3875.“说，这次我男人必与我联合”在至高意义上表爱和仁慈，在内在意义上表仁爱，在外在意义上表结合，在此表属灵之爱。这从“联合”的含义清楚可知。就外在意义或最接近字义的内义而言，“联合”是指结合，这是显而易见的，无需解释。就内在意义而言，“联合”是指仁爱，这一点从以下事实明显看出来：仁爱，或也可说，相爱，就是属灵的结合。因为相爱是属意愿的情感的结合和随之属认知的思维的一致，因而是心智这两个部分的结合。由此明显可知，就至高意义而言，“联合”是指爱和仁慈，因为论及仁爱或属灵之爱的“无限和永恒”这样的描述是指仁慈，仁慈是对陷入如此巨大痛苦的人类的神性之爱。因为人凭自己无非恶，并且他里面的东西只要是源于他自己的，完全来自地狱。然而，主出于神性之爱看待他，把他从他凭自己所在的地狱提升上来并将其解救出来就是所谓的仁慈。由于仁慈是神性之爱的属性，故“联合”在至高意义上表示爱和仁慈。
“联合”在内在意义上表示属灵之爱，或也可说，表示对邻舍的仁爱。这一点也可从圣言中的其它经文看出来，如以赛亚书：
与耶和华联合的外邦人不要发言说，耶和华必定将我从祂民中分别出来。与耶和华联合，事奉祂，爱耶和华名的外邦人，要作祂的仆人。（以赛亚书56:3，6）
“与耶和华联合”表遵守诫命，这就是属灵之爱的行为，因为除了处于对邻之仁的良善之人外，没有人发自内心遵守神的诫命。耶利米书：
当那些日子，以色列人必来，他们和犹大人同来，随走随哭，寻求耶和华他们的神。他们必寻找往锡安去的路，又面向这里，来吧！我们要以那永不可忘记的约与耶和华联合。（耶利米书50:4-5）
“与耶和华联合”同样表示发自内心，即出于仁之善遵守诫命。
撒迦利亚书：
那日必有许多民族与耶和华联合，作我的子民。（撒迦利亚书2:11）
此处的意思也一样。以赛亚书：
耶和华要怜恤雅各，必再拣选以色列，将他们安置在本地，寄居的必与他们联合，加入雅各家。（以赛亚书14:1）
“寄居的必与他们联合”表同样忠于律法。“加入雅各家”表处于仁之善，“雅各家”所表示的人就在仁之善中。马太福音：
一个人不能事奉两个主。不是恶这个爱那个，就是与这个联合，轻视那个。（马太福音6:24）
此“爱”表爱的属天形式，“联合”表爱的属灵形式。这二者都被提及，是因为它们截然不同，否则只提一个就足够了。
处于属灵之爱的人因此被称为“利未人”，如玛拉基书：
祂来的日子，谁受得了呢？祂显现的时候，谁能立得住呢？他必坐下如熬炼和洁净银子的，必洁净利未人，熬炼他们像金银一样。（玛拉基书3:2-3）
在至高意义上，“利未”凭祂对那些处于属灵之爱之人的神性之爱和仁慈而表示主。这一点可见于同一先知书：
你们就知道我传这诫命给你们，使我的约可以与利未同在，这是万军之耶和华说的；我与他所立的是生命和平安的约。你们却偏离正道，使许多人在律法上跌倒；你们破坏利未的约。所以我使你们被藐视。（玛拉基书2:4-5，8-9）
由于“利未”在至高意义上表示主的神性之爱或仁慈，在内在意义上表示属灵之爱，故利未支派被立为祭司；因为就圣言的内在意义而言，“祭司”无非是指爱的神圣，“王权”表示信的神圣（参看1728，2015，3670节）。
由于利未以之得名的“联合”这个词表示属灵之爱，而属灵之爱等同于相爱，所以在原文，这个词用来表示相互给予和接受。在犹太教会，相互给予和接受代表相爱。蒙主的神圣怜悯，这个代表将在别处予以论述。相爱在这方面不同于友谊：相爱关注人里面的良善，并因指向良善而指向处于良善的这个人。然而，友谊关注这个人，当出于良善或为了良善的缘故关注这个人时，也是相爱。不过，当不出于良善或为了良善的缘故，而是出于它视之为良善的自我看待他时，那么友谊就不是相爱，而是接近自我之爱的某种东西。它越接近这爱，就越反对相爱。相爱本身无非是对邻之仁，“邻舍”在内在意义上无非表示良善，在至高意义上表示主，因为一切良善皆源于主，主是良善本身（2425，3419节）。这种相爱或对邻之仁就是属灵之爱的意愿，也是“利未”所表示的。
而且，在圣言中，属天之爱和婚姻之爱在字义上用“联合”来表述；不过，这个词源自另一个词，在原文，这另一个词与利未以之得名的这个词是不同的。这另一个词表示更紧密的结合，如以下经文，摩西五经：
你要敬畏耶和华你的神，事奉祂，与祂联合。（申命记10:20）
你们要跟随耶和华你们的神，敬畏祂，谨守他的诫命，听从祂的声音，事奉祂，与祂联合。（13:4）
爱耶和华你们的神，行祂的一切道路，与祂联合。（申命记11:22）
爱耶和华你的神，顺从祂的声音，与祂联合，因为祂是你的生命。（申命记30:20）
约书亚记：
