Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6286

Previous Number Next Number Next Translation See Latin 

6286. Verses 17-20 And Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim's head, and it was wrong in his eyes; and he grasped his father's hand to remove it from upon Ephraim's head onto Manasseh's head. And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn; place your right hand on his head. And his father refused, and said, I know, my son, I know; he too will be a people, and he too will become great; but truly his younger brother will become greater than he, and his seed will be the fullness of nations.a And he blessed them on this day, saying, In you will Israel bless, saying, May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh. And he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

'And Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim's head' means a discernment that he considered truth to occupy the first place. 'And it was wrong in his eyes' means displeasure. 'And he grasped his father's hand' means an influx into the power which his obscure discernment possessed. 'To remove it from upon Ephraim's head onto Manasseh's head' means to divert him from error. 'And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn' means a perceptible influx regarding good, that the first place belonged to this. 'Place your right hand on his head' means that good should accordingly occupy the first place. 'And his father refused' means non-compliance. 'And said, I know, my son, I know' means that though that is true the appearance is different. 'He too will be a people, and he too will become great' means that truth from good also, thus the celestial man, will be increased. 'But truly his younger brother will become greater than he' means that good from truth, thus the spiritual man, will receive even greater increase. 'And his seed will be the fullness of nations' means that truth - the truth of faith - will be predominant. 'And he blessed them on this day' means Foresight and Providence continuing for ever. 'Saying, In you will Israel bless, saying, May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh' means so that its own spiritual may reside in the truth of the understanding and the good of the will. 'And he put Ephraim before Manasseh' means that because he was spiritual he considered truth to occupy the first place.

Notes

a An expression describing populousness


This page is part of the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church