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Бытие 41

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1 По прошествіи двухъ лјтъ случилось, что Фараонъ видјлъ во снј, будто онъ стоялъ у рјки.

2 И вотъ, выходятъ изъ рјки семь коровъ хорошихъ видомъ, и тучныхъ плотію,

3 и пасутся на травј рјчной. Но вотъ, послј нихъ выходятъ изъ рјки семь коровъ другихъ, худыхъ видомъ, и тощихъ плотію; и стали подлј тјхъ коровъ, на берегу рјки.

4 И съјли коровы худые видомъ и тощія плотію семь коровъ хорошихъ видомъ и тучныхъ. Тутъ Фараонъ проснулся.

5 Заснулъ опять, и въ другой разъ видјлось ему во снј, будто изъ одного стебля вышло семь колосьевъ тучныхъ и хорошихъ.

6 Но вотъ, послј нихъ выросло семь колосьевъ тощихъ и обожженныхъ вјтромъ.

7 Наконецъ тощіе колосья пожрали семь колосьевъ тучныхъ и полныхъ. Фараонъ проснулся и видитъ, что это сонъ.

8 По утру, въ смущеніи духа, послалъ онъ, и призвалъ всјхъ Египетскихъ толкователей тайнъ, и всјхъ тамошнихъ мудрецовъ, и разсказалъ имъ Фараонъ сны свои; но никто не истолковалъ ихъ Фараону.

9 Тогда главный виночерпій сталъ говорить Фараону, и сказалъ: грјхъ мой воспоминаю я нынј.

10 Фараонъ прогнјвался на рабовъ своихъ, и отдалъ меня и главнаго хлјбодара подъ стражу, въ домъ начальника тјлохранителей.

11 Тамъ видјлись намъ сны въ одну ночь, каждому видјлся сонъ особеннаго значенія,

12 Тамъ же былъ съ нами молодой Еврей, рабъ начальника тјлохранителей. Мы разсказали ему сны наши, и онъ истолковалъ намъ, истолковалъ каждому, соотвјтственно съ его сновидјніемъ.

13 И какъ онъ истолковалъ намъ, такъ и случилось: я поставленъ на прежнее мјсто; а тотъ повјшенъ.

14 Фараонъ послалъ призвать Іосифа; н тотчасъ взяли его изъ темницы. Онъ остригся, и перемјнилъ одежду свою, и пришелъ къ Фараону.

15 Фараонъ сказалъ Іосифу: мнј видјлся сонъ, и нјтъ никого, кто бъ истолковалъ его; а о тебј я слышалъ, что ты, выслушавъ сонъ, можешь истолковать его.

16 Іосифъ сказалъ въ отвјтъ Фараону: это не мое, Богъ дастъ отвјтъ во благо Фараону.

17 И сказалъ Фараонъ Іосифу: мнј видјлосъ во снј, будто я стоялъ на берегу рјки.

18 И вотъ, выходягъ изъ рјки семь коровъ тучныхъ плотію, и хорошихъ видомъ, и пасутся на травј рјчной.

19 Но вотъ, послј нихъ выходятъ семь коровъ другихъ, очень худыхъ видомъ и тощихъ плотію; я не видывалъ во всей землј Египетской такихъ худыхъ, какъ онј.

20 И съјли тощія и худыя коровы семь прежнихъ коровъ тучныхъ.

21 И вошли въ утробу ихъ, но непримјтно было, что онј вошли въ утробу ихъ. Онј были также худы видомъ, какъ и съ начала. Тутъ я проснулся.

22 Потомъ видјлось мнј въ сновидјніи моемъ, будто изъ одного стебля вышло семь колосьевъ полныхъ и хорошихъ.

23 Но вотъ, послј нихъ выросло семь колосьевъ тонкихъ, тощихъ и обожженныхъ вјтромъ.

24 И сіи колосья тощіе пожрали семь колосьевъ хорошихъ. Я разсказалъ это толкователямъ тайнъ; но никто не истолковалъ мнј.

25 И сказалъ Іосифъ Фараону: сонъ Фараоновъ одинъ. Богъ показалъ Фараону, что хочетъ творить.

26 Семь коровъ хорошихъ значатъ Семь лјтъ; и Семь колосьевъ хорошихъ значатъ Семь лјтъ: это одинъ сонъ.

27 И семь коровъ тощихъ и худыхъ, вышедшихъ послј тјхъ, значатъ семь лјтъ, также и семь колосьевъ тощихъ и обожженныхъ вјтромъ. Будетъ семь лјтъ голода.

28 Вотъ къ чему сказалъ я Фараону, что Богъ показалъ Фараону, что Онъ хочетъ творить.

29 Вотъ приходятъ семь лјтъ, въ которыя будетъ великое плодородіе во всей землј Египетской.

30 Послј нихъ настанутъ семь лјтъ голода: и забудется все оное изобиліе въ землј Египетской; и истощитъ голодъ землю.

31 Такъ что прежнее изобиліе и непримјтно будетъ на землј, по причинј голода сего, который наступитъ потомъ; ибо онъ будетъ очень великъ.

32 Что же сонъ повторился Фараону дважды, - это значитъ, что сіе рјшено Богомъ, и что вскорј Богъ исполнитъ сіе,

33 Итакъ да усмотритъ Фараонъ мужа разумнаго и мудраго, и да поставитъ его надъ землею Египетскою.

34 Да повелитъ Фараонъ поставить надъ землею надзирателей, и собирать въ семь лјтъ изобилія пятую часть всјхъ произведеній земли Египетской.

35 Пусть они берутъ всякій хлјбъ наступающихъ хорошихъ годовъ, и соберутъ хлјбъ подъ вјденіе Фараона, въ пищу по городамъ, и пусть берегутъ.

36 И будетъ сія пища въ запасъ для земли на семь лјтъ голода, которые будутъ въ землј Египетской; дабы земля не погибла отъ голода.

37 Сія рјчь понравилась Фараону и всјмъ рабамъ его.

38 И сказалъ Фараонъ рабамъ своимъ: найдемъ ли мы такого, какъ онъ, человјка, въ которомъ бы былъ духъ Божій?

39 Тогда Фараонъ сказалъ Іосифу: когда Богъ открылъ тебј все сіе, то нјтъ разумнје и мудрје тебя.

40 Ты будешь надъ домомъ моимъ; и твоего слова держаться будетъ весь народъ мой; только престоломъ я буду больше тебя.

41 И сказалъ Фараонъ Іосифу: вотъ, я поставляю тебя надъ всею землею Египетскою.

42 И снялъ Фараонъ перстень свой съ руки своей, и надјлъ его на руку Іосифу; одјлъ его въ виссонныя одежды, возложилъ на шею ему золотую цјпь.

43 Велјлъ везти на второй у себя колесницј, и провозглашать предъ нимъ: преклоняйте колјна! Такимъ образомъ поставилъ его надъ всею землею Египетскою.

44 И сказалъ Фараонъ Іосифу: я Фараонъ; безъ тебя никто не долженъ тронуться ни рукою, ни ногою во всей землј Египетской.

45 И нарекъ Фараонъ Іосифу имя: Цафнаѕ-панеахъ; и далъ ему въ жену Асенаѕу, дочь Поти-Фера, жреца Иліопольскаго. И пошелъ Іосифъ по землј Египетской.

46 Іосифу было тридцать лјтъ отъ рожденія, когда онъ предсталъ предъ лице Фараона, царя Египетскаго. И вышелъ Іосифъ отъ лица Фараонова, и прошелъ по всей землј Египетской.

47 Земля же въ семь лјтъ обилія приносила изъ зерна по горсти.

48 Итакъ онъ собралъ всякой хлјбъ семи лјтъ, которые были плодородны въ землј Египетской, и положилъ хлјбъ въ городахъ; въ каждомъ городј положилъ хлјбъ полей, окружающихъ его.

49 Такимъ образомъ Іосифъ собралъ хлјба весьма много, какъ песку морскаго, такъ что пересталъ и считать, ибо счета не было.

50 Еще до наступленія голодныхъ годовъ, у ІосиФа родились два сына, которыхъ родила ему Асенаѕа, дочь Поти-Фера, жреца Иліопольскаго.

51 И нарекъ Іосифъ имя первенцу: Манассія, потому что, говорилъ онъ, Богъ привелъ у меня въ забвеніе всј несчастія мои, и весь домъ отца моего.

52 А другому нарекъ имя Ефремъ, потому что, говорилъ онъ, Богъ сдјлалъ меня плодовитымъ въ землј страданія моего.

53 И прошли семь лјтъ обилія, которое было въ землј Египетекой;

54 и наступили семь лјтъ голода, какъ сказалъ Іосифъ. И былъ голодъ во всјхъ земляхъ, а во всей землј Египетской былъ хлјбъ.

55 Потомъ и вся земля Египетская начала терпјть голодъ; и народъ возопилъ къ Фараону о хлјбј. Тогда Фараонъ сказалъ всему Египту: подите къ Іосифу, и дјлайте, что онъ вамъ скажетъ.

56 И какъ былъ голодъ по всей землј: то Іосифъ отворилъ всј житницы, и сталъ продавать хлјбъ Египту. Голодъ же усиливался въ землј Египетской.

57 И изъ всјхъ странъ приходили въ Египетъ, покупать хлјбъ у Іосифа: ибо голодъ усилился по всей землј.

   

З творів Сведенборга

 

Arcana Coelestia #5113

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5113. Behold, a vine was before me. That this signifies the intellectual part, is evident from the signification of a “vine,” as being the intellectual part in the spiritual church, of which hereafter. As by the “butler” is signified the sensuous subject to the intellectual part, and as the influx of the intellectual into the sensuous subordinate thereto is here treated of, therefore in the dream there appeared a vine with shoots, blossom, clusters, and grapes, by which is described influx and the rebirth of this sensuous. As regards the intellectual of the spiritual church, be it known that where this church is described in the Word, its intellectual part is everywhere treated of, for the reason that it is the intellectual part which in the man of this church is regenerated and becomes a church.

[2] For there are in general two churches, the celestial and the spiritual. The celestial church is with the man who can be regenerated or become a church as to the will part; and the spiritual church is with the man who, as just said, can be regenerated only as to the intellectual part. The Most Ancient Church, which was before the flood, was celestial, because with those who belonged to it there was some wholeness in the will part; but the Ancient Church, which was after the flood, was spiritual, because with those who belonged to it there was not anything whole in the will part, but only in the intellectual part. For this reason where the spiritual church is treated of in the Word, its intellectual part is chiefly treated of (on which subject see above, n. 640, 641, 765, 863, 875, 895, 927, 928, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2124, 2256, 2669, 4328, 4493). That with those who are of the spiritual church it is the intellectual part that is regenerated, may be seen also from the fact that the man of this church has no perception of truth from good, as had they who were of the celestial church; but must first learn the truth which is of faith, and become imbued with what is intellectual, and thus from truth learn what is good; and after he has thus learned it, he is able to think it, and then to will it, and at last to do it; and then a new will is formed in him by the Lord in the intellectual part. By this new will the spiritual man is elevated by the Lord into heaven, evil still remaining in the will that is proper to him; which will is then miraculously separated, and this by a higher force, whereby he is withheld from evil and kept in good.

[3] But the man of the celestial church was regenerated as to the will part, by being imbued from infancy with the good of charity; and when he had attained to a perception of this, he was led into the perception of love to the Lord, whereby all the truths of faith appeared to him in the intellect as in a mirror. The understanding and the will made in him a mind wholly one; for by the things in the understanding it was perceived what was in the will. In this consisted the wholeness of that first “man” by whom the celestial church is signified.

[4] That a “vine” is the intellectual part of the spiritual church is evident from many other passages in the Word; as in Jeremiah:

What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? Or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? And yet I had planted thee a wholly noble vine, a seed of truth; how then art thou turned to Me into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine? (Jeremiah 2:18, 21);

speaking of Israel, by whom is signified the spiritual church (n. 3654, 4286). “Egypt” and “the waters of Shihor” denote memory-knowledges which pervert (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462); “Assyria” and “the waters of the river” denote reasoning from these knowledges against the good of life and the truth of faith (n. 119, 1186); a “noble vine” denotes the man of the spiritual church, who is called a “vine” from the intellectual part; the “degenerate shoots of a strange vine” denote the man of the perverted church.

[5] In Ezekiel:

A riddle and a parable concerning the house of Israel. A great eagle took of the seed of the land, and placed it in a field of sowing; it budded and became a luxuriant vine of low stature, so that its shoots looked back toward her, and the roots thereof were under her; so it became a vine that made shoots, and sent forth sprigs to the eagle. This vine applied its roots, and sent its shoots toward her, in a good field by many waters. It was planted that it might make a branch, that it might be for a vine of magnificence (Ezekiel 17:2-3, 5-8).

The “eagle” denotes the rational (n. 3901); the “seed of the land” denotes the truth of the church (n. 1025, 1447, 1610, 1940, 2848, 3038, 3310, 3373); its “becoming a luxuriant vine” and a “vine of magnificence” denotes becoming a spiritual church, which is called a “vine” from the wine thence produced, which signifies spiritual good or the good of charity from whence comes the truth of faith, implanted in the intellectual part.

[6] In the same:

Thy mother was like a vine, in thy likeness, planted by the waters; a fruitful one, and made full of branches by reason of many waters; whence she had rods of strength for the scepter of them that bear rule; and its stature lifted itself above among the tangled boughs, and appeared in its height in the multitude of shoots (Ezekiel 19:10-11);

also said of Israel, by whom is signified the spiritual church, which is compared to a “vine” for a reason like that mentioned just above. In this passage are described its derivations in the natural man even to the last, namely, to memory-knowledges from the senses, which are the “tangled boughs” (n. 2831).

[7] In Hosea:

I will be as the dew to Israel; his branches shall go, and his honor shall be as the olive’s, and his odor as Lebanon’s. They that dwell in his shadow shall return; they shall vivify the corn, and blossom as the vine; his memory shall be as the wine of Lebanon. O Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? (Hos. 14:5-8);

“Israel” denotes the spiritual church, whose blossoming is compared to a “vine,” and its memory to the “wine of Lebanon,” from the good of faith implanted in the intellectual part; “Ephraim” is the intellectual part in the spiritual church (n. 3969).

[8] In Zechariah:

The remains of the people; the seed of peace; the vine shall give her fruit, and the earth shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew (Zech. 8:11-12).

The “remains of the people” denote truths stored up by the Lord in the interior man (see n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 798, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284); the “seed of peace” denotes good there; the “vine,” the intellectual part.

[9] In Malachi:

I will rebuke for you him that consumeth, that he corrupt not for you the fruit of the land; neither shall the vine be bereaved for you in the field (Malachi 3:11).

The “vine” denotes the intellectual part; the vine is said “not to be bereaved” when the intellectual part is not deprived of the truths and goods of faith; on the other hand it is said to be “empty” when there are falsities therein and consequent evils; as in Hosea:

Israel is an empty vine, he maketh fruit like himself (Hos. 10:1).

[10] In Moses:

He shall bind his ass’s colt unto the vine, and the son of his ass unto the choice vine, after he hath washed his clothing in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes (Genesis 49:11);

from the prophecy of Jacob, then Israel, about his twelve sons, here about Judah, by whom is represented the the Lord, (n. 3881). The “vine” here denotes the intellectual part in the spiritual church, and the “choice vine,” the intellectual part in the celestial church.

[11] In David:

Jehovah, Thou hast made to come forth a vine out of Egypt; Thou didst drive out the nations, and plantedst it. Thou didst cleanse before it, and didst cause its roots to be rooted so that it filled the land. The mountains were covered with the shadow of it, and the cedars of God with the boughs. Thou hast sent forth the shoots thereof even to the sea, and the little branches thereof to the Euphrates. The boar out of the forest trampleth it, and the wild beast of the field grazeth it down (Psalms 80:8-11, 13).

The “vine out of Egypt” in the supreme sense denotes the Lord, the glorification of His Human being described by it and its shoots. In the internal sense the “vine” here is the spiritual church, and also the man of this church, such as he is when made new or regenerated by the Lord as to the intellectual and will parts. The “boar in the forest” is the falsity, and the “wild beast of the fields” the evil, which destroy the church as to faith in the Lord.

[12] In Revelation:

The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and vintaged the vine of the earth; and cast it into the great winepress of the anger of God; the winepress was trodden outside the city, and there came forth blood out of the winepress even to the horses’ bridles (Revelation 14:19-20);

“to vintage the vine of the earth” denotes to destroy the intellectual part in the church; and because this is signified by the “vine,” it is also said that “there came forth blood out of the winepress even to the horses’ bridles;” for by “horses” are signified intellectual things (n. 2761, 2762, 3217).

In Isaiah:

It shall come to pass in that day, that every place where there were a thousand vines for a thousand of silver, shall be for briars and brambles (Isaiah 7:23).

Again:

The inhabitants of the earth shall be burned, and man shall be left rare; the new wine shall mourn, the vine shall languish (Isaiah 24:6-7).

Again:

They shall beat themselves upon the paps for the fields of unmixed wine, for the fruitful vine. Upon the land of My people come up thorn and briar (Isaiah 32:12-13).

In these passages the subject treated of is the vastation of the spiritual church as to the good and truth of faith, thus as to the intellectual part; for as before said the truth and good of faith are in the intellectual part of the man of this church. Everyone can see that by a “vine” here is not meant a vine, nor by the “earth” the earth; but that they mean something of the church.

[13] As in the genuine sense a “vine” signifies the good of the intellectual part; and a “fig tree” the good of the natural man, or what is the same, that a “vine” signifies the good of the interior man, and a “fig tree” the good of the exterior man, therefore a “fig tree” is often mentioned in the Word at the same time as a “vine”; as in the following passages:

Consuming I will consume them; no grapes on the vine nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf is fallen (Jeremiah 8:13).

I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, which shall eat up thy vine and thy fig tree (Jeremiah 5:15, 17).

In Hosea:

I will lay waste her vine and her fig tree (Hos. 2:12).

In Joel:

A nation is come up upon My land, it hath reduced My vine into a waste, and My fig tree into froth, stripping it hath stripped it, and cast it forth, the shoots thereof are made white; the vine is withered, and the fig tree languisheth (Joel 1:6-7, 12).

Be not afraid, ye beasts of My fields; for the dwelling places of the wilderness are become grassy; because the tree hath made its fruit, and the fig tree and the vine shall yield their strength (Joel 2:22).

In David:

He smote their vine and their fig tree, and brake the tree of their border (Psalms 105:33).

In Habakkuk:

The fig tree shall not blossom, and no produce is in the vines (Hab. 3:17).

In Micah:

Out of Zion shall go forth doctrine, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem; they shall sit everyone under his vine and under his fig tree, and none maketh afraid (Micah 4:2, 4).

In Zechariah:

In that day shall ye call a man to his fellow, under the vine and under the fig tree (Zech. 3:10).

In the first book of Kings:

In the time of Solomon there was peace from all the passes round about; and Judah and Israel dwelt in confidence, everyone under his vine and under his fig tree (1 Kings 4:24-25).

That a “fig tree” is the good of the natural or exterior man, may be seen above (n. 217).

[14] That a “vine” is the intellectual part made new or regenerated by good from truth and by truth from good, is evident from the Lord’s words to the disciples, after he had instituted the holy supper:

I say to you, I will not drink henceforth of this product of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:29);

good from truth and truth from good, by which the intellectual part is made new, or man is made spiritual, are signified by the “product of the vine” and the appropriation thereof by “drinking.” (That “to drink” is to appropriate, and that it is predicated of truth, may be seen above, n. 3168.) That this is not done fully except in the other life is signified by “until that day when I shall drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” That by the “product of the vine” is not meant must or wine, but something heavenly of the Lord’s kingdom is very manifest.

[15] As the intellectual part in the spiritual man is made new and regenerated by truth which is from the Lord alone, therefore the Lord compares Himself to a “vine” and those who are implanted in the truth which is from Him, and consequently in Him, He compares to the “shoots” and the good therefrom to the “fruit” in John:

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser; every shoot in Me that beareth not fruit, He taketh away; but every shoot that beareth fruit, He pruneth it, that it may bear more fruit. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the shoot cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the shoots; he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing. This is My commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you (John 15:1-2, 4-15:4-5, 12).

[16] As in the supreme sense a “vine” signifies the Lord as to Divine truth, and hence in the internal sense the man of the spiritual church, therefore a “vineyard” signifies the spiritual church itself (n. 1069, 3220). As the Nazirite represented the celestial man, who is regenerated through the good of love, and not through the truth of faith like the spiritual man, and who consequently is not regenerated as to the intellectual part, but as to the will part (as may be seen above), therefore the Nazirite was forbidden to eat anything which came forth from the vine, thus was not to drink wine (Numbers 6:3-4; Judges 13:14); from this also it is evident that by the “vine” is signified the intellectual part that belongs to the spiritual man, as already shown.

[17] (That the Nazirite represented the celestial man may be seen above, n. 3301.) Hence also it may be seen that it cannot possibly be known why the Nazirite was forbidden whatever came forth from the vine (not to mention many other things regarding him), unless it is known what the “vine” signifies in its own sense, and also unless it is known that there is a celestial church and a spiritual church, and that the man of the celestial church is regenerated in a manner different from the man of the spiritual church-the former by means of seed implanted in the will part, the latter by means of seed implanted in the intellectual part. Such are the arcana stored up in the internal sense of the Word.

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

З творів Сведенборга

 

Arcana Coelestia #4286

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4286. And he said, Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel. That this signifies the Divine celestial spiritual now, and that “Israel” is the celestial spiritual man which is in the natural, and thus is natural; and that the celestial spiritual man itself, which is rational is “Joseph,” is evident from what follows concerning Jacob and concerning Israel, and also concerning Joseph; for it must first be told what is here meant by the celestial spiritual. It is indeed known in the church at the present day that there is a spiritual man and a natural man, or an internal man and an external man; but what the spiritual or internal man is, is not yet so well known; and still less what the celestial man is, and that it is distinct from the spiritual; and as this is not known, it cannot be known what the celestial spiritual man is, which here is “Israel,” and therefore this must be briefly told.

[2] That there are three heavens, is known, namely, an inmost heaven, a middle, and an ultimate; or what is the same, a third, a second, and a first. The inmost or third heaven is celestial; for the angels there are called celestial because they are in love to the Lord, and are therefore most fully conjoined with the Lord, and are consequently in wisdom above all the rest, are innocent, and hence are called innocences and wisdoms. These angels are distinguished into the internal and the external, the internal being more celestial than the external. The middle or second heaven is spiritual; for the angels there are called spiritual because they are in charity toward the neighbor, that is, in mutual love, which is such that the one loves the other more than himself; and because they are such they are in intelligence, and are hence called intelligences. These angels are also distinguished into the internal and the external, the internal being more spiritual than the external. The ultimate or first heaven is likewise celestial and spiritual, but not in the same degree as the prior ones; for what is natural adheres to these angels, and they are therefore called the celestial natural and the spiritual natural. These also are in mutual love, yet do not love others more than themselves, but as themselves. They are in the affection of good and knowledge of truth, and are likewise distinguished into the internal and the external.

[3] But what the celestial spiritual is, shall also be briefly told. Those are called the celestial spiritual who were said just above to be the spiritual, and they are in the middle or second heaven; they are termed “celestial” from mutual love, and “spiritual” from the derivative intelligence. The internal angels there are those who are represented by Joseph, and are also called “Joseph” in the Word; but the external there are those who are represented by Israel, and are also called “Israel” in the Word. The former (that is, the internal angels who are called “Joseph”) partake of the rational; but the external who are called “Israel,” partake of the natural, for these are midway between the rational and the natural. This is the reason why it is said that Israel is the celestial spiritual man which is in the natural, and thus is natural; and that Joseph is the celestial spiritual man itself, which is rational. For in the universal sense all the good which is of love and charity is called celestial, and all the derivative truth of faith and intelligence is said to be spiritual.

[4] These things have been stated in order that it may be known what “Israel” denotes. But in the supreme sense “Israel” signifies the Lord as to the Divine celestial spiritual, and in the internal sense signifies the Lord’s spiritual kingdom in heaven and on earth. The Lord’s spiritual kingdom on earth is the church which is called the Spiritual Church. And because “Israel” denotes the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, “Israel” likewise denotes the spiritual man, for in every such man there is the Lord’s kingdom; for a man is a heaven, and is also a church, in the least form (n. 4279). As regards Jacob, by him in the supreme sense is represented the Lord as to the natural, both celestial and spiritual; and in the internal sense the Lord’s kingdom such as it is in the ultimate or first heaven, and consequently also the same in the church. Good in the natural is what is here called celestial, and truth in the same is what is called spiritual. From these things it is evident what is signified by “Israel” and by “Jacob” in the Word, and also why Jacob was named Israel.

[5] But these things which have been said must needs appear obscure, especially for the reason that it is known to few what the spiritual man is, and to scarcely anyone what the celestial man is, consequently that there is any distinction between the spiritual and the celestial man. The reason why this has not been known, is that there is no distinct perception of the good of love and charity, and of the truth which is of faith; and these are not perceived because there is no longer any genuine charity, and where anything is not, there is no perception of it. Another reason is that man is little solicitous about the things that belong to the life after death, thus about the things of heaven, but is very much so about those which belong to the life of the body, and thus about the things that are of the world. If man were solicitous about the things that belong to the life after death, thus about the things of heaven, he would easily apprehend all the things that have been said above; for that which a man loves he easily imbibes and apprehends, but with difficulty what he does not love.

[6] That “Jacob” signifies one thing and “Israel” another, is plainly evident from the Word; for in the historical parts, and also in the prophetical, it is now said “Jacob,” and now “Israel,” and sometimes both are said in the same verse; from which it is evident that there is an internal sense in the Word, and that without this sense this circumstance cannot possibly be understood. That “Jacob” is now said, and now “Israel,” is evident from the following passages:

Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings. These are the births of Jacob; Joseph was a son of seventeen years, and Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons (Genesis 37:1-3); where Jacob is first called “Jacob” and presently “Israel;” and he is called Israel when Joseph is treated of. Again:

Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons. And the sons of Israel came to buy in the midst of those who came (Genesis 42:1, 5).

And afterwards:

They went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father; and when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he spoke unto them, the spirit of Jacob their father revived; and Israel said, It is much, Joseph my son is yet alive (45:25, 27-28).

Again:

And Israel journeyed, and all that he had. God said unto Israel in the visions of the night, and He said, Jacob, Jacob, who said, Behold me. And Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried down Jacob their father (Genesis 46:1-2, 5).

And in the same chapter:

These are the names of the sons of Israel that came into Egypt, of Jacob and his sons (Genesis 46:8).

Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said unto Jacob, and Jacob said unto Pharaoh (Genesis 47:7-9).

And in the same chapter:

And Israel dwelt in the land of Goshen; and Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; and the days of Israel drew near to die; and he called his son Joseph (Genesis 46:27-29).

Yet again:

And one told Jacob, and said, Behold thy son Joseph cometh unto thee; and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Shaddai appeared to me in Luz (Genesis 48:2-3).

And he is called Israel in the same chapter (verses 8, 10-11, 13-14, 20-21).

And lastly:

Jacob called his sons, and said, Assemble yourselves, and hear, ye sons of Jacob, and listen unto Israel your father. And when Jacob had made an end of charging his sons (Genesis 49:1-2, 33)

From these passages it is very evident that Jacob is now called Jacob, and now Israel, and thus that Jacob means one thing, and Israel another; or that one thing is signified when it is said “Jacob,” and another when “Israel,” and also that this arcanum cannot possibly be understood except from the internal sense.

[7] But what “Jacob” signifies, and what “Israel,” has been told above. In general by “Jacob” in the Word is signified what is external of the church, and by “Israel” what is internal; for every church has an external and also an internal, or is internal and also external. And as that which is of the church is signified by “Jacob” and by “Israel,” and as everything of the church is from the Lord, hence in the supreme sense both “Jacob” and “Israel” denote the Lord, “Jacob” as to the Divine natural, and “Israel” as to the Divine spiritual. Thus the external which is of the Lord’s kingdom and of His church, is “Jacob,” and the internal is “Israel”—as is further evident from the following passages, in which each is named in its own sense. In the prophecy of Jacob, then Israel:

By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel (Genesis 49:24).

In Isaiah:

Hear, O Jacob, My servant, and Israel whom I have chosen; I will pour out My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thy sons; this one shall say to Jehovah, I and this one shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and that one shall write with his hand unto Jehovah, and surname himself by the name of Israel (Isaiah 44:1, 3, 5); where “Jacob” and “Israel” manifestly denote the Lord, and the “seed and sons of Jacob and Israel,” those who are in faith in Him. In the prophecy of Balaam in Moses:

Who shall number the dust of Jacob, and the number with the fourth part of Israel? (Numbers 23:10).

And again:

There is no divination against Jacob, nor sorceries against Israel; at this time it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel, What hath God wrought! (Numbers 23:23).

Again:

How good are thy tabernacles O Jacob, thy dwelling places, O Israel (Numbers 24:4-5).

And again:

There shall arise a star out of Jacob, and a scepter out of Israel (Numbers 24:17).

In Isaiah:

My glory will I not give to another. Attend to me, O Jacob, and Israel My called. I am the same; I am the first, I also am the last (Isaiah 48:11-12).

In the same:

Jacob shall enroot those who come; and Israel shall blossom and flower; and the faces of the world shall be filled with produce (Isaiah 27:6).

In Jeremiah:

Fear not thou, O Jacob My servant, and be not terrified, O Israel; for lo I have saved thee from afar (Jeremiah 30:9-10).

In Micah:

In gathering I will gather Jacob, all of thee; in assembling I will assemble the remains of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah (Micah 2:12).

[8] For what reason Jacob was named Israel is evident from the very words when this name was given him: “Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince hast thou contended with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” For in the original language “Israel” means “one that contends with God as a prince,” by which is signified in the internal sense that He overcame in the combats of temptations; for temptations and combats in temptations were the means by which the Lord made His Human Divine (n. 1737, 1813, and elsewhere); and temptations and victories in temptations are what make man spiritual; for which reason Jacob was for the first time named Israel after he wrestled. (That “wrestling” denotes being tempted may be seen above, n. 4274.) It is known that the Church, or the man of the Christian Church, calls himself Israel; and yet no one in the Church is Israel but he who has become a spiritual man by means of temptations. The name itself also involves the same. That it was afterwards confirmed that Jacob should be called Israel, is evident from what follows in another chapter, where are these words:

God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him; and God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob; thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name; and He called his name Israel (Genesis 35:9-10).

The reason of this confirmation will be told hereafter.

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