5354.“他给老二起名叫以法莲”表属世层里面的一个新理解力及其本质。这从“名”和“起名”的含义，以及“以法莲”的代表清楚可知：“名”和“起名”是指性质（参看144，145，1754，1896，2009，2724，3006，3421节）；“以法莲”是指属世层里面的理解力，如下文所述。不过，首先必须说一说何谓“以法莲和玛拿西”所表示的新理解力和新意愿。在教会，虽然众所周知，人必须再次出生，也就是必须重生才能进神的国；因为主在约翰福音（3:3，5）非常明确地声明了这一点。然而，只有少数人知道重生意味着什么。原因在于，很少有人知道何为良善与邪恶。人们之所以不知道何为良善与邪恶，是因为他们不知道何为对邻之仁。他们若知道何为对邻之仁，也会知道何为良善，并通过良善知道何为邪恶；因为凡出自真正的对邻之仁的，皆为良善。
但对每个人来说，这良善都无法来源于他自己，或说没有人能从自己处于这良善，因为它完全是从主所流入的某种天上的事物。这天上的良善不断流入，而邪恶与虚假却阻碍它被接受。因此，为叫它能被接受，人有必要除去邪恶，并尽可能地除去，虚假也要除去，由此将自己带入接受所流入的这良善的状态。当邪恶被除去后，此人便接受良善的流注，同时获得一个新意愿和一个新的理解力。这新意愿使他能在出于无私的目的向邻舍行善的过程中感受到快乐，而新的理解力使他能以为了良善与真理，以及生活的缘故而学习良善与真理为快乐。由于这新的理解力和新的意愿通过来自主的流注产生，所以重生之人承认并相信，感动他的良善与真理并非源于他自己，而是源于主，以及凡源于他自己，或属于他自己的东西，无非是邪恶。
由此可见何谓重生，何谓新的意愿和新的理解力。但带来新意愿和新理解力的重生并非瞬间完成，而是从幼年一直持续到生命终结，此后在来世直到永远；这一切通过无数难以描述的神性手段实现。因为人本身无非是邪恶，这邪恶不断从他，如同从一个火炉冒出，不断试图灭绝新生的良善。移除这种邪恶，牢固植入良善以取代之，只能通过人的整个一生，通过无数难以描述的神性手段实现。如今人们对这些手段几乎一无所知，因为人们不让自己重生。他们以为重生什么都不是，因为他们不相信死后有生命。重生的过程涉及无法描述的事物，构成天使智慧的主要部分，并且具有这样的性质：任何天使都永远无法穷尽它。正因如此，该过程是圣言的内义论述的主要问题。
“以法莲”表示属世层里面的新理解力，这一点从圣言中的许多经文，尤其大量论述“以法莲”的先知书何西阿书明显看出来，其中有如下经文：
我认识以法莲，以色列也瞒不住我；。以法莲哪，现在你竟然行淫，以色列被玷污了。以色列和以法莲必因自己的罪孽灭亡；犹大也必与他们一同灭亡。在责罚的日子，以法莲必变为荒场。我对以法莲竟如飞蛾，向犹大家竟如蛀虫。以法莲见自己有病，犹大见自己有伤，以法莲往亚述去，打发人去见耶雷布王；这一个却不能医治你们。（何西阿书5:3，5，9，12-13）
同一先知书：
我医治以色列的时候，以法莲的罪孽和撒马利亚的罪恶就显露出来。他们行事虚谎，内有贼人入侵，外有群盗劫掠。以法莲好像一只愚蠢无心的鸽子；他们求告埃及，投奔亚述。他们去的时候，我必将我的网撒在他们身上。（何西阿书7:1，11-12）
又：
以色列被吞吃，现今在列族中，好像没有愿望的器皿；他们上去投奔亚述，如同独行的野驴。以法莲用妓女的淫资贿买爱情。（何西阿书8:8-9）
以色列必不得住耶和华的地；以法莲却要归回埃及，他们必在亚述吃不洁净之物。（何西阿书9:3）
以法莲用谎话，以色列家用诡计围绕我；犹大却靠神掌权，向圣者有忠心；以法莲吃风，且追赶东风，他终日增添虚谎和强暴，与亚述立约，把油送到埃及。（何西阿书11:12；12:1）
在此先知书中还有许多其它经文论及以法莲（如4:17-19；5:3，5，9，11-14；7:8，9；9:8，11，13，16；10:6，11；11:3，8，9；12:8，14；13:1，12；14:8）。
在所有这些经文中，“以法莲”皆表示教会的理解力部分，“以色列”表示它的属灵部分，“犹大”表示它的属天部分。正因“以法莲”表示教会的理解力部分，所以经上如此频繁地论及他说，以法莲往埃及或亚述去。这是因为“埃及”表示记忆知识，“亚述”表示基于这些的推理；记忆知识和推理都是与理解力有关的事物。“埃及”表示记忆知识（参看1164，1165，1186，1462，2588，3325，4749，4964，4966节）；“亚述”表示理由和推理（119，1186节）。
在以下经文中，“以法连”同样表示教会的理解力：
锡安的女子哪，应当大大喜乐！耶路撒冷的女子哪，应当欢呼！看哪，你的王来到你这里！我必除灭以法莲的战车和耶路撒冷的战马，争战的弓也必除灭。祂必向列族讲和平，祂的权柄必从这海管到那海，从大河管到地极。我为自己把犹大弯紧，我使以法莲满了弓。锡安哪，我要激发你的众子，攻击雅完的众子。（撒迦利亚书9:9-10，13）
这论及主的到来和外邦人当中的教会。“除灭以法莲的战车和耶路撒冷的战马”表示除灭教会的一切理解力；“使以法莲满了弓”表示赐予一个新的理解力。“车”表示教义（参看（5321节），“马”表示理解力（2760-2762，3217，5321节）；“弓”也表示教义（2685，2686，2709节）；教义依靠理解力，因为人对它理解到何等程度，他就信它到何等程度；他对教义的理解决定了信仰的品质。
因此，以法莲的子孙被称为“弓箭手弓箭手”，诗篇：
以法莲的子孙带着兵器，拿着弓（他们是），临阵之日，转身退后。（诗篇78:9）
以西结书：
人子啊，你要取一根木棍，在其上写为犹大和他的同伴以色列人；又取一根木棍，在其上写为约瑟，就是为以法莲，又为他的同伴以色列全家的。然后把它们彼此相接，连为一根木棍，使这两根在你手中成为一根。看哪！我要取以法莲手中约瑟的棍，和他同伴以色列支派的棍，将在它上面的加到犹大的棍上，使它们成为一根棍，在我手中合而为一。（以西结书37:16-17，19）
此处“犹大”也表示教会的属天部分，“以色列”表示教会的属灵部分，“以法莲”表示教会的理解力部分。两根变为一根棍表示这些通过仁之良善合而为一。“木棍”表示系仁之良善的良善，因而是指行为的良善（参看1110，2784，2812，3720，4943节）。
耶利米书：
必有一天，守望的人从以法莲山呼叫说，起来吧！我们可以上锡安，到耶和华我们的神那里去。我是以色列的父，以法莲是我的长子。（耶利米书31:6，9）
同一先知书：
我清楚听见以法莲为自己哀叹，说，你责罚我，我便受责罚，像不惯负轭的牛犊一样。求你使我回转，我便回转。以法莲是我的宝贝儿子么？是可喜悦的孩子吗？因为我每逢说了话遣责他，仍深顾念他。（耶利米书31:18，20）
我必再领以色列回他的故土，他必在迦密和巴珊吃草，他的灵魂又在以法莲山上和基列境内得以饱足。（耶利米书50:19）
以赛亚书：
祸哉！高傲的冠冕，以法莲酒徒，凋残之花，装饰的荣耀，它们在肥美谷山顶上，被酒困扰。（以赛亚书28:1）
在这些经文中，“以法莲”也表示教会的理解力部分。教会的理解力部分就是教会成员对于真理与良善，也就是信与仁的教义事物所拥有的理解。因此，这理解就是他们对于这些问题所持的观点、概念或想法。真理本身是教会的属灵部分，良善是教会的属天部分；但不同的人对真理与良善的理解是不同的；因此，人对真理的理解如何，他所知道的真理就如何，或也可说，人对真理的理解决定了他所知道的真理的种类。每个人对良善的理解也一样。
至于何为“玛拿西”所表示的教会意愿部分，这可从教会的理解力部分，也就是“以法莲”得知。教会意愿的性质与其理解力的性质相似，即它是因人而异的。在以赛亚书，“玛拿西”就表示这意愿部分：
因万军之耶和华的烈怒，地都变暗，百姓成了烧火的燃料，无人怜惜弟兄。各人吃自己膀臂上的肉。玛拿西吞吃以法莲；以法莲吞吃玛拿西，他们一同攻击犹大。（以赛亚书9:19-21）
“各人吃自己膀臂上的肉。玛拿西吞吃以法莲；以法莲吞吃玛拿西”表教会成员的意愿将攻击他的理解力，他的理解力则攻击他的意愿。
诗篇：
神已经指着他的圣洁说，我要欢乐，我要分开示剑，丈量疏割谷。基列是我的，玛拿西也是我的，以法莲是护卫我头的力量。（诗篇60:6-7）
又：
领约瑟如领羊群之以色列的牧者啊，侧耳听哦！坐在二基路伯上的啊，求你发出光来！在以法莲、便雅悯、玛拿西前面，施展你的大能。（诗篇80:1-2）
此处“以法莲”也表示教会的理解力部分，“玛拿西”表示它的意愿部分。这层含义也可从雅各临死前对以法莲和玛拿西的祝福（创世记48:13-20），雅各接受以法莲以取代流便，接受玛拿西以取代西缅（创世记48:3，5）明显看出来；因为流便代表教会的理解力部分，也就是理解力或教义上的信仰（参看3861，3866节）；西缅代表行为上的信仰，或顺从和实践真理的意愿，仁爱就源于真理并通过真理来表达自己，因而代表行为上的真理，也就是新意愿的良善（3869-3872节）。
那时叫以色列的雅各更多地祝福以法莲，而不是玛拿西，将右手放在前者身上，左手放在后者身上（创世记48:13-20），其原因和雅各为自己获得以扫的长子名分的原因是一样的，也与犹大从他玛所生的儿子法勒斯和谢拉的情况是一样的，当时谢拉虽为长子，仍在法勒斯之后出来（创世记38:28-30）。这个原因就是，在人重生期间，属于理解力的信之真理看似占据第一位，而属于意愿的仁之良善则看似占据第二位；而事实上，良善占据第一位，一旦此人重生，这一点是显而易见的（关于这个主题，可参看3324，3539，3548，3556，3563，3570，3576，3603，3701，4243，4244，4247，4337，4925，4926，4928，4930，4977节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 5354
5354. And the name of the second called he Ephraim. That this signifies a new understanding in the natural, and its quality, is evident from the signification of a "name" and "calling a name," as being the quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421); and from the representation of Ephraim, as being the understanding in the natural (of which in what follows). But first must be told what is meant by the new understanding and the new will signified by "Ephraim and Manasseh." In the church it is indeed known that man must be born again (that is, must be regenerated) in order that he may enter the kingdom of God; for the Lord has plainly declared this in John 3:3, 5. But what it is to be born again is known only to few, for the reason that few know what good and evil are, and this because they do not know what charity toward the neighbor is; if they knew this, they would also know what good is, and from good what evil is; for all that is good which comes from genuine charity toward the neighbor. [2] But no one can be in this good from himself, because it is the celestial itself which flows in from the Lord. This celestial flows in continually, but evils and falsities stand in the way of its being received; and therefore in order that it may be received it is necessary for man to remove evils, and as far as he is able falsities also, and thus dispose himself to receive the influx. When after evils have been removed the man receives the influx, he at the same time receives a new will and a new understanding; and from the new will he feels delight in doing good to the neighbor from no selfish end, and from the new understanding he perceives delight in learning what is good and true for its own sake and for the sake of the life. Inasmuch as this new understanding and new will come into existence through influx from the Lord, the man who has been regenerated acknowledges and believes that the good and truth with which he is affected are not from himself but from the Lord, and also that whatever is from himself, or of his own, is nothing but evil. [3] From all this it is plain what it is to be born again, and also what the new will and new understanding are. But the regeneration through which come the new understanding and the new will is not accomplished in a moment, but goes on from earliest infancy even to the close of life, and afterward in the other life to eternity, and this by Divine means, innumerable and unspeakable; for man of himself is nothing but evil, which continually exhales as from a furnace, and continually endeavors to extinguish the nascent good. The removal of such evil, and the inrooting of good in its place, cannot be effected short of the whole course of life, and through Divine means numberless and unspeakable. Of these means scarcely any are known at the present day, for the reason that man does not suffer himself to be regenerated, nor does he believe regeneration to be anything, because he does not believe in a life after death. The process of regeneration, which includes indescribable things, makes up the main part of angelic wisdom, and is of such a nature that it cannot be fully exhausted by any angel to eternity. Hence it is that this is the chief subject treated of in the internal sense of the Word. [4] That "Ephraim" is the new understanding in the natural, is plain from very many passages in the Word, especially in the prophet Hosea, which treats much of "Ephraim," and in which we read as follows:
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from Me, in that thou hast wholly committed whoredom, O Ephraim, Israel is defiled. Israel and Ephraim shall go to ruin by their iniquity; Judah shall also go to ruin with them. Ephraim shall become a solitude in the day of reproof. And I am as a moth to Ephraim, and as a boring-worm to the house of Judah. And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, and Ephraim went to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb; and this one could not heal you (Hos. 5:3, 5, 9, 12-13). Again in the same prophet:
When I healed Israel, then was the iniquity of Ephraim unveiled, and the evils of Samaria; for they have wrought a lie; and a thief cometh, and a troop spreadeth itself abroad. And Ephraim was like a silly dove without heart; they called Egypt, they went to Assyria. When they shall go I will spread my net over them (Hos. 7:1, 11-12). [5] Again:
Israel is swallowed up; now shall they be among the nations as a vessel wherein is no desire; when they went up to Assyria, a wild ass alone; Ephraim winneth him loves with a harlot's hire (Hos. 8:8-9);
Israel shall not dwell in the land of Jehovah, and Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat what is unclean in Assyria (Hos. 9:3);
Ephraim hath compassed me about with a lie, and the house of Israel with deceit; and Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints; Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind; every day he multiplieth a lie and wasting, and they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is carried down into Egypt (Hos. 11:12; 12:1);
besides many other passages in the same prophet concerning Ephraim (as chap. 4:17-19; 5:3, 5, 9, 11-14; 7:8, 9; 9:8, 11, 13, 16; 10:6, 11; 11:3, 8, 9; 12:8, 14; 13:1, 12; 14:8). [6] In all these passages by "Ephraim" is meant the intellectual of the church, by "Israel" its spiritual, and by "Judah" its celestial; and it is because the intellectual of the church is signified by "Ephraim" that it is so often said of him that he "goes away into Egypt," and "into Assyria;" for by "Egypt" are signified memory-knowledges, and by "Assyria" reasonings from these; both being predicated of the understanding. (That "Egypt" signifies memory-knowledge may be seen above, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 3325, 4749, 4964, 4966; and also that "Assyria" signifies reason and reasoning, n. 119, 1186.) [7] In like manner in the following passages by "Ephraim" is signified the understanding of the church:
Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion; sound, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh to thee. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and I will cut off the battle bow; He shall speak peace against the nations; and His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. I will bend Judah for Me, I will fill Ephraim with the bow, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, with thy sons, O Javan (Zech. 9:9-10, 13);
said of the coming of the Lord and of the church of the Gentiles. "To cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem" denotes to cut off all the understanding of the church; "to fill Ephraim with the bow" denotes to give a new understanding. That a "chariot" signifies what is of doctrine may be seen above (n. 5321), a "horse," what is of the understanding (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321); and a "bow" also what is of doctrine (2685, 2686, 2709); for what is of doctrine depends on what is of the understanding, for it is believed as it is understood, the understanding of the doctrine determining the quality of the faith. [8] Hence also the sons of Ephraim are called "shooters with the bow," in David:
The sons of Ephraim, who were armed and shooters with the bow, turned back in the day of battle (Ps. 78:9). In Ezekiel:
Son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the sons of Israel his companions; then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and of all the house of Israel his companions; afterward join them for thee one to another into one stick, that the two may become one in my hand. Behold I will take the stick of Joseph that is in the hands of Ephraim and of the tribes of Israel his companions, and will add those who are upon it with the stick of Judah, and I will make them one stick, that they may be one in My hand (Ezek. 37:16-17, 19);
where also by "Judah" is meant the celestial of the church, by "Israel" its spiritual, and by "Ephraim" its intellectual. That these are made one through the good of charity, is signified by one stick being made out of two. (That a "stick of wood" is the good of charity and consequently the good of works, may be seen above, n. 1110, 2784, 2812, 3720, 4943.) [9] In Jeremiah:
There shall be a day that the watchman from the mountain of Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, let us go up to Zion unto Jehovah our God. I will be a father to Israel, and Ephraim My firstborn is he (Jer. 31:6, 9). In the same:
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a calf unaccustomed; turn Thou me, that I may be turned. Is not Ephraim a precious son to Me? Is he not a child of delights? For after I have spoken against him, I will surely remember him again (Jer. 31:18, 20). I will bring back Israel to his habitation, that he may feed in Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be sated in the mountain of Ephraim and in Gilead (Jer. 50:19). In Isaiah:
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower and to the glory of his adornment, which are upon the head of the valley of the fat ones that are troubled with wine (Isa. 28:1). [10] In these passages also by "Ephraim" is signified the understanding of the church. The understanding of the church is the understanding the men of the Church have of truths and goods, that is, of the doctrinal things of faith and charity; thus their notion, concept, or idea about them. Truth itself is the spiritual of the church, and good is its celestial; but truth and good are understood differently by different men; such therefore as is the understanding of truth, such is the truth with everyone. It is similar with the understanding of good. [11] What the will of the church is that is signified by "Manasseh," may be known from its understanding, which is "Ephraim." It is with the will of the church as with its understanding, namely, that it is varied with each person. "Manasseh" signifies this will in Isaiah:
