Week 5    Day 1

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The Inheritance of Asher

Joshua 19:24-31

24 And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families.

25 And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph,

26 and Alammelech, and Amad, and Mishal; and it reaches to Carmel toward the sea, and to Shichor-libnath;

27 and it turns back to the rising of the sun to Beth-dagon, and comes upon Zebulun, and to the ravine of Jiphthah-el northward to Beth-emek, and Neiel, and goes out to Cabul on the left,

28 and Ebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even to great Zidon;

29 and the border turns back to Ramah, and to the fortified city Tyre; and the border turns back to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof were at the sea, from the region to Achzib;

30 and Ummah, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities and their villages.

31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the sons of Asher according to their families, these cities and their villages.

“Gad & Asher,” the sons of a handmaid

AC 4609. And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, Gad and Asher. That this signifies those things which are of service to exterior goods and truths, is evident from the representation of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, as being the subsequent affection that is of service as a means to the affection of exterior truth (see n. 3835).

The Meaning of “Asher” in the Word

AC 6408. From Asher. That this signifies the blessedness of the affections, namely, of the celestial affections which are of love to the Lord and of charity toward the neighbor, is evident from the representation of Asher, as being the happiness of eternal life, and the blessedness of the affections... Moreover, Asher was named from “blessedness.”

AR 353. Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand, signifies mutual love, which is the love of doing good uses to the community or society, with those who will be of the Lord’s New Heaven and New Church.

AE 438. Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand sealed, signifies charity towards the neighbor, and that all who are in [charity] are in heaven and come into heaven....

AE 438:5. “Asher” has a similar significance in Moses’ blessing, namely, the delight of the affection of truth from the Word....

The City Zidon (or Sidon)

AC 1199. And Canaan begat Zidon, his firstborn, and Heth. “Canaan,” here as before, signifies external worship in which there is nothing internal. “Zidon” signifies the exterior knowledges of spiritual things; and because they are the first things of such external worship, it is said that Zidon was “the firstborn of Canaan.”

AC 1201.3. “Let the inhabitants of the isle be silent, the merchant of Zidon, who passes over the sea; they have replenished thee. And in great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river was her revenue, and she was the mart of nations. Be ashamed, O Zidon, for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, nor brought forth, nor have I brought up young men, nor caused virgins to grow up” (Isa. 23:2-4).

“Zidon” here denotes exterior cognitions, which, because there is nothing internal in them, are called “the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river her revenue, the mart of the nations,” and also “the sea,” and “the stronghold of the sea;” and it is said that she does not “travail and bring forth”—which could not be comprehended in the literal sense, but is all perfectly clear in the internal sense; as is the case with other passages in the Prophets. Because “Zidon” signifies exterior cognitions, it is said to be “a circuit around Israel,” that is, around the spiritual church (Ezek. 28:24, 26); for exterior cognitions are like a circuit round about.

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