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创世记第47章

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1 约瑟进去告诉法老:我的父亲和我的弟兄带着羊群牛群,并一切所有的,从迦南来了,如今在歌珊

2 约瑟从他弟兄中挑出五个人来,引他们去见法老

3 法老问约瑟的弟兄:你们以可事为业?他们对法老:你仆人是牧的,连我们的祖宗也是牧的。

4 他们又对法老迦南的饥荒甚大,仆人的羊群没有吃,所以我们到这寄居。现在求你容仆人歌珊

5 法老对约瑟:你父亲和你弟兄到你这里来了

6 埃及都在你面前,只管叫你父亲和你弟兄在国中最好的;他们可以歌珊。你若知道他们中间有甚麽能人,就派他们看管我的牲畜。

7 约瑟领他父亲雅各进到法老面前,雅各就给法老祝福

8 法老雅各:你平生的年日是多少呢?

9 雅各法老:我寄居在世的年日是一三十岁,我平生的年日又少又苦,不及我列祖早在世寄居的年日。

10 雅各又给法老祝福,就从法老面前出去了。

11 约瑟遵着法老的命,把埃及国最好的,就是兰塞境内的父亲和弟兄居住,作为产业。

12 约瑟用粮食奉养他父亲和他弟兄,并他父亲全家的眷属,都是照各家的人奉养他们。

13 饥荒甚大,全都绝了粮,甚至埃及迦南的人因那饥荒的缘故都饿昏了。

14 约瑟收聚了埃及迦南所有的子,就是众人籴粮的子,约瑟就把那法老的宫里。

15 埃及迦南子都花尽了,埃及众人都见约瑟,我们子都用尽了,求你给我们粮食,我们为甚麽在你面前呢?

16 约瑟:若是子用尽了,可以把你们的牲畜我,我就为你们的牲畜你们粮食。

17 於是他们把牲畜赶到约瑟那里,约瑟就拿粮食换了他们的;那一年因换他们一切的牲畜,就用粮食养活他们。

18 那一年过去,第二年他们又见约瑟,:我们不瞒我,我们的子都花尽了,牲畜也都归了我。我们在我眼前,除了我们的身体和田地之外,一无所剩。

19 你何忍见我们地荒呢?求你用粮食买我们我们的地,我们我们的地就要法老效力。又求你我们种子,使我们得以存活,不至亡,地土也不至荒凉。

20 於是,约瑟为法老买了埃及所有的埃及人因被饥荒所迫,各都了自己的田;那就都归了法老

21 至於百姓,约瑟叫他们,从埃及这边直到埃及那边,都各归各城。

22 惟有祭司的地,约瑟没有买,因为祭司有从法老所得的常俸。他们法老的常俸,所以他们不自己的地。

23 约瑟对百姓:我今日为法老买了你们和你们的地,看哪,这里有种子给你们,你们可以种地。

24 後来打粮食的时候,你们要把五分之一纳法老分可以归你们做地里的种子,也做你们和你们家口孩童的食物。

25 他们:你我们的性命。但愿我们在我眼前蒙恩,我们就作法老的仆人

26 於是约瑟为埃及地定下常例,直到今日:法老必得五分之一,惟独祭司的地不归法老

27 以色列人埃及歌珊。他们在那里置了产业,并且生育甚多。

28 雅各住在埃及十七年,雅各平生的年日是一十七岁。

29 以色列的期临近了,他就了他儿子约瑟来,:我若在你眼前蒙恩,请你把放在我大腿,用慈爱和诚实待我,请你不要将我葬在埃及

30 我与我祖我父同睡的时候,你要将我带出埃及,葬在他们所葬的地方。约瑟:我必遵着你的命而行。

31 雅各:你要向我起誓。约瑟就向他起了誓,於是以色列上(或作扶着杖)敬拜神。

   

来自斯威登堡的著作

 

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.