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耶利米书 50

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1 耶和华先知耶利米论巴比伦和迦勒底人

2 你们要在万国中传扬报告,竖立大旗;要报告,不可隐瞒,:巴比伦被攻取,彼勒蒙羞,米罗达惊惶。巴比伦的像都蒙羞;他的偶像都惊惶。

3 因有一国从北方上来攻击他,使他的荒凉,无人居住,连人带牲畜都逃走了。

4 耶和华:当那日子、那时候,以色列人要和犹大人同,随走随哭,寻求耶和华─他们的

5 他们必访问锡安,又面向这里,说:罢,你们要与耶和华联合为永远不忘的约。

6 我的百姓作了迷失的,牧人使他们走差,使他们上。他们从大走到小,竟忘了安歇之处。

7 凡遇见他们的,就把他们吞灭。敌人:我们没有罪;因他们得罪那作公居所的耶和华,就是他们列祖所仰望的耶和华

8 我民哪,你们要从巴比伦中逃走,从迦勒底人出去,要像羊群前面走的公山

9 因我必激动联合的国从北方上来攻击巴比伦,他们要摆阵攻击他;他必从那里被攻取。他们的好像善射之勇士的,一枝也不徒然返回

10 迦勒底必成为掠物;凡掳掠他的都必心满意足。这是耶和华的。

11 抢夺我产业的啊,你们因欢喜快乐,且像踹谷撒欢的母牛犊,又像发嘶声的壮马。

12 你们的母巴比伦就极其抱愧,生你们的必然蒙羞。他要列在诸国之末,成为旷野、旱地、沙漠。

13 耶和华的忿怒,必无人居住,要全然荒凉。凡经过巴比伦的要受惊骇,又因他所遭的灾殃嗤笑。

14 所有拉的,你们要在巴比伦的四围摆阵,射攻击他。不要爱惜枝,因他得罪了耶和华

15 你们要在他四围呐;他已经投降。外郭坍塌了,城墙拆毁了,因为这是耶和华报仇的事。你们要向巴比伦报仇;他怎样待人,也要怎样待他。

16 你们要将巴比伦撒种的和收割时拿镰刀的都剪除了。他们各因怕欺压的刀,必归回本族,逃到本土。

17 以色列是打散的羊,是被狮子赶出的。首先是亚述王将他吞灭,末後是巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒将他的骨头折断。

18 所以万军之耶和华以色列的如此:我必罚巴比伦王和他的,像我从前罚亚述王一样。

19 我必再领以色列回他的草场,他必在迦密和巴珊吃草,又在以法莲上和基列境内得以饱足

20 耶和华:当那日子、那时候,虽寻以色列的孽,一无所有;虽寻犹大罪恶,也无所见;因为我所留下的人,我必赦免。

21 耶和华:上去攻击米拉大翁之,又攻击比割的居民。要追杀灭尽,照我一切所吩咐你的去行。

22 境内有打仗和毁灭的响声。

23 的大锤何竟砍断坏?巴比伦在列国中何竟荒凉?

24 巴比伦哪,我为你设下网罗,你不知不觉被缠住。你被寻着,也被捉住;因为你与耶和华争竞。

25 耶和华已经开了,拿出他恼恨的兵器;因为─万军之耶和华迦勒底人有当做的事。

26 你们要从极远的边界攻击他,开他的仓廪,将他堆如高堆,毁灭净尽,丝毫不留。

27 要杀他的一切牛犊,使他们去遭遇杀戮。他们有祸了,因为追讨他们的日子已经到。

28 (有从巴比伦之逃避出来的人,在锡安扬声报告耶和华─我们的报仇,就是为他的殿报仇。)

