses drew the veil back over his face, meaning that therefore what was inward was closed off from them.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #10705

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

10705. 'And the children of Israel saw Moses' face, that the skin of Moses' face was gleaming' means that the Israelite nation did, it is true, acknowledge the presence in the Word of something inward, but that they had no wish to know the nature of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing' as perception, understanding, and faith, dealt with in 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 3869, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5114, 5400, 6805, 7650, 9128, consequently acknowledgement as well, 897, 3796; from the meaning of 'the face of Moses' as the inward things of the Word, dealt with above in 10703; and from the meaning of 'the gleaming of the skin of his face' as the shining forth of what is inward in what is outward, also dealt with above in 10703. It is well known that this nation acknowledges the presence in the Word of something inward, for they speak of the concealment of Divine arcana or secrets there within every letter. But when they are told that those secrets have regard to the Lord, to His kingdom in heaven and on earth, and to loving Him and believing in Him, they do not wish to know these things. This is what should be understood when it is said that this nation did, it is true, acknowledge the presence in the Word of something inward, but that they had no wish to know the nature of it. This also accounts for what is stated next, that Moses drew the veil back over his face, meaning that therefore what was inward was closed off from them.

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