In the wrath of Jehovah Zebaoth the land is darkened, and the people is become like food for the fire; no man shall spare his brother; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: they together are against Judah (Isa. 9:19-21);
where "every man eating the flesh of his own arm, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh" denotes that the will of the man of the church will be against his understanding, and his understanding against his will. [12] In David:
God hath spoken by His holiness: I will exult, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; and Ephraim is the strength of My head (Ps. 60:6-7). Again:
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that sittest upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up Thy might (Ps. 80:1-2);
where also "Ephraim" denotes the understanding of the church, and "Manasseh" its will. The same is plain also from the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh by Jacob before his death (Gen. 48:13-20); and also from Jacob's accepting Ephraim in place of Reuben, and Manasseh in place of Simeon (Gen. 48:3, 5); for by Reuben was represented the understanding of the church, or faith in the understanding and in doctrine (see n. 3861, 3866), and by Simeon, faith in act, or obedience and will to do the truth, from which and by which is charity, and thus truth in act, which is the good of the new will (n. 3869-3872). [13] The reason why Jacob, then Israel, blessed Ephraim in preference to Manasseh, by putting his right hand upon the former and his left upon the latter (Gen. 48:13-20), was the same that Jacob had for diverting to himself the birthright of Esau, and the same as in the case of Perez and Zerah the sons of Judah by Tamar, when Zerah, who was the firstborn, came forth after Perez (Gen. 38:28-30). This reason was that the truth of faith, which is of the understanding, is apparently in the first place during man's regeneration, and then the good of charity, which is of the will, is apparently in the second place; and yet good is actually in the first place, and is manifestly so when the man has been regenerated (as may be seen above, n. 3324, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977).
Elliott(1983-1999) 5354
5354. 'And the name of the second he called Ephraim' means a new area of understanding within the natural, and the essential nature of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'the name' and 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421; and from the representation of 'Ephraim' as the area of understanding within the natural, dealt with below. What the new area of understanding and what the new area of will are, meant by 'Ephraim and Manasseh', must be stated first. It is indeed well known in the Church that a person must be born again, that is, be regenerated, so that he may enter the kingdom of God. This is well known because the Lord has declared it quite explicitly in John 3:3, 5; yet What being born again implies is still known to only a few. And the reason for this is that few know what good and evil are. The reason people do not know what good and evil are is that they do not know what charity towards the neighbour is. If they did know what this was they would also know what good was, and from good what evil was; for everything is good that springs out of genuine charity towards the neighbour.
[2] But with no one can this good have its origin in the person himself, for it is something utterly heavenly flowing into him from the Lord. This heavenly good is flowing in constantly, but evils and falsities stand in the way and prevent the reception of it. So that it may be received therefore it is necessary for the person to remove the evils and, so far as he possibly can do so, the falsities too, and thereby bring himself into a condition to receive that good flowing in. When, after evils have been removed, he accepts the inflow of good he acquires a new will and a new understanding. The new will enables him to feel a sense of delight in doing good to his neighbour without any selfish end in view, and the new understanding enables him to take delight in learning what goodness and truth are for their own sakes and for the sake of the life he should lead. Because this new understanding and new will are brought into being by what flows in from the Lord, the person who has been regenerated therefore acknowledges and believes that the goodness and truth for which he feels an affection do not originate in himself but in the Lord, and also that what does originate in himself or is properly his own is nothing but evil.
[3] From all this one may see what is meant by being born again, and also what is meant by a new will and a new understanding. But regeneration, which brings the new will and the new understanding into being, does not take place in a single instant. Rather, it is taking place from earliest childhood through to the final phase of life, and after that for ever in the next life; and it is accomplished by Divine means that are countless and beyond description. In himself the human being is nothing but evil which is constantly radiating from him as if from a furnace and is constantly trying to smother good while it is still being born. The removal of that kind of evil and the firm implantation of good in its place cannot be effected except through the whole course of a person's life; nor can it be effected except by Divine means which are countless and beyond description. At the present time scarcely anything is known about these means, for the reason that people do not allow themselves to be regenerated. Nor do they believe that regeneration is anything, because they do not believe in a life after death. The process by which regeneration takes place, a process involving things beyond description, constitutes the major part of angelic wisdom; and that process is of such a nature that no angel can ever completely exhaust all there is to know about it. This is the reason why in the internal sense of the Word it is the chief matter that is dealt with.
[4] It is evident from very many places in the Word that 'Ephraim' means a new understanding within the natural, above all in the prophet Hosea, who makes many references to Ephraim, the following among them,
I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me, that you have altogether committed whoredom, O Ephraim; Israel has been defiled. Israel and Ephraim will collapse through their iniquity; Judah also will collapse with them. Ephraim will become a lonely place on the day of reproach.a And I will be like a moth to Ephraim, and like a worm to the house of Joseph. And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound; and Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb, and he could not cure you. Hosea 9:3, 5, 9, 11-13.
After this in the same prophet,
When I healed Israel the iniquity of Ephraim was revealed, and the evils of Samaria; for they practised a lie, and a thief came, a band spread itself outside. And Ephraim was like a silly dove with no heart; they called on Egypt, they went away to Assyria. When they go I will stretch My net over them. Hosea 7:1, 11, 12and following verses.
[5] And further on in the same prophet,
Israel has been swallowed up, now they are going to be among the gentiles, like a vessel in which there is no desire. When they went up to Assyria [they were like] a wild ass alone by himself; Ephraim procures loversb with a prostitute's hire. Hosea 8:8, 9.
Israel will not dwell in Jehovah's land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat what is unclean. Hosea 9:3.
Ephraim has encompassed Me with a lie, and the house of Israel with deceit; and Judah will have dominion still with God and with the saints of the Faithful One.c Ephraim feeds the wind, and pursues the east wind. All the day long he multiplies lies and devastation and they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is carried down into Egypt. Hosea 11:11; 12:1.
[6] Ephraim is referred to by this prophet in many other places besides these, such as Hosea 4:16-18; 5:3, 5, 9, 11-13; 7:8, 9; 9:8, 11, 13, 16; 10:6, 11; 11:3, 8, 9; 12:8, 14; 13:1, 12; 14:8. In all these places 'Ephraim' is used to mean the area of understanding within the Church, Israel' the spiritual area within it, and 'Judah' the celestial area. Also, since the area of understanding within the Church is meant by 'Ephraim', frequent reference is therefore made to Ephraim going away into Egypt or into Assyria. This is because 'Egypt' means factual knowledge and 'Assyria' reasonings based on this; and factual knowledge and reasonings are things associated with the understanding. For the meaning of Egypt' as factual knowledge, see 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 3325, 4749, 4964, 4966; and for that of 'Asshur' or 'Assyria' as reason or reasoning, 119, 1186.
[7] The understanding area of the Church is meant in a similar way by 'Ephraim' in the following places: In Zechariah,
Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion! Make a noise, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and I will cut off the battle bow; on the other hand he will speak peace to the nations. And his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. I will bend Judah for Me, I will fill Ephraim with the bow; and I will rouse your sons, O Zion, together with your sons, O Javan. Zech 9:9, 10, 13.
This refers to the Lord's Coming, also to the Church among the gentiles. 'Cutting off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem' stands for the entire understanding which the Church possesses. 'Filling Ephraim with the bow' stands for imparting a new understanding. For 'the chariot' means doctrinal teaching, see 5321;'the horse' means the power of understanding, 2760-2762, 3217, 5321; and 'the bow' too means doctrinal teaching, 2685, 2686, 2709. Doctrinal teaching is dependent on the power of understanding, for to the extent that a person understands it, he believes it; his understanding of doctrinal teaching determines what his faith is like.
[8] For this reason the children of Ephraim are called 'archers' in David,
The children of Ephraim who were armed (they were archers) turned back on the day of battle. Ps 78:9.
In Ezekiel,
Son of man, take a stick and write on it, For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions. Then take another stick and write on it, Joseph's - the stick of Ephraim and of the whole house of Israel, his companions. After that join them together, one to the other into one stick for you, that both may be one in yourd hand. Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph which is in the hands of Ephraim and of the tribes of Israel his companions, and I will add them who are on it to the stick of Judah, and will make them into one stick, that they may be one stick in My hand. Ezek 37:16, 17, 19.
Here also 'Judah' is used to mean the celestial area within the Church, 'Israel' the spiritual area within it, and 'Ephraim' the understanding area. The idea that these will be made one through the good of charity is meant by the promise that one stick will be made out of two. For 'a stick' means good which is the good of charity and of works motivated by charity, see 1110, 2784, 2812, 3720, 4943.
[9] In Jeremiah,
It is a day [when] the watchmen will cry from mount Ephraim, Arise, let us go up to Zion, to Jehovah our God. I will be a father to Israel, and Ephraim will be My firstborn. Jer 31:6, 9.
In the same prophet,
I have surely heard Ephraim bewailing, You have chastised me and I was chastised, like an unruly calf. Direct me, that I may be directed. Is not Ephraim a precious son to Me? Is he not a delightful child? For after I have spoken against him I will surely remember him again. Jer 31:18, 20.
In the same prophet,
I will bring back Israel to his own habitation so that he may feed on Carmel and Bashan; and on mount Ephraim and in Gilead his soul will be satisfied. Jer 50:19
In Isaiah,
Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, to the falling flower and the glory of its beauty, which is on the head of a valley of fat ones confused by wine. Isa 28:1.
[10] In all these places too 'Ephraim' means the area of understanding within the Church. The area of understanding within the Church is that understanding which members of the Church have about truth and goodness, that is, about matters of doctrine regarding faith and charity. Thus it is the notions, conceptions, or ideas which they possess about these matters. Truth forms the spiritual area of the Church, and good the celestial area. But one member's understanding of truth and goodness is different from another's, and therefore the nature of each member's understanding of truth determines the kind of truth known to him. And the same is so with each person's understanding of goodness.
[11] What the Church's area of will, meant by 'Manasseh', is exactly can be recognized from the area of understanding, which is 'Ephraim'. The nature of the Church's will is similar to that of its understanding in that it varies from one member to another. 'Manasseh' means that area of will in Isaiah,
Through the wrath of Jehovah Zebaoth the earth has been darkened, and the people have become as fuel for the fire; a man will not spare his brother. A man will eat the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh [will consume] Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and together they are against Judah.
'A man will eat the flesh of his own arm, Manasseh [will consume] Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh' stands for the member of the Church when his will acts in opposition to the activity of his understanding, and his understanding acts in opposition to the activity of his will.
[12] In David,
God has spoken by means of His holiness, I will exalt, I will divide up Shechem and portion out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; and Ephraim is the strength of My head. Ps 60:6, 7.
In the same author,
Turn Your ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who leade Joseph like a flock; You who are seated upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up Your power. Ps 80:1, 2.
Here also 'Ephraim' stands for the area of understanding within the Church and 'Manasseh' for the area of will there. The same meaning is also evident from the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh by Jacob before he died, and in addition from the fact that Jacob accepted Ephraim in place of Reuben, and Manasseh in place of Simeon, Gen 48:3, 5. For Reuben had represented the Church's area of understanding, which is faith in the understanding, or doctrine, 3861, 3866. Also, Simeon had represented faith in action - or obedience and the will to put truth into practice - from which charity springs and through which charity expresses itself; thus he represented truth realized in action, which is good belonging to the new will, 3869-3872.
[13] The reason why Jacob, who by then was Israel, blessed Ephraim more fully than Manasseh, by placing his right hand on the former and his left on the latter, Gen 48:13-20, was the same as the one involved in Jacob's procurement for himself of Esau's birthright. It was also the same as what was involved in the birth of Perez and Zerah, Judah's sons by Tamar; though he was the firstborn, Zerah nevertheless came out after Perez, Gen 38:18-30. The reason this happened was that the truth of faith, which belongs to the understanding, seems to occupy the first place while a person is being regenerated, and the good of charity, which belongs to the will, seems to occupy the second. But in actual fact good occupies the first place, as is plain to see once the person has been regenerated. On this subject, see 3314, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337, 4925, 4926.
Latin(1748-1756) 5354
5354. `Et nomen secundi vocavit Ephraim': quod significet novum intellectuale in naturali, et quale ejus, constat a significatione `nominis' et `vocare nomen' quod sit quale, de qua n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421; et ex repraesentatione `Ephraim' quod sit intellectuale {1}in naturali, de qua sequitur; quid novum intellectuale et quid novum voluntarium, quae significantur per Ephraim et Menashen, primum dicendum: in Ecclesia quidem notum est quod homo denuo generandus sit, hoc est, regenerandus, ut ingredi queat in regnum Dei; hoc notum est quia Dominus apertis verbis id dixerat apud Johannem iii 3, 5; quid autem sit denuo generari, usque paucis notum est; causa est quia pauci sciunt quid bonum et malum; quod non sciant quid bonum et malum, causa est quia non sciunt quid charitas erga proximum; si hanc scirent, etiam scirent quid bonum, et ex bono quid malum, omne enim id bonum est quod ex genuina charitate erga proximum venit; [2] sed in hoc bono nemo potest esse ex se, est enim ipsum caeleste quod influit a Domino; hoc caeleste continue influit, sed obstant mala