Arcana Coelestia #1222
1222. The elder brother of Japheth. That this signifies that its worship was external, is evident from the signification of “Japheth,” as being the external church, concerning which in the preceding chapter, in Genesis 91:18 and following verses; and above, in this chapter, verses 1-5. Here “Shem, the elder brother of Japheth” signifies specifically that the internal church and the external church are brothers; for such is the relation of internal worship to external worship in which there is internal. It is a blood-relationship, for in each the principal is charity. But the internal church is the elder brother, because it is prior and interior. “The elder brother of Japheth” here involves also that the second Ancient Church, called “Eber,” was as a brother to the first Ancient Church. For by “Japheth,” in the internal sense, nothing else is signified than external worship in which there is internal, in whatever church; thus also the worship of this new Ancient Church, which was chiefly external. Such is the internal sense of the Word that the historicals of the literal sense are not attended to when universals, which are abstract from the literal sense, are regarded; for they look toward one another in a contrary manner. 1 Hence “the elder brother of Japheth” here signifies, in the internal sense, the worship of the new Ancient Church, that it was external. Unless this were signified, it would be needless to say here that he was the elder brother of Japheth.
Fusnotat:
1. That is, when we look at the historicals we lose sight of the universals, and when we look at the universals we lose sight of the historicals. [Reviser.]
Genesis 10
1
Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.
2
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
3
The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
4
The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
5
Of these were the islands of the nations divided in their lands, everyone after his language, after their families, in their nations.
6
The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
7
The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
8
Cush became the father of Nimrod. He began to be a mighty one in the earth.
9
He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh. Therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Yahweh."
10
The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
11
Out of that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah,
12
and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the great city).
13
Mizraim became the father of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim,
14
Pathrusim, Casluhim (which the Philistines descended from), and Caphtorim.
15
Canaan became the father of Sidon (his firstborn), Heth,
16
the Jebusite, the Amorite, the Girgashite,
17
the Hivite, the Arkite, the Sinite,
18
the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad.
19
The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as you go toward Gerar, to Gaza; as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, to Lasha.
20
These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their languages, in their lands, in their nations.
21
To Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, to him also were children born.
22
The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.
23
The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.
24
Arpachshad became the father of Shelah. Shelah became the father of Eber.
25
To Eber were born two sons. The name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided. His brother's name was Joktan.
26
Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,
29
Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
30
Their dwelling was from Mesha, as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east.
31
These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their languages, in their lands, after their nations.
32
These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations. Of these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.
