9396.“然后，他拿起约书来”表与天堂里的圣言结合的文字上的圣言。这从“书”和“约”的含义清楚可知：“书”是指整体上的圣言，如下文所述；“约”是指结合（665，666，1023，1038，1864，1996，2003，2021，6804，8767，8778节）。“约书”在此表示主从西乃山上所说的一切话，因为刚才第4节经文说“摩西将耶和华的一切话都写下来”。因此，从狭义上说，“约书”表示在西乃山上揭示给摩西的圣言，而从广义上说，则表示整体上的圣言，因为这是主所揭示的神性真理。由于主通过这真理与教会成员结合，故这真理也由“约书”来表示；因为“约”是指结合。
但如今没有人知道主通过圣言与教会成员结合是何性质，因为现在天堂关闭了。当今几乎没有人与天使或灵人交谈，由此知道他们如何理解圣言。但这是古人，尤其大多数上古之人所熟知的；因为与灵人并天使交谈在他们当中是很平常的事。这是因为在古时，尤其在上古时代，人们更内在，因为他们在灵里面思考，几乎从身体抽离出来；而现代人更外在，在身体里面思考，几乎从灵抽离出来。正因如此，天堂似乎远离了人类，因为当内在人能从身体抽离出来时，天堂便与内在人联系，而不是直接与外在人联系。这解释了为何主通过圣言与人结合的性质如今不为人知。
那些基于身体用感官所感知的东西，而不是基于灵用感官所感知到的东西进行思考的人，必以为圣言在天上的含义和在世上的一样，也就是和字义一样。若有人说，圣言在天上的含义就像内在人的思维，摆脱了物质观念，也就是摆脱了世俗、肉体和尘世的观念，这话在今天会被视为一种荒谬的悖论；若有人说，圣言在天上的含义不同于在世上或字面上的含义，犹如天上的乐园不同于地上的乐园，或天上的饮食不同于地上的饮食，则尤其如此。从这一事实可以看出这种区别何等之大，即：天上的乐园是聪明和智慧；天上的食物是爱和仁的一切良善；天上喝的东西是植根于该良善的一切信之真理。如今，如果听说，当圣言提到乐园、园子或葡萄园时，天上的人不会感知为一个乐园、园子，或葡萄园，而是感知为诸如属于来自主的聪明和智慧的那类事物，或当提到食物与喝的，如饼、肉、酒或水时，天上的人会感知为诸如属于从主所获得的爱之良善和信之真理的那类事物；并且对圣言的这种感知不是由于对它话的解释，也不是由于以对比的方式看到它们，而是由于对应关系，并且这是他们圣言的实际和真实的感知，因为属于智慧和聪明、爱之良善和信之真理的天上事物或美德就实实在在地对应于世上的这些事物，有谁不会感到大为震惊呢？内在人以同样的方式被造来对应于外在人；因此，居于内在人的天堂也是如此被造来对应于居于外在人的世界。一般来说，一切事物都是如此。此前的解释已经处处说明，圣言在天上是照着对应关系被理解和感知的，并且这层含义就是内义。
人若明白刚才所说的这些话，就能知道并在某种程度上发觉，人通过圣言与天堂结合，并通过天堂与主结合；没有圣言，这种结合是不可能的。关于这些问题，可参看前面多次的说明（2143，7153，7381，8920，9094e，9212e，9216e，9357等节）。由此清楚可知为何摩西拿起约书，在百姓面前诵读，然后将血洒在百姓身上，说：“看哪，立约的血”。这样做的原因是，在天上，“祭物的血”是指从主发出的神性真理，就是我们地球上的圣言（9393节）。由于“约”表示结合，还由于结合是通过从主发出的神性真理，也就是圣言实现的，所以属于来自主的神性真理，或属于圣言的一切都被称为“约”，如写有十诫的石版，包含在摩西五经中的典章、律例和其它一切事物，以及总体上包含在旧约和新约中的一切事物。
写有十诫的石版被称为约，这一点可见于下列经文：
耶和华将这约的话，就是十句话，写在石版上。（出埃及记34:28）
申命记：
我上了山，要领受石版，就是耶和华与你们立约的版。耶和华把那两块石版，就是约版，交给我。我从山上下来，山被火烧着；两块约版在我两手之中。（申命记9:9，11，15）
又：
耶和华将所吩咐你们当遵行的约指示你们，就是十句话，并将这些话写在两块石版上。你们要谨慎，免得忘记耶和华你们神与你们所立的约。（申命记4:13，23）
由于这两块石版被放在会幕中间，也就是最里面的柜子中，所以这柜子被称为“约柜”（民数记10:33；14:44；申命记10:8；31:9，25，26；约书亚记3:3，6，8，11，14，17；4:7，9，18；6:6，8；8:33；士师记20:27；撒母耳记上4:3-5；撒母耳记下15:24；列王记上3:15；6:19；8:1，6；耶利米书3:16）。
摩西五经被称为“约书”，这一点从大祭司希勒家在殿里发现它们明显看出来；对此，我们在列王纪中读到：
大祭司希勒家在耶和华殿里发现了律法书。他们就把耶和华殿里所发现的约书上的一切话在他们耳边诵读。（列王记下22:8；23:2）
旧约圣言被称为“约”，这一点可见于以赛亚书：
那些持守我约的太监，我必使他们在我殿中，在我墙内有地方、有名号，比有儿女更好。（以赛亚书56:4，5）
耶利米书：
当听这约的话，不听从我吩咐你们列祖的这约之话的人，必受咒诅。你们要听从我的声音，照我所吩咐你们的一切去行。（耶利米书11:2，4）
诗篇：
对遵守耶和华的约和祂法度的人，耶和华的一切道路都是怜悯和真理。
又：
耶和华的怜悯临到敬畏祂的人，从亘古到永远；祂的公义也归于子子孙孙，就是那些遵守祂的约，记念祂的诫命的人。（诗篇103:17，18）
又：
他们不遵守神的约，不肯行在祂的律法中。（诗篇78:10）
此处“神的约”被称为神的“律法”。从广泛意义上说，“律法”表示整部圣言，从不怎么广泛的意义上说，表示圣言的历史部分，从狭义上说，表示摩西所写的圣言，从最狭义上说，表示十诫（参看6752节）。
新约圣言也被称为“约”，这一点可见于耶利米书：
看哪，日子将到，我要与以色列家和犹大家另立新约。那些日子以后，我与以色列家所立的约乃是这样：我要将我的律法放在他们中间，写在他们心上。（耶利米书31:31，33）
“以色列家”表示属灵教会；“犹大家”表示属天教会。诗篇：
我也要立祂为长子，为世上最高的君王。我与祂立的约必坚立。我必不渎犯我的约，也不改变我口中所出的话。（诗篇89:27，28，34）
这论及主。“我与祂立的约必坚立”表示神性本身与神性人身的合一，因而也表示圣言，因为主的神性人身就是成了肉身，也就是成为人的圣言（约翰福音1:1-3，14）。
神性真理或圣言是一个约或结合的原因是，圣言是来自主的神性，因而就是主自己；正因如此，当人接受圣言时，主自己就被接受了。由此明显可知，主正是通过圣言与人结合；由于主与人结合，故天堂也与人结合，因为天堂凭从主，因而从神性发出的神性真理而被称为天堂。这解释了为何说天上的人“在主里面”。神性与那些爱主并遵守祂圣言的人结合，这一事实可见于约翰福音（14:23）。
由此可见“立约的血”表示主通过圣言经由天堂与人结合。在撒迦利亚书也是：
我必从以法莲剪除战车、从耶路撒冷剪除战马，争战的弓也必剪除。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。你也如此，我因与你立约的血，将你中间被掳而囚的人，从无水的坑中释放出来。（撒迦利亚书9:10，11）
人若对内义一无所知，在这些几节经文中可能看不见任何东西，只会想到诸如包含在字义中的那类事物；也就是说，只会想到战车要从以法莲被剪除，战马从耶路撒冷被剪除，争战的弓也要剪除，最后就是“立约的血”是指主的宝血，那些被埋在罪中的人将因宝血而得释放；还以各种方式来解释那些被掳而囚在无水之坑里的人究竟是指谁。但是，人若知道圣言的内义，就会明白，此处论述的是神性真理，这真理在荒废或荒凉，也就是不再被人在信仰和内心上接受之后，就将通过从主的神性人身发出的神之真理得以恢复；因此，那些相信并遵行它的人将通过它与主自己结合。这一切从这几节经文中几个词的内义看得更清楚，如：“战车”是指教会的教义（2760，5321，5945，8215节）；“以法莲”是指教会被启示的理解力（5354，6222，6238节）；“马”是指对圣言的理解（2760-2762，3217，5321，6125，6534，8029，8146，8148节）；“耶路撒冷”是指属灵教会（2117，3654，9166节）；“弓”是指真理的教义（2686，2709节）；“争战”是指涉及真理的争战或冲突（1664，2686，8295节）。
从这些含义明显可知，“从以法莲剪除战车、从耶路撒冷剪除战马，争战的弓也必剪除”表示就教会对神之真理的一切理解而言，神之真理的荒废；“被掳而囚在无水之坑里的人因立约的血而被释放出来”表示通过从主的神性人身发出的神性真理所实现的恢复。“血”表示神性真理真理，“约”表示结合，这一点在前面已经说明；“被掳而囚在坑里的人”表示那些通过主的降世而得救的属灵教会成员（参看6854节）。经上之所以说“无水的坑”，是因为“水”表示真理（2702，3058，3424，4976，5668，7307，8137，8138，8568，9323节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 9396
9396. And he took the book of the covenant. That this signifies the Word in the letter with which the Word in heaven has been conjoined, is evident from the signification of "the book," as being the Word in the whole complex (of which in what follows); and from the signification of a "covenant," as being conjunction (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778). By "the book of the covenant" is here meant everything the Lord spoke from Mount Sinai, for it is said just above (verse 4) "and Moses wrote all the words of Jehovah." Consequently by "the book of the covenant" in a narrow sense is meant the Word revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai, and