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Part One · Chapter Eleven — Yeshivah
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Yeshivah. The first imposition of this noun in our language is for sitting: 'and Eli the priest was sitting upon the seat' (1 Sam 1:9).
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And since one who is seated is settled and fixed in the most complete state of his fixity and settledness, this was borrowed for every state that is fixed and settled and does not change. It said, in the promise to Jerusalem of endurance and permanence while it is in the highest and most exalted rank, 'and she shall abide in her place' (Zech 12:6); and it said, 'who makes the barren woman dwell [in a house]' (Ps 113:9) — its meaning being, who settles her and makes her steadfast.
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And in this last sense it is said of Him, may He be exalted: 'Thou, O Lord, art enthroned forever' (Lam 5:19); 'who is enthroned in the heavens' (Ps 123:1); 'enthroned in the heavens' (Ps 2:4) — the fixed One, who does not change in any manner of change: no change of essence, nor has He any state other than His essence such that He should change in it, nor does His relation to another change either, since there is no relation between Him and another that could change in that relation, as will be explained. And here His being unchanging is complete, in no respect whatever.
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As it made clear, saying, 'for I the Lord do not change' (Mal 3:6) — no change at all. And it is to this meaning that 'sitting' alludes wherever it is mentioned of Him, may He be exalted.
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It is attributed to heaven in most places because heaven is that in which there is no change or variation — I mean that its individuals do not change as do the individuals of the things that come to be and pass away on earth.
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And likewise, when that relation, predicated equivocally, is attributed to Him with respect to the kinds of beings that come to be and pass away, He too is said to be 'enthroned,' because those kinds are perpetual, ordered, and fixed in their existence, like the existence of the individuals of heaven.
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It said, 'who is enthroned above the circle of the earth' (Isa 40:22) — the perpetual, fixed One over the encompassing of the earth, meaning its sphere, the reference being to the things that come to be within it in cycle.
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And it said, 'the Lord sat enthroned at the Flood' (Ps 29:10) — meaning that at the changing of the earth's states and their passing away, there was for Him, may He be exalted, no change of relation; rather His relation to it — be it coming-to-be or passing-away — is a single, fixed, settled relation, since that relation is to the kinds of things that come to be, not to their individuals. So consider every 'sitting' you find of God: you will find it in this sense.