29 招集一切弓箭手来攻击巴比伦。要在巴比伦四围安营,不要容一人逃脱,照着他所做的报应他;他怎样待人,也要怎样待他,因为他向耶和华以色列的圣者发了狂傲。

30 所以他的少年人必仆倒在街上。当那日,一切兵丁必默默无声。这是耶和华的。

31 ─万军之耶和华:你这狂傲的啊,我与你反对,因为我追讨你的日子已经到。

32 狂傲的必绊跌仆倒,无人扶起。我也必使在他的城邑中里起来,将他四围所有的尽行烧灭。

33 万军之耶和华如此以色列人犹大人一同受欺压;凡掳掠他们的都紧紧抓住他们,不肯释放。

34 他们的大有能力,万军之耶和华是他的名。他必伸清他们的冤,好使全得平安,并搅扰巴比伦的居民

35 耶和华:有刀临到迦勒底人和巴比伦的居民,并他的首领与智慧人。

36 有刀临到矜夸的人,他们就成为愚昧;有刀临到他的勇士,他们就惊惶。

37 有刀临到他的马匹、车辆,和其中杂族的人民;他们必像妇女一样。有刀临到他的宝物,就被抢夺。

38 有乾旱临到他的众水,就必乾涸;因为这是有雕刻偶像之,人因偶像而颠狂。

39 所以旷野的走兽和豺狼必在那里,鸵鸟也在其中,永无人烟,世世代无人居住

40 耶和华:必无在那里,也无在其中寄居,要像我倾覆所多玛、蛾摩拉,和邻近的城邑一样。

41 看哪,有一种民从北方,并有一国和许多被激动,从到。

42 他们拿和枪,性情残忍,不施怜悯,他们的声音浪匉訇。巴比伦城阿,〔城原文作女子〕他们,都摆队伍如上战场的,要攻击你。

43 巴比伦王见他们的风声,就发软,痛苦将他抓住,疼痛彷佛产难的妇人。

44 仇敌必像狮子从约但河边的丛林上来,攻击坚固的居所。转眼之间,我要使他们逃跑,离开这地。谁蒙拣选,我就派谁治理这地。谁能比我呢?谁能给我定规日期呢?有何牧人能在我面前站立得住呢?

45 你们要耶和华攻击巴比伦所说的谋略和他攻击迦勒底人所定的旨意。仇敌定要将他们众微弱的拉去,定要使他们的居所荒凉。

46 因巴比伦被取的声音就震动,人在列邦都见呼喊的声音

   

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Apocalypse Explained #434

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434. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand.- That this signifies the light of truth from that love, and that all who are therein are in heaven and come into heaven, is plain from the signification of the tribe of Reuben, which denotes those who are in the light of truth, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of twelve thousand, as denoting, all things and all persons, concerning which see above (n. 430); here all who are in the light of truth from the good of love to the Lord, and this love is signified by the tribe of Judah, as shown just above (n. 433:1); and from the signification of the sealed, as denoting, those who are in heaven and come into heaven, concerning also which see above (n. [427:2], 433). It has been previously shown, that the twelve tribes of Israel represented, and thence signify in the Word, all things of the church, that each tribe signifies some universal essential of it, and that Judah signifies love to the Lord, but Reuben light from that love, will be seen in what follows.

[2] Reuben, and therefore the tribe named from him, in the highest sense, signifies the Lord as to foresight or foreknowledge; in the internal sense, spiritual faith and the understanding of truth; and in the external sense, sight. And because Reuben in the internal sense, signifies faith and the understanding, he also signifies the light of truth, for faith exists from the light of truth, from which the understanding is enlightened; for where the light of truth is, there are understanding and faith.

[3] Reuben or his tribe has a signification similar to that of the apostle Peter. For the twelve apostles, like the twelve tribes of Israel, represented all things of the church, and each apostle some universal essential of it. And because Peter has a representation similar to that of Reuben, he was therefore the first of the apostles, as Reuben was the first of the sons of Jacob. That Peter signifies truth in the light, and also faith, may be seen above (n. 9, 411:12-15).

