The Lord, according to Swedenborg, is perfect love expressed through perfect wisdom. He created us so that he could love us, could give us love and wisdom of our own, and could thus be conjoined with us. Swedenborg says this is the ultimate blessing, for us to receive love and wisdom from the Lord and to be conjoined, and all other forms and meanings of “blessing” flow from it.
This flow, however, takes many different forms in the Bible, depending on who’s giving the blessing, who’s receiving it, and what the circumstances are. When people receive the Lord’s blessing, it illustrates how love and wisdom flow into people in forms that fit the spiritual state those people represent. When people bless the Lord, it means an acknowledgment that life and all its gifts come from the Lord, and shows a desire to accept them and be conjoined. When people bless each other, it represents the desire to share things that are good and true as much as possible and to be conjoined.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1096
1096. That ‘blessed be Jehovah, [God] of Shem’ means every good imparted to those who worship the Lord from things that are internal becomes clear from the meaning of ‘blessed’. Blessingentails every good – celestial and spiritual, and natural as well. All these are meant in the internal sense by blessing, while in the external sense it means all worldly, bodily, and earthly good. But if the latter are to be a blessing, it is vital that they derive from internal blessing, for this alone is real blessing since it is eternal and is joined with all happiness. It is the Essential Being (Esse) of all blessings. For what has Being apart from that which is eternal? Everything else that has being is non-eternal. In early times it was customary to say ‘Blessed be Jehovah’, by which people meant that every blessing, that is, all good, flows from Him. It was also a way of expressing thanks for the Lord’s blessing or having blessedthem, as in David, Ps 28:6; 71:21; 41:13; 66:20; 68:19, 35; 72:18, 19; 89:52; 119:12; 124:6; 135:21; 144:1, and in other places besides these.
Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 340
340. And blessing. That this signifies acknowledgment and glorification of the Lord on account of those things, and thanksgiving that from Him are all good and truth, and thence heaven and eternal happiness to those who receive them, is clear from the signification of blessing when it is said concerning the Lord, as denoting acknowledgment, here the acknowledgment that to Him belong Omnipotence, Omniscience, Providence, Divine good, and Divine truth, these being signified by His being worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, honour, and glory, and also glorification on that account. Moreover, blessing, when said of the Lord, signifies thanksgiving that from Him is all the good of love and the truth of faith, and thence heaven and eternal happiness to those who receive them. Because acknowledgment and glorification on account of those things, and also thanksgiving, are here signified by blessing, therefore, it is said, in the last place or as a fitting end, by those angels who glorified the Lord. Those things are signified by blessing when said of the Lord, because nothing is a blessing but what is given by the Lord, for that alone is blessed, because it is Divine and eternal, and contains in itself heaven and eternal happiness; all other things, which have not in themselves what is Divine and eternal, are not a blessing, although they may be so called (see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, n. 269, 270).
[2] That blessing, when it is mentioned in the Word, signifies such things, is evident from the passages there understood in the internal sense. But first some passages shall be adduced, in whichblessed and blessing are spoken of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord, and where it is said, blessed be God, in order that it may be seen that these signify acknowledgment, glorification, and thanksgiving, that from Him are all good and truth, and thence heaven and eternal happiness to those who receive them. In Luke:
“The mouth” of Zacharias “was opened and he spake, blessingGod.” And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and made redemption for his people” (i. 64, 67, 68).
Zacharias said this when, filled with the Spirit, he prophesied concerning the Lord; and by blessing God, and by, “blessed be the Lord God of Israel,” are signified glorification and thanksgiving that He delivers and frees from hell those who receive Him. It is, therefore, also said, “for he hath visited and made redemption for his people Israel.” By redemption is signified liberation from hell, and by His people are signified those who are in truths from good, thus those who receive Him. That by redemption is signified liberation and deliverance from hell, may be seen above, n. 328; and that by people are signified those who are in truths from good, may be seen above, n. 331.
[3] In the same:
Simeon took the infant Jesus in his arms, “and blessed God; and said, Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples” (ii. 28-31).
Here, to bless God manifestly means, to glorify and give thanks that the Lord came into the world to save all who receive Him; therefore he calls the Lord the salvation which his eyes saw, which is prepared for all people. They are called His people who are in truths from good, thus who thereby receive Him, as was said above.
[4] In David:
“They have seen thy goings, O God. The singers went before, the players on instruments after, in the midst of the virgins playing with timbrels. Bless ye God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountain of salvation” (Ps. lxviii. 24-26).
To bless God in the congregations, the Lord from the fountain of salvation, signifies to glorify the Lord from spiritual truths, which are truths from good. By congregations in the Word are signified the same as by people, namely, those who are in spiritual truths, and, abstractedly, those truths themselves; and by the fountain of salvation is signified spiritual good, because thereby is salvation. Spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and spiritual truth is the truth of faith from that good. (That congregations in the Word are predicated of spiritual truths, may be seen, n. 6355, 7843.) Because by blessing in the congregations is signified glorification from spiritual truths, and by blessing from the fountain of salvation is signified [glorification] from spiritual good, therefore God is said of the former, and Lord of the latter; for God is mentioned in the Word, where truths are treated of, and Jehovah and Lord, where good is treated of. That glorification is meant by blessing, is clear from what immediately follows after these words, “The singers went before, the players on instruments after, in the midst of the virgins playing with timbrels,” by which glorification is signified from spiritual truths and goods (as may be seen above, n. 323, 326).
[5] In the same:
“O sing unto Jehovah a new song; sing unto Jehovah, all the earth.Bless his name; proclaim his salvation from day to day. Recount his glory among the nations” (Ps. xcvi. 1-3).
That to bless Jehovah here denotes to glorify Him, and to give thanks unto Him, is plain; and because all glorification of Him is from spiritual truths and from spiritual good, therefore, it is said, “bless his name, proclaim his salvation from day to day”; name also is said of truths, and salvation of good. To sing a song signifies to glorify from those truths and from that good, as may be seen above, n. 323, 326.
[6] In Moses:
Jehovah chose the sons of Levi, “to minister unto him, and tobless in the name of Jehovah” (Deut. x. 8; xxi. 5).
Because the sons of Levi were appointed for Divine worship, and all Divine worship takes place from spiritual good and the truths thence, therefore, it is said that Jehovah chose them “to minister unto him, and to bless in his name”; and by ministering is signified worship from spiritual good, and by blessing is signified worship from spiritual truths. That to minister is said of worship from good, may be seen above, n. 155.
[7] In David:
“O Jehovah, thou hast prevented the King with the blessings of good; thou hast set a crown of pure gold on his head. Thou layest glory and honour upon him. For thou placest upon him blessingsfor ever” (Ps. xxi. 1, 3, 5, 6).
By the King here is not meant David, but the Lord, who is called King from the Divine Spiritual which proceeds from His Divine Human. And because blessing signifies acknowledgment, glorification, and thanksgiving, that all good and truth, and thence heaven and eternal happiness, are from Him, it is hence plain what is signified by, “Thou hast prevented the King with the blessingsof good,” and by, “thou placest upon him blessings for ever.”Blessings of good signify truths from good; a crown of pure gold signifies the good from which these are; honour and glory signify the Divine good and the Divine truth. (That by David in the Word is meant the Lord, may be seen above, n. 205, similarly by king, in the Psalms, n. 31; that by the crown of kings is signified the Divine good, n. 272, similarly by gold, n. 242; and that by honour and glory are signified the Divine good and the Divine truth, n. 288.)
[8] From these considerations it is evident what blessed signifies when said of the Lord, as in the following passages:
The disciples cried with a great voice, “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Luke xix. 37, 38).
The multitude cried, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matt. xxi. 9; Mark xi. 9, 10; John xii. 12, 13).
Jesus said, “Ye shall not see me henceforth, until ye shall say,Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matt. xxiii. 38, 39; Luke xiii. 35).
“The High Priest asked Jesus, Art thou then the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (Mark xiv. 61).
Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, signifies glorified, because from Him are all Divine truth and Divine good. The name of the Lord signifies everything by which He is worshipped; and because all that has reference to the good of love and to the truth of faith, therefore, these things are signified by the name of the Lord. (That the Lord’s name signifies everything by which He is worshipped, may be seen above (n. 102, 135, 148, 224); and that the Lord is called Lord from the Divine Good, in the Arcana Coelestia (n. 4973, 9167, 9194).)
[9] In Moses:
Melchizedek blessed Abram, and said, “Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be the most high God, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand” (Gen. xiv. 18-20).
