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Ezekiel 16

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1 HE ENs Ord kom til mig således:

2 Menneskesøn, forehold Jerusalem dets Vederstyggeligheder

3 og sig: Så siger den Herre HE EN til Jerusalem: Dit Udspring og din Oprindelse var i Kanaanæernes Land; din Fader var Amorit, din Moder Hetiterinde.

4 Og ved din Fødsel gik det således til: Da du fødtes, blev din Navlestreng ikke skåret over, ej heller blev du tvættet ren med Vand eller gnedet med Salt eller lagt i Svøb.

5 Ingen så på dig med så megen Medynk, at han af Medlidenhed gjorde nogen af disse Ting for dig, men du henslængtes på Marken, den Dag du fødtes; således væmmedes man ved din Sjæl.

6 Men jeg kom forbi, og da jeg så dig sprælle i Blod, sagde jeg til dig, som du lå der i Blodet: "Du skal leve

7 og vokse som en Urt på Marken!" Og du voksede, blev stor og trådte ind i din Skønheds Fylde; dine Bryster blev faste, og dit Hår voksede; men du var nøgen og bar.

8 kom jeg forbi og så dig, og se, din Tid var inde, din Elskovstid; og jeg bredte min Kappeflig over dig og tilhyllede din Blusel; så tilsvor jeg dig Troskab og indgik Pagt med dig, lyder det fra den Herre HE EN, og du blev min.

9 Så tvættede jeg dig med Vand, skyllede Blodet af dig og salvede dig med Olie;

10 jeg klædte dig i broget vævede Klæder, gav dig Sko af Tahasjskind på, bandt Byssusklæde om dit Hoved og hyllede dig i Silke;

11 jeg smykkede dig, lagde Spange om dine Arme og Kæde om din Hals,

12 fæstede en ing i din Næse, kugler i dine Ører og en herlig krone på dit Hoved;

13 du smykkedes med Guld og - Sølv, din Klædning var Byssus, Silke og broget vævede Klæder; fint Hvedemel, Honning og Olie var din Mad, og du blev såre dejlig og drev det til at blive Dronning.

14 Dit y kom ud blandt Folkene for din Dejligheds Skyld; thi den var fuldendt ved de Smykker, jeg udstyrede dig med, lyder det fra den Herre HE EN.

15 Men du stolede på din Dejlighed og bolede i Kraft af dit y; du udøste din bolerske Attrå over enhver, som kom forbi; du blev hans.

16 Af dine Klæder tog du og gjorde dig spraglede Offerhøje og bolede på dem.

17 Du tog dine Smykker af mit Guld og Sølv, som jeg havde givet dig, og gjorde dig Mandsbilleder og bolede med dem.

18 Du tog dine broget vævede Klæder og hyllede dem deri, og min Olie og øgelse satte du for dem.

19 Brødet, som jeg havde givet dig - fint Hedemel, Olie og Honning gav jeg dig at spise - satte du for dem til en liflig Duft, lyder det fra den Herre HE EN.

20 Og du tog dine Sønner og Døtre, som du havde født mig, og slagtede dem til Føde for dem. Var det ikke nok med din Bolen,

21 siden du slagtede mine Sønner og gav dem hen, idet du indviede dem til dem?

22 Og under alle dine Vederstyggeligheder og din Bolen kom du ikke din Ungdoms dage i Hu, da du var nøgen og bar og lå og sprællede i Blod.

23 Og efter al denne din Ondskab - ve dig, ve! lyder det fra den Herre HE EN -

24 byggede du dig en Alterfod og gjorde dig en Offerhøj på alle Torve.

25 Ved hvert Gadehjørne byggede du dig en Offerhøj og vanærede din Dejlighed; du spredte Benene for enhver, som kom forbi, og drev din Bolen vidt.

26 Du bolede med Ægypterne, dine sværlemmede Naboer, og drev din Bolen vidt og krænkede mig.

27 Men se, jeg udrakte min Hånd imod dig og unddrog dig, hvad der tilkom dig, og jeg gav dig dine Fjender Filisterindernes Gridskhed i Vold, de, som skammede sig over din utugtige Færd.

28 Siden bolede du med Assyrerne, umættelig som du var; du bolede med dem, men blev endda ikke mæt.

29 Så udstrakte du din Bolen til Kræmmerlandet, Kaldæernes Land, men blev endda ikke mæt.

30 Hvor vansmægtede dog dit Hjerte, lyder det fra den Herre HE EN, da du gjorde alt dette, som kun en arg Skøge kan gøre,

31 da du byggede dig en Alterfod ved hvert Gadehjørne og gjorde dig en Offerhøj på hvert Torv. Men du lignede ikke Skøgen i at samle Skøgeløn;

32 hvilken Horkvinde, der tager fremmede i sin Mands Sted! -

33 ellers giver man Skøgen en Gave, men du gav alle dine Elskere Gaver og købte dem til at komme til dig rundt om fra og bole med dig.

34 Hos dig var det modsat af, hvad Tilfældet ellers er med Kvinder; ingen løb efter dig for at bole, men du gav Skøgeløn og fik selv ingen; det var det modsatte.

35 Derfor, du Skøge, hør HE ENs Ord!

36 siger den Herre HE EN: Fordi din Skam ødtes bort og din Blusel blottedes for dine Elskere ved din Boler, derfor og for alle dine vederstyggelige Afgudsbilleders Skyld og for dine Sønners Blods Skyld, som du gav dem,

37 se, derfor vil jeg samle alle dine Elskere, hvem du var til Glæde, både alle dem, du elskede, og alle dem, du hadede; jeg vil samle dem imod dig trindt om fra og blotte din Blusel for dem, så de ser den helt.

38 Jeg vil dømme dig efter Horkvinders og Morderskers et og lade Vrede og Nidkærhed ramme dig.

39 Jeg giver dig i deres Hånd, og de skal nedbryde din Alterfod, ødelægge dine Offerhøje, rive Klæderne af dig, tage dine Smykker og lade dig stå nøgen og bar.

40 De skal sammenkalde en Forsamling imod dig, stene dig og med deres Sværd hugge dig sønder og sammen;

41 de skal sætte Ild på dine Huse og fuldbyrde Dommen over dig i mange Kvinders Påsyn. Jeg gør Ende på din Bolen, og du skal ikke mere komme til at give Skøgeløn.

42 Jeg stiller min Vrede på dig, til min Nidkærhed viger fra dig, så jeg får o og ikke mere er krænket.

43 Fordi du ikke kom dine Ungdoms Dage i Hu, men vakte min Vrede ved alt dette, se, derfor vil jeg gøre Gengæld og lade din Færd komme over dit Hoved, lyder det fra den Herre HE EN. Du skal ikke vedblive at føje Skændsel til alle dine Vederstyggeligheder.

44 Se, enhver, som ynder Ordsprog, skal bruge det Ordsprog om dig: "Som Moder så datter!"

45 Du er din Moders Datter, hun lededes ved sin Mand og sine Børn; og du er dine Søstres Søster, de lededes ved deres Mænd og Børn. Eders Moder var Hetiterinde, eders Fader Amorit.

46 Din store søster var samaria og hendes Døtre norden for dig, og din lille søster sønden for dig var Sodoma og hendes Døtre.

47 På deres Veje vandrede du ikke, og Vederstyggeligheder som deres øvede du ikke; kun en liden Stund, så handlede du endnu værre end de på alle dine Veje.

48 Så sandt jeg lever, lyder det fra den Herre HE E, din Søster Sodoma og hendes Døtre handlede ikke som du og dine Døtre!

49 Se, din Søster Sodomas Brøde var Overmod; Brød i Overflod og sorgløs Tryghed blev hende og hendes Døtre til Del, men de rakte ikke den arme og fattige en hjælpende Hånd;

50 de blev hovmodige og øvede Vederstyggelighed for mine Øjne; derfor stødte jeg dem bort, så snart jeg så det.

51 Heller ikke Samaria syndede halvt så meget som du! Du har øvet flere Vederstyggeligheder end de og retfærdiggjort dine Søstre ved alle de Vederstyggeligheder, du øvede.

52 Så bær da også du din Skændsel, du, som har skaffet dine Søstre Oprejsning; da dine Synder er vederstyggeligere end deres, står de retfærdigere end du; så skam da også du dig og bær din Skændsel, fordi du har retfærdiggjort dine Søstre.

53 Og jeg vil vende deres Skæbne, Sodomas og hendes Døtres og Samarias og hendes Døtres, og jeg vil vende din Skæbne midt iblandt dem,

54 for at du kan bære din Skændsel og blues ved alt, hvad du har gjort, idet du derved skaffede demen Trøst.

55 Dine Søstre Sodoma og hendes Døtre og Samaria og hendes Døtre skal blive, hvad de fordum var, og du og dine Døtre, hvad I fordum var.

56 Din Søster Sodomas Navn tog du ikke i din Mund i dit Overmods Dage,

57 da din Blusel endnu ikke var blottet som nu, du Spot for Edoms Kvinder, og alle kvinder deromkring og for Filisternes Kvinder, som hånede dig fra alle Sider!

58 Du må bære din Skændsel og dine Vederstyggeligheder, lyder det fra HE EN.

59 Ja, så siger den Herre HE EN: Jeg gør med dig, som du har gjort, du, som lod hånt om Eden og brød Pagten.

60 Men jeg vil ihukomme min Pagt med dig i din Ungdoms Dage og oprette en evig Pagt med dig.

61 Og du skal komme dine Veje i Hu og blues, når jeg tager dine Søstre, både dem, der er større, og dem, der er mindre end du, og giver dig dem til Døtre, men ikke fordi du var tro i Pagten.

62 Jeg opretter min Pagt med dig, og du skal kende, at jeg er HE EN,

63 for at du skal komme det i Hu med Skam og ikke mere kunne åbne din Mund, fordi du blues, når jeg tilgiver dig alt, hvad du har gjort, lyder det fra den Herre HE EN.

   


The Project Gutenberg Association at Carnegie Mellon University

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Apocalypse Explained # 653

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653. Which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, signifies through the evils of the love of self and the falsities therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "Sodom," as being the love of self and evils of every kind therefrom (of which presently); also from the signification of "Egypt," as being the natural man separated from the spiritual, and falsity of evil of every kind therefrom (of which also presently). Evidently "Sodom and Egypt" mean Jerusalem, and thus the church, in which the goods of love are adulterated and the truths of doctrine are falsified, for it is next said "where also our Lord was crucified;" for the evils of the love of self and the falsities of doctrine are what crucify the Lord, therefore He was crucified by the Jews, because they were in those evils and falsities; but of this more hereafter.

[2] First let it be shown here that "Sodom" signifies in the Word the love of self, and thence every evil; for evils of every kind flow forth from the love of self; since he who loves himself only loves what is his own [proprium], and therefore immerses all things of his will and his understanding in what is his own [proprium], even so that it is impossible for him to be elevated from it to heaven and to the Lord; consequently he sees nothing from the light of heaven, but solely from the light of the world, which light, separated from the light of heaven, is mere darkness in spiritual things, which are the things of heaven and the church; and for this reason also the more a man loves himself the more he despises, yea, denies spiritual things. In consequence also of this the internal spiritual mind, by which man is in the light of heaven, is closed up, and this causes the man to be merely natural, and the merely natural man is inclined to evils of every kind. For the evils into which man is born have their seat in the natural man, and these are removed from him only to the extent in which his interior mind, which receives the light of heaven, is opened; moreover, what is man's own [proprium] has its seat in the natural man, and what is man's own [proprium] is nothing but evil.

[3] That "Sodom" therefore signifies the love of self, and thus evils of every kind, can be seen from the passages in the Word where "Sodom" is mentioned; as in the following. In Ezekiel:

Thy elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters dwelling at thy left hand; but thy younger sister, dwelling at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters; thou hast corrupted thyself more than they in all thy ways; Sodom thy sister hath not done, she and her daughters, as thou hast done and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, satiety of bread, and tranquillity of quiet was hers and her daughters, and she strengthened not the hand of the afflicted and needy; therefore they became lofty, and committed abomination before Me (Ezekiel 16:46-50).

This treats of the abominations of Jerusalem, which were chiefly that they adulterated the goods and truths of the Word and of the church; "Samaria," where the Israelites were, signifies the spiritual church, in which spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbor, is the essential; but "Jerusalem," where the Jews were, signifies the celestial church, in which celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, is the essential. For there are two kingdoms into which heaven and thence the church is divided, the spiritual kingdom and the celestial kingdom (respecting these kingdoms see in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28). These kingdoms were represented by the Israelites whose metropolis was Samaria, and by the Jews whose metropolis was Jerusalem.

[4] Spiritual good, which is the good of charity toward the neighbor, is the opposite of infernal evil, which is the evil of the love of the world; and celestial good is the opposite of diabolical evil, which is the evil of the love of self. From the love of self flow forth evils of all kinds, and much worse than those from love of the world (See the New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine, n. 65-83). This is why more direful and abominable things are related of Jerusalem than of Samaria; and this is why Jerusalem is not only called "Sodom," but it is said that she did worse things than Sodom, as it is here said "Sodom hath not done as thou hast done and thy daughters." That the evil of the love of self was the evil of Sodom, is thus declared, "This was the iniquity of Sodom, pride, satiety of bread, tranquillity of quiet, and she strengthened not the hand of the afflicted and needy," "pride" meaning the love of self, "satiety of bread," the contempt of all good and truth of heaven and the church, even to loathing of them, "tranquillity of quiet," security and no anxiety on account of any evil; and "not strengthening the hands of the afflicted and needy" signifies unmercifulness. Because the love of self was the love of Sodom it is said that her daughters "became lofty and committed abomination before Jehovah," the "daughters" that became lofty signifying the cupidities of that love, and the "abomination before Jehovah" signifying every evil against the Divine Itself.

[5] Because the "Chaldeans" signify the profanation and adulteration of the truth of doctrine from the Word, and "the inhabitants of Babylon" the profanation and adulteration of the good of love, therefore the overthrow of these is also compared to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Jeremiah:

A sword against the Chaldeans, and against the inhabitants of Babylon, according to God's overthrowing Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring cities thereof, not a man shall dwell there, nor shall a son of man sojourn therein (Jeremiah 50:35, 40).

And in Isaiah:

So shall Babylon, the ornament of kingdoms, the splendor of the magnificence of the Chaldeans, be as God's overthrowing Sodom and Gomorrah (Isaiah 13:19).

"Sodom" signifies the evil of the love of self, and "Gomorrah" the falsity of that love; and as the love of self does not acknowledge any truth of the church, it is said, "not a man shall dwell there, nor shall a son of man sojourn therein," "man" signifying intelligence, and "son of man," the truth of the church.

[6] Because "Edom" signifies the natural man, who is in falsities from the love of self, and therefore adulterates the goods of the church, her vastation is compared to the overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Jeremiah:

Edom shall be a desolation, as the overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah, no man [vir] shall dwell there, neither shall a son of man sojourn therein (Jeremiah 49:17, 18).

In Zephaniah:

Moab shall be as Sodom, and the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, a place abandoned to nettles, and a pit of salt, a waste forever (Zephaniah 2:9).

"Moab," as has been said, means the natural man, who from the love of self adulterates the goods of the church, and "the sons of Ammon" mean those who falsify the truths of the church; and as thence is the devastation of all good and truth it is said, "a place abandoned to nettles, and a pit of salt, a waste forever;" the devastation of all good is signified by "a place of nettles," and the devastation of all truth, by "a pit of salt;" like things are signified by "Sodom and Gomorrah."

[7] Because "Judah" signifies celestial love, which is love to the Lord, from which is all good, and in the contrary sense diabolical love, which is the love of self, from which is all evil, the devastation of the church, which is signified by "Judah and Jerusalem," is also compared to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Isaiah:

Jerusalem hath stumbled, and Judah hath fallen; the hardening of their faces doth witness against them, and their sin is as Sodom's (Isaiah 3:8, 9).

Hear the word of Jehovah, ye princes of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah (Isaiah 1:10). "The Word of Jehovah" means Divine good, and "the law of God" Divine truth, for where good is treated of the name "Jehovah" is used, but where truth is treated of the name "God" is used; and as Divine good, to those who are in the love of self, is evil, it is said "their sin is as Sodom's," and "hear the Word of Jehovah, ye princes of Sodom;" and as Divine truth to those who are in the evil of