A Bíblia

 

2 Mose 16

Estude

   

1 Von Elim zogen sie, und kam die ganze Gemeine der Kinder Israel in die Wüste Sin, die da liegt zwischen Elim und Sinai, am fünfzehnten Tage des andern Monden, nachdem sie aus Ägypten gezogen waren.

2 Und es murrete die ganze Gemeine der Kinder Israel wider Mose und Aaron in der Wüste

3 und sprachen: Wollte Gott, wir wären in Ägypten gestorben durch des HERRN Hand, da wir bei den Fleischtöpfen saßen und hatten die Fülle Brot zu essen! Denn ihr habt uns darum ausgeführet in diese Wüste, daß ihr diese ganze Gemeine Hungers sterben lasset.

4 Da sprach der HERR zu Mose: Siehe, ich will euch Brot vom Himmel regnen lassen, und das Volk soll hinausgehen und sammeln täglich, was es des Tages bedarf, daß ich's versuche, ob es in meinem Gesetz wandele oder nicht.

5 Des sechsten Tages aber sollen sie sich schicken, daß sie zwiefältig eintragen, weder sie sonst täglich sammeln.

6 Mose und Aaron sprachen zu allen Kindern Israel: Am Abend sollt ihr inne werden, daß euch der HERR aus Ägyptenland geführet bat,

7 und des Morgens werdet ihr des HERRN HERRLIchkeit sehen; denn er hat euer Murren wider den HERRN gehöret. Was sind wir, daß ihr wider uns murret?

8 Weiter sprach Mose: Der HERR wird euch am Abend Fleisch zu essen geben und am Morgen Brots die Fülle, darum daß der HERR euer Murren gehöret hat, das ihr wider ihn gemurret habt. Denn was sind wir? Euer Murren ist nicht wider uns, sondern wider den HERRN.

9 Und Mose sprach zu Aaron: Sage der ganzen Gemeine der Kinder Israel: Kommt herbei vor den HERRN; denn er hat euer Murren gehöret.

10 Und da Aaron also redete zu der ganzen Gemeine der Kinder Israel, wandten sie sich gegen die Wüste; und siehe, die HERRLIchkeit des HERRN erschien in einer Wolke.

11 Und der HERR sprach zu Mose:

12 Ich habe der Kinder Israel Murren gehöret. Sage ihnen: Zwischen Abend sollt ihr Fleisch zu essen haben und am Morgen Brots satt werden und inne werden, daß ich der HERR, euer Gott bin.

13 Und am Abend kamen Wachteln herauf und bedeckten das Heer. Und am Morgen lag der Tau um das Heer her.

14 Und als der Tau weg war, siehe, da lag es in der Wüste rund und klein, wie der Reif auf dem Lande.

15 Und da es die Kinder Israel sahen, sprachen sie untereinander: Das ist Man; denn sie wußten nicht, was es war. Mose aber sprach zu ihnen: Es ist das Brot, das euch der HERR zu essen gegeben hat.

16 Das ist's aber, das der HERR geboten hat: Ein jeglicher sammle des, soviel er für sich essen mag, und nehme ein Gomor auf ein jeglich Haupt, nach der Zahl der Seelen in seiner Hütte.

17 Und die Kinder Israel taten also und sammelten, einer viel, der andere wenig.

18 Aber da man's mit dem Gomor maß, fand der nicht drüber, der viel gesammelt hatte, und der nicht drunter, der wenig gesammelt hatte, sondern ein jeglicher hatte gesammelt, soviel er für sich essen mochte.

19 Und Mose sprach zu ihnen: Niemand lasse etwas davon über bis morgen.

20 Aber sie gehorchten Mose nicht. Und etliche ließen davon über bis morgen; da wuchsen Würmer drinnen, und ward stinkend. Und Mose ward zornig auf sie.

21 Sie sammelten aber desselben alle Morgen, soviel ein jeglicher für sich essen mochte. Wenn aber die Sonne heiß schien, zerschmolz es.

22 Und des sechsten Tages sammelten sie des Brots zwiefältig, je zwei Gomor für einen. Und alle Obersten der Gemeine kamen hinein und verkündigten es Mose.

23 Und er sprach zu ihnen: Das ist's, das der HERR gesagt hat: Morgen ist der Sabbat der heiligen Ruhe des HERRN; was ihr backen wollt, das backet, und was ihr kochen wollt, das kochet; was aber übrig ist, das lasset bleiben, daß es behalten werde bis Morgen.

24 Und sie ließen's bleiben bis morgen, wie Mose geboten hatte; da ward es nicht stinkend, und war auch kein Wurm drinnen.

25 Da sprach Mose: Esset das heute, denn es ist heute der Sabbat des HERRN; ihr werdet es heute nicht finden auf dem Felde.

26 Sechs Tage sollt ihr sammeln, aber der siebente Tag ist der Sabbat, darinnen wird's nicht sein.

27 Aber am siebenten Tage gingen etliche vom Volk hinaus zu sammeln, und fanden nichts.

28 Da sprach der HERR zu Mose: Wie lange weigert ihr euch, zu halten meine Gebote und Gesetze?

29 Sehet, der HERR hat euch den Sabbat gegeben; darum gibt er euch am sechsten Tage zweier Tage Brot. So bleibe nun ein jeglicher in dem Seinen, und niemand gehe heraus von seinem Ort des siebenten Tages!

30 Also feierte das Volk des siebenten Tages.

31 Und das Haus Israel hieß es Man. Und es war wie Koriandersamen und weiß, und hatte einen Schmack wie Semmel mit Honig.

32 Und Mose sprach: Das ist's, das der HERR geboten hat: Fülle ein Gomor davon, zu behalten auf eure Nachkommen, auf daß man sehe das Brot, damit ich euch gespeiset habe in der Wüste, da ich euch aus Ägyptenland führte.

33 Und Mose sprach zu Aaron: Nimm ein Krüglein und tu ein Gomor voll Man drein; und laß es vor dem HERRN, zu behalten auf eure Nachkommen.

34 Wie der HERR Mose geboten hat, also ließ es Aaron daselbst vor dem Zeugnis, zu behalten.

35 Und die Kinder Israel aßen Man vierzig Jahre, bis daß sie zu dem Lande kamen, da sie wohnen sollten; bis an die Grenze des Landes Kanaan aßen sie Man.

36 Ein Gomor aber ist das zehnte Teil eines Epha.

   

Das Obras de Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia # 8409

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8409. As regards 'flesh' and its meaning the proprium in both the genuine and contrary senses, in the highest sense it is the Lord's Divine proprium, which is His Divine Human, and so is the good of His love towards the entire human race. From this in the sense that relates to man 'flesh' means a proprium made alive by the Lord's Proprium; that is, it is the Lord's Proprium present with the person, and so is the good of love to Him. Regarding the meaning of 'flesh' in this sense, see 3813, 7850. But in the contrary sense 'flesh' is the proprium that is man's own, thus the evil of self-love, and consequently the desires of that love, which are cravings, 999, 3813. The proprium that is man's own is nothing but evil, see 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1023, 1044, 1047, 3812 (end), 5660, 5786. The fact that 'flesh' means the proprium that is man's own, thus evil of every kind, is in addition clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

I will feed your oppressors with their flesh, and they will be drunk with their blood as with new wine. Isaiah 49:26.

'Feeding with flesh' stands for filling with their own evil.

[2] In Jeremiah,

Cursed is the man (vir) who trusts in man (homo), and makes flesh his arm, but his heart departs from Jehovah. Jeremiah 17:5.

'Making flesh his arm' stands for trusting in power that is one's own; therefore eating the flesh of one's arm stands for trusting in self, Isaiah 9:20. In Isaiah,

Egypt is man (homo) and not God, and his horses are flesh and not spirit. Isaiah 31:3.

'Horses of Egypt' stands for factual knowledge belonging to a perverted understanding, 6125; 'flesh' stands for what is dead, and 'spirit' for what is living. This is why the Egyptians 1 are called great in flesh, Ezekiel 16:26. The expression 'what is dead' is applied to evil, since evil leads to spiritual death, and 'what is living' is applied to good, since good leads to spiritual life.

[3] This explains why 'flesh' and 'spirit' are set in contrast to each other in the Word, as in John,

That which has been born of flesh is flesh, and that which has been born from the spirit is spirit. John 3:6.

In the same gospel,

It is the Spirit who bestows life, the flesh does not profit anything. The words which I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life. John 6:63.

In the Book of Genesis,

Jehovah said, My spirit will not reprove man forever, in that he is flesh. Genesis 6:3.

'Flesh' here stands for the proprium that is man's own. Similarly in Matthew,

Jesus said, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this, but My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:17.

And in John,

As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name, who were born, not of blood, 2 nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man (vir), but of God. John 1:12-13.

'The will of the flesh' stands for the proprium, the will part, 'the will of man' for the proprium, the understanding part; and 'sons of God' stands for those who have been regenerated. And those undergoing regeneration all receive life from the Lord's Proprium, which is the Lord's Flesh and body and is Divine Goodness itself.

[4] Since 'flesh' in the contrary sense means the proprium that is man's own, and so means evil, it also means craving, for the life of the flesh, which belongs properly to the body, consists of nothing else than the desires of the senses, the delights of the bodily appetites, and cravings. The fact that 'flesh' means craving is clear from the following verses in Moses,

The rabble who were in the midst of the people had a strong craving, and so the children of Israel wept repeatedly and said, Who will feed us with flesh? But now our soul is dry; there is nothing at all except the man[na] for our eyes [to look] at. And Jehovah said to Moses, You shall say to the people, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, in order that you may eat flesh; for you have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, Who will feed us with flesh, for it was better for us in Egypt? Jehovah will give you flesh to eat - for a whole month, 3 until it comes out of your nose and is loathsome to you. The flesh was still between their teeth, before it could be swallowed when Jehovah's anger flared up against the people, and Jehovah struck the people with an extremely great plague. So he called the name of that place The Craves of Craving, because there they buried the people having the craving. Numbers 11:4, 6, 16, 18, 20, 33-34.

From all this one may now see what 'sitting by a pot of flesh in the land of Egypt' means, namely a life according to their own pleasure and such as they craved for, which is the life of the proprium.

Notas de rodapé:

1. literally, the children (or sons) of Egypt

2. literally, bloods

3. literally, month of days

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

Das Obras de Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia # 6125

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6125. 'In exchange for horses' means factual knowledge supplied from the understanding. This is clear from the meaning of 'horses' as ideas forming the understanding, dealt with in 2760-2762, 3217, 5321; and since they are spoken of in connection with Egypt, which means factual knowledge, 'horses' here are factual knowledge supplied from the understanding. But what factual knowledge supplied from the understanding is must be stated. There is an understanding part and there is a will part in the human mind, and these are situated not only in his internal man but also in his external. The human understanding is developing and growing from early childhood through to manhood, and it consists in a discernment of things gained from experience and formal knowledge, also a discernment of causes from effects as well as of consequences from a chain of causes. Thus the understanding part consists in a comprehension and perception of such things as are part of everyday life, public and private. An inflowing of light from heaven brings it into existence, and for that reason everyone's understanding is capable of being made more perfect. Understanding is given to everyone in accordance with his effort to make use of what he knows, in accordance with the life he leads, and in accordance with his individual character; no one lacks it provided he is of sound mind. A person is given it to the end that he may have freedom of choice, that is, have the freedom to choose good or evil. Unless he possesses an understanding like the one just described, he has no power of his own to make that choice; thus nothing could possibly be made his own.

[2] In addition to this it should be recognized that the understanding part of a person's mind is that which receives what is spiritual, so that it is the recipient of spiritual truth and good. For no good at all, that is, no charity, nor any truth at all, that is, any faith, can be instilled into anyone if he does not have that understanding part; but they are instilled in the measure that he does have it. This also explains why a person is not regenerated by the Lord until adult life when he does possess an understanding. Till then the good of love and the truth of faith fall like seed into utterly infertile soil. But once a person has been regenerated his understanding serves the function of enabling him to see and perceive what good is and from this what truth is. For the understanding converts things belonging to the superior light of heaven into those belonging to the inferior light of the natural world, as a consequence of which the former are then seen within the latter in the same way as a person's inner affections are seen in his face when it lacks all pretence. And because the understanding serves that function, many places in the Word where the spiritual side of the Church is referred to refer also to its power of understanding, a matter which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with elsewhere.

[3] From all this one may now see what is meant by factual knowledge supplied from the understanding, namely known facts which lend support to the things a person grasps and perceives with his understanding, whether those things are bad or good. Such facts are what are meant in the Word by 'horses from Egypt', as in Isaiah,

Woe to those who go down into Egypt for help, and rely on horses and trust in chariots because they are many, and on horsemen because they are extremely strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel and do not seek Jehovah. For Egypt is man (homo), not God; and his horses are flesh, not spirit. Isaiah 31:1, 3.

'Horses from Egypt' stands for factual knowledge supplied from a perverted understanding.

[4] In Ezekiel,

He rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that ha might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does this be rescued? Ezekiel 17:15.

'Horses from Egypt' again stands for factual knowledge supplied from a perverted understanding, which knowledge is resorted to in matters of faith, though there is no belief in the Word, that is, in the Lord, apart from what that knowledge provides. Thus no belief ever comes to exist, for within a perverted understanding a negative attitude reigns.

[5] The destruction which such factual knowledge underwent is represented by the drowning of Pharaoh's horses and chariots in the Sea Suph; and since that knowledge is meant by 'horses' and false matters of doctrine by 'chariots', his horses and chariots are mentioned so many times in the description of that event, see Exodus 14:17-18, 27, 26, 28. And the Song of Moses and Miriam consequently contains these words,

Pharaoh's horse went, also his chariot, also his horsemen, into the sea; but Jehovah made the waters of the sea come back over them. Sing to Jehovah, for He has highly exalted Himself; He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea. Exodus 15:19, 21.

[6] Similar factual knowledge is also meant by the things required before-hand for a king over Israel, in Moses,

If they desire a king, from among their brothers shall a king be set over them. Only let him not multiply horses for himself nor lead the people back into Egypt in order to multiply horses. Deuteronomy 17:15-16.

'A king' represented the Lord as regards Divine Truth, 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4789, 4966, 5044, 5068, thus as regards intelligence since this comes, when it is genuine, from Divine Truth. The need for intelligence to be acquired through the Word, which is Divine Truth, and not through factual knowledge taken from one's own understanding is meant by the injunction that the king should not multiply horses or lead the people back into Egypt in order to multiply horses.

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