Here it is said, “Blessed be the most high God, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand,” and it signifies that glorification and thanksgiving are His on that account. Those, therefore, who receive Divine good and Divine truth from the Lord, are called
“Blessed” (Ps. xxxvii. 22; cxv. 15; Matt. xxv. 34).
[10] That by blessing when said of man, is meant nothing else but the reception of Divine truth and Divine good, because in them are heaven and eternal happiness, is evident from the following passages:
In David:
“The clean in hands and the pure in heart shall bear the blessingfrom before Jehovah, and justice from the God of our salvation” (Ps. xxiv. 4, 5).
He that is clean in hands signifies those who are in truths from faith, and the pure in heart those who are in good from love; concerning such it is said that they shall bear the blessing from before Jehovah, and justice from the God of salvation, and by bearing the blessing is signified the reception of Divine truth and by bearing justice the reception of Divine good. That justice is predicated of good, may be seen above, n. 204; and in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 2235, 9857.
[11] In Moses:
“Thus shall ye bless the sons of Israel, Jehovah bless thee, and keep thee; Jehovah make his faces to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; Jehovah lift up his faces upon thee, and give thee peace. Thus shall they put my name upon the sons of Israel; and I will bless them” (Num. vi. 23-27).
From these words unfolded by the internal sense it is evident whatblessing involves in summary; namely, that Jehovah, that is, the Lord from the Divine love, flows in with Divine truth and with Divine good with those who receive Him. The Divine love, from which the Lord flows in, is meant by the faces of Jehovah; the Divine truth, with which the Lord flows in, is meant by, “Jehovah make his faces to shine upon thee”; and the Divine good, with which He flows in, is meant by, “Jehovah lift up his faces upon thee”; protection from evils and falsities, which otherwise would take away the influx, is meant by, “keep thee and be gracious unto thee”; heaven and eternal happiness, which the Lord gives by His Divine truth and His Divine good, are meant by, give thee peace; communication and conjunction with those who receive Him, are meant by, “Thus shall they put my name upon the sons of Israel,” the name of Jehovah signifying the Divine proceeding which, in general, is called Divine truth and Divine good, and the sons of Israel signifying those who are of the church, thus who receive [the Lord], concerning whom it is therefore said, and “I will blessthem.” That this is the internal or spiritual sense of these words is evident from this fact, that by the faces of Jehovah is signified the Divine love, by making them to shine is signified the influx of Divine truth, and by lifting them up the influx of Divine good; that these things may be better understood it shall be explained whence these significations arise. The Lord appears to the angels in heaven as a sun, for it is His Divine love which thus appears; this, therefore, is meant by the face of Jehovah; the light which thence proceeds is the Divine truth, this therefore is what is meant by making His faces to shine; the heat also which thence proceeds is the Divine good, this therefore is what is meant by lifting up His faces, for by lifting up is signified to reveal Himself, which is effected from the Divine good by means of the Divine truth. (That the Lord appears to the angels in heaven as a sun, and that such appearance is that of His Divine love, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, n. 116-125; and that the light thence is the Divine truth, also that the heat thence is the Divine good, n. 126-140. That peace signifies the celestial delight which inmostly affects every good with blessedness, and that it thence signifies heaven and eternal happiness, may be seen in the same work, n. 284-290; and that the sons of Israel signify those who belong to the church, consequently, the church, in the Arcana Coelestia, n. 6426, 8805, 9340.)
[12] In Ezekiel:
“I will give them the circuits of my hill [as] a blessing, and I will send down the rain in its time, there shall be rams of blessing; then the tree shall give its fruit, the earth shall give its produce” (xxxiv. 26, 27).
He who sees the Word merely in its natural sense, believes that such things only as are mentioned in that sense are meant byblessing, namely, that rain shall be given to make fruitful the gardens and fields, and so that the tree shall give its fruit, and the earth its produce; but it is a spiritual blessing which is meant, for by rain is signified everything Divine which flows in with man from the Lord out of heaven; that truths shall produce good, and that good shall produce truths, is signified by, the tree shall give its fruit, and the earth its produce. The earth denotes the church, as does also a garden in which there are trees; by these, and by the circuits of My hill which I shall give as a blessing, are signified the internal and external with the men of the church; a circuit signifies what is outside or below, and hill signifies what is within or above, specifically, where there is charity, for this is within. (That a hill signifies where charity is, may be seen, n. 6435, 10,438.)
[13] In David:
“Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah, that walketh in his ways. Thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands; blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house; thy sons like olive plants around thy tables. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth Jehovah. Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion; that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel” (Ps. cxxviii).
Here also by, to be blessed, is not meant to be blessed naturally, as that [a man] should eat the labour of his hands, that his wife should be fruitful, that many sons should be about his tables, and that this should be in Zion and in Jerusalem; but to be blessed spiritually is meant. For by them that fear Jehovah, are meant those who love to do His precepts; therefore it is said, blessed is he that feareth Jehovah, and walketh in His ways; to walk in His ways signifying to do His precepts. By the labour of his hands which he shall eat, is signified the study of the life according to them. By the wife by the sides of his house, is signified the affection of spiritual truth in all things that he thinks and does; therefore it is also said, “as a fruitful vine,” for by a vine is signified the spiritual church from the affection of truth. By the sons around his tables are signified the truths of good thence; tables denoting instructions; therefore it is also said, “like olive-plants,” the plants signifying truths, and the olives goods. By Zion is signified heaven whence those things are, and by Jerusalem doctrine. Hence it is evident what is signified by Jehovah shall bless thee out of Zion, that thou mayest see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. By peace upon Israel is signified all spiritual good in general and in particular, Israel denoting the church.
[14] In the same:
“As the dew of Hermon that descendeth upon the mountains of Zion; for there hath Jehovah commanded a blessing, life even for evermore” (Ps. cxxxiii. 3).
The marriage of good and truth is here treated of, and their fructification and multiplication. The latter and the former are signified by, the dew of Hermon that descendeth upon the mountains of Zion, the mountains of Zion signifying where the goods of celestial love are; therefore it is also said, “there hath Jehovah commanded a blessing, life even for evermore.”
[15] In Moses:
“If ye hearken to these judgments, to keep and do them, Jehovah thy God shall keep the covenant and the mercy; and he will love thee, and bless thee, and will bless the fruit of thy belly, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy new wine, and thine oil, the young of thy oxen, and of the rams of thy flock. Thou shalt beblessed above all peoples; there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. And Jehovah will take away from you every disease, and all the evil sicknesses of Egypt, which thou hast known, he shall not lay upon thee; but will put them upon all that hate thee. And thou shalt consume all the peoples whom Jehovah thy God shall deliver to thee; thine eye shall not spare them” (Deut. vii. 12-16).
By all these words spiritual things are meant, thus spiritualblessings; the sense of the letter which is natural, and for those who are in the natural world, and thence in a natural idea, involving and signifying those things; therefore, from the spiritual sense of the Word it is evident what is meant by being blessed in general and in particular. By the fruit of the belly and by the fruit of the earth, by the corn, the new wine, and the oil, by the young of the oxen, and of the rams of the flock, are meant the multiplications of truth and the fructifications of good, thus spiritual blessings. (What is signified specifically by each may be seen in various places in the Arcana Coelestia, and in the explanations of this prophetic book.) There shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle, signifies the multiplication of truth and the fructification of good in the internal and the external man; and by Jehovah taking away from them every disease, and all the evil sicknesses of Egypt, is signified the removal of all evils and falsities; the evil sicknesses of Egypt denoting the falsities arising from evils in the natural man. The haters, upon whom Jehovah will put them, denote those who are against the goods and truths of the church. The dispersion of the evils and falsities that are opposed to the truths and goods of the church, is signified by, thou shalt consume all the peoples whom Jehovah thy God shall deliver to thee; and the continual shunning of them by, thine eye shall not spare them. That by these things those who do the Lord’s precepts are blessed is meant by, “If ye hearken to these judgments, to keep and do them, Jehovah thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy; He will love thee, and bless thee.” Covenant and mercy denote a conjunction from love by them; conjunction by good is meant by the covenant, and by, He will love thee; and conjunction by truth thence is meant by mercy, and by, He will bless thee.
[16] In the same:
“He shall bless thee with blessings of heaven from above, withblessings of the deep that lieth under, with blessings of the breasts and of the womb” (Gen. xlix. 25).
These things are said of Joseph, by whom is here signified the Lord’s spiritual kingdom; and by the blessings of heaven from above are meant the multiplications of truth from good in the internal or spiritual man; by the blessings of the deep that lieth under, are meant the multiplications of truth from good in the external or natural man; and by blessings of the breasts and of the womb, are signified spiritual and celestial goods.
[17] In Joel:
“Who knoweth? Let him return, and it will repent” Jehovah God “and he will leave behind him a blessing, a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto Jehovah our God” (ii 14).
Because by blessing is signified spiritual blessing, which in general has reference to good and truth proceeding from the Lord, and given to man, it is therefore said, he shall leave behind him ablessing, a meat-offering, and a drink-offering from our God. The meat-offering, which was bread, signifies good, and the drink-offering, which was wine, signifies truth, both from the Lord, for it is said, from our God.
[18] In Isaiah:
“In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt into Assyria, that the Assyrian may come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, that the Egyptians may serve with the Assyrian. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, ablessing in the midst of the land; whom Jehovah shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance” (xix. 23-25).
By Israel, Assyria, and Egypt, are signified the three things that are with the men of the church, namely, the Spiritual, the Rational, and the Scientific; by Israel the Spiritual, by Assyria the Rational, and by Egypt the scientific. Inasmuch as the whole Rational of man is formed by scientifics, and both are from the spiritual part which is from heaven from the Lord (for all understanding of truth and all application of knowledges to truths are thence), it is therefore said that there shall be a highway from Egypt into Assyria, that Assyria may come into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria; and that the Egyptians may serve with the Assyrian; and afterwards, that Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria, ablessing in the midst of the land. The midst signifies the inmost from which the rest, or from which the whole is derived (as may be seen above, n. 213); and the land, the church where these things are; and because it is the Spiritual from which the Rational and the Scientific are applied to genuine truths, therefore Israel is called the inheritance, or the heir of the house who possesses all things; and Assyria, the work of My hands, because the Rational is thence formed; and Egypt is called a blessed people, because, in the Scientific, as in their ultimate, all things are together; from these considerations also it is evident that by a blessing in the Word is meant a spiritual blessing.
[19] In Zechariah:
“As ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I liberate you that ye may be a blessing” (viii. 13).
These things are said concerning the devastated church, and concerning the church to be established by the Lord. The house of Judah and the house of Israel signify the church, here in both senses. The church devastated is called a curse, because therein are evil and falsity; but the church to be established is called ablessing, because therein are good and truth.
[20] In David:
“Salvation unto Jehovah, thy blessing upon thy people” (Ps. iii. 3).
The blessing of Jehovah upon His people signifies the influx and reception of good and truth; those are called the people of Jehovah who are in spiritual good (see above, n. 331).
[21] In Moses:
“I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, that thou mayest become a blessing. I will also bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. xii. 2, 3).
In the same:
“All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” (Gen. xviii. 18).
These things are said concerning Abraham, and by him, in the highest sense, is meant the Lord, and, in a respective sense, the Lord’s celestial kingdom, and the celestial church. Hence it is evident what is signified by I will make thee into a great nation, and I will bless thee, that thou mayest become a blessing, namely, that therein shall be Divine good and Divine truth; a great nation being said of Divine good (see above, n. 331), and a blessing of Divine truth. I will bless them that bless thee, signifies that Divine truth shall be with those who receive it, and the falsity of evil with those who do not receive it. In thee shall all families of the earth beblessed, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him, signifies that from the reception of Divine truth and Divine good they have heaven and eternal happiness. The families of the earth signify those who are in truths from good, families denoting truths, nations denoting goods. Blessing signifies that hence they have heaven and eternal happiness.
[22] The same is signified by the blessing of Israel and Jacob. In the same:
“Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee” (Num. xxiv. 9).
And in the same:
“And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and shall spread itself towards the west, and towards the east, and towards the north, and towards the south; and in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. xxviii. 14).
By Israel and Jacob also, in the highest sense, the Lord is meant, and, in the respective sense, the Lord’s spiritual kingdom and the spiritual church; by Israel that church internal, by Jacob [that church] external. By the seed that shall be as the dust of the earth, and which shall spread itself towards the west, the east, the north, and the south, is signified the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and received by those who belong to that church; the fructification of good thence is signified by its spreading itself towards the west and the east, and the multiplication of truth thence is signified by its spreading itself towards the north and the south. (That those quarters have such significations, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, n. 141-153.)
[23] That the Lord blessed the bread, the wine, the fishes which He gave to the disciples and to the people (Matt. xiv. 15, 21, 22; xv. 32; xxvi. 26, 27; Mark vi. 41; viii. 6, 7; xiv. 22, 23; Luke ix. 16; xxii. 19; xxiv. 30), signified the communication of His Divine, and thus conjunction with them by means of goods and truths, which are signified by bread and wine, and also by fishes; bread and wine signify goods and truths in the spiritual man, and fishes signify goods and truths in the natural.
[24] In Isaiah:
“He shall call his servants by another name; he who blesseth himself in the earth, shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth, shall swear by the God of truth; because the former distresses shall be delivered to forgetfulness ” (lxv. 15, 16).
By blessing himself is signified self-instruction in Divine truths, and the application of them to life. The reason why this is signified by swearing, is, because an oath, in the internal sense, signifies confirmation in oneself, and conviction that it is so, and this is effected from good by means of truths; truths are confirmed and proved with man only from good. A new church is here treated of; and by calling by another name is signified its quality as to truth and good.
[25] In Jeremiah:
“Swear by the living Jehovah, in truth, in judgment, and in justice; the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory” (iv. 2).
The same is here signified by swearing and blessing themselves; the nations which shall bless themselves in Jehovah signify those who are in good.
[26] By blessing, in the opposite sense, is signified to love evil and falsity, and to imbibe the same. As in Isaiah:
“He who slayeth an ox smiteth a man, he who offers frankincense blesseth vanity; they have also chosen these things in their own ways” (lxvi. 3).
To slay or sacrifice an ox, and to smite a man, signify to worship God in externals, and yet to reject all truth. By sacrificing an ox is signified worship from those things which represented natural good, for an ox denotes natural good; and by smiting a man is signified to reject and deny the truth, man in the Word denoting truth. To offer incense and to bless vanity, signify to worship God from such things as represented spiritual good, and yet to love evil and falsity, and to imbibe them; an offering of incense denoting worship from spiritual good, and vanity denoting evil and the falsity of evil.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1422
1422. That ‘I will bless those who bless you’ means pure happiness to those who from their hearts acknowledge the Lord becomes clear from the meaning of ‘blessing’, which includes every single thing received from the Lord, both that which is good and that which is true, thus every celestial, spiritual, natural, worldly, or bodily form of what is good and true. And because in the universal sense ‘blessing’ embraces all of these, the meaning of ‘to bless’ in individual places may be seen from the context in which it occurs, for it fits in with those matters to which it then refers. From this it is clear that ‘I will bless those who bless you’ means pure happiness to those who from their hearts acknowledge the Lord, since here in the internal sense, as has been stated, the Lord is the subject.
[2] ‘Blessing Jehovah (or the Lord)’ was an expression used commonly among the ancients, as is clear in the Word, for example in David,
Bless God in the assemblies, even the Lord from the fountain of Israel. Ps. 68:26.
In the same author,
Sing to Jehovah, bless His name, proclaim His salvation from day to day. Ps. 96:2.
In Daniel,
In the vision of the night the arcanum was revealed. Therefore Daniel blessed the God of heaven; he said, Let the name of God Himself be blessed for ever and ever, for wisdom and power are His. Dan. 2:19, 20.
And one also reads of Zechariah and Simeon blessing God, Luke 1:64; 2:28. Here it is evident what ‘blessing the Lord’ implies, namely singing to Him, proclaiming His salvation, declaring His wisdom and power, and so confessing and acknowledging Him from the heart. People who do so are most certainly blessed by the Lord, that is, they are gifted with those things which constituteblessing, namely celestial good, spiritual good, natural good, worldly good, and bodily good, and when these forms of good flow consecutively in this order happiness exists within them.
[3] Since ‘blessing Jehovah (or the Lord)’ and ‘being blessed by Jehovah (or the Lord)’ were expressions used commonly among the ancients it was therefore also common to say ‘Blessed be Jehovah’, as in David,
Blessed be Jehovah, for He has heard the voice of my prayers. Ps. 28:6.
In the same author,
Blessed be Jehovah, for He has made His mercy marvellous to me. Ps. 31:21.
In the same author,
Blessed be God, who has not cast away my prayers, nor His mercy from me. Ps. 66:20.
In the same author,
Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things; and blessed be the name of His glory for ever; let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Ps. 72:18, 19.
In the same author,
Blessed are You, O Jehovah, teach me Your statutes! Ps. 119:12.
In the same author,
Blessed be Jehovah, my rock, who trains my hands. Ps. 144:1.
In Luke,
Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,Blessed be the God of Israel, for He has visited and brought deliverance to His people. Luke 1:67, 68.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6430
6430. ‘Who will bless you with the blessings of heaven from above’ means blessing with goodness and truth from a source within. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the blessings’ as the multiplication of truth and fruitfulness of good, for nothing else is meant in the spiritual sense by ‘a blessing’; and from the meaning of ‘heaven from above’ as from a source within, for a person’s heaven exists in him interiorly. Indeed a person who leads a good life is as to his interiors living in company with angels, thus in heaven, while as to his exteriors he is living in company with men, thus in the world. When therefore a person accepts goodness and truth which flow in from a source within, coming from the Lord by way of heaven, ‘he isblessed with the blessings of heaven from above’.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 981
981. That ‘God blessed’ means the Lord’s presence and grace is clear from the meaning of ‘blessing’. In the Word, in the external sense, ‘blessing’ means being enriched with all earthly and bodily good. This is also how all people who keep to the external sense explain the Word, as Jews did in the past, and still do so today, and also as Christians do, especially at the present time. Consequently they have focused the Divine blessing, and still do, on wealth, on having plenty of everything, and on personal glory. But in the internal sense ‘blessing’ means being enriched with all spiritual and celestial good, a blessing which neither does nor can possibly exist unless it comes from the Lord. This is why ‘blessing’ means the Lord’s presence and grace. The Lord’s presence and grace carry such blessing within them. The expression ‘presence’ is used because the Lord is present only in charity, and the subject at this point is the regenerate spiritual man who acts from charity. The Lord is present with everyone, but as is a person’s distance from charity, so is the degree of the Lord’s presence, or so is He, let me say, more absent, that is, the Lord is more remote.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3584
3584. ‘Cursed be those cursing you’ means that the person who separates himself will be separated, while ‘blessed be thoseblessing you’ means that the person who joins himself will be joined. This is clear from the meaning of ‘being cursed’ as being separated from, and of ‘being blessed’ as being joined to, dealt with in 3504, 3514, 3530, 3565. These expressions have reference to truths – ‘those cursing’ meaning falsities, which sever themselves from truths, and ‘those blessing’ meaning truths, which link themselves to all other truths. For truths and goods are such that they form themselves into a community and at length constitute so to speak a single political unit. In the same way also such units group themselves together.
Apocalypse Revealed (Rogers) n. 289
289.”And blessing!” This symbolically means, all these being in Him and from Him in those angels of the lower heavens.
A blessing means every good that a person has from the Lord, such as power and wealth, and everything that accompanies these, but especially every spiritual good, such as love and wisdom, charity and faith, and the accompanying joy and happiness, which have to do with eternal life. And because all of these come from the Lord, it follows that He has them in Him; for if He did not have them in Him, they could not be present in others from Him.
It is for this reason that in the Word the Lord is called blessed, and also a blessing, which is to say, blessing itself.
That Jehovah, or the Lord, is called blessed, is apparent from the following passages:
…the high priest asked (Jesus)…, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (Mark 14:61)
(Jesus said,) “you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'” (Matthew 23:39, cf. Luke 13:35)
(Melchizedek) blessed (Abram) and said: “…blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” (Genesis 14:18-20)
Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem…. (Genesis 9:26)
Blessed be Jehovah (who) has heard (my) voice…. (Psalm 28:6)
Blessed be Jehovah, for He has shown me His marvelous clemency…. (Psalm 31:21)
Blessed be Jehovah…from everlasting to everlasting! (Psalm 41:13)
So likewise Psalm 66:20, 68:19, 35, 72:18, 19, 89:52, 119:12, 124:6, 135:21, 144:1, Luke 1:68.
It is owing to this that blessing is mentioned in this verse, as again in verse 12, and in chapter 7, verse 12. And in the book of Psalms:
Glory and honor You have placed upon Him, for You have made Him a blessing forever. (Psalm 21:5, 6)
The subject is the Lord.
