DEUTERONOMY 3
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Deuteronomy Chapter 3

Verses 1-17. The subjugation of the love of the world in the external mind.
Verses 18-20. The principles acquired in the regeneration of the external mind must assist in the perfecting of the internal domain of motives and thoughts.
Verses 21-29. After the conquest of evil in externals the soul desires at once to attain heavenly happiness; but this is not yet possible.

Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.

Then the state of the soul is again changed, and it progresses to a state in which it may be endowed with natural good in externals (see AE 405); and the love of the world, which reigns in the natural mind, comes out to oppose the soul with all the allurements and pleasures of the senses, and all its confirmatory arguments to combat the soul in the state to which it has now arrived.

And the LORD said to me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into your hand; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.

And it is perceived by means of Divine truth that this principle is not to be feared; for the Lord will reduce it, and all the arguments and persuasions by which it is supported, and all the region of the mind heretofore occupied by it under the power of the regenerate will; and the soul will be enabled to do the same with them as was done in former temptations to self-love, the chief of the evils of the soul which dwelt hereditarily in the natural mind.

So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining.

3. So the goodness and wisdom of the Lord delivered into the power of the regenerate will also the love of the world and sensual things which dominated in the natural mind, with all the theories and persuasions supporting it, which will be destroyed in the mind as far as they oppose the regenerate life until none of them are left.

And we took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not from them, threescore cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

4. And all the doctrines and fallacies favouring a life lived for this world only will be taken possession of in that state by the regenerate will, there will not be one left to support it; for it is perceived that they are completely deceptive and false, even the whole of the theories and arguments which promised happiness from a worldly life and pleasure, which the love of this world had hitherto caused to dominate in the natural mind.

All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many.

All these doctrines and opinions had barred up the mind against spiritual truths by plausible arguments drawn from the fallacies of the senses with specious proofs and confirmations; and were supported by many other considerations drawn from the natural inclination of man's heart.

And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city.

All these are to be utterly destroyed as far as they oppose the regenerate life, as was done to the false principles arising from the love of self in the natural mind. The absolute fallacy of such arguments and opinions is made manifest, and all affection for them and ideas derived

But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves.

But all affections which are harmless, and everything of real spiritual use in these false conceptions, is appropriated by the new regenerate will.

And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon to mount Hermon;

Thus in that state the externals of the mind are no longer occupied by falses derived from the loves of self and the world, but are occupied by real truths from a spiritual origin, from the first endeavours to lead a truly spiritual life even to the complete knowledge of good.

(Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir;)

(Knowledges of what constitutes the genuine good of love and charity are considered real good with those who are in the love of genuine truths from the Lord; but those who are in evils consider what favours the loves of self and the world with them to be real good.)

All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

All the doctrines accepted in the mind about external things, and the delights of them, and all the natural mind to its utmost boundaries, and the things derived from the pleasures of the senses formerly under the dominion of the love of the world and pleasure dominating in the natural mind, were now possessed by the regenerate principle.

For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.

For the love of the world and its pleasures dominating over the whole natural mind to the exclusion of things spiritual is a gigantic power of falsity in the human soul derived from hereditary evil, resting in a state of torpor as to spiritual things on the study of natural sciences to the exclusion of all else, and supported by perverted truths drawn from the letter of the Word, by which truth is utterly falsified both as to knowledges of good and evil and knowledges of what is true or false when measured by the real standard of Divine truth drawn from the Lord's Divine Humanity, which is the real man.

And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof, gave I to the Reubenites and to the Gadites.

And in the new state to which the soul has now progressed, all these faculties and all the exteriors of the natural mind, from the first conceptions of truth derived from a rational study of the Word to the state in which spiritual things are received in the mind with delight, and the doctrines of truth with which the soul is stored from this source, are occupied by true faith in the Lord (Reuben) and good works thence resulting (Gad).

And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom of Og, gave I to the half tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants.

And all the rest of the external mind, with its pleasures formerly dominated by the love of this world, is now conjoined to the new regenerate will received from the Lord, with all the natural life in the world and the externals of the soul in which the lusts and desires of the unregenerate soul had hitherto been all-powerful.

Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob to the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi; and called them after his own name, Bashanhavothjair, to this day.

Thus the new principle derived from the regenerate will possesses all the faculties of the natural mind even to external sensual things, and stamps upon them its new regenerate character in this state.

And I gave Gilead to Machir.

And the Lord gives to the soul a feeling of pleasure in doing good from the union of good motives with sound doctrines.

And to the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even to the river Arnon half the valley, and the border even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;

And the natural mind from the pleasure in doing good, into which man is first initiated when he becomes regenerate (Gilead), to the first perceptions of spiritual truth conjoined thereto in external things, comes under the dominion of true faith in the Lord and works thence derived, even to the first insinuation of spiritual truth into good (Jabbok), which is the boundary between external and internal religion.

The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah eastward.

The external mind also as to doctrine and truth to its utmost boundaries, from the sources and origins whence they flow (Chinnereth or Gennesaret) even to where they are stored in the memory of the sensual man and conjoined to its desires, now comes under the control of things derived from the spiritual man (Ashdoth-pisgah or the springs of the hill).
[Note (verses 1-17)—By the conquest of Og seems to be described the change which comes over the soul when the immense importance of the future life is fully realized and acted upon as compared with this. When his kingdom is fully conquered and occupied by Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh (true faith, life thence resulting, and the regenerate will), the primary object in life is no more worldly success and prosperity, but security from temptation, avoidance of sin, and everything that would imperil eternal life. In the present day (emphatically the iron age) it behoves each member of the Church to consider whether his primary thoughts and endeavours in life are directed to ensure his eternal welfare, or whether he is tainted by the spirit of the age, and passes the greater part of his time on his iron bed of worldly pursuits and science, with the spiritual aspirations of his mind fast asleep.]

And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it: you shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war.

And the soul has a clear perception from Divine truth in that state, that the Divine goodness and wisdom have gifted it with power to attain spiritual life in the natural mind, and that these newly-acquired powers should advance to combat with evil with all their might as far as they are enabled, and so go before the other faculties of the mind and prepare the soul for the reception of true love and charity in the internal mind.

But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, (for I know that you have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you;

And the affections of truth with the good principles derived from the enlightened understanding, and all the knowledges of good and truth in the natural mind (for the Lord has gifted the soul with abundant knowledges in the natural mind), shall repose secure in the doctrines and principles with which the soul is endowed by the conquest of the loves of self and of the world in the natural mind.

Until the LORD have given rest to your brethren, as well as to you, and until they also possess the land which the LORD your God has given them beyond Jordan: and then shall you return every man to his possession, which I have given you.

Until the Lord shall have reduced all the principles within man to order as well as those things which are in the external mind; and when the soul shall possess those interior states of love and charity which the Lord has prepared for it in the inner mind, then shall the external mind and all things derived from it also have rest and repose in the soul.
[Note (verses 18-20).—In these verses would seem to be described how the soul perceives that it must work out its own salvation by combating the evils of the outer life; and by warring against these exterior evils the way is prepared for the Lord to gift the soul with real charity in interiors, after which right principles will be carried out in externals as from habit without struggle. (See AC 4353.)]

And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Yours eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings: so shall the LORD do to all the kingdoms whither you passest.

And the soul, being in a state of truth warring against evil, and zealous for good, has a fresh perception from the Divine truth of the Word; it is made evident to the understanding what the Lord by His Divine goodness and truth has done to the false principles derived from the love of self and the love of the world in the externals of the soul; and confidence is now given that the Lord will reduce under the power of the regenerate will all opposition from evil and falses in the more interior states towards which the regenerate are progressing.

You shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.

The soul must not fear them, for the Divine goodness and omnipotent wisdom of the Lord are co-operating with the regenerate.

And I besought the LORD at that time, saying,

And the mind while under the dominion of truth has an earnest desire in that state, and beseeches the Lord—

O Lord GOD, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to your works, and according to your might?

That now the real character of the Lord is manifest, and the regenerating soul has gained a perception of His goodness, wisdom, and power, and that everything in spiritual and natural things is under the governance of His Providence—

I pray you, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

That it may at once advance to a more interior state, and enjoy the blessings of internal religion, celestial peace, and a life of good.

But the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said to me, Let it suffice you; speak no more to me of this matter.

But this cannot be owing to the forwardness of the other principles of the mind not yet regenerated; and it is perceived that the soul is asking for what is impossible while it is merely in a state of knowledge of truth.

Get you up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with your eyes: for you shall not go over this Jordan.

It is given, however, to the mind in that state to elevate itself by the intellect, and to perceive the states to which the soul will afterwards come, from its imperfect affections and its obscure perceptions of truth to a full and clear light, and a perfect state of love; this is perceived with the understanding, but the soul cannot at present enter into these more interior states.

But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.

But it must first war against evils, and all the energies and strength of the mind must be employed in the combat; for this warring against evil will prepare the mind for the reception of good and truth, and will cause it to inherit all these holy states which are perceived in the intellect by illustration from Divine truth.

So we abode in the valley over against Bethpeor.

And the soul remains in an external state till the truths received in the first stage of regeneration are fully implanted.