in a wide sense the Word in the whole complex, because this is the Divine truth revealed by the Lord. And as the Lord thereby conjoins Himself with the man of the church, it is "the book of the covenant," because "covenant" denotes conjunction. [2] But at the present day it is not known what is the conjunction of the Lord with the man of the church through the Word, because heaven is now closed. For at the present day scarcely anyone speaks with angels and spirits, and thereby knows how they perceive the Word; when yet this was known to the ancient, and especially to the most ancient people, for it was a common thing with them to speak with spirits and angels. The reason was that in ancient times, and especially in the most ancient times, men were interior men, for they thought in the spirit almost abstractedly from the body; whereas modern men are exterior men, and think in the body almost abstractedly from the spirit. Hence it is that heaven has as it were gone away from man; for the communication of heaven is with the internal man when this can be abstracted from the body, but not with the external man immediately. Consequently the nature of the conjunction of the Lord with man through the Word is not now known. [3] Those who think from the sensuous of the body, and not from the sensuous of the spirit, must needs conceive that the sense of the Word in heaven is such as it is in the world, that is, such as it is in the letter. If it be said that the sense of the Word in heaven is such as is the thought of the internal man, which is devoid of material ideas, that is, of worldly, bodily, and earthly ideas, this would now be a paradox; and especially if it should be said that the sense of the Word in heaven differs as much from its sense in the world (that is, in the letter), as a heavenly paradise differs from an earthly one, and as heavenly food and drink differ from earthly. How great the difference is, appears from the fact that the heavenly paradise is intelligence and wisdom; that heavenly food is all the good of love and charity; and heavenly drink all the truth of faith from this good. At the present day who would not marvel if he should hear that when mention is made in the Word of a "paradise," a "garden," a "vineyard," in heaven there are perceived no paradise, garden, or vineyard; but instead of these such things as belong to intelligence and wisdom from the Lord; and that when mention is made of meat and drink, such as "bread," "flesh," "wine," "water," instead of these there are perceived in heaven such things as belong to the good of love and truth of faith from the Lord; and this not by unfoldings nor in a comparative manner, but in actuality from correspondences; because the heavenly things that pertain to wisdom, intelligence, the good of love, and the truth of faith, correspond in actuality to these earthly things. And into this correspondence was the internal man created relatively to the external man; thus heaven which is in the internal man relatively to the world which is in the external man. And such is the case in general. That in heaven the Word is understood and perceived according to correspondences, and that this sense is the internal sense, has been shown throughout in the preceding pages. [4] He who apprehends what has just been said, can know, and in some measure perceive, that through the Word there is a conjunction of man with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; and that without the Word there would be no conjunction. (See what has been shown on this subject in n. 2143, 7153, 7381, 8920, 9094, 9212, 9216, 9357, and in many other places.) From this it is now evident why Moses took the book of the covenant and read it before the people; and why he then sprinkled the blood on the people and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant." This was done for the reason that in heaven the blood of the sacrifice denotes the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus on our earth the Word (n. 9393). As by a "covenant" is signified conjunction, and as conjunction is effected through the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, that is, the Word, therefore all things that belong to the Divine truth from the Lord, or to the Word, are called a "covenant," such as the tables on which the ten commandments were written, and also the judgments, statutes, and all other things contained in the books of Moses, and in general all things contained in the Word of both Old and New Testaments. [5] That the tables on which the ten commandments were written were called a "covenant," is evident from the following passages:
Jehovah wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten words (Exod. 34:28). I went up into the mountain to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which Jehovah made with you; Jehovah gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant. I came down from the mountain, when the mountain was burning with fire; and the two tables of the covenant were on my two hands (Deut. 9:9, 11, 15). Jehovah declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to do, even the ten words, which He wrote upon the tables of stone. Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which He made with you (Deut. 4:13, 23). As the two tables were deposited in the ark, which was in the middle, that is, in the inmost, of the tabernacle, therefore the ark was called "the ark of the covenant" (Num. 10:33; 14:44; Deut. 10:8; 31:9, 25, 26; Josh. 3:3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17; 4:7, 9, 18; 6:6, 8; 8:33; Judges 20:27; 1 Sam. 4:3-5; 2 Sam. 15:24; 1 Kings 3:15; 6:19; 8:1, 6; Jer. 3:16.) [6] That the books of Moses were called "the book of the covenant," is evident from the finding of them by Hilkiah the priest in the temple, of which we read in the second book of the Kings:
Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah; and they read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant found in the house of Jehovah (2 Kings 22:7; 23:2). [7] That the Word of the Old Testament was called a "covenant," is evident from the following passages:
To them that hold fast My covenant will I give in My house, and within My walls, a place and a name better than sons and daughters (Isa. 56:4, 5). Hear ye the words of this covenant, which I commanded your fathers. Obey My voice, and do them, according to all which I command you (Jer. 11:2, 4). All the ways of Jehovah are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies (Ps. 25:10). The mercy of Jehovah is from eternity to eternity upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness to the sons of sons; to such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments (Ps. 103:17, 18). They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His law (Ps. 78:10);
where the covenant of God is called "the law" of God. (That by "the law" in a wide sense is meant the whole Word; in a less wide sense the historic Word; in a narrow sense the Word written by Moses; and in the narrowest sense the ten commandments of the Decalogue, see n. 6752.) [8] That the Word of the New Testament also is a "covenant," is evident in Jeremiah:
Behold the days come that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, I will put My law in the midst of them, and I will write it on their heart (Jer. 31:31, 33). "The house of Israel" denotes the spiritual church; and "the house of Judah," the celestial church. And in David:
I also will make him the firstborn, high among the kings of the earth, and My covenant shall stand fast with him. My covenant will I not make vile, nor change the declaration of My lips (Ps. 89:27, 28, 34);
speaking of the Lord; "My covenant shall stand fast with him" denotes the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human; thus also the Word, for the Lord as to the Divine Human was the Word that was made flesh, that is, man (John 1:1-3, 14). [9] That the Divine truth or the Word is a covenant or conjunction, is because it is the Divine from the Lord, thus the Lord Himself. And therefore when the Word is received by man, the Lord Himself is received. From this it is evident that through the Word there is conjunction of the Lord with man; and because there is conjunction of the Lord with man, there is also conjunction of heaven with man, for heaven is called heaven from the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, consequently from what is Divine; and therefore those who are in heaven are said to be "in the Lord." That the Divine conjoins Itself with those who love the Lord, and keep His Word, may be seen in John 14:23. [10] From all this it can be seen that by "the blood of the covenant" is meant the conjunction of the Lord through heaven with man by means of the Word. Also in Zechariah:
