圣经文本

 

Genesis第40章

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1 After this, it came to pass, that two eunuchs, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, offended their lord.

2 And Pharao being angry with them (now the one was chief butler, the other chief baker)

3 He sent them to the prison of the commander of the soldiers, in which Joseph also was prisoner,

4 But the keeper of the prison delivered them to Joseph, and he served them. Some little time passed, and they were kept in custody.

5 And they both dreamed a dream the same night, according to the interpretation agreeing to themselves:

6 And when Joseph was come in to them in the morning, and saw them sad,

7 He asked them, saying: Why is your oountenance sadder to day than usual?

8 They answered: We have dreamed a dream, and there is nobody to interpret it to us. And Joseph said to them: Both not interpretation belong to God? Tell me what you have dreamed.

9 The chief butler first told his dream: I saw before me a vine,

10 On which were three branches, which by little and little sent out buds, and after the blossoms brought forth ripe grapes :

11 And the cup of Pharao was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into the cup which I held, and I gave the cup to Pharao.

12 Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream: The three branches are yet three days:

13 After which Pharao will remember thy service, and will restore thee to thy former place: and thou shah present him the cup according to thy office, as before thou wast wont to do.

14 Only remember me, when it shall be well with thee, and do me this kindness: to put Pharao in mind to take me out of this prison:

15 For I was stolen away out of the land I of the Hebrews, and here without any fault was cast into the dungeon.

16 The chief baker seeing that he had wisely interpreted the dream, said: I also dreamed a dream, That I bed three baskets of meal upon my heed:

17 And that in one basket which was uppermost, I carried all meats that are made by the art of baking, and that the birds ate out of it.

18 Joseph answered: This is the interpretation of the dream: The three baskets are yet three days:

19 After which Pharao will take thy hand from thee, and hang thee on a cross, and the birds shall tear thy flesh.

20 The third day after this was the birthday of Pharao: and he made a. great feast for his servants, and at the banquet remembered the chief butler, and the chief baker.

21 And he restored the one to his place to present him the cup:

22 The other he hanged on a gibbet, that the truth of the interpreter might be shewn.

23 But the chief butler, when things prospered with him, forgot his interpreter.

   

来自斯威登堡的著作

 

Arcana Coelestia#5124

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5124. 'Pharaoh will lift up your head' means that which has been provided and therefore decided. This is clear from the meaning of 'lifting up the head' as reaching a decision, and in the highest sense as providing; for a decision taken by the Divine and the carrying of that decision into effect is Providence. 'Lifting up the head' was an expression commonly used by the Ancients when it was decided that those who were bound, that is, those in prison, should either be allowed to live or else be condemned to death. When they were allowed to live the expression 'lifting up the head' was used, as also in the second Book of Kings,

Evil-merodach king of Babel, in the year he became king, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah from the prison-house; and he spoke to him that which was good, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babel. 2 Kings 25:17, 28.

Similarly in Jeremiah,

Evil-merodach king of Babel, in the [first] year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him from the prison-house. Jeremiah 52:31.

But when someone was condemned to death the expression 'lifting up the head from upon him' was used, as in verse 19 further on which refers to the baker,

In yet three days Pharaoh will lift up your head from upon you.

[2] This phrase expressing the decision that someone should live or be put to death originated with the Ancients, among whom representatives existed; it originated in their representation of those who were bound in prison or the pit. Because those in prison represented people undergoing vastation beneath the lower earth, 4728, 4744, 5038, 'lifting up the head' therefore meant their release from this condition. For when they are released they are raised or brought up from that vastation to heavenly communities, see 2699, 2701, 2704. Being brought or raised up implies advances made towards interior things, for the expression raised up or high is used to refer to things that are interior, 2148, 4210. And because advances made towards interior things are meant, an advance towards heaven is meant, since heaven exists within interior things. Such is the meaning of 'lifting up the head'. But 'lifting up the head from upon someone' meant his condemnation to death, for in this case those who were above the ones in the pit or undergoing vastation were raised up to heaven, while those in the pit were sent down into the nether regions. These things meant by this phrase expressing the decision whether one should live or be put to death are the reason for its usage in the Word. From this it is evident that 'lifting up the head' means that which has been decided; and as this is meant, that which has been provided is meant in the highest sense, since the Divine makes provision for that on which He has made a decision.

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