Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 6:14-25
[2] "These are the heads of their father’s houses," signifies the chief things of the church; "the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi," signifies the things that are of faith in the understanding; "these are the families of Reuben," signifies the truths thereof; "and the sons of Simeon; Jemuel and Jamin, and Ohad and Jachin, and Zohar," signifies the things that are of faith in act; "and Shaul the son a Canaanitish woman," signifies the things that are of truth in act outside the church; "these are the families of Simeon," signifies the truths and goods thereof; "and these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their births; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari," signifies the things that are of charity; "and the years of the life of Levi were a hundred thirty and seven years," signifies the quality and state:
[3] "The sons of Gershon; Libni and Shimei, according to their families," signifies the first class of the derivations of good and of the derivative truth; "and the sons of Kohath; Amram and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel," signifies the second class of the derivations of good and of the derivative truth; "and the years of the life of Kohath were a hundred thirty and three years," signifies the quality and state; "and the sons of Merari; Mahli and Mushi," signifies the third class of the derivations of good and of truth; "these are the families of Levi according to their births," signifies that these are goods and truths from charity; "and Amram took him Jochebed his father‘s sister for a woman," signifies the conjunction of derived good with kindred truth; "and she bare him Aaron and Moses," signifies that hence they had the doctrine of the church and the law from the Divine; "and the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven years," signifies the quality and state.
[4] "And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri," signifies a successive derivation from the second class, in respect to good and the derivative truth; "and the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri," signifies the second successive derivation from the same class in respect to good in truth; "and Aaron took him Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, for a woman," signifies the doctrine of the church, and how good and truth were there conjoined; "and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, and Eleazar, and Ithamar," signifies the derivations of faith and charity, and their quality.
[5] "And the sons of Korah; Assir and Elkanah, and Abiasaph," signifies a repeated derivation from the second class; "these are the families of the Korahites," signifies the quality of the goods and truths, "and Eleazar Aaron’s son," signifies doctrinal things derived from the very doctrine of charity; "took him one of the daughters of Putiel for a woman," signifies the conjunction of good and truth in these doctrinal things; "and she bare him Phinehas," signifies the derivation thence; "these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families," signifies the chief things of the church in respect to charity, and the faith thence derived.
. As these are mere names it is needless to unfold them in detail; and besides it has been already shown what is represented by Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Aaron, and Moses; their sons and grandsons, who are here named, being merely the derivations therefrom. Reuben represents faith in the understanding, (n. 3861, 3866, 4731, 4734, 4761); Simeon represents faith in the will and in act, (n. 3769-3872, 4497, 4502, 4503, 5482, 5626, 5630); Levi, charity, (n. 3875, 3877, 4497, 4502, 4503); Aaron, the doctrine of the church, (n. 6998, 7009, 7089); and Moses, the law from the Divine, (n. 6771, 6827). The reason why mention is here made of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and their sons, and not the rest of the fathers of the tribes with their sons in order, cannot be known except from the internal sense. That this enumeration was made in this chapter to make known the nativity of Aaron and Moses is evident; but for this the genealogy of Levi would have sufficed, for the genealogy of Reuben, Simeon, and their sons contributes nothing thereto. But the reason (which is seen from the internal sense alone) is that the subject treated of is the spiritual church, which is represented by the sons of Israel, which church begins with man by means of faith in knowledge and next in understanding, which faith is represented by Reuben and his sons afterward, when the church grows with man, this faith passes into the will, and from the will into act, and then the man wills the truth which is of faith and does it because it has been so commanded in the Word; this stage of faith is represented by Simeon: lastly, in his will, which is new, there is perceived the affection of charity, so that he wills to do what is good, not as before from faith, but from charity toward the neighbor; for when the man is being regenerated thus far, he is then a man of the spiritual church, for the church is then in him; this charity with its affection is what is represented by Levi. Hence then it is that the families of Reuben and also of Simeon are enumerated, and lastly the family of Levi, by whom as before said is represented charity, which is the very spiritual of the church. Aaron represents the external of this church, and Moses the internal; the internal of the church is called the law from the Divine, and the external is called the derivative doctrine. The law from the divine, which is the internal of the church, is also the Word in the internal sense; and the derivative doctrine is the Word in the external sense. These are represented by Moses and Aaron, (n. 7089). EXODUS 6:14-25 previous - next - text - summary - Exodus - Full Page
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |