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449. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.- That this signifies the conjunction of those who are in the ultimate heaven with the Lord, is evident from the representation of Benjamin and of the tribe named after him, as denoting the Spiritual-celestial in the natural man, like Joseph in the spiritual. The Spiritual-celestial is truth conjoined to good. For truth, regarded in itself, is spiritual, and good celestial; hence Benjamin and his tribe signify the conjunction of truth and good in the Natural, here therefore the conjunction of those who are in the ultimate heaven with the Lord; for those who are in natural good and truth from the spiritual and the celestial are in the ultimate heaven. Those who are in the ultimate heaven are either spiritual-natural, or celestial-natural. The spiritual-natural in that heaven belong to the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and the celestial-natural belong to the celestial kingdom of the Lord; wherefore the spiritual-natural communicate with the second heaven, where all are spiritual, but the celestial-natural communicate with the third heaven, where all are celestial, as stated above.
[2] It is evident from these things what Joseph and Benjamin, who were brethren, signify in the Word. Since Benjamin signifies truth conjoined to good in the natural man, and consequently truth conjoined to good in those who are in the ultimate heaven, therefore he was also the last son born to Jacob, and was called by him the son of the right hand, for Benjamin, in the original language, signifies the son of the right hand; and also he was born in Bethlehem, which city signifies truth conjoined to good in the Natural. That he was born in Bethlehem, see Genesis (Heaven and Hell 33, 34, 38, 39, 208, 209, 211, 435). These are the reasons why Benjamin was the last born of the sons of Jacob.
[3] He was called the son of the right hand, because son signifies truth, and right hand the power of truth from good, and all power in the spiritual world is in truth from good in the natural man. In this resides all the power possessed by the spiritual man, because the efficient cause is in the spiritual man, and the effect in the Natural, and all the power of the efficient cause is brought into active operation by means of the effect. That all the power of the spiritual man is in the Natural, and [acts] by means of the Natural, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia. (n. 1 Sam. 16:1-14; 17:12). For David as a king represented the Lord as to truth from good, which is also signified by a king, as may be seen above (n. Matthew 2:1, 5, 6) because He was born King, and from His birth truth in Him was conjoined to good. For every infant is born natural, and the Natural is first opened because it is nearest to the external senses and the world, and with all men it is ignorant of truth and inclined to evil, but with the Lord alone the Natural hungered for good and desired truth. The ruling affection with man is from the father, for it is his soul, but with the Lord the affection or soul from the Father was the Divine Itself, which is the Divine Good of the Divine Love.
[4] Because Benjamin and his tribe signify truth conjoined to good in the natural man, therefore his lot in the land of Canaan was between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph; and Jerusalem also, which was then inhabited by the Jebusite, fell to that tribe for an inheritance (Joshua 18:11-28); so that the sons of Benjamin dwelt there with the Jews, who afterwards occupied that city. The tribe of Benjamin was granted a lot between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph, because that tribe represented and thence signified the conjunction of good and truth; for Judah signifies the good of the church, and Joseph, the truth of the church. The reason why Jerusalem was given to that tribe was, that Jerusalem signified the church in regard to doctrine and worship, and all the doctrine of the church is the doctrine of truth conjoined to good, and all worship according to doctrine takes place by means of the natural man, for, as stated above, worship is an effect from the efficient cause in the spiritual man.
[5] From these observations the signification of Benjamin in the following passages is evident.
In Jeremiah:
If ye hallow the sabbath "they shall come in from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountain, and from the south, bringing the burnt-offering, and the sacrifice, and the meat-offering, and frankincense" (Arcana Coelestia 8495, 8510, 10356, 10367, 10370, 10374, 10668, 10730). The cities of Judah, the places about Jerusalem, and the land of Benjamin, signify truths conjoined to good in the natural man. The cities of Judah, signify the truths of good, the places about Jerusalem, the truths of doctrine in the natural man, and the land of Benjamin, their conjunction. For cities signify truths, and Judah signifies the good of the church; Jerusalem the doctrine of truth. The places round-about signify such things as are around, or beneath, which are the truths of good in the natural man; and the land of Benjamin signifies the church as to the conjunction of those things in the natural man. From the plain, from the mountain, and from the south, signifies good and truth in the natural man from a celestial and from a spiritual origin. The plain signifies good and truth in the natural man, because those who are in the ultimate heaven, and are called celestial-natural and spiritual-natural (of which above) dwell in plains or below mountains and hills. The mountain signifies those who are in celestial good, and the south, those who are in spiritual good, and therefore in the light of truth. To bring the burnt-offering and the sacrifice, and the meat-offering, and frankincense, signifies worship from celestial good and from spiritual good in the natural man. The burnt-offering signifies worship from celestial good, the sacrifice, worship from spiritual good; the meat-offering and frankincense signify good and the truth of good in the natural man. These are the things signified by the above words. For what other object could there be in saying that if they hallowed the sabbath they should come in from the cities of Judah, from the places about Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the plain, the mountain, and the south? Why not from the whole land of Canaan?
[6] Because these details signify such things as relate to heaven and the church, therefore similar things are also mentioned elsewhere in the same prophet:
"In the cities of the mountain, in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places round-about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that numbereth" (Jeremiah 33:13).
So again:
"They shall buy fields for money, and write it in a book, and cause witnesses to witness it in the land of Benjamin, and in the places round-about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountain, and in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south; because I will bring back their captivity, saith Jehovah" (Jeremiah 32:44).
In these passages similar things are signified as above by the land of Benjamin, the places round-about Jerusalem, the cities of Judah, the mountain, the plain, and the south; therefore, Benjamin signifies the conjunction of truth and good in the natural man, and thus the conjunction of truth and good with those who are in the ultimate heaven.
[7] In the same prophet:
"Assemble yourselves, ye sons of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem, and sound the trumpet, and upon the house of the vineyard kindle a fire, for evil looketh out of the north, and great destruction" (6:1).
The subject here treated of in the spiritual sense is the devastation of the church in regard to truth and good, because it is against Zion and Jerusalem, for Zion signifies the good of the church, and Jerusalem, its truth. And because the sons of Benjamin signify the conjunction of good and truth they are therefore commanded to assemble themselves out of the midst of Jerusalem, to blow the trumpet, and kindle a fire upon the house of the vineyard. To blow the trumpet, signifies combat against that church from truths which are from good. The house of the vineyard signifies that church itself, and to kindle a fire upon it, its destruction by evil loves. The north from which the evil looketh signifies the falsity of evil; and the great destruction signifies the dissipation of good and truth.
[8] Again, in David:
"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 strength, and come to save us" (440:6), where this passage is explained.
[9] In the same:
"Bless ye God in the congregations; the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. There is little Benjamin their ruler, the princes of Judah, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali" (439:5).
[10] In the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses:
"And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of Jehovah, he shall dwell in safety by him; he shall cover him all the day long, dwelling between his shoulders" (Deuteronomy 33:12).
Benjamin here signifies the Word in the ultimate sense, which is natural. For the Word is described in this blessing pronounced by Moses, and each tribe signifies some essential of it. And because in the ultimate sense of the Word, which is natural, there is the marriage of good and truth, as we have shown in many places, therefore he is called the beloved of Jehovah, and it is said "that he shall dwell in safety by him; he shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders."
[11] To dwell between the shoulders, denotes to dwell in security and in power. The signification of Benjamin in the prophecy of Israel the father concerning his sons (Arcana Coelestia 6439-6444). Benjamin in that prophecy is the last spoken of, because he signifies the ultimate of heaven and of the church, the ultimate being the Natural in which truth is conjoined to good.
[12] Because these things are signified by Benjamin, therefore the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin encamped in the wilderness about the tent of the congregation, on the west side (Heaven and Hell 141-153).
[13] From what has been stated it is now evident that Benjamin, in the Word, signifies the conjunction of good and truth in the natural man, and conjunction with the Spiritual by means of good; for all that good which is good in the natural man flows in from the spiritual man, that is, by means of the spiritual man from the Lord. Without such influx good does not exist in the natural man. Therefore Benjamin also signifies the conjunction of the spiritual man with the natural, and Joseph, the conjunction of the celestial man with the spiritual.
449. Of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed, signifies the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the lowest heaven. This is evident from the representation of "Benjamin" and the tribe named from him, as being the spiritual-celestial in the natural man, as "Joseph" represents it in the spiritual. The spiritual-celestial is truth conjoined to good; for truth regarded in itself is spiritual, and good is celestial; therefore by "Benjamin" and his tribe the conjunction of truth and good in the natural is signified, and thus here the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the lowest heaven; for in the lowest heaven are those who are in natural good and truth from the spiritual and the celestial. Those who are in the lowest heaven are either spiritual-natural or celestial-natural; the spiritual-natural there belong to the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and the celestial-natural to His celestial kingdom, therefore the spiritual-natural communicate with the second heaven where all are spiritual, while the celestial-natural communicate with the third heaven where all are celestial (as was said in the article above).
[2] From all this the signification in the Word of "Joseph" and of "Benjamin," who were brothers, can be seen. As "Benjamin" signifies truth conjoined to good in the natural man, and thus truth conjoined to good in those who are in the lowest heaven, so he was born to Jacob last, and was called by him "son of the right hand," (Benjamin, in the original, means son of the right hand); also he was born in Bethlehem, and that city signifies truth conjoined to good in the natural. (That he was born in Bethlehem, see Heaven and Hell 33, 34, 38, 39, 208, 209, 211, 435.) This now is why Benjamin was born the last of the sons of Jacob.
[3] He was called "the son of the right hand" because "son" signifies truth, and "right hand" signifies the power of truth from good, and in the spiritual world truth that is from good in the natural man has all power. All the power the spiritual man has is in this, because the effecting cause is in the spiritual man, and the effect is in the natural, and all the power of the effecting cause puts itself forth through the effect. (That all the power of the spiritual man is in the natural, and through the natural, see 1 Samuel 16:1-14; 17:12); for David as king represented the Lord in respect to truth from good, and this, too, is signified by "king" (as may be seen above, n. Matthew 2:1, 5, 6) because He was born a king, and truth conjoined to good was with Him from birth. For every infant is born natural, and the natural, because it is next to the external senses and the world, is first opened, and this with all men is ignorant of truth and desirous of evil; but in the Lord alone the natural had a desire for good and a longing for truth; for the ruling affection in man, which is his soul, is from the father; and with the Lord, the affection or soul from the Father was the Divine Itself, which is the Divine good of the Divine love.
[4] Because "Benjamin" and his tribe signify truth conjoined to good in the natural man:
His lot in the land of Canaan was between the sons of Judah and the sons of Joseph; Jerusalem also, where the Jebusites then were, fell to that tribe for an inheritance (Joshua 18:11-28);
so that the sons of Benjamin dwelt there with the Jews, who afterwards occupied that city. The tribe of Benjamin had its lot among the sons of Joseph, because that tribe represented and thence signified the conjunction of good and truth; for "Judah" signifies the good of the church, and "Joseph" the truth of the church. Jerusalem fell to that tribe because "Jerusalem" signified the church in respect to doctrine and worship, and all doctrine of the church is the doctrine of truth conjoined to good, and all worship is effected according to doctrine through the natural man; for, as was said above, worship is an effect from the effecting cause which is in the spiritual man.
[5] From this the signification of "Benjamin" in the following passages can be seen. In Jeremiah:
In hallowing the sabbath they shall come from the cities of Judah and from the circuits of Jerusalem and from the land of Benjamin, and from the lowland and from the mountain and from the south, bringing burnt-offering and sacrifice and meal-offering and frankincense (Arcana Coelestia 8495, 8510, 10356, 10367, 10370, 10374, 10668, 10730). "The cities of Judah, the circuits of Jerusalem, and the land of Benjamin," signify truths conjoined to good in the natural man; "the cities of Judah" the truths of good; "the circuits of Jerusalem" the truths of doctrine in the natural man, and "the land of Benjamin" their conjunction; for "cities" signify truths, "Judah" the good of the church, "Jerusalem" the doctrine of truth, "circuits" such things as are round about or below, which are the truths of good in the natural man, and "the land of Benjamin" the church in respect to the conjunction of these in the natural man; "from the lowland, from the mountain, and from the south," signifies good and truth in the natural man from a celestial origin and from a spiritual origin; "lowland" signifying good and truth in the natural man, because in lowlands, that is, below the mountains and hills, those dwell who are in the lowest heaven, and are called celestial-natural and spiritual-natural, as was said above; "mountains" signifying those who are in celestial good, and "south" those who are in spiritual good, and thence in the light of truth; "to bring burnt-offering and sacrifice, and meal-offering and frankincense," signifies worship from celestial good and from spiritual good in the natural man; "burnt-offering" signifying worship from celestial good; "sacrifice" worship from spiritual good; "meal-offering and frankincense" good and the truth of good in the natural man. Such is the signification of these words. Why else should it be said that in hallowing the sabbath they should come "from the cities of Judah, from the circuits of Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, the mountain, and the south," and why not from the whole land of Canaan?
[6] Because all these particulars signify such things as belong to heaven and the church, like things are also mentioned elsewhere in the same Prophet:
In the cities of the mountain, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the circuits of Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that numbereth them (Jeremiah 33:13).
They shall buy fields with silver, and this by writing in a book, and by causing witnesses to witness, in the land of Benjamin, and in the circuits of Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountain, and in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the south, for I will turn back their captivity (Jeremiah 32:8, 44).
In these passages "the land of Benjamin, the circuits of Jerusalem, the cities of Judah, the mountain, the lowland, and the south," have a similar signification as above; thus "Benjamin" signifies the conjunction of truth and good in the natural man, and accordingly the conjunction of truth and good with those who are in the lowest heaven.
[7] In the same:
Gather yourselves, ye sons of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and sounding sound the trumpet, and upon the house of the vineyard kindle a conflagration, for evil looketh forth from the north, and a great breaking up (Jeremiah 6:1).
In the spiritual sense this treats of the devastation of the church in respect to truth and good, because it is against Zion and Jerusalem, for "Zion" signifies the good of the church, and "Jerusalem" its truth; and as "the sons of Benjamin" signify the conjunction of good and truth, they are told "to gather themselves out of the midst of Jerusalem, to sound the trumpet, and upon the house of the vineyard to kindle a conflagration;" "to sound the trumpet" signifying combat against that church from truths that are from good; "house of the vineyard" that church itself, and "to kindle a conflagration" its destruction by evil loves; the "north from which the evil looks forth" signifies the falsity of evil, and "a great breaking up" signifies the dispersion of good and truth.
[8] In David:
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, and come for salvation to us (440), where this is explained).
[9] In the same:
Bless ye God in the assemblies, the Lord from the fountain of Israel. There little Benjamin is over them, the princes of Judah, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali (439.)
[10] In the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses:
Of Benjamin he said, The beloved of Jehovah, he shall dwell safely by him. He shall cover him all the day, and he shall dwell between His shoulders (Deuteronomy 33:12).
"Benjamin" here signifies the Word in the ultimate sense, which is natural; for in this blessing by Moses the Word is described, and each tribe signifies something of it; and as the ultimate sense of the Word, which is natural, has in it a marriage of good and truth, as has been shown in many places, therefore Benjamin is called "the beloved of Jehovah," and it is said "he shall dwell safely by him, and He shall cover him all the day, and he shall dwell between His shoulders," "to dwell between the shoulders" meaning in safety and in power.
[11] The signification of "Benjamin" in the prophecy of Israel the father respecting his son (Arcana Coelestia 6439-6444). In that prophecy, Benjamin is the last one treated of, because he signifies the ultimate of the church and of heaven; the ultimate is the natural, in which truth is conjoined to good.
[12] Because this is the signification of "Benjamin":
The tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin pitched in the wilderness about the tent of meeting, on the west side (Heaven and Hell 141-153.)
[13] From this it can now be seen what "Benjamin" signifies in the Word, namely, the conjunction of good and truth in the natural man, and its conjunction through good with the spiritual; for all good that is good in the natural man flows in from the spiritual man, that is, through the spiritual man from the Lord. Without such influx there is no good in the natural man; therefore "Benjamin" signifies also the conjunction of the spiritual man with the natural, and "Joseph" the conjunction of the celestial man with the spiritual.
449. "Ex tribu Benjaminis duodecim millia signati." - Quod significet conjunctionem illorum qui in ultimo caelo cum Domino, constat ex repraesentatione Benjaminis ac tribus ab illo nominatae, quod sit spirituale caeleste in naturali homine, simile quod Josephus in spirituali: spirituale caeleste est verum conjunctum bono; nam verum in se spectatum est spirituale, ac bonum est caeleste; inde per "Benjaminem" et ejus tribum significatur conjunctio veri et boni in naturali, hic itaque conjunctio eorum qui in ultimo caelo cum Domino; in ultimo enim caelo sunt qui in naturali bono et vero ex spirituali et caelesti. Illi qui in ultimo caelo sunt, vel spirituales naturales vel caelestes naturales sunt; spirituales naturales ibi pertinent ad spirituale regnum Domini, et caelestes naturales ibi pertinent ad caeleste regnum Domini; quare spirituales naturales communicant cum secundo caelo, ubi omnes sunt spirituales, caelestes autem naturales communicant cum tertio caelo, ubi omnes sunt caelestes (ut in superiori articulo dictum est).
[2] Ex his constare potest quid "Josephus" et quid "Benjamin" fratres in Verbo significant. Quoniam "Benjamin" significat verum conjunctum bono in naturali homine, et inde verum conjunctum bono apud illos qui in ultimo caelo sunt, ideo quoque ille ultimo natus est Jacobo, et vocatus ab illo "filius dextrae", nam Benjamin in lingua originali significat filium dextrae; et quoque natus est in Bethlechem, per quam urbem etiam significatur verum conjunctum bono in naturali. Quod natus sit in Bethlechem, videatur Genesis 35:16-19. Ultimo natus est, quia naturale consistens ex vero conjuncto bono est ultimum ecclesiae apud hominem: sunt enim apud hominem tres gradus vitae, intimus, medius et ultimus; intimus gradus est in quo sunt illi qui in intimo seu tertio caelo, medius gradus est in quo sunt illi qui in medio seu secundo caelo, et ultimus gradus est in quo sunt illi qui in ultimo seu primo caelo; quare illi qui in intimo gradu sunt vocantur caelestes, qui in medio vocantur spirituales, qui autem in ultimo gradu sunt vocantur vel spirituales naturales vel caelestes naturales; conjunctio horum in ultimo caelo significatur per "Benjamin": (de tribus illis gradibus vitae apud hominem et angelum, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 33, 34, 38, 39, 208, 209, 211, 435 1
): inde nunc est, quod ille Jacobi filius ultimo natus sit.
[3] Quod vocatus sit "filius dextrae", est quia per "filium" significatur verum, et per "dextram" significatur potentia veri ex bono; et omnis potentia in Spirituali mundo est vero quod ex bono in naturali homine: quod in hoc sit omnis potentia quae est spirituali homini, est quia in spirituali homine est causa efficiens, et in naturali est effectus, et omnis potentia causae efficientis Se per effectum exserit: (quod omnis potentia spiritualis hominis sit in naturali et per naturale, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus n. 9836): inde nunc est quod "Benjamin" dictus Sit, hoc est, "filius dextrae"; et quia Simile significatur per "Bethlechem", nempe verum conjunctum bono in naturali homine, ideo quoque David ibi natus est, et quoque unctus in regem (1 Sam. 16:1-14; 17:12); nam David ut rex repraesentavit Dominum quoad verum ex bono, et id quoque "rex" Significat (videatur supra, n. 29, 31, 205); ac ideo quoque Dominus natus est in Bethlechem (Matthaeus 2:1, 5, 6), quia natus est Rex, et apud Ipsum ex nativitate verum conjunctum bono fuit. Omnis enim infans nascitur naturalis; et naturale, quia sensibus externis et mundo proximum est, primum aperitur; et id apud omnes homines est ignorans veri et cupiens mali, at solum apud Dominum erat id appetens bonum et desiderans verum; quia affectio regnans apud hominem est ex patre, est enim anima ejus; at apud Dominum erat affectio seu anima ex Patre ipsum Divinum, quod est Divinum Bonum Divini Amoris.
[4] Quoniam "Benjamin" et ejus tribus significat verum conjunctum bono in naturali homine, ideo
Ei sors in terra Canaane erat inter filios Jehudae et inter filios Josephi; et quoque illi tribui cessit Hierosolyma, ubi tunc Jebusaei, in hereditatem (Joshua 18:11-28);
sic ut filii Benjaminis habitaverint ibi cum Judaeis, qui illam urbem dein occupaverunt. Causa quod cesserit sors illi tribui inter filios Josephi, erat quia repraesentabat et inde significabat conjunctionem boni et veri; per "Jehudam" enim significatur ecclesiae bonum, et per "Josephum" ecclesiae verum: quod illi tribui cesserit Hierosolyma, erat quia "Hierosolyma" significaret ecclesiam quoad doctrinam et quoad cultum, et omnis doctrina ecclesiae est doctrina veri conjuncti bono, et omnis cultus secundum doctrinam fit per naturalem hominem; nam, ut supra dictum est, cultus est effectus ex causa efficiente in spirituali homine.
[5] Ex his constare potest quid significatur per "Benjaminem" in his locis:
- Apud Jeremiam,
Si sanctificatis Sabbathum, "intrabunt ex urbibus Jehudae, et ex circuitibus Hierosolymae, et ex terra Benjaminis, et ex planitie, et ex monte, et ex meridie, adferentes holocaustum et sacrificium et mincham et thus" (17:26):
quod haec propter sanctificationem Sabbathi, erat causa quia "Sabbathum" significabat unionem Divini ac Divini Humani in Domino, et in sensu respectivo conjunctionem Divini Humani Ipsius cum caelo et cum ecclesia, et in genere conjunctionem boni et veri (videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus n. 8495, 8510, 10356, 10367, 10370, 10374, 10668, 10730) per "urbes Jehudae", per "circuitus Hierosolymae" et per "terram Benjaminis significantur vera conjuncta bono in naturali homine; per "urbes Jehudae" vera boni, per "circuitus Hierosolymae" vera doctrinae in naturali homine, et per "terram Benjaminis" conjunctio illorum; "urbes" enim significant vera, "Jehudah" bonum ecclesiae, "Hierosolyma" doctrinam veri, "circuitus" illa quae circum aut infra sunt, quae sunt vera boni in naturali homine, et "terra Benjaminis" ecclesiam quoad conjunctionem illorum in naturali homine: "ex planitie, ex monte et ex meridie", significat bonum et verum in naturali homine ex origine caelesti et ex origine spirituali; "planities" significat bonum et verum in naturali homine, quia in planitiebus seu infra montes et colles habitant illi qui in ultimo caelo, qui caelestes naturales et spirituales naturales, de quibus supra, vocantur; "mons" significat illos qui in bono caelesti, et "meridies" illos qui in bono spirituali et inde in luce veri: "adferre holocaustum, sacrificium, mincham et thus", 2
significat cultum ex bono caelesti et ex bono spirituali in naturali homine; "holocaustum" cultum ex bono caelesti, "sacrificium" cultum ex bono spirituali, "mincha et thus" bonum et verum boni in naturali homine: haec sunt quae per illa verba significantur; quid alioqui foret quod diceretur, quod si sanctificarent Sabbathum intraturi essent "ex urbibus Jehudae, circuitibus Hierosolymae, e terra Benjaminis, ex planitie, monte et meridie"? et cur non ex universa terra Canaane?
[6] Quoniam singula illa significant talia quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, ideo quoque alibi apud eundem Prophetam similia dicuntur:
Ut,
"In urbibus montis, in urbibus planitiei, et in urbibus meridiei, et in terra Benjaminis, et in circuitibus Hierosolymae, et in urbibus Jehudae, adhuc transibunt greges juxta manus numerantis" (Jeremias 33:13);
et alibi,
"Agros argento ement, idque scribendo in libello, .... et attestari faciendo testes, in terra Benjaminis, et in circuitibus Hierosolymae, et in urbibus Jehudae, et in urbibus montis, et in urbibus planitiei, et in urbibus meridiei, quia convertam captivitatem eorum (Jeremias 32:8, 44):
in his locis similia quae supra per "terram Benjaminis", "circuitus Hierosolymae", "urbes Jehudae", per "montem", "planitiem" et "meridiem", significantur; ita per "Benjaminem" conjunctio veri et boni in naturali homine, proinde conjunctio veri et boni apud illos qui in ultimo caelo sunt.
[7] Apud eundem,
"Convenite, filii Benjaminis, e medio Hierosolymae, et. ...clangendo clangite buccinam, et super domo vineae accendite incendium, ..quia malum prospicit a septentrione, et confractio magna" (6:1):
agitur ibi in sensu spirituali de ecclesia vastata quoad verum et bonum, quia contra Zionem et Hierosolymam; per "Zionem" enim significatur bonum ecclesiae, et per "Hierosolymam" verum ejus; et quia "filii Benjaminis" significant conjunctionem boni et veri, ideo ad illos dicitur quod "convenirent e medio Hierosolymae, et clangerent buccinam, et super domo vineae accenderent incendium"; "clangere buccinam" significat pugnam ex veris quae ex bono contra ecclesiam illam; "domus vineae" significat ipsam illam ecclesiam; ac "incendere incendium" significat destructionem ejus per malos amores: "septentrio", a quo malum prospicit, significat falsum mali; et "confractio magna" significat dissipationem boni et veri.
[8] Apud Davidem,
"Pastor Israelis, adverte aurem, qui ducis sicut gregem Josephum; qui sedes super cherubis, effulge; coram Ephraimo et Benjamine et Menasse excita potentiam tuam, et ito in salutem nobis" (Psalms 70:2, 3 [B.A. 1, 2]):
per "Ephraimum, Benjaminem et Menassen" non intelliguntur Ephraim, Benjamin et Menasse, sed illi qui in naturali vero et bono sunt, et apud quos conjunctio eorum est (videatur supra, n. 440 [b] , ubi haec explicata sunt).
[9] Apud eundem,
"In congregationibus benedicite Deo, Domino e fonte Israelis; ibi Benjamin parvus praeest illis, principes Jehudae, principes Sebulonis et principes Naphthali" (Psalms 68:27, 28 [B.A. 26, 27]);
ibi nec Benjamin, nec principes Jehudae, Sebulonis et Naphtali intelliguntur, sed illa ecclesiae quae per istas tribus significantur; et per "Benjamin parvum" ibi significatur innocentia naturalis hominis; innocentia naturalis hominis est in conjunctione boni et veri ibi. (Sed etiam haec videantur explicata supra, n. 439.)
[10] In benedictione filiorum Israelis a Mose,
"Benjamini dixit, Dilectus Jehovae, habitabit secure apud illum, obteget illum omni die, et inter humeros ejus habitans" (Deuteronomius 33:12):
per "Benjaminem" ibi significatur Verbum in sensu ultimo qui naturalis; nam in benedictione illa a Mose describitur Verbum, et per singulas tribus significatur aliquid ejus; et quia in sensu ultimo Verbi, qui est naturalis, inest conjugium boni et veri, ut plurimis in locis ostensum est, ideo dicitur "dilectus Jehovae", et quod "habitet secure apud illum, et obtegat illum omni die, et inter humeros ejus habitet"; "inter humeros habitare" est in securitate et in potentia.
[11] Quid significatur per "Benjaminem" in prophetia Israelis patris de filiis suis (Genesis 49:27), explicatum est in Arcanis Caelestibus (n. 3
6439, 6444); in illa prophetia de Benjamine ultimo agitur, quia ultimum ecclesiae et caeli per illum significatur; ultimum est naturale, in quo verum conjunctum est bono.
[12] Quia haec per "Benjaminem" significata sunt, ideo
Tribus Ephraimi, Menassis et Benjaminis circum Tentorium conventus in deserto ad occidentem castrametabantur (Numeri 2:18-24):
ac per tres illas tribus significantur omnes illi qui in naturali vero in bono sunt, et in conjunctione eorum; per "Ephraimum" significatur verum ibi, per "Menassen" bonum ibi (ut supra ostensum est), et per "Benjaminem" conjunctio eorum: quod illi castrematati sint "ad occidentem", erat quia ad occidentem et ad septentrionem in caelo habitant qui in obscuro boni et in obscuro veri sunt, ita qui in naturali bono et vero; qui autem ad orientem et ad meridiem in caelo habitant, illi sunt in claro boni et veri (de qua re videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 141-153).
[13] Ex his nunc constare potest quid per "Benjaminem" in Verbo significatur, quod nempe conjunctio boni et veri in naturali homine, [ac] per bonum conjunctio cum spirituali, nam omne bonum quod bonum in naturali homine influit ex spirituali homine, hoc est, per Spiritualem hominem a Domino; bonum in naturali homine absque illo influxu non datur; quare etiam per "Benjaminem" significatur conjunctio spiritualis hominis cum naturali, et per "Josephum" conjunctio caelestis hominis cum spirituali.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.
2. The editors made a correction or note here.
3. The editors made a correction or note here.