只要切切地谨慎遵行耶和华仆人摩西所吩咐你们的诫命律法，爱耶和华你们的神，行他一切的道路，守祂的诫命，与祂联合，尽心尽性事奉祂。（约书亚记22:5）
列王纪：
希西家王信靠耶和华以色列的神。他与耶和华联合，紧随不离祂，谨守耶和华所吩咐摩西的诫命。（列王记下18:5-6）
耶利米书：
腰带怎样与人腰联合，照样，我也使以色列全家和犹大全家与我联合，好叫他们属我为子民，使我得名声，得颂赞，得荣耀。他们却不肯听从。（耶利米书13:11）
婚姻之爱也以“联合”来表述，这一点从以下经文明显看出来：
因此，人要离开父母与妻子联合，他们成为一个肉体。（创世记2:24）
摩西因为你们的心硬，所以才写了这条诫命；但从起初创造的时候，神造人是造男造女；因此，人要离开父母与妻子联合，他们二人成为一个肉体；所以神结合的，人不可分开。（马可福音10:5-9；马太福音19:5）
示剑的灵魂雅各的女儿底拿联合；他喜爱这少女，和这少女谈心。（创世记34:3）
所罗门王宠爱许多外邦女子；所罗门却为了爱，与这些女子联合。（列王记上11:1，2）
上述经文清楚表明，“联合”是一个爱的术语，为古代教会所采用，在这些教会中，有意义的符号是十分突出的，在内在意义上无非表示属灵的结合，也就是仁和爱。
Potts(1905-1910) 3875
3875. And said, Now this time will my man cleave to me. That this signifies in the supreme sense love and mercy, in the internal sense charity, in the external sense conjunction, and in the present case spiritual love, is evident from the signification of "to cleave." That in the external or proximately interior sense "to cleave" is conjunction, is evident without explication. That in the internal sense "to cleave" is charity, is evident from the fact that charity, or what is the same thing, mutual love, is spiritual conjunction; for it is a conjunction of the affections of the will, and a consequent agreement of the thoughts of the understanding; thus it is a conjunction of minds as to both parts. That in the supreme sense "to cleave" is love and mercy, is hence manifest, for the infinite and eternal which is predicated of charity or spiritual love, is mercy, which is the Divine love toward the human race, sunk as it is in such great miseries. For as of himself man is nothing but evil, and as that which is in him, so far as it is from him, is nothing else than infernal, and as he is looked upon by the Lord from Divine love, his elevation out of the hell in which he is of himself, and his deliverance, is called "mercy." Hence, because mercy is from the Divine love, by "to cleave," in the supreme sense, there is signified both love and mercy.
[2] That in the internal sense "to cleave" signifies spiritual love, or what is the same, charity toward the neighbor, may be seen also from other passages in the Word; as in Isaiah:
Let not the son of the stranger that cleaveth to Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah in separating separates me from His people. The sons of the stranger that cleave unto Jehovah, to minister unto Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, shall be His servants (Isa. 56:3, 6);
"to cleave unto Jehovah" denotes to observe the commandments, which is of spiritual love; for no one observes the commandments of God from the heart, except the man who is in the good of charity toward the neighbor. In Jeremiah:
In those days the sons of Israel shall come, they and the sons of Judah, going and weeping shall they go, and shall seek Jehovah their God. They shall ask Zion concerning the way, thither shall their faces be, Come ye and let us cleave to Jehovah with an everlasting covenant that shall not be forgotten (Jer. 50:4-5);
where "to cleave to Jehovah" in like manner denotes to observe the commandments from the heart, that is, from the good of charity.
[3] In Zechariah:
Many nations shall cleave to Jehovah in that day, and shall be My people (Zech. 2:11);
where the sense is the same. In Isaiah:
Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob, and will again choose Israel, and set them in their own land; and the sojourner shall cleave to them, and they shall join themselves unto the house of Jacob (Isa. 14:1);
"the sojourner cleaving to them" denotes being in a similar observance of the law; "to join themselves unto the house of Jacob" signifies to be in the good of charity, in which they are who are signified by the "house of Jacob." In Matthew:
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will cleave to the one and despise the other (Matt. 6:24);
where "to love" denotes the celestial of love; and "to cleave" the spiritual of love; both are mentioned because they are distinct, otherwise it would have been sufficient to mention one.
[4] They who are in spiritual love are on this account called the "sons of Levi," as in Malachi:
Who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth? He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver (Mal. 3:2-3). That in the supreme sense the Lord is signified by "Levi," from His Divine love and mercy toward those who are in spiritual love, may be seen in the same prophet:
That ye may know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that My covenant might be with Levi, saith Jehovah Zebaoth; my covenant shall be with him of life and peace. Ye are turned aside out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi. Therefore I have made you contemptible (Mal. 2:4-5, 8-9). And as in the supreme sense "Levi" signifies the Lord's Divine love or mercy, and in the internal sense spiritual love, therefore the tribe of Levi was made the priesthood; for in the internal sense of the Word the "priesthood" is nothing else than the holy of love; and the "royalty" the holy of faith (see n. 1728, 2015, 3670).
[5] As by the expression "to cleave," from which Levi was named, there is signified spiritual love, which is the same as mutual love, by the same expression in the original tongue there is also signified a mutual giving and receiving; and in the Jewish Church by mutual giving and receiving there was represented mutual love, concerning which of the Lord's Divine mercy elsewhere. Mutual love differs from friendship in this respect-that mutual love regards the good which is in a man, and because it is directed to good, it is directed to him who is in good; but friendship regards the man; and this also is mutual love when it regards the man from good, or for the sake of good; but when it does not regard him from good or for the sake of good, but for the sake of self which it calls good, then friendship is not mutual love, but approaches the love of self, and insofar as it approaches this, so far it is opposite to mutual love. In itself mutual love is nothing else than charity toward the neighbor; for by the neighbor in the internal sense nothing else is signified than good, and in the supreme sense the Lord, because all good is from Him, and He is good itself (n. 2425, 3419). This mutual love or charity toward the neighbor is what is meant by spiritual love, and is signified by "Levi."
[6] Moreover in the Word both celestial love and conjugial love are in the sense of the letter expressed by the expression "to cleave," but from a word in the original tongue different from that from which Levi was named. This word signifies a still closer conjunction, as in the following passages. In Moses:
Thou shalt fear Jehovah thy God; Him shalt thou serve, and to Him shalt thou cleave (Deut. 10:20). Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and hear His voice, and ye shall serve Him and cleave unto Him (Deut. 13:4). To love Jehovah your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to cleave unto Him (Deut. 11:22). To love Jehovah thy God, to obey His voice, and to cleave unto Him; for He is thy life (Deut. 30:20). In Joshua:
Take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, to love Jehovah your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart, and with all your soul (Josh. 22:5). In the second book of Kings:
King Hezekiah trusted in Jehovah the God of Israel. He clave to Jehovah, he departed not from following Him, but kept His commandments, which Jehovah commanded Moses (2 Kings 18:5-6). In Jeremiah:
As a girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto Me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah; that they might be unto Me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for adornment; and they have not obeyed (Jer. 13:11).
[7] That conjugial love also is expressed by "cleaving" is manifest from the following passages:
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh (Gen. 2:24). For your hardness of heart, Moses wrote this commandment; but from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female; for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh; what therefore God hath joined together let not man put asunder (Mark 10:5-9; Matt. 19:5). The soul of Shechem clave to Dinah the daughter of Jacob; he loved the damsel, and spake to the heart of the damsel (Gen. 34:3). Solomon loved many strange women; Solomon clave to these in love (1 Kings 11:1, 2). From all this it is now evident that "to cleave" is a term of love, received into use by the churches in ancient times, which churches were in significatives; and that in the internal sense it denotes nothing else than spiritual conjunction, which is charity and love.
Elliott(1983-1999) 3875
3875. 'And she said, Now this time my husband will cling to me' means in the highest sense love and mercy, in the internal sense charity, in the external sense a joining together - spiritual love being meant here. This is clear from the meaning of 'clinging to'. As regards 'clinging' in the external sense, or inner sense nearest to the literal, meaning a joining together, this may be seen without explanation; and as regards 'clinging' in the internal sense meaning charity, this is evident from the consideration that charity, or what amounts to the same, mutual love, is a spiritual joining together. For mutual love is a joining together of affections belonging to the will and a consequent agreement of thoughts belonging to the understanding, and so is a joining of minds as to both parts. That 'clinging' in the highest sense means love and mercy is evident from this, for when the description 'infinite and eternal' is applied to charity or spiritual love the attribute of mercy is meant, mercy being Divine love directed towards the human race engulfed in such great miseries. For man of himself is nothing but evil, and what is within him, insofar as this has its origin in himself, is altogether from hell. Yet the Lord beholds him with Divine Love, and therefore the raising up of him from the hell in which of himself he dwells and his deliverance from it is called mercy. And because that mercy is an attribute of Divine Love, 'clinging' in the highest sense therefore means both love and mercy.
[2] As regards 'clinging' in the internal sense meaning spiritual love, or what amounts to the same, charity towards the neighbour, this may also be seen from other places in the Word, as in Isaiah,
Do not let the son of the foreigner who has clung to Jehovah say, Jehovah surely separates me from being with His people. The sons of the foreigner who cling to Jehovah, to minister to Him and to delight in the name of Jehovah, will be His servants. Isa 56:3, 6.
'Clinging to Jehovah' stands for keeping His commandments, which is an act of spiritual love, for no one at heart keeps God's commandments except him in whom good that flows from charity towards the neighbour is present. In Jeremiah,
In those days the children of Israel will come, they and the children of Judah weeping as they come; and they will seek Jehovah their God. They will ask Zion concerning the way, their faces towards it, [saying,] Come and let us cling to Jehovah in an everlasting covenant that is not forgotten. Jer 50:4, 5.
'Clinging to Jehovah' in like manner stands for keeping His commandments at heart, that is, doing so from good that flows from charity.
[3] In Zechariah,
Many nations will cling to Jehovah on that day and will be My people. Zech 2:11.
Here the meaning is similar. In Isaiah,
Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob, and will again choose Israel, and will set them on their own land. And the sojourner will cling to them, and they will join themselves to the house of Jacob. Isa 14:1.
'The sojourner clinging to them' stands for having a similar allegiance to the law. 'Joining themselves to the house of Jacob' stands for the good that flows from charity, which is present in those meant by 'the house of Jacob'. In Matthew,
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will cling to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Matt 6:24.
Here the celestial form of love is meant by 'loving', the spiritual form by 'clinging to'. Both of these expressions are used because those two forms of love are distinct and separate. Otherwise one expression would have been sufficient.
[4] People who are stirred by spiritual love are therefore called 'the sons of Levi', as in Malachi,
Who can endure the day of His coming, and who will stand when He appears? He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and purge them like gold, and like silver. Mal 3:2, 3.
In the highest sense the Lord is meant by 'Levi' by virtue of Divine love and of mercy towards those in whom spiritual love is present. This may be seen in the same prophet,
That you may know that I have sent this command to you, to be My covenant with Levi, said Jehovah Zebaoth. My covenant with him will be [a covenant] of life and peace. You have turned back from the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law, you have corrupted the covenant of Levi; therefore I have made you despised. Mal 2:4, 5, 8, 9.
And because in the highest sense the Lord's Divine Love or His Mercy was meant by 'Levi', and in the internal sense spiritual love, the tribe of Levi was therefore established as the priesthood; for in the internal sense of the Word 'the priesthood' is nothing other than the holiness of love and 'kingship' the holiness of faith, 1728, 2015 (end), 3670.
[5] Because the expression 'cringing to' from which Levi received his name means spiritual love, which is the same as mutual love, the same expression in the original language is used to mean lending and borrowing.a And these two - lending and borrowing - in the Jewish Church represented mutual love, a representation which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with elsewhere. Mutual love is different from friendship inasmuch as mutual love has a person's good in view, and in directing itself towards that good is directed towards the person in whom good is present. Friendship however has the person in view, which is also mutual love when it looks at that person from the point of view of, that is, on account of, that good. But when it does not look at him from the point of view of good or on account of that good but on account of self which it calls good, friendship is not in that case mutual love but something close to the love of self. And insofar as it is close to this it is opposed to mutual love. In itself mutual love is nothing else than charity towards the neighbour, for in the internal sense 'the neighbour' means nothing else than good, and in the highest sense the Lord because all good originates in Him and He is Good itself, see 2425, 3419. This mutual love or charity towards the neighbour is what is understood by spiritual love and meant by 'Levi'. What is more, in the Word celestial love, and also conjugial love, is expressed in the sense of the letter as 'clinging to', but this is derived from a different expression in the original language from that from which the name Levi is obtained.
[6] This other expression means an even closer joining together, as in the following places: In Moses,
You shall fear Jehovah your God: you shall serve Him and cling to Him. Deut. 10:20. You shall go after Jehovah your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and hear His voice, and serve Him, and cling to Him. Deut 13:4.To love Jehovah your God, to go in all His ways, and to cling to Him. Deut 11:22. To love Jehovah your God, to obey His voice, and to cling to Him, for He is your life. Deut 30:20.
In Joshua,
Take good care to carry out the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, to love Jehovah your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cling to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Josh 22:5.
In the second Book of Kings,
King Hezekiah trusted in Jehovah the God of Israel. He clung to Jehovah; he did not turn back from going after Him, and he kept His commandments which Jehovah had commanded Moses. 2 Kings 18:5, 6.
In Jeremiah,
As a waistcloth clings to the loins of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me, to be for Me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory; but they were not obedient. Jer. 13:11.
[7] The fact that conjugial love as well is expressed by 'clinging to' is evident from the following,
Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother and will cling to his wife, and they will be one flesh. Gen. 2:24.
On account of your hardness of heart Moses wrote this commandment, but from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man (homo) will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife, and the two will be one flesh. What therefore God has joined together man (homo) must not put asunder. Mark 10:5-9; Matt. 19:5.
The soul of Shechem clung to Dinah, Jacob's daughter. He loved the girl, and spoke to the girl's heart. Gen. 34:3.
Solomon loved many foreign women. Solomon clung to these in love. 1 Kings 11:1, 2.
These quotations show then that 'clinging to' is an expression descriptive of love which was adopted in ancient times by Churches in which meaningful signs were prominent, and that it means nothing else in the internal sense than a spiritual joining together, which is charity and love.