DEUTERONOMY 3 Other translations - previous - next - notes - discussion - Deuteronomy - BM Home - Full Page

Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.	Then the state of the soul is again changed, and it progresses to a state in which it may be endowed with natural good in externals (see AE 405); and the love of the world, which reigns in the natural mind, comes out to oppose the soul with all the allurements and pleasures of the senses, and all its confirmatory arguments to combat the soul in the state to which it has now arrived.
And the LORD said to me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into your hand; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.	And it is perceived by means of Divine truth that this principle is not to be feared; for the Lord will reduce it, and all the arguments and persuasions by which it is supported, and all the region of the mind heretofore occupied by it under the power of the regenerate will; and the soul will be enabled to do the same with them as was done in former temptations to self-love, the chief of the evils of the soul which dwelt hereditarily in the natural mind.
So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining.	3. So the goodness and wisdom of the Lord delivered into the power of the regenerate will also the love of the world and sensual things which dominated in the natural mind, with all the theories and persuasions supporting it, which will be destroyed in the mind as far as they oppose the regenerate life until none of them are left.
And we took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not from them, threescore cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.	4. And all the doctrines and fallacies favouring a life lived for this world only will be taken possession of in that state by the regenerate will, there will not be one left to support it; for it is perceived that they are completely deceptive and false, even the whole of the theories and arguments which promised happiness from a worldly life and pleasure, which the love of this world had hitherto caused to dominate in the natural mind.
All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many.	All these doctrines and opinions had barred up the mind against spiritual truths by plausible arguments drawn from the fallacies of the senses with specious proofs and confirmations; and were supported by many other considerations drawn from the natural inclination of man's heart.
And we utterly destroyed them, as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city.	All these are to be utterly destroyed as far as they oppose the regenerate life, as was done to the false principles arising from the love of self in the natural mind. The absolute fallacy of such arguments and opinions is made manifest, and all affection for them and ideas derived
But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves.	But all affections which are harmless, and everything of real spiritual use in these false conceptions, is appropriated by the new regenerate will.
And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon to mount Hermon;	Thus in that state the externals of the mind are no longer occupied by falses derived from the loves of self and the world, but are occupied by real truths from a spiritual origin, from the first endeavours to lead a truly spiritual life even to the complete knowledge of good.
(Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir;)	(Knowledges of what constitutes the genuine good of love and charity are considered real good with those who are in the love of genuine truths from the Lord; but those who are in evils consider what favours the loves of self and the world with them to be real good.)
All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.	All the doctrines accepted in the mind about external things, and the delights of them, and all the natural mind to its utmost boundaries, and the things derived from the pleasures of the senses formerly under the dominion of the love of the world and pleasure dominating in the natural mind, were now possessed by the regenerate principle.
For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.	For the love of the world and its pleasures dominating over the whole natural mind to the exclusion of things spiritual is a gigantic power of falsity in the human soul derived from hereditary evil, resting in a state of torpor as to spiritual things on the study of natural sciences to the exclusion of all else, and supported by perverted truths drawn from the letter of the Word, by which truth is utterly falsified both as to knowledges of good and evil and knowledges of what is true or false when measured by the real standard of Divine truth drawn from the Lord's Divine Humanity, which is the real man.
And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof, gave I to the Reubenites and to the Gadites.	And in the new state to which the soul has now progressed, all these faculties and all the exteriors of the natural mind, from the first conceptions of truth derived from a rational study of the Word to the state in which spiritual things are received in the mind with delight, and the doctrines of truth with which the soul is stored from this source, are occupied by true faith in the Lord (Reuben) and good works thence resulting (Gad).
And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom of Og, gave I to the half tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants.	And all the rest of the external mind, with its pleasures formerly dominated by the love of this world, is now conjoined to the new regenerate will received from the Lord, with all the natural life in the world and the externals of the soul in which the lusts and desires of the unregenerate soul had hitherto been all-powerful.
Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob to the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi; and called them after his own name, Bashanhavothjair, to this day.	Thus the new principle derived from the regenerate will possesses all the faculties of the natural mind even to external sensual things, and stamps upon them its new regenerate character in this state.
And I gave Gilead to Machir.	And the Lord gives to the soul a feeling of pleasure in doing good from the union of good motives with sound doctrines.
And to the Reubenites and to the Gadites I gave from Gilead even to the river Arnon half the valley, and the border even to the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;	And the natural mind from the pleasure in doing good, into which man is first initiated when he becomes regenerate (Gilead), to the first perceptions of spiritual truth conjoined thereto in external things, comes under the dominion of true faith in the Lord and works thence derived, even to the first insinuation of spiritual truth into good (Jabbok), which is the boundary between external and internal religion.
The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof, from Chinnereth even to the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah eastward.	The external mind also as to doctrine and truth to its utmost boundaries, from the sources and origins whence they flow (Chinnereth or Gennesaret) even to where they are stored in the memory of the sensual man and conjoined to its desires, now comes under the control of things derived from the spiritual man (Ashdoth-pisgah or the springs of the hill). [Note (verses 1-17)—By the conquest of Og seems to be described the change which comes over the soul when the immense importance of the future life is fully realized and acted upon as compared with this. When his kingdom is fully conquered and occupied by Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh (true faith, life thence resulting, and the regenerate will), the primary object in life is no more worldly success and prosperity, but security from temptation, avoidance of sin, and everything that would imperil eternal life. In the present day (emphatically the iron age) it behoves each member of the Church to consider whether his primary thoughts and endeavours in life are directed to ensure his eternal welfare, or whether he is tainted by the spirit of the age, and passes the greater part of his time on his iron bed of worldly pursuits and science, with the spiritual aspirations of his mind fast asleep.]
And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God has given you this land to possess it: you shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war.	And the soul has a clear perception from Divine truth in that state, that the Divine goodness and wisdom have gifted it with power to attain spiritual life in the natural mind, and that these newly-acquired powers should advance to combat with evil with all their might as far as they are enabled, and so go before the other faculties of the mind and prepare the soul for the reception of true love and charity in the internal mind.
But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, (for I know that you have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you;	And the affections of truth with the good principles derived from the enlightened understanding, and all the knowledges of good and truth in the natural mind (for the Lord has gifted the soul with abundant knowledges in the natural mind), shall repose secure in the doctrines and principles with which the soul is endowed by the conquest of the loves of self and of the world in the natural mind.
Until the LORD have given rest to your brethren, as well as to you, and until they also possess the land which the LORD your God has given them beyond Jordan: and then shall you return every man to his possession, which I have given you.	Until the Lord shall have reduced all the principles within man to order as well as those things which are in the external mind; and when the soul shall possess those interior states of love and charity which the Lord has prepared for it in the inner mind, then shall the external mind and all things derived from it also have rest and repose in the soul. [Note (verses 18-20).—In these verses would seem to be described how the soul perceives that it must work out its own salvation by combating the evils of the outer life; and by warring against these exterior evils the way is prepared for the Lord to gift the soul with real charity in interiors, after which right principles will be carried out in externals as from habit without struggle. (See AC 4353.)]
And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Yours eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings: so shall the LORD do to all the kingdoms whither you passest.	And the soul, being in a state of truth warring against evil, and zealous for good, has a fresh perception from the Divine truth of the Word; it is made evident to the understanding what the Lord by His Divine goodness and truth has done to the false principles derived from the love of self and the love of the world in the externals of the soul; and confidence is now given that the Lord will reduce under the power of the regenerate will all opposition from evil and falses in the more interior states towards which the regenerate are progressing.
You shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.	The soul must not fear them, for the Divine goodness and omnipotent wisdom of the Lord are co-operating with the regenerate.
And I besought the LORD at that time, saying,	And the mind while under the dominion of truth has an earnest desire in that state, and beseeches the Lord—
O Lord GOD, you have begun to show your servant your greatness, and your mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to your works, and according to your might?	That now the real character of the Lord is manifest, and the regenerating soul has gained a perception of His goodness, wisdom, and power, and that everything in spiritual and natural things is under the governance of His Providence—
I pray you, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.	That it may at once advance to a more interior state, and enjoy the blessings of internal religion, celestial peace, and a life of good.
But the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said to me, Let it suffice you; speak no more to me of this matter.	But this cannot be owing to the forwardness of the other principles of the mind not yet regenerated; and it is perceived that the soul is asking for what is impossible while it is merely in a state of knowledge of truth.
Get you up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with your eyes: for you shall not go over this Jordan.	It is given, however, to the mind in that state to elevate itself by the intellect, and to perceive the states to which the soul will afterwards come, from its imperfect affections and its obscure perceptions of truth to a full and clear light, and a perfect state of love; this is perceived with the understanding, but the soul cannot at present enter into these more interior states.
But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.	But it must first war against evils, and all the energies and strength of the mind must be employed in the combat; for this warring against evil will prepare the mind for the reception of good and truth, and will cause it to inherit all these holy states which are perceived in the intellect by illustration from Divine truth.
So we abode in the valley over against Bethpeor.	And the soul remains in an external state till the truths received in the first stage of regeneration are fully implanted.