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the war bow shall be cut off; and He shall speak peace unto the nations; His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. As for thee also, through the blood of thy covenant, I will send forth thy bound ones out of the pit wherein is no water (Zech. 9:10, 11). [11] He who knows nothing of the internal sense cannot conceive here anything but what is contained in the sense of the letter; namely, that the chariot shall be cut off from Ephraim, the horse from Jerusalem, and the war bow, and finally that by "the blood of the covenant" is meant the blood of the Lord, by which those who are in sins should be set free; explaining in various ways who are meant by "the bound ones in the pit wherein is no water." But he who is acquainted with the internal sense of the Word conceives that Divine truth is here treated of, and that after this has been laid waste, or vastated, that is, after it is no longer received in faith and heart by man, it will be restored through the truth Divine that proceeds from the Lord's Divine Human; and thus that those who believe and do it will be conjoined with the Lord Himself. This can be more clearly seen from the internal sense of the several words of the passage; as from the signification of a "chariot" as being the doctrine of the church (n. 2760, 5321, 5945, 8215); of "Ephraim" as being the enlightened understanding of the church (n. 5354, 6222, 6238); from the signification of a "horse" as being the understanding of the Word (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6534, 8029, 8146, 8148); and of "Jerusalem" as being the spiritual church (n. 2117, 3654, 9166); from the signification of a "bow" as being the doctrine of truth (n. 2686, 2709); and of "war" as being a combat about truths (n. 1664, 2686, 8295). [12] From this it is evident that by "cutting off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the war bow," is signified the vastation of truth Divine in the church in respect to all the understanding of it; and that by "the bound ones in the pit wherein was no water being sent forth through the blood of the covenant," is signified restoration through the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine Human of the Lord. (That "blood" denotes Divine truth, and that a "covenant" denotes conjunction, has been shown above; also that "the bound ones in the pit" denote those of the spiritual church who were saved by the Lord's coming into the world, n. 6854.) It is said "a pit wherein is no water," because by "water" is signified truth (n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 7307, 8137, 8138, 8568, 9323).
Elliott(1983-1999) 9396
9396. 'And he took the book of the covenant' means the Word in the letter to which the Word in heaven was joined. This is clear from the meaning of 'the book' as the Word in its entirety, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the covenant' as a joining together, dealt with in 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778. 'The book of the covenant' is used here to mean everything the Lord spoke from Mount Sinai, for verse 4 just above says, And Moses wrote all Jehovah's words. In a restricted sense therefore 'the book of the covenant' is used to mean the Word revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai, and in a broad sense to mean the Word in its entirety since this is the Divine Truth revealed by the Lord. And since it is through this Truth that the Lord joins Himself to a member of the Church, that Truth too is meant by 'the book of the covenant'; for 'a covenant' is a joining together.
[2] But the nature of the Lord's being joined to a member of the Church through the Word is unknown at the present day because heaven at the present day is closed. Scarcely anyone today talks to angels or spirits and therefore knows the way in which they understand the Word. But this was well known to the ancients, and especially to the most ancients; for talking to spirits and angels was common among them. The reason for this was that people in ancient and especially in most ancient times were more internal, for they thought in the spirit virtually separated from the body, whereas people today are more external and think in the body virtually separated from the spirit. So it is that heaven has seemingly forsaken mankind, for heaven's contact is with the internal man when this can be unshackled from the body, but not directly with the external man. This explains why the nature of the Lord's being joined to a person through the Word is unknown at the present day.
[3] Those whose thought is based on what the body perceives with the senses and not on what the spirit perceives with the senses cannot possibly do other than think that the meaning the Word has in heaven is like the meaning it has in the world, that is, in the letter. If it were said that the meaning the Word has in heaven is like the thought of the internal man, which is free from material ideas, that is, from worldly, bodily, and earthly ideas, this would be considered an absurdity at the present day, especially if it were said that the meaning the Word has in heaven is as different from the meaning it has in the world or in the letter as a heavenly paradise is from an earthly paradise, or as heavenly food and drink are from earthly food and drink. How great that difference is may be seen from the consideration that the heavenly paradise consists in intelligence and wisdom, heavenly food in every good of love and charity, and heavenly drink in every truth of faith rooted in that good. Is there anyone at the present day who would not be astounded to hear that when a paradise, garden, or vineyard is mentioned in the Word those in heaven do not perceive a paradise, garden, or vineyard but instead such things as are attributes of intelligence and wisdom coming from the Lord? Or that when food and drink are mentioned, for instance bread, flesh, wine, or water, those in heaven perceive instead such things as are aspects of the good of love and the truth of faith received from the Lord? Or that this perception of the Word comes about not as a result of interpretations of its statements nor by seeing them as comparisons, but that it is due to correspondences and is their actual and real perception of it? For the heavenly virtues of wisdom, intelligence, the good of love, and the truth of faith correspond in actual reality to those worldly objects. In the same way the internal man has been created to correspond to the external man, and so therefore has heaven, which resides in the internal man, to correspond to the world, which resides in the external man. The same is so with everything generally. The truth that the Word is understood and perceived in heaven according to correspondences, and that this level of meaning is the internal sense, has been shown everywhere in the explanations prior to this.
[4] Anyone who grasps what has just been stated is capable of knowing and in some manner perceiving that a person is joined by means of the Word to heaven and through heaven to the Lord, and that without the Word no such joining together would be possible. See what has been shown many times about these matters, in 2143, 7153, 7381, 8920, 9094(end), 9212(end), 9216(end), 9357, and elsewhere. From all this it is now clear why Moses took the book of the covenant and read it in front of the people, and then sprinkled the blood over the people and said, Behold, the blood of the covenant. And the reason why all this was done was that in heaven 'the blood of a sacrifice' is Divine Truth emanating from the Lord, which on our planet is the Word, see 9393. Since 'the covenant' means a joining together, and since Divine Truth emanating from the Lord, that is, the Word, is the means by which the joining together is accomplished, everything that belongs to Divine Truth from the Lord or belongs to the Word is called 'the covenant', such as the tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written, also the judgements, statutes, and all else that is contained in the Books of Moses, and in general that is contained both in the Old Testament Word and in the New.
[5] The Tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written [were called the Covenant].
This may be seen in Moses,
Jehovah wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten words. Exod 34:28.
In the same author,
I went up into the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which Jehovah made with you. Jehovah gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant. I came down from the mountain, when the mountain was burning with fire; the two tablets of the covenant however were on my two hands. Deut 9:9, 11, 15.
And in the same author,
Jehovah declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the ten words which He wrote on tablets of stone. Take care, lest you forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which He made with you. Deut 4:13, 23.
Because the two tablets had been laid up in the ark, which was in the middle or inmost part of the tabernacle, the ark was called the ark of the covenant, Num 10:33; 14:44; Deut 10:8; 31:9, 25, 26; Josh 3:3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17; 4:7, 9, 18; 6:6, 8; 8:33; Judg 20:27; 1 Sam 4:3-5; 2 Sam 15:24; 1Kings 3:15; 6:19; 8:1, 6; Jer. 3:16.
[6] The Books of Moses were called the Book of the Covenant
This is clear from the ones found in the temple by Hilkiah the [high] priest, about which the following things are said in the second Book of Kings,
Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah. And they read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant found in the house of Jehovah. 2 Kings 22:8; 23:2.
[7] The Old Testament Word was called the Covenant
This may be seen in Isaiah,
To those holding fast to My covenant I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than sons and daughters. Isa. 56:4, 5.
In Jeremiah,
Hear the words of this covenant. Cursed is the man who will not hear the words of this covenant which I commanded your fathers. Obey My voice, and do those things, according to all that I command you. Jer. 11:2-4.
In David,
All the ways of Jehovah are mercy and truth to those keeping His covenant and His testimonies. Ps. 25:10.
In the same author,
The mercy of Jehovah is from eternity to eternity on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to those keeping His covenant, and to those remembering His commandments. Ps. 103:17, 18.
And in the same author,
They did not keep God's covenant and refused to walk in His law. Ps. 78:10.
Here 'God's covenant' is called God's law. 'The law' is used in a broad sense to mean the whole Word, in a narrower sense to mean the historical section of the Word, in a restricted sense the Word that was written through Moses, and in a very restricted sense the Ten Commandments, see 6752.
[8] The New Testament Word too is the Covenant
This may be seen in Jeremiah,
Behold, the days are coming in which I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant. This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days: I will put My law in the midst of them, and will write it on their heart. Jer. 31:31-33.
'The house of Israel' stands for the spiritual Church, and 'the house of Judah' for the celestial Church. And in David,
I will also make Him the Firstborn, supreme over the kings of the earth; and My covenant will stand fast with Him. I will not profanea My covenant, and the utterance of My lips I will not alter. Ps. 89:27, 28, 34.
This refers to the Lord. 'My covenant will stand fast with Him' stands for the union of the Divine Himself and the Divine Human, thus also for the Word since the Lord's Divine Human was the Word made flesh, that is, made man (homo), John 1:1-3, 14.
[9] The reason why Divine Truth or the Word is a covenant or joining together is that the Word is the Divine from the Lord, thus is the Lord Himself; and this being so, when the Word is received by a person the Lord Himself is received. From this it is evident that it is through the Word that the Lord is joined to a person; and since the Lord is joined to the person, so too is heaven joined to that person. For heaven is called heaven by virtue of the Divine Truth emanating from the Lord and therefore from the Divine. This explains why those in heaven are said to be 'in the Lord'. Regarding the truth that the Divine joins Himself to those who love the Lord and keep His Word, see John 14:23.
[10] From all this it becomes clear that 'the blood of the covenant' means the Lord joined through heaven to a person by means of the Word, as also in Zechariah,
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be cut off; on the other hand He will speak peace to the nations; His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, through the blood of your covenant I will let out your bound ones from the pit in which there is no water. Zech. 9:10, 11.
[11] A person with no knowledge at all of the internal sense cannot see in these verses anything other than such things as are implied in their literal meaning, that is to say, that the chariot from Ephraim, horse from Jerusalem, and battle bow were going to be cut off, and in the final words that through 'the blood of the covenant' - meaning the Lord's blood - those buried in sins were going to be delivered, various ways being used to explain who exactly are meant by 'bound ones in the pit in which there is no water'. But a person who knows the internal sense of the Word sees that these verses refer to Divine Truth, and that after it has been laid waste, that is, is no longer received in belief and heart by anyone, it will be restored through God's truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Human, and that those who believe and do it will be joined by means of it to the Lord Himself. All this becomes clearer still from the inner meaning of individual words in these verses, for example from the meaning of 'chariot' as doctrine taught by the Church, 2760, 5321, 5945, 8215, and of 'Ephraim' as the Church's enlightened understanding, 5354, 6222, 6238; from the meaning of 'horse' as an understanding of the Word, 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6534, 8029, 8146, 8148,b and of 'Jerusalem' as the spiritual Church, 2117, 3654, 9166; from the meaning of 'bow' as the doctrine of truth, 2686, 2709, and of 'battle' or 'war' as conflict involving truths, 1664, 2686, 8295.
[12] From these meanings it is evident that 'cutting off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow' means God's truth laid waste so far as any understanding of it in the Church is concerned, and that 'through the blood of the covenant those bound in the pit in which there is no water were going to be let out' means a restoration effected through Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Human. The meaning of 'blood' as Divine Truth and of 'the covenant' as a joining together has been shown above; and for the meaning of 'those bound in the pit' as members of the spiritual Church who were saved by the Lord's Coming into the world, see 6854. The description 'pit where there is no water' is used because 'water' means truth, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 7307, 8137, 8138, 8568, 9323.
Latin(1748-1756) 9396
9396. `Et accepit librum foederis': quod significet Verbum in littera cum quo conjunctum est Verbum in caelo, constat ex significatione `libri' quod sit Verbum in omni complexu, de qua sequitur, et ex significatione `foederis' quod sit conjunctio, de qua n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778; per `librum foederis' (t)intelligitur hic omne quod locutus est Dominus e monte Sinai, nam dicitur mox supra vers. 4, et scripsit Moscheh omnia verba Jehovae; proinde per `librum foederis' in stricto sensu intelligitur Verbum revelatum Moschi super monte Sinai, et in lato sensu, Verbum in omni complexu, {1}quoniam id est Divinum Verum revelatum a Domino; et quoniam per id conjungit Se Dominus cum homine Ecclesiae, ideo quoque id est `liber foederis,' {2}quia `foedus' est conjunctio {3}. Sed qualis est conjunctio Domini cum homine Ecclesiae per 2 Verbum, hodie nescitur, ex causa quia hodie caelum est clausum; vix enim (t)hodie aliquis loquitur cum angelis et spiritibus, et inde scit quomodo illi percipiunt Verbum, cum tamen {4}antiquis, imprimis antiquissimis, id fuit notum, nam loqui cum spiritibus et angelis illis commune fuit; {5}causa erat quia homines antiquis temporibus, imprimis in antiquissimis, interiores homines fuerunt, in spiritu enim paene abstracte a corpore cogitabant, at hodierni homines sunt exteriores, et in corpore paene abstracte a spiritu cogitant; inde est quod {6}recesserit quasi caelum ab homine, nam communicatio caeli est cum interno homine cum is abstrahi potest a corpore, non autem cum externo immediate; inde ignoratur hodie qualis est conjunctio Domini cum homine per Verbum. Qui ex sensuali corporis et non ex sensuali spiritus cogitant, 3 illi nequaquam aliter possunt capere quam quod sensus Verbi talis sit in caelo qualis est in mundo, hoc est, qualis est in littera; si diceretur quod sensus Verbi in caelo sit qualis est cogitatio interni