Arcana Coelestia#6255
6255. Verses 10-14 And the eyes of Israel were weak 1 because of old age; he could not see. And [Joseph] made them draw near him, and [Israel] kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, I did not think to see your face, and behold, God has caused me to see your seed also. And Joseph brought them away from his thighs and bowed down, his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand to Israel's left, and Manasseh in his left to Israel's right, and made them draw near him. And Israel put out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head; crosswise he put out his hands, for Manasseh was the firstborn.
'And the eyes of Israel were weak' means his obscurity of discernment. 'Because of old age' means because he was in the final phase of his representation. 'He could not see means not noticing. 'And [Joseph] made them draw near him' means presence. 'And [Israel] kissed them' means a joining together resulting from an affection for truth. 'And embraced them' means a joining together resulting from an affection for good. 'And Israel said to Joseph' means a raising up to the internal. 'I did not think to see your face' means that he had not entertained any hope of an inflowing of his love. 'And behold, God has caused me to see your seed also' means that not only an inflow of love was discerned, but also the goodness and truth springing from it. 'And Joseph brought them away from his thighs' means that the good belonging to the will and the truth belonging to the understanding within the natural were brought away from an affection originating in love on the part of spiritual good. 'And bowed down, his face to the earth' means an expression of humility by them. 'And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand to Israel's left' means truth belonging to the understanding, to occupy the second place. 'And Manasseh in his left hand to Israel's right' means good belonging to the will, to occupy the first place. 'And made them draw near him' means a linking together. 'And Israel put out his right hand and placed it on Ephraim's head' means that he considered truth to occupy the first place. 'Who was the younger' means though in fact it occupies the second place. 'And his left hand on Manasseh's head' means that he considered good to occupy the second place. 'Crosswise he put out his hands' means thus out of keeping with true order. 'For Manasseh was the firstborn' means since good does indeed occupy the first place.
脚注:
1. literally, heavy
Genesis第48章
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."
