Potts(1905-1910) 6333
6333. The Internal Sense From the things said by Jacob in this chapter it may be clearly seen that there is another sense in the Word than that which appears in the letter; for Jacob, who was then Israel, says that he will tell what shall befall his sons in the end of the days (verse 1), and yet the things he tells and that he predicts did not at all befall them; such as that the descendants of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi should be cursed more than the rest; and that Simeon and Levi should be divided in Jacob, and be scattered in Israel (verses but the contrary befell Levi, namely, that he was blessed, for the priesthood was allotted to him. [2] Neither did that befall Judah which is said of him, except that the representative of the church remained longer with him than with the rest of the tribes; and moreover such things are said of him as no one can know the meaning of, except from another sense which is hidden within, as that he should bow himself and couch as a lion; should bind his young ass unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; that he should wash his clothing in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes; that his eyes should be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk (verses 9, 11, 12). All these things are of such a nature as to cause everyone to see that there is something within them that is known in heaven, and that cannot be made known to man, except from thence. [3] It is the same with what Israel said of the rest of his sons; as of Zebulun, that he should dwell at the haven of the seas and of ships, and that his side should be toward Zidon; of Issachar, that he should be a bony ass lying down between the burdens, stooping his shoulder to bear a burden; of Dan, that he should be a serpent in the way, an arrow-snake upon the path, biting the horse's heels, and that his rider will fall backward; and so on with the rest. From all this it is very evident that as already said the Word has an internal sense. The Word is given in order to unite heaven and earth, or angels with men; and therefore it has been so written that it may be spiritually apprehended by the angels, when naturally apprehended by man, and that in this way what is holy may flow in through the angels, by which means union is effected. Such is the Word in both the historical and the prophetical parts; but the internal sense is less apparent in the historical than in the prophetical parts, because the historical parts have been written in a different style, yet still by means of significatives. [4] The historical parts have been given in order that infants and children may thereby be initiated into the reading of the Word; for the historical parts are delightful, and rest in their minds, whereby communication is given them with the heavens; and this communication is grateful, because they are in a state of innocence and mutual charity. This is the reason why there is an historical Word. There is a prophetical Word, because when it is read, it is not understood by man except obscurely, and when it is understood obscurely by such men as there are now, it is perceived clearly by the angels, as it has been given me to know from much experience, of which by the Lord's Divine mercy elsewhere.
Elliott(1983-1999) 6333
6333. THE INTERNAL SENSE
The statements made in this chapter by Jacob show plainly that the Word has a meaning in it which is different from that seen in the letter. For in verse 1 Jacob, who by now is Israel, says that he will tell what will happen to his sons at the end of days; yet nothing of what he tells and foretells in fact happened to them. He says for example that the descendants of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, who are the subject in verses 3-7, will be cursed more than the rest, and that Simeon and Levi will be divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel. Yet the opposite happened to Levi - he was blessed, for the priesthood was invested in him.
[2] Nor did what is said about Judah happen to that tribe, apart from the fact [implied in verse to] that the representative of the Church remained longer with it than with the rest. And in addition to that, things are stated about it, the nature of which no one can know except from the different meaning concealed inwardly, such as the statements in verses 9, 11, 12, that he crouched and lay down like a lion; bound his young ass to the vine, the foal of his she-ass to an outstanding vine; washed his clothing in wine, his garment in the blood of grapes; or the statement that his eyes were red from wine, and his teeth white from milk. All these statements are of such a nature that anyone may see that they hold something which is well known in heaven but cannot become plain to man except from heaven.
[3] The same applies to what Israel said about the rest of his sons, for example, regarding Zebulun, that he will dwell at the haven of the seas and of ships, with his side towards Sidon; regarding Issachar, that being a bony ass lying down between burdens he will bend his shoulder to bear burdens; regarding Dan, that he will be a serpent on the road, a darting serpent on the path, biting the horse's heels, and its rider will fall backwards; and so on regarding the rest of his sons. All this, as has been stated, plainly demonstrates the existence of an internal sense. The Word is given so that it may unite heaven and earth, that is, angels with men, and for that reason it has been written in such a way that angels may understand it in a spiritual manner while a person understands it in a natural one. And this brings a holy influence by way of the angels that causes the two to be united.
[4] Such is the nature of the Word both in the historical sections and in the prophetical parts. Yet the internal sense is less apparent in the historical sections than the prophetical parts because the historical narratives have been written in a different style, though that style nevertheless employs meaningful signs. Those narratives have been provided so that children, younger or older, may be introduced through them into reading the Word, for they give children delight and stay in their minds. Through those narratives they are brought in contact with the heavens, a contact that is pleasing because children live in a state of innocence and charity for one another. This is the reason for the existence of the historical part of the Word. And the reason why there is a prophetical part is so that a person may have no more than a vague understanding of it when he reads it; yet when the kind of person alive today gleans a vague understanding, the angels have a clear perception. This I have been allowed to know from much experience, which in the Lord's Divine mercy will be presented elsewhere.
Latin(1748-1756) 6333
6333. SENSUS INTERNUS Ex his quae in hoc capite dicta sunt a Jacobo, manifeste constare potest quod sensus alius Verbo insit quam qui apparet in littera; dicit enim Jacob qui tunc Israel, quod indicabit quid continget filiis suis in extremitate dierum, vers. 1, et tamen quae indicat, {1}et quae praedicit, non aliquid contigerat illis; ut quod posteri Reubenis, Shimeonis et Levi prae reliquis maledicerentur, quodque Shimeon et Levi dividerentur in Jacobo, et dispergerentur in Israele, de quibus, vers. 3-7; sed contigerat contrarium Levi, quod nempe benedictus fuerit, nam apud illum sacerdotium. [2]Quod de Jehudah dicitur, hoc nec contigerat ei, praeter quod apud illum manserit Ecclesiae repraesentativum diutius quam apud reliquos; et praeterea de eo talia dicuntur quae nemo scire potest quid sint, nisi ex sensu alio qui interius latet, ut quod curvaret se et cubaret sicut leo, alligaret ad vitem asellum suum, ad vitem praestantem filium asinae suae, lavaret in vino vestimentum suum, in sanguine uvarum velamen suum, quod ruber oculis a vino, et albus dentibus a lacte, vers. 9, 11, 12; haec omnia sunt talia ex quibus unusquisque capere potest quod aliquid insit quod notum est in caelo, et quod homini patefieri nequit nisi inde. [3]Similiter se habet cum illis quae de reliquis suis filiis Israel dixit: sicut de Zebulone, quod ad portum marium et navium habitabit, et latere ad Zidonem: de Jisaschare, quod asinus osseus cubans inter sarcinas, inclinaturus humerum ad bajulandum: de Dane quod serpens in via, serpens jaculus super semita, mordens calcaneos equi, et cadet eques ejus retrorsum; ac ita porro de reliquis; ex his manifeste constat, ut dictum, quod sensus internus sit. Verbum est datum ut uniat caelum et terram, seu angelos cum hominibus, quapropter ita scriptum est ut ab angelis spiritualiter capiatur cum ab homine naturaliter, et sic sanctum per angelos influat, per quod fit unio; tale est Verbum tam in historicis quam in propheticis; {2}sed sensus internus minus apparet in historicis quam in propheticis, quia historica alio stilo conscripta sunt, {3}sed tamen usque per significativa; [4]historica ideo data sunt ut infantes et pueri initientur per illa in {4}Verbi lectionem, nam (t)sunt delectabilia et sedent in animis eorum, per quae sic communicatio datur illis cum caelis, quae communicatio est grata quia illi in statu innocentiae et charitatis mutuae sunt; haec causa est quod Verbum historicum sit; {5} quod Verbum propheticum sit, est quia cum id legitur, non intelligatur ab homine nisi obscure; et cum ab homine qui talis sicut hodie, intelligitur obscure, ab angelis percipitur clare; quod mihi datum est scire a multa experientia, de qua {6}, ex Divina Domini misericordia, alibi. @1 seu$ @2 sed in historicis quod Internum sit, minus apparet quam in propheticis,$ @3 et$ @4 Verbum $ @5 i et$ @6 i experientia$