et falsa (x)quin possit recipi; ut itaque recipiatur, necessum est ut homo removeat mala et quantum potest, etiam falsa, et sic se disponat ad recipiendum influxum; quando remotis malis homo recipit influxum, tunc accipit novam voluntatem et novum intellectuale; ex nova voluntate sentit jucundum in benefaciendo proximo ex nullo fine sui, et ex novo intellectuali appercipit jucundum in discendo quid bonum et verum propter illa et propter vitam; quia novum hoc intellectuale et novum voluntarium existit per influxum a Domino, idcirco is qui regeneratus est, agnoscit et credit quod bonum et verum quibus afficitur, non sit ex se sed ex Domino, tum quod quicquid ex se seu (c)ex proprio, non sit nisi malum; [3] ex his patet quid sit denuo generari, tum quid sit novum voluntarium et novum intellectuale; sed regeneratio, per quam novum intellectuale et novum voluntarium, non fit uno momento, sed fit a prima {2} infantia usque ad ultimum {2} vitae, et postea in altera vita in aeternum, et hoc per media Divina innumerabilia et ineffabilia; homo enim ex se non est nisi malum quod continue sicut ex fornace exhalat, ac continue bonum nascens exstinguere conatur; ad removendum tale malum et loco ejus irradicandum bonum, non potest fieri nisi per omnem vitae cursum, et per Divina media quae innumerabilia et ineffabilia sunt; {3}horum mediorum vix aliqua nota sunt hoc tempore, ex causa quia homo regenerari se non patitur, nec credit regenerationem aliquid esse, quia non credit vitam post mortem; processus regenerationis, {4}qui ineffabilia continet, quoad plurimam partem facit sapientiam angelicam, et est talis ut a nullo angelo in aeternum plene exhauriri queat; inde est quod in sensu interno Verbi de eo praecipue agatur. [4] Quod `Ephraim' sit novum intellectuale {5}in naturali, ex plurimis locis in Verbo patet, praecipue apud Prophetam Hosheam, qui de Ephraimo multum agit, apud quem haec: Ego novi Ephraimum, et Israel non latet Me, quod omnino scortatus sis Ephraim, pollutus sit Israel. . . . Israel et Ephraim corruent per iniquitatem suam, corruet etiam Jehudah cum illis. . . . Ephraim in solitudinem erit in die {6}correctionis. . . Et Ego sicut tinea Ephraimo, et sicut teredo domui Jehudae.Et vidit Ephraim morbum suum, et Jehudah vulnus suum, et ivit Ephraim ad Assyrium, et misit ad regem Jareb, et hic non potuit sanare vos, v 3, 5, 9, 11-13: adhuc apud eundem, Quando sanavi Israelem, tunc revelata est iniquitas Ephraimi, et mala Samariae, quia fecerunt mendacium, et fur venit, diffundit se turma foris. . . . Et fuit Ephraim sicut columba stulta, non cor, Aegyptum vocarunt, Assyriam abiverunt; cum ibunt, expandam super eos rete Meum, vii [1,] 11, 12 seq.: [5] porro Deglutitus est Israel, nunc futuri sunt inter gentes, sicut vas in quo non desiderium, quando illi ascenderunt Assyriam, onager solitarius; sibi Ephraim mercede meretricia conciliat amores, viii 8, 9: Israel non habitabunt in terra Jehovae, et revertetur Ephraim Aegyptum, et in Assyria immundum comedent, ix 3. Circumdederunt Me mendacio Ephraim, et dolo domus Israelis; et Jehudah adhuc dominatur cum Deo et cum sanctis {7}fidelis: Ephraim pascens ventum, et persequitur eurum, omni die mendacium et vastationem multiplicat, et foedus cum Assyrio pangunt, et oleum in Aegyptum defertur, xii 1, 2 [A.V. xi 12, xii 1]; praeter {8} de Ephraim pluries alibi apud eundem, ut iv 16-18, v 3, 5, 9, 11-13, vii 8, 9,ix 8, 11,(x)13, 16, x 6, 11, xi 3, 8, 9, xii 9, 15 [A.V. 8, 14], xiii 1, 12, xiv 9 [A.V. 8]; [6] in his omnibus locis per `Ephraim' intelligitur intellectuale Ecclesiae, per `Israel' spirituale ejus, et per `Jehudam' caeleste ejusdem; et quia intellectuale Ecclesiae per Ephraimum significatur, ideo saepe dicitur de Ephraim quod abeat in Aegyptum, et in Assyriam, per `Aegyptum' enim significantur scientifica, et per `Assyriam' ratiocinia ex illis; illa et haec praedicantur de intellectuali; quod `Aegyptus' sit scientificum, videatur n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 3325, 4749, 4964, 4966, et quod `Asshur seu Assyria' sit ratio et ratiocinatio, n. 119, 1186; [7] similiter in sequentibus locis per Ephraimum significatur intellectuale Ecclesiae; apud Zachariam, Exsulta valde, filia Zionis, clange filia Hierosolymae, ecce rex tuus venit tibi: . . . exscindam currum ex Ephraimo, et equum ex Hierosolyma; et exscindam arcum belli, contra loquetur pacem gentibus; et erit dominari ipsius a mari usque ad mare, et a fluvio usque ad fines terrae. . . . Tendam Mihi Jehudam, arcu implebo Ephraimum, et excitabo filios tuos Zion, cum filiis tuis Javan, ix 9, 10, 13;ibi de Adventu Domini, et Ecclesia gentium; `exscindere currum ex Ephraimo et equum ex Hierosolyma' pro omne intellectuale Ecclesiae; `arcu implere Ephraimum' pro dare novum intellectuale; quod `currus' sit doctrinale, videatur n. 5321; {9} `equus' intellectuale, n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321; et quod `arcus' etiam doctrinale, n. (x)2685, 2686, 2709; (m)doctrinale enim ab intellectuali {10}dependet, nam sicut id intelligitur, ita creditur; [8] intellectus doctrinalis facit quale fidei;(n) inde etiam filii Ephraimi vocantur jaculatores arcu apud Davidem, Filii Ephraimi qui armati, jaculatores arcu, averterunt se in die praelii, Ps. lxxviii 9:
apud Ezechielem, (x)Fili hominis, sume tibi lignum unum, et scribe super illud Jehudae et filiis Israelis sociis ejus; deinde sume lignum unum et scribe super illud Josephi lignum Ephraimi et omnis domus Israelis sociorum ejus; postea conjunge illa, unum cum altero tibi in lignum unum, ut sint unum ambo in manu {11}Mea... . Ecce Ego accepturus lignum Josephi, quod in manibus Ephraimi et tribuum Israelis sociorum ejus, et addam eos qui super illo cum ligno Jehudae, et faciam eos in lignum unum, ut sint unum in manu Mea, xxxvii 16, 17, 19;
ibi etiam per `Jehudam' intelligitur Ecclesiae caeleste, per `Israelem' ejus spirituale, et per `Ephraimum' ejusdem intellectuale, quae quod unum fient per charitatis bonum, significatur per quod unum lignum fiet ex duobus; lignum quod sit bonum quod charitatis et inde operum, videatur n. 1110, 2784, 2812, 3720, 4943: [9] apud Jeremiam, Dies est, clamabunt custodes ex monte Ephraimi, Surgite, ascendamus Zionem ad Jehovam Deum nostrum. . . . Ero Israeli in patrem, et Ephraim primogenitus Meus ille, xxxi 6, 9:
apud eundem, Audiendo audivi Ephraimum lugentem, Castigasti me et castigatus sum, sicut vitulus non consuetus; converte me, ut convertar;. . .{12}nonne filius pretiosus Mihi Ephraim? {12}nonne natus deliciarum? nam postquam locutus fuero contra illum, recordando recordabor illius iterum, xxxi 18, 20: apud eundem, Reducam Israelem ad habitaculum suum, ut pascat in Carmele et Bashane, ac in monte Ephraimi et Gileade saturetur anima ejus, 1 19: apud Esaiam, Vae coronae superbiae, ebriis Ephraimi, et flori decidenti et gloriae decoris illius, qui super capite vallis pinguium perturbatorum vino, xxviii 1; [10] in his quoque locis per `Ephraimum' significatur intellectuale Ecclesiae; intellectuale Ecclesiae est intellectus apud homines Ecclesiae de veris et bonis, hoc est, de doctrinalibus fidei et charitatis, ita notio, conceptus seu idea de illis; ipsum verum est Ecclesiae spirituale, et bonum est ejus caeleste, at verum et bonum {13} aliter intelligitur apud unum quam apud alterum, qualis itaque intellectus veri est, tale est verum apud unumquemvis; similiter se habet cum intellectu boni. [11] Quid voluntarium Ecclesiae quod per `Menashen' {14}significatur, ex intellectuali quod est `Ephraim', sciri potest; voluntarium Ecclesiae similiter se habet sicut ejus intellectuale, quod nempe apud unumquemvis varietur; `Menasheh' id voluntarium significat apud Esaiam, In excandescentia Jehovae Zebaoth obscurata est terra, factusque est populus sicut cibus ignis; vir fratri suo non parcent, . . . vir carnem brachii sui comedent, Menasheh Ephraimum, et Ephraimus Menashen, una illi sunt contra Jehudam, ix 18-20 [A.V. 19-21]; `vir carnem brachii sui comedent, Menasheh Ephraimum, et Ephraimus Menashen' pro quod velle hominis Ecclesiae erit contra ejus intelligere, et intelligere contra ejus velle: [12] apud Davidem, Deus locutus est per sanctitatem Suam, exsultabo, dividam Shechemum, et vallem Succoth dimetiar, Mihi Gilead, et Mihi Menasheh, et Ephraim robur capitis Mei, Ps. lx 8, 9 [A.V. 6, 7]: apud eundem, Pastor Israelis adverte aurem, qui ducit sicut gregem Josephum, qui sedes super cherubim, effulge, coram Ephraimo et Benjamine, et Menashe, excita potentiam Tuam, Ps. lxxx 2, 3 [A.V. 1, 2]; etiam ibi `Ephraim' pro Ecclesiae intellectuali, et `Menasheh' pro (t)ejus voluntario; idem etiam patet ex benedictione Ephraimi et Menashis a Jacobo ante mortem, de qua Gen. xlviii; et quoque ex eo quod Jacob acceptaverit Ephraimum loco Reubenis, et Menashen loco Shimeonis, ibid. vers. 3, 5; per Reubenem enim repraesentatum fuit intellectuale Ecclesiae, seu fides intellectu {15}et doctrina, n. 3861, 3866, et per `Shimeonem' fides actu, seu oboedientia et voluntas faciendi verum, ex qua et per quam charitas, ita verum actu, quod est bonum novi voluntarii, n. 3869-3872. [13] Quod Jacob `tunc Israel' Ephraimo benedixerit prae Menashe, ponendo dextram manum super illum, et sinistram super hunc, ibid. vers. 13-20, causa fuit eadem quae fuit Jacobo, quod primogenituram Esavi in se derivaverit; et eadem quae fuit filiis Jehudae ex Tamare Perezo et Zeraho, quod Zerah qui primogenitus, usque post Perezum exiverit, Gen. xxxviii 28-30; causa nempe erat quod verum fidei quod intellectualis, primo loco sit apparenter cum regeneratur homo, et tunc bonum charitatis quod voluntarii apparenter secundo loco, {16}cum tamen bonum actualiter est primo, et manifeste cum homo regeneratus est, de qua re videatur n. 3324, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, (m)3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337,(n) 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977. @1 Ecclesiae, ita novum intellectuale$ @2 i ejus$ @3 quorum$ @4 quia$ @5 A d$ @6 correptionis n. 4592 and Sch$ @7 Israelis A I but Heb=fidelis$ @8 i ubi$ @9 i quod$ @10 pendet, sicut enim illud$ @11 Heb = tua$ @12 numne$ @13 i prorsus$ @14 significetur voluntarium Ecclesiae, ex Ephraimo, quod sit ejus intellectuale patet,$ @15 aut$ @16 at quod bonum charitatis quod voluntarii, actualiter primo loco sit, sed non manifeste priusquam regeneratus est homo,$