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Habakuk 3

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1 Dies ist das Gebet des Propheten Habakuk für die Unschuldigen:

2 HERR, ich habe dein Gerücht gehöret, daß ich mich entsetze. HERR, du machst dein Werk lebendig mitten in den Jahren und lässest es kund werden mitten in den Jahren. Wenn Trübsal da ist, so denkest du der Barmherzigkeit.

3 Gott kam vom Mittage und der Heilige vom Gebirge Paran. Sela. Seines Lobes war der Himmel voll und seiner Ehre war die Erde voll.

4 Sein Glanz war wie Licht; Glänze gingen von seinen Händen; daselbst war heimlich seine Macht.

5 Vor ihm her ging Pestilenz, und Plage ging aus, wo er hintrat.

6 Er stund und maß das Land; er schauete und zertrennete die Heiden, daß der Welt Berge zerschmettert wurden und sich bücken mußten die Hügel in der Welt, da er ging in der Welt.

7 Ich sah der Mohren Hütten in Mühe und der Midianiter Gezelte betrübt.

8 Warest du nicht zornig, HERR, in der Flut und dein Grimm in den Wassern und dein Zorn im Meer, da du auf deinen Rossen rittest und deine Wagen den Sieg behielten?

9 Du zogest den Bogen hervor, wie du geschworen hattest den Stämmen, Sela, und teiltest die Ströme ins Land.

10 Die Berge sahen dich, und ihnen ward bange; der Wasserstrom fuhr dahin, die Tiefe ließ sich hören, die Höhe hub die Hände auf.

11 Sonne und Mond stunden still. Deine Pfeile fuhren mit Glänzen dahin und deine Speere mit Blicken des Blitzes.

12 Du zertratest das Land im Zorn und zerdroschest die Heiden im Grimm.

13 Du zogest aus, deinem Volk zu helfen, zu helfen deinem Gesalbten. Du zerschmissest das Haupt im Hause des Gottlosen und entblößetest die Grundfeste bis an den Hals. Sela.

14 Du wolltest fluchen dem Zepter des Haupts samt seinen Flecken, die wie ein Wetter kommen, mich zu zerstreuen, und freuen sich, als fräßen sie den Elenden verborgen.

15 Deine Pferde gehen im Meer, im Schlamm großer Wasser.

16 Weil ich solches höre, ist mein Bauch betrübt, meine Lippen zittern von dem Geschrei; Eiter gehet in meine Gebeine, ich bin bei mir betrübt. O daß ich ruhen möchte zur Zeit der Trübsal, da wir hinaufziehen zum Volk, das uns bestreitet.

17 Denn der Feigenbaum wird nicht grünen, und wird kein Gewächs sein an den Weinstöcken; die Arbeit am Ölbaum fehlet und die Äcker bringen keine Nahrung, und Schafe werden aus den Hürden gerissen, und werden keine Rinder in den Ställen sein.

18 Aber ich will mich freuen des HERRN und fröhlich sein in Gott, meinem Heil.

19 Denn der HERR HERR ist meine Kraft und wird meine Füße machen wie Hirschfüße und wird mich in der Höhe führen, daß ich singe auf meinem Saitenspiel.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #2761

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2761. That 'a white horse' means an understanding of the Word as regards its interior contents, or what amounts to the same, as regards the internal sense of the Word is clear from the meaning of 'a horse' as the understanding part of the mind. In prophetical parts of the Word 'a horse' and 'a rider' are referred to many times, but up to now nobody has known that 'a horse' means the understanding part of the mind, and 'a rider' one who has intelligence, as in the prophecy of Jacob, who by then was Israel, concerning Dan,

Dan will be a serpent on the road, a darting serpent on the path, biting the horse's heels; and its rider will fall backwards. I am awaiting Your salvation, O Jehovah. Genesis 49:17-18.

'A serpent' means one who reasons about Divine arcana on the basis of sensory evidence and factual knowledge, see 195. 'Road' and 'path' mean truth, 627, 2333, 'heel' means the lowest part of the natural, 259, 'horse' an understanding of the Word, and 'rider' one who teaches. From this it is evident what these prophetical words mean, namely that one who reasons about the truths of faith on the basis of sensory evidence and factual knowledge is interested solely in the lowest things belonging to the natural world and so believes nothing, which is 'falling backwards'. And this is why the words 'I am awaiting Your salvation, O Jehovah' are added.

[2] In Habakkuk,

O God, You ride on Your horses, Your chariots are salvation. You made Your horses to tread in the sea. Habakkuk 3:8, 15.

Here 'horses' stands for Divine Truths that are in the Word, 'chariots' for doctrine drawn from them, 'the sea' for cognitions, 28, 2120. And since these belong to an understanding of the Word from God, it is said, 'You made Your horses to tread in the sea'. Here, as in the quotation above from the Book of Revelation, horses are attributed to God, but this attribution would not be possible if they did not have such a meaning.

[3] In David,

Sing to God, sing praises to His name; exalt Him who rides on the clouds by His name lain. Psalms 68:4.

'Riding on the clouds' stands for an understanding of the Word as regards its interior contents or internal sense; for 'clouds' means the Word in the letter which has the internal sense within it - see the Preface to Genesis 18, where the meaning of 'the Lord's coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory' is explained.

[4] In the same author,

Jehovah bowed the heavens and came down; and thick darkness was under His feet, and He rode on a cherub. Psalms 18:9-10.

'Thick darkness' here stands for clouds, 'riding on a cherub' for the Lord's providence preventing man's entering of himself into the mysteries of faith that are in the Word, 308. In Zechariah,

On that day there will be on the horse-bells, Holiness to Jehovah. Zechariah 14:20. 'The horse-bells' stands for an understanding of the spiritual things of the Word, which are holy.

[5] In Jeremiah,

There will enter through the gates of this city kings and princes seated on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And this city will be inhabited for ever. Jeremiah 17:25-26; 22:4.

'The city of Jerusalem' stands for the Lord's spiritual kingdom and Church. 'Kings' stands for truths, 1672, 2015, 2069, 'princes' for the first and foremost commandments of truth, 1482, 2089, 'David' for the Lord, 1888, 'men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem' for those in whom there exists good that flows from love, charity, and faith, 2268, 2451, 2712. Thus 'riding in chariots and on horses' stands for being furnished with the doctrine of truth received from an internal understanding of the Word.

[6] In Isaiah, Then will you take delight in Jehovah and I will cause you to ride over the high places of the earth and cause you to eat the heritage of Jacob. Isaiah 58:14.

'Riding over the high places of the earth' stands for intelligence. In David,

A love song. Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, [gird on] your glory and majesty. And in your majesty go on, ride on the word of truth, and of the meekness of righteousness. And your right hand will teach you marvellous things. Psalms 45:1, 3-4.

'Riding on the word of truth' stands plainly for intelligence based on truth, 'on the word of the meekness of righteousness' for wisdom based on good.

[7] In Zechariah,

On that day, said Jehovah, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. And on the house of Judah I will open My eyes, and every horse of the peoples I will strike with blindness. Zechariah 12:4.

Here also 'horse' plainly stands for the understanding which was to be 'stricken with panic and blindness', and 'rider' for him with intelligence who was to be 'stricken with madness'. In Hosea,

Take away all iniquity and accept that which is good, and we will render the praises 1 of our lips. Asshur will not save us, we will not ride on horses, and we will no more say Our God' to the work of our hands. Hosea 14:2-3.

'Asshur' stands for reasoning, 119, 1186, 'horse' for self-intelligence. 'Horse' and 'rider' are referred to in very many other places besides these.

Fotnoter:

1. literally, the calves

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

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Genesis 48

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1 It happened after these things, that someone said to Joseph, "Behold, your father is sick." He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

2 Someone told Jacob, and said, "Behold, your son Joseph comes to you," and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed.

3 Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

4 and said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your seed after you for an everlasting possession.'

5 Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine.

6 Your issue, who you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance.

7 As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there in the way to Ephrath (the same is Bethlehem)."

8 Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, "Who are these?"

9 Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me here." He said, "Please bring them to me, and I will bless them."

10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn't see. He brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

11 Israel said to Joseph, "I didn't think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your seed also."

12 Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

13 Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near to him.

14 Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 He blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day,

16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."

17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.

18 Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."

19 His father refused, and said, "I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a multitude of nations."

20 He blessed them that day, saying, "In you will Israel bless, saying, 'God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh'" He set Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.

22 Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow."