Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 4664

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

4664. But what is involved in the internal sense in these things which the Lord here says concerning the Last Judgment, that is, concerning the last judgment of everyone after death, is too much to be unfolded before this chapter, and therefore will of the Lord's Divine mercy be unfolded in order before the chapters which follow. GENESIS 37

1. And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2. These are the births of Jacob. Joseph, a son of seventeen years, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and he was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah his father's women; and Joseph brought their evil report unto their father. 3. And Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a tunic of various colors. 4. And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren; and they hated him, and could not speak for peace unto him. 5. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren, and they added yet to hate him. 6. And he said unto them, Hear I pray this dream which I have dreamed;

7. And behold we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field, and lo my sheaf arose, and also stood upright, and behold your sheaves came round about, and bowed down themselves to my sheaf. 8. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? Or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they added yet to hate him for his dreams, and for his words. 9. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said, Behold I have dreamed yet a dream, and behold the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down themselves to me. 10. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him, and said to him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11. And his brethren envied him, but his father kept the word. 12. And his brethren went to feed the flock of their father in Shechem. 13. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Behold me! 14. And he said to him, Go I pray, see the peace of thy brethren, and the peace of the flock, and bring me word again. And he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15. And a man found him, and behold he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? 16. And he said, I seek my brethren, tell me I pray where they are feeding the flock. 17. And the man said, They are departed hence, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. 18. And they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to cause him to die. 19. And they said a man to his brother, Behold this lord of dreams cometh. 20. Come now therefore and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, An evil wild beast hath devoured him; and we shall see what his dreams will be. 21. And Reuben heard, and rescued him out of their hand, and said, Let us not smite him, the soul. 22. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood; cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him; that he might rescue him out of their hand, to bring him back to his father. 23. And it came to pass when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of various colors that was on him;

24. And they took him, and cast him into the pit; and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25. And they sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and saw, and behold a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balsam and stacte, going to carry them down to Egypt. 26. And Judah said unto his brethren, What gain is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27. Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our flesh. And his brethren harkened unto him. 28. And there passed by men, Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt. 29. And Reuben returned unto the pit, and behold Joseph was not in the pit, and he rent his garments. 30. And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither do I come? 31. And they took Joseph's tunic, and killed a he-goat of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood;

32. And they sent the tunic of various colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found; know now whether it be thy son's tunic or not. 33. And he knew it, and said, It is my son's tunic; an evil wild beast hath devoured him; Joseph is surely torn in pieces. 34. And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned over his son many days. 35. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to comfort himself, and he said, For I shall go down to the grave to my son, mourning. And his father wept for him. 36. And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, Pharaoh's chamberlain, prince of the guards.


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church