[4] Reuben was the first of the sons of Jacob, and the tribe called after him is therefore named first in many passages of the Word, because he was the first-begotten, and the first-begotten in the Word signifies truth from good, or, what is the same thing, truth in the light, and therefore faith from charity. For truth, and that which pertains to faith, appears to man to be first, for it enters by the hearing into the memory, and is called forth thence into the thought; and what a man thinks, this he sees and perceives by interior sight, and that which is first perceived and seen is first, but only apparently, not actually. Good is actually the first-begotten, or the first thing of the church, because truth exists from good, for good forms itself in truths, and by means of truths renders itself visible, therefore truth is good in form. Truth is consequently said to be from good, and faith from charity, for that which is from anything is that thing in an image, and viewed in itself it is good formed and born; this therefore in the spiritual sense of the Word is the first-begotten. Moreover, with infants, the good of innocence is the first thing imparted by the Lord, and from this a man first becomes man. And because good is of love, and because man does not reflect upon his love, but upon his thought from the memory, and since good possesses no quality until formed into truths, and as apart from quality nothing is perceived, therefore it is not known that good is the first, and the first-begotten. For good is first formed by the Lord in man, and is brought forth by means of truths, in which good is in its own form and effigy.

[5] Moreover it must be known that the truths which a man receives from the Word, and from doctrine and preaching from it, during his infancy and childhood, appear indeed to be truths, yet are not truths with him; they are only like shells without kernels; or like the form of body and face without soul and life. They do not become truths before they are received in the will, for then they are first received by a man, and begin to live in him. For the will is the man himself, and all good is of the will, and all truth is of the understanding thence. From these things the reason is clear why the tribe of Judah, which signifies the good of love to the Lord, is named first, and afterwards the tribe of Reuben, which signifies truth in the light, from that good.

[6] It is to be noted, that all the light in which truth appears is from the light of heaven and this is from the Lord. The light of heaven is from the Divine Good of His Divine Love. The light of heaven is the Divine Good in form. These two in heaven are one, and are received by the angels as one. They must also be received by man as one, in order that he may have communion with angels. But these things are fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia, to this effect, that when man is being regenerated, truth is in the first place and good in the second, not actually but apparently, but that when he is regenerated, good is in the first place and truth in the second, actually and perceptibly (n. 3324, 3325, 3330, 3336, 3494, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4245, 4247, 4337, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977, 5351, 6256, 6269, 6273, 8516, 10110); consequently good is the first and last of regeneration (n. 9337). Because truth appears to be in the first place, and good in the second, when man is being regenerated, or what is the same, when he is becoming a church, therefore it was a matter of controversy among the ancients, whether the truth of faith or the good of charity is the first-begotten of the church (n. 367, 2435). The good of charity is the first-begotten of the church actually, but the truth of faith only apparently (n. 3325, 3494, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 8042, 8080). The first-begotten, in the Word, also signifies that primary thing of the church, to which is attributed priority and superiority (n. 3325). The Lord is therefore called the First-begotten, because in Him and from Him is all the good of love, of charity, and of faith (n. 3325).

[7] Because truth is apparently in the first place, therefore Reuben was the first-begotten, and was named from "sight" (visus), as is evident in Moses:

"Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, because Jehovah hath seen my affliction; now therefore my man (vir) 1 will love me" (Genesis 29:32).

Although these are historical facts, they nevertheless contain a spiritual sense. For each and all things in the Word are from the spiritual world, because from the Lord, and when these things were sent down out of heaven into the natural world, they were clothed with a corresponding natural sense, such as is the sense of the letter of the Word. Therefore the nativities of the sons of Jacob signify spiritual nativities, which describe how good and truth are born with man while he is being regenerated by the Lord. Hence by "Leah conceived and bare a son," is signified spiritual conception and birth; she called his name Reuben, signifies its quality; by she said, Jehovah hath seen, is signified in the highest sense, foresight, in the internal sense, faith, in the interior sense, understanding, and in the external sense, sight, in the present case, faith from the Lord; by "my affliction," is signified the state of arriving at good; now therefore my man (vir) will love me, signifies good of truth thence. But these words are explained in the Arcana Coelestia 3860-3866).

In the original tongue, Reuben signifies sight, and sight, in the spiritual sense, signifies faith and the understanding of truth, and, in the highest sense, the Divine foresight. This is evident from what is said in the Arcana Coelestia concerning the signification of seeing and sight, where it is shown that sight in the highest sense, which treats of the Lord, signifies foresight (n. 2807, 2837, 2839, 3686, 3854, 3863, 10428). Sight in the internal sense signifies faith, because spiritual sight is sight from faith, and those things which pertain to faith are seen in the spiritual world (n. 897, 2325, 2807, 3863, 3869, 5400, 10705). To see also signifies to understand and perceive truth (n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 3869, 10705). Internal sight is the understanding, and this sees by means of the eyes of the body; the sight of the understanding is from the light of heaven (n. 1524, 3138, 3167, 4408, 5114, 6608, 8707, 9128, 9399, 10569).

[8] That Reuben signifies truth from good, or faith from charity, is evident from the mandrakes which he found in the field, and gave to his mother, concerning which it is thus written in Moses:

"And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray, of thy son's mandrakes. And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my man (vir)? and wilt thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee this night for thy son's mandrakes. And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; because hiring, I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night, and she conceived, and bare Jacob a son" Issachar (Genesis 30:14-18).

He who does not know what mandrakes signify, also what Reuben, Jacob, Leah, and Rachel represented, cannot possibly understand why such things happened, and are recorded in the Word. But that in the sense of the letter the Divine does not appear is evident for the reason that it is in the Word where everything is Divine. The Divine contained in these words is plain from the spiritual sense, in which mandrakes signify the marriage of good and truth. Reuben represents truth from good; Jacob, the church as to truth. Leah and Rachel represent the church as to good, but Leah represents the external church, and Rachel, the internal. By the mandrakes, found by Reuben, is therefore signified the marriage (conjugiale) which exists between truth and good. It is this marriage between truth and good in the internal or spiritual man which makes the internal church, and because that truth which makes the external church is the first in the external or natural man, therefore the mandrakes were found by Reuben, who represented truth from good. They were first given to his mother, Leah, who represented the external church, but they were given by Leah to Rachel, who represented the internal church, in order that Leah might lie with Jacob. These things are more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 3940-3952).

[9] Because Reuben represented truth from good, or faith from charity, therefore, also, he exhorted his brethren not to kill Joseph, wishing to deliver him out of their hand; and he grieved exceedingly when Joseph was not found in the pit (Genesis 37:21, 22, 29, 30). This is explained in the Arcana Coelestia 4731-4738, and n. 4761-4766).

[10] Because Reuben or his tribe signified truth from good, or faith from charity, therefore the camp of that tribe in the wilderness was towards the south, and the camp towards the south was called the camp of Reuben (Num. 2:10-16). For the encampments of the tribes of Israel represented the arrangement of the angelic societies in heaven; and the angelic societies dwell in the quarters according to their states as to good and truth (see above, 422:1-4). In the southern quarter dwell those who are in the light of truth from good; and as the tribe of Reuben represented truth from good or truth in light, therefore it encamped on the south.

[11] Because truth from good, which the tribe of Reuben represented, is in the natural man, therefore an inheritance beyond Jordan was given to the tribe of Reuben (Num. 32:1 to end; Deuteronomy 3:12-20; Joshua 13:1 to end, and chap. 18:7). For the land of Canaan represented, and thence signifies the church in the Word. The region beyond Jordan signified the external church, the region on this side Jordan, the internal church, and the river Jordan the limit between them. And truth from good, or faith from charity, makes the church; truth from good in the natural man, the external church; and because the tribe of Reuben represented this attribute of the church, therefore an inheritance beyond Jordan was allotted to this tribe. Why inheritances beyond Jordan were also given to the tribe of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, will be explained in what follows.

[12] The conjunction of each church, that is to say the external and internal, which is like the conjunction of the natural and spiritual man, was represented, and, in the spiritual sense, is described by the altar which the sons of Reuben, of Gad, and of Manasseh built near the Jordan, and about which there was a strife between these tribes and the rest; but it was said that that altar should be for a witness that, although they dwelt beyond Jordan, they should still serve Jehovah in common with the rest; therefore they called the altar "A witness between us that Jehovah is God" (Josh. 22:9 to end). For Jordan signified the medium between the external and internal of the church. The land of Canaan on this side Jordan, signified the internal church, and the land beyond Jordan, the external church which was also represented by the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, whose inheritances were allotted there; and that altar signified the common worship of each church, and thus conjunction.

[13] That Reuben signifies truth in the natural man is evident also from the prophecy of Deborah and Barak in the Book of Judges:

"In the divisions of Reuben they are great, statutes of the heart; Wherefore sittest thou among the baggage to hear the shrill bleatings of the flocks? In the divisions of Reuben, where there are great searchings of heart, Gilead thou dwellest in the passage of Jordan" (5:15-17).

No one can understand these words unless what the prophecy treats of be known, and also the signification of the divisions of Reuben, of baggage, of the bleatings of the flocks, and of Gilead. The subject is the church among the Israelites, in a state of vastation. The divisions of Reuben signify all things, both truths and goods, in the natural man; baggage signifies the cognitions and scientifics there; the bleatings of the flocks signify the perceptions and thoughts thereof; and Gilead signifies the natural man. When these things are known it will be evident that the meaning in the spiritual sense is, that when the church is destroyed, the natural man, with that which is contained therein, is separated from the spiritual man, although it ought on the contrary to be conjoined with it; and when it is conjoined, then truths from good exist there, by means of which a combat against falsities from evil takes place; for the natural man must fight against these from the spiritual man. Statutes of the heart and searchings of heart, signify those truths from good, which are in the natural man from the spiritual. For the heart signifies the good of love, while statutes and searchings of the heart denote all those things that are determined and arranged in the natural man from good in the spiritual. These things are said of Reuben, because his tribe dwelt beyond Jordan in Gilead, and did not join with Deborah and Barak when they fought against Sisera, but only the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun; for Sisera, in the spiritual sense, means falsity from evil destroying the church.

[14] Reuben signifies the light of truth, and therefore the understanding of the Word, in Moses,

"Let Reuben live, and not die; yet shall his men be a number" (Deuteronomy 33:6).

Reuben here means the understanding of the Word, enlightened by light from heaven; and because there are few who receive enlightenment, it is therefore said, "Yet shall his men be a number," number signifying, fewness and a few.

[15] That Reuben signifies truth from good, or faith from charity, is evident from the opposite sense, in which he is also mentioned. In that sense, Reuben signifies truth separated from good, or faith separated from charity. And truth apart from good is not truth, except merely in regard to the expression and sound, for it is a scientific residing in the memory of the natural man, that is to say, only in the entrance to the man, and not within him in his life. The memory of the natural man is merely the entrance to him, nor does truth become truth with him until he wills it and does it, for then it first enters and receives life; previous to this, light from heaven does not flow in and enlighten. The case is similar with faith separated from charity, for truth is of faith, and good is of charity.

[16] That Reuben, in the opposite sense, signifies faith separated from charity, is evident from his adultery with Bilhah his father's concubine; concerning this it is written as follows in Moses:

"And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in the land" Ephrath-Bethlehem, "that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard of it" (Genesis 35:22).

Ephrath-Bethlehem signifies the spiritual church, which is in truths from good, or in faith from charity. To separate the good of charity from the truths of faith, is signified by the adultery of Reuben. For truth is profaned when it is not united with its own good, which is the good of charity, since it is then united with the love of self and of the world, which is adulteration. All adulteries also, of which many kinds are recounted in Leviticus (18:6-23), correspond to the adulterations of good and truth. That the adultery committed by Reuben corresponds to faith separated from charity, has been made known and testified to me from things heard and seen in the spiritual world, where such a sphere of adultery is perceived to go forth from those who have separated charity from faith in doctrine and in life.

[17] Because this also was signified by Reuben, therefore the primogeniture was taken away from him by his father, and given to Joseph and his sons. That it was taken from Reuben is evident from these words of his father:

"Reuben my first-born, thou art my strength and the beginning of my might, excellent in eminence and excellent in worth. Unstable as water thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, then thou profanedst [it]; he went up to my couch" (Genesis 49:4).

Here, by Reuben my first-born, is signified faith, which is apparently in the first place, or truth born from good. Thou art my strength, and the beginning of my might, signifies that good has power (potentia) by means of it and truth its primary power. By excellent in eminence and excellent in worth, is signified that glory and authority (potestas) are therefrom. By unstable as water, is signified that it is not so with faith separated from charity, and by thou shalt not excel, is signified that such faith has neither glory nor authority. Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, signifies because the truth of faith separated from the good of charity forms a filthy union; then thou profanedst [it], signifies conjunction with the love of self and of the world, and consequently with evil, which is profane. He went up to my couch, signifies the contamination of spiritual good in the Natural. But these things are fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 6341-6350).

[18] That the primogeniture was therefore given to the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, is meant by these words of his father Israel to Joseph:

"Now thy two sons, born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came to thee into Egypt, are mine, Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon shall be mine" (Genesis 48:5).

And in the [First] Book of Chronicles:

Reuben "is the first-born, but because he polluted his father's bed, his primogeniture was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel" (5:1, 2).

For Ephraim in the Word has a signification similar to that of Reuben, namely, the understanding of truth, and truth in light. It is said Ephraim and Manasseh shall be the sons of Israel, even as Reuben and Simeon, because Reuben signifies the understanding of truth, and Simeon, the will of truth; and Ephraim and Manasseh signify similar things. From these things it is now evident, what universal essential of the church is signified in the Word by Reuben.

Бележки под линия:

1. "Therefore my man (vir) will love me." The following words in the Arcana Coelestia sufficiently explain the distinction to be observed between maritus and vir:- "Cum nominatur maritus in Verbo tunc maritus significet bonum, et uxor verum, sed cum non nominatur maritus sed dicitur vir, tunc ille significat verum et uxor bonum" (1468). "When mention is made of husband (maritus) in the Word, then husband signifies good, and wife (uxor) truth; but when instead of husband (maritus) the term man (vir) is used, then the latter signifies truth, and wife good."

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

От "Съчиненията на Сведенборг

 

Arcana Coelestia #665

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665. That establishing a covenant' means that he would be regenerated becomes quite clear from the fact that the only kind of covenant that can exist between the Lord and man is conjunction by virtue of love and faith. And so a covenant means conjunction; indeed it is the heavenly marriage that is the supreme covenant of all. The heavenly marriage or conjunction does not show itself however except with people who are being regenerated. Regeneration itself therefore in the broadest sense is meant by a covenant. The Lord enters into a covenant with man when He regenerates him, and consequently among men of old a covenant had no other representation. From the sense of the letter no other impression is gained than that the covenant made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and so often with their descendants, concerned just those personages. But those people were by nature such as to be incapable of being regenerated, for they focused worship exclusively on things that were external, and imagined external things to be sacred without things that are internal allied to them. Consequently the covenants made with them were no more than representations of regeneration, as were all their religious ceremonies, and as were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob themselves who represented the things of love and faith. In a similar way priests or high priests, whatever their character, including infamous ones, could represent the heavenly and most holy priesthood. In representations no attention is paid to the person who represents but to that which is represented by him. Thus all the kings of Israel and Judah, including the worst of them, represented the Lord's kingship, and so indeed did the Pharaoh who promoted Joseph over the land of Egypt. These and many other considerations which in the Lord's Divine mercy will be dealt with later on show that the covenants made so often with the sons of Jacob were nothing more than religious ceremonies which were representative.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.