Latin(1748-1756) 3875
3875. `Et dixit, Nunc hac vice adhaerebit vir meus ad me': quod significet in sensu supremo amorem et misericordiam, in interno charitatem, in externo conjunctionem, hic amorem spiritualem, constat a significatione `adhaerere': quod adhaerere in sensu externo seu proxime interiore sit conjunctio, constare potest absque explicatione; quod `adhaerere' in sensu interno sit charitas, patet ex eo quod charitas, seu quod idem, amor mutuus, sit conjunctio spiritualis, est enim conjunctio affectionum quae voluntatis, et inde convenientia cogitationum quae intellectus, ita conjunctio mentium quoad utramque partem; quod adhaerere in sensu supremo sit amor et misericordia, inde patet, nam infinitum et aeternum quod praedicatur de charitate seu amore spirituali, est misericordia {1}, quae est amor Divinus erga genus humanum in tantis miseriis constitutum; cum enim homo non est nisi malum ex se, et in illo, quantum ex illo, non nisi quam infernale, ac inspicitur a Domino ex Divino Amore, tunc quod elevetur ab inferno in quo est a se, et liberetur, dicitur misericordia, hinc quia misericordia est ex Divino Amore, significatur per `adhaerere' in supremo sensu et amor et misericordia. [2] Quod `adhaerere' in sensu interno significet amorem spiritualem, seu quod idem, charitatem erga proximum, constare (t)potest etiam (c)ex aliis locis in Verbo, ut apud Esaiam, Ne dicat filius alienigenae, qui adhaesit ad Jehovam, dicendo, Separando separat me Jehovah a cum populo Suo:... filii alienigenae, qui adhaerent ad Jehovam, ad ministrandum Ipsi, et ad diligendum nomen Jehovae, erunt Ipsi in servos, lvi 3, 6;`adhaerere ad Jehovam' pro praecepta observare, quod est amoris spiritualis, nemo enim praecepta Dei ex corde observat nisi qui in bono charitatis erga proximum est: apud Jeremiam In diebus illis... venient filii Israelis, illi et filii Jehudae, eundo et flendo ibunt, et Jehovam Deum suum quaerent;
Zionem interrogabunt de via, eo facies eorum, Venite et adhaereamus ad Jehovam foedere saeculi, non oblivioni datur, l 4, 5;
`adhaerere ad Jehovam' similiter pro praecepta observare ex corde, hoc est, ex bono charitatis: [3] apud Zachariam, Adhaerebunt gentes multae ad Jehovam in die illo, et erunt Mihi in populum, ii 15;
similiter: apud Esaiam, Miserebitur Jehovah Jacobi, et eliget denuo Israelem, et ponet eos super terram eorum, et adhaerebit peregrinus eis, et adjungent se ad domum Jacobi, xiv 1;
`adhaerere peregrinus eis' pro in simili observantia legis esse;
`adjungere se ad domum Jacobi' pro esse in bono charitatis, in quo illi qui per domum Jacobi significantur: apud Matthaeum, Nemo potest duobus dominis servire, nam aut unum odio habebit et alterum amabit, aut uni adhaerebit, et alterum contemnet, non potestis Deo servire et Mammonae, vi 24;
ibi caeleste amoris est `amare,' et spirituale amoris est `adhaerere,' utrumque dicitur quia distincta sunt, alioquin unum satis fuisset. [4] Illi qui in spirituali amore sunt, vocantur ideo `filii Levi,' ut apud Malachiam, Quis sustinet diem adventus Ipsius, et quis consistet cum apparuerit?... sedebit conflans et purgans argentum, et purificabit filios Levi, et defaecabit illos sicut aurum et sicut argentum, iii 2, 3. Quod in supremo sensu Dominus sit `Levi,' ex amore Divino et misericordia erga illos qui in amore spirituali sunt, apud eundem, Ut cognoscatis quod miserim ad vos praeceptum hoc, ad esse foedus Meum cum Levi, dixit Jehovah Zebaoth, foedus Meum erit cum illo vitae et pacis.... Vos recessistis a via, impingere fecistis multos in legem, corrupistis foedus Levi, ideo dedi vos contemptos, ii 4, 5, 8, 9. Et quia Divinus Amor seu Misericordia Domini in supremo sensu per `Levi' intellectus est, et in sensu interno spiritualis amor, ideo tribus Levi sacerdotium facta est, nam `sacerdotium' in sensu interno Verbi non aliud est quam sanctum amoris, et `regium' sanctum fidei, n. 1728, 2015 f., 3670. [5] Quia per vocem `adhaerere' ex qua Levi nominatus est, significatur amor spiritualis, qui idem est ac amor mutuus, etiam per eandem vocem {2} in lingua originali significatur mutuo dare et accipere, et quoque per mutuo dare et accipere, in Ecclesia Judaica, repraesentatus est amor mutuus, de qua re, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, alibi; amor mutuus in eo differet ab amicitia, quod amor mutuus spectet bonum quod apud hominem, et quia est erga bonum, est erga illum qui est in bono; amicitia autem spectat hominem, quae tunc quoque amor mutuus est, cum spectat hominem ex bono seu propter bonum, at cum non ex bono seu propter bonum, sed propter semet quod vocat bonum, tunc amicitia non est amor mutuus, sed accedit ad amorem sui, et quantum accedit, tantum est amori mutuo oppositus; amor mutuus est in se non aliud quam charitas erga proximum, nam per `proximum' in sensu interno non aliud significatur quam bonum, ac in supremo sensu Dominus, quia ab Ipso omne bonum, et Ipse est Ipsum Bonum, videatur n. 2425, 3419; amor ille mutuus seu charitas erga proximum, est qui intelligitur per amorem spiritualem, et qui significatur per `Levi.' Etiam in Verbo amor caelestis, et quoque amor conjugialis, in sensu litterae per `adhaerere' exprimitur, sed est ex alia voce {3} in lingua originali quam ex qua Levi dictus est; [6] illa vox significat adhuc arctiorem conjunctionem; ut in sequentibus locis; apud Mosen, Jehovam Deum tuum timebis, Ipsi servies, et Ipsi adhaerebis, Deut. x 20;
Post Jehovam Deum vestrum ibitis, et Ipsum timebitis, et praecepta Ipsius servabitis, et vocem Ipsius audietis, et Ipsi servietis, et Ipsi adhaerebitis, Deut. xiii 5 [A.V. 4];
Ad amandum Jehovam Deum vestrum, ad eundum in omnibus viis Ipsius, et ad adhaerendum Ipsi, Deut. xi 22;
Ad amandum Jehovam Deum tuum, ad oboediendum voci Ipsius, et ad adhaerendum Ipsi, quia Ille vita tua, Deut. xxx 20:
apud Joshuam, Studete valde facere praeceptum et legem, quam praecepit vobis Moses servus Jehovae, ad amandum Jehovam Deum vestrum, et ad ambulandum in omnibus viis Ipsius, et ad servandum praecepta Ipsius, et ad adhaerendum Ipsi, et ad serviendum Ipsi in toto corde vestro, et in tota anima vestra, xxii 5:
in Libro secundo Regum, Rex Hizkiah in Jehovah Deo Israelis confisus est,... adhaesit Jehovae, non recessit a post Ipsum, et custodivit praecepta Ipsius, quae praeceperat Jehovah Mosi, xviii 5, 6:
apud Jeremiam, Quemadmodum adhaeret cingulum ad lumbos viri, ita adhaerere feci ad Me totam domum Israelis, et totam domum Jehudae, ad esse Mihi in populum, et in nomen, et in laudem, et in decus;
et non oboediverunt, xiii 11. [7] Quod amor conjugialis etiam per adhaerere {4} exprimatur, patet ab his, Propterea relinquet vir patrem suum et matrem suam, et adhaerebit uxori suae, et erunt in carnem unam, Gen. ii 24;
Propter duritiem cordis vestram scripsit Moses praeceptum hoc, ab initio autem creationis masculum et feminam fecit eos Deus; propter hoc derelinquet homo patrem suum et matrem, et adhaerebit {5} uxori suae, et erunt duo in carnem unam,quod ergo Deus conjunxit, homo non separabit, Marc. x 5-9; Matth. xix 5;
Adhaesit anima Shechemi Dinae filiae Jacobi; amavit puellam, et locutus ad cor puellae, Gen. xxxiv 3;
Shelomoh amavit mulieres exteras multas,... his adhaesit Shelomo had amandum, i Reg. xi 1, 2. Inde nunc patet quod `adhaerere' sit vox amoris, in usum recepta antiquis temporibus ab Ecclesiis quae in significativis fuerunt; et quod non aliud sit in sensu interno quam conjunctio spiritualis, quae est (t)charitas et amor. @1 cum infinitum et aeternum praedicatur de charitate fit Misericordia$ @2 Heb. ( ) (lavah)=to adhere, borrow, lend or join.$ @3 Heb. (dabaq)=to cling, adhere, cleave to.$ @4 Heb. (dabaq)$ @5 Gk. proskollao$