hominis, {7}qui est absque ideis materialibus, hoc est, absque ideis mundanis, corporeis, et terrenis, foret hoc hodie paradoxon, et magis si diceretur quod sensus Verbi in caelo tantum differat a sensu ejus in mundo seu in littera quantum paradisus caelestis a paradiso terrestri, et quantum cibus (c)et potus caelestis a cibo et potu terrestri; quanta sit differentia, apparet ex eo quod paradisus caelestis sit intelligentia et sapientia, cibus caelestis sit omne bonum amoris et charitatis, et potus caelestis {8} omne verum fidei ex illo bono; quis non hodie miraretur si audiret quod cum paradisus, hortus, vinea, in Verbo memorantur, in caelo non percipiantur paradisus, hortus, vinea, sed loco illorum talia quae sunt intelligentiae et sapientiae ex Domino? et cum cibus et potus, {9}sicut panis, caro, vinum, aqua, quod loco illorum in caelo percipiantur talia quae sunt boni amoris et veri fidei a Domino? et {10} hoc non per explicationes, {11}nec comparative, sed ex correspondentiis actualiter, quoniam caelestia quae sapientiae, intelligentiae, boni amoris et veri fidei illis actualiter correspondent; et in hanc correspondentiam creatus est homo internus respective ad externum, ita caelum quod est in interno homine respective ad mundum, (x)qui est in {12} externo, similiter in communi; quod Verbum secundum correspondentias intelligatur et percipiatur in caelo, et quod ille sensus sit sensus internus, in praecedentibus ubivis ostensum est. 4 Qui illa quae nunc dicta sunt capit, scire potest et aliquo modo percipere quod per Verbum sit conjunctio hominis cum caelo, et per caelum cum Domino, et quod absque Verbo nulla conjunctio foret; videantur quae de his n. 2143, 7153, 7381, 8920, 9094 fin., 9212 fin., 9216 fin., 9357, et alibi pluries ostensa sunt. Inde nunc constat cur Moscheh `accepit librum foederis, et legit coram populo, et dein sparsit sanguinem super populum, et dixit, Ecce sanguis foederis'; {13}(x)et hoc ideo factum est quia `sanguis sacrificii' in caelo est Divinum Verum procedens a Domino, ita in nostra tellure Verbum videatur n. 9393. Quia per `foedus' significatur conjunctio, et quia per Divinum Verum procedens (c)a Domino, {14}hoc est, Verbum, fit conjunctio, ideo omnia quae (t)Divini Veri a Domino seu quae Verbi sunt, vocantur foedus, {15}prout tabulae quibus inscripta sunt decem praecepta, tum judicia, statuta, et (x)reliqua quae in libris Moschis, et in genere quae in Verbo tam Veteris quam Novi Testamenti sunt. Quod tabulae quibus inscripta {16}erant decem praecepta: apud 5 Moschen, Jehovah scripsit super tabulas verba foederis, decem verba, Exod. xxxiv 28:apud eundem, Ascendi in montem ad accipiendum tabulas lapidum, tabulas foederis, quod excidit Jehovah vobiscum: dedit Jehovah mihi duas tabulas lapidum, tabulas foederis: descendi de monte, cum mons ardens igne, duae autem tabulae foederis super duabus manibus meis, Deut. ix 9, 11, 15:
et apud eundem, (m)Jehovah indicavit vobis foedus Suum quod praecepit vobis ad faciendum, decem verba quae scripsit super tabulas lapidum: cavebitis vobis ne obliviscamini foederis Jehovae Dei vestri, quod excidit vobiscum, Deut. iv 13, 23.(n) Quia binae tabulae in arca, quae in medio seu intimo tabernaculi, repositae erant, ideo arca dicta est arca foederis, Num. x 33, xiv 44; Deut. x 8, xxxi 9, 25, 26; Jos. iii 3, 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, iv 7, 9, 18, vi 6, 8, viii 33; Jud. xx 27; 1 Sam. iv 3-5; 2 Sam. xv 24; 1 Reg. (x)iii 15, vi 19, viii 1, 6; Jer. iii 16. Quod libri Moschis dicti sint liber foederis, constat ex illis inventis a 6 Chilkia sacerdote in Templo, de quibus ita in Libro 2 Regum, Chilkia sacerdos magnus invenit librum legis in domo Jehovae: et (x)legerunt in auribus eorum omnia verba libri foederis inventi in domo Jehovae, xxii 8, xxiii 2. Quod Verbum Veteris Testamenti dictum sit foedus: apud Esaiam, 7 Tenentibus foedus Meum dabo in domo Mea et intra muros Meos locum et nomen, bonum prae filiis et filiabus, 1vi 4 [, 5]:
apud Jeremiam, Audite verba foederis hujus; Maledicus vir qui non audiverit verba foederis hujus quod praecepi patribus vestris; Oboedite voci Meae, et facite ea, juxta omne quod praecipio vobis, xi (x)2-4:
apud Davidem, Omnes viae Jehovae misericordia et veritas, custodientibus foedus Ipsius, et testimonia Ipsius, Ps. xxv 10:
apud eundem, Misericordia Jehovae ab aeterno {17}ad aeternum usque super timentes Ipsum, et justitia Ipsius in filios filiorum, custodientibus foedus Ipsius, et recordantibus {18}praeceptorum Ipsius, Ps. ciii 17, 18:
et apud eundem, Non servarunt foedus Dei, et in lege Ipsius renuerunt ambulare, Ps. 1xxviii 10;
hic foedus Dei dicitur `lex Dei'; quod per legem intelligatur in lato sensu totum Verbum, in minus lato Verbum historicum, in stricto Verbum per Moschen scriptum, et in strictissimo decem praecepta Decalogi, videatur n. 6752. 8 Quod etiam Verbum Novi Testamenti sit foedus: apud Jeremiam, Ecce dies venientes quibus pangam cum domo Israelis et cum domo Jehudae foedus novum; hoc foedus quod pangam cum domo Israelis post dies hos, dabo legem Meam in medio eorum, et super cor eorum scribam illam, xxxi (x)31-33;
`domus Israelis' pro Ecclesia spirituali, et `domus Jehudae' pro Ecclesia caelesti: et apud Davidem, Etiam Ego primogenitum dabo Ipsum, altum regibus terrae, et foedus Meum stabile Ipsi: non vile faciam foedus Meum, et pronuntiatum labiorum Meorum non mutabo, Ps. 1xxxix 29, 35 [A.V. 28, 34];
hic de Domino; `foedus Meum stabile Ipsi' pro unione Ipsius Divini ac Divini Humani, ita quoque pro Verbo, nam Dominus quoad Divinum Humanum fuit Verbum quod caro, hoc est, homo, factum, Joh. i 1-3, 14. 9 Quod Divinum Verum seu Verbum sit foedus seu conjunctio, est quia illud est Divinum a Domino, ita Ipse Dominus; quapropter cum Verbum recipitur ab homine, Ipse Dominus recipitur; inde patet quod per Verbum sit conjunctio Domini cum homine; et quia est conjunctio Domini cum homine, etiam est conjunctio caeli cum homine, nam caelum {19} dicitur caelum ex Divino Vero procedente a Domino, proinde ex {20}Divino; unde illi qui in caelo dicuntur esse in Domino; quod Divinum conjungat se cum illis qui amant Dominum, et Verbum Ipsius servant, videatur Joh. xiv 23. 10 Ex his omnibus constare potest quod per `sanguinem foederis' intelligatur conjunctio Domini {21} per caelum cum homine per Verbum, ut quoque apud Sachariam, Exscindam currum ex Ephraimo et equum ex Hierosolyma, et exscindetur arcus belli; contra loquetur pacem gentibus; dominari Ipsius a mari ad mare, et a flumine usque, ad fines terrae; etiam quod {22}ad te, per sanguinem foederis tui emittam vinctos tuos e fovea in qua non aqua, ix 10, 11;
qui nihil de sensu interno novit, {23}hic non aliud quam talia quae sensus 11 litterae involvit capere potest, quod nempe `exscinderetur currus ex Ephraimo, equus ex Hierosolyma, et arcus belli,' et denique quod `sanguis foederis' sit sanguis Domini, per quem liberarentur illi qui in peccatis, explicando varie, quinam intelliguntur per `vinctos in fovea in qua non aqua'; sed qui sensum internum Verbi novit {24} capit quod hic de Divino Vero agatur, et quod id postquam vastatum hoc est, non amplius receptum {25}fide et corde ab homine, per verum Divinum a Divino Humano Domini procedens restituetur et sic illi qui {26}id credunt et faciunt, Ipsi Domino conjungentur; quod ex sensu interno singulorum ibi, plenius constare potest, sicut ex significatione `currus' quod sit doctrina Ecclesiae, n. (x)2760, 5321, 5945, 8215, `Ephraimi' quod sit intellectuale illustratum Ecclesiae n. 5354, 6222, 6238, ex significatione `equi' quod sit intellectus Verbi, n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, (x)6534, 8029, 8146, 8148, `Hierosolymae' quod sit Ecclesia spiritualis, n. 2117, 3654, (x)9166, ex significatione `arcus' quod sit doctrina veri, n. 2686, 2709, et `belli,' quod sit pugna de veris, n. 1664, 2686, 8295; inde patet quod per `exscindere currum 12 ex Ephraimo, et equum ex Hierosolyma, et arcum belli,' significetur vastatio (t)veri Divini in Ecclesia quoad omnem intellectum ejus, et quod `per sanguinem foederis {27}emitterentur vincti in fovea in qua non aqua' significetur restitutio per (t)Divinum Verum a Divino Humano Domini (d)procedens; quod `sanguis' sit (t)Divinum Verum, et quod `foedus' sit conjunctio, supra ostensum est, et quod `vincti in fovea' sint qui ab Ecclesia spirituali {28} et salvati per Adventum Domini in mundum, videatur n. 6854; `fovea ubi non aqua' dicitur, quia per `aquam' significatur verum, n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 7307, 8137, 8138, 8568, 9323. @1 similiter$ @2 nam$ @3 i, ut ostensum est in locis supra citatis$ @4 priscis temporibus$ @5 causa est, quia antiquissimi homines$ @6 coelum hodie quasi clausum sit, et consequenter ignoratur$ @7 d qui est i quae est$ @8 i est [sit intended]$ @9 sicut panis, vinum, agitur in coelo non percipiantur cibus et potus, panis, vinum et aqua, sed loco illorum$ @10 i quod$ @11 et$ @12 i ejus$ @13 A first had quod sanguis sit Divinum Verum, ita in nostra Tellure Verbum videatur supra n. 9393. Without deleting or altering any of these words S then interpolated et hoc ideo factum est quia sanguis sacrificii in coelo. No indication of the place for insertion is given.$ @14 ita per$ @15 ut$ @16 sunt$ @17 in$ @18 praecepta Ipsius ad faciendum ea$ @19 i est coelum et$ @20 Domino$ @21 i cum coelo, et$ @22 a$ @23 After aliud$ @24 i, is$ @25 corde et fide$ @26 credunt illud et faciunt illud$ @27 emittentur$ @28 i sunt,$