[2] It can be seen from this what blessing God means in the Word: that it is to attribute all blessing to Him, to pray for Him to bless, and to thank Him for blessing, as can be seen from the following passages:
(Zacharias’s) mouth was opened…and he spoke, blessing God. (Luke 1:64, 68)
(Simeon) took (the infant Jesus) up in his arms and blessed God…. (Luke 2:28, 30, 31)
I will bless Jehovah who has given me counsel. (Psalm 16:7)
…bless (Jehovah’s) name; proclaim His salvation from day to day. (Psalm 96:1-3)
Blessed be the Lord from day to day…. Bless God in the congregations, the Lord, from the fountain of Israel. (Psalm 68:19, 26)
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6230
6230. ‘And blessed me’ means a foretelling about a bestowal of life. This is clear from the meaning here of ‘blessing’ as a foretelling regarding a bestowal of life; for the blessing was that He would make him fruitful and multiply him, make him into a congregation of peoples, and give the land to his seed after him as an everlasting possession, which are all part of the foretelling about the bestowal of life. Not that Jacob’s descendants were to have life bestowed on them but those who have the truth of faith and the good of charity in them; for these are the ones who are meant in the internal sense by ‘Jacob and Israel’.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6254
6254. ‘And I will bless them’ means a foretelling regarding goodness and truth. This is clear from the meaning of ‘blessing’ as foretelling, as above in 6230, here a foretelling regarding goodness and truth, which are represented by ‘Manasseh and Ephraim’. Being a very common word ‘blessing’ has various meanings. Included among them is the foretelling both of good things that are going to happen and also of bad ones, as is evident in the next chapter in which Israel foretold to his sons what was going to happen to them – bad things to some, such as Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, good ones to others, such as Judah and Joseph. That foretelling is called a blessing in verse 28 of that chapter,
This is what their father spoke to them; and he blessed them, each according to his blessing he blessed them.
It is also clear from the words contained in the first verse of the chapter that ‘blessing’ means a foretelling,
Jacob called his sons, and said, Gather together, and I will tell you what will happen to you at the end of days.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6230
6230. ‘And blessed me’ means a foretelling about a bestowal of life. This is clear from the meaning here of ‘blessing’ as a foretelling regarding a bestowal of life; for the blessing was that He would make him fruitful and multiply him, make him into a congregation of peoples, and give the land to his seed after him as an everlasting possession, which are all part of the foretelling about the bestowal of life. Not that Jacob’s descendants were to have life bestowed on them but those who have the truth of faith and the good of charity in them; for these are the ones who are meant in the internal sense by ‘Jacob and Israel’.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3260
3260. ‘That God blessed Isaac his son’ means the start of the representation [of the Lord] by means of Isaac. This becomes clear from the meaning of ‘God blessed’. When any task was to be begun it was customary for the ancients to say ‘May God bless!’ by which was meant the same as by the wish, ‘May it be happy and prosperous!’ Consequently in the more remote sense by ‘May Godbless!’ as by ‘May it be happy and prosperous!’ the start was meant, here the start of the representation by means of Isaac, because it follows directly after the ending of the representation by means of Abraham, meant by his death.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6091
6091. ‘And Jacob blessed Pharaoh’ means a heartfelt desire for a joining together and resulting fruitfulness. This is clear from the meaning of ‘blessing’ here as a heartfelt desire for a joining together – for a joining of truth to factual knowledge in the natural since that is the subject here. ‘Blessing has many meanings; in the spiritual sense it includes all things that are good and also those that are blissful. It therefore means being endowed with the good of love and charity, 3185, 4981, also a joining together or conjunction, 3504, 3514, 3530, 3565, 3584, as well as fruitfulness by virtue of the affection for truth, 2846, and a heartfelt desire for someone’s happiness, 3185. Here therefore a heartfelt desire for that which is the subject here is meant, namely a desire for a joining together and thus fruitfulness. Fruitfulness follows as a result of the joining together, because once the joining together has been effected good grows and truth multiplies; for the marriage of goodness and truth is then the producer of that fruitfulness. It cannot come about prior to that except as a result so to speak of fornication, the good from which union is spurious, as is the truth. Good from that union is full of self-regard, and truth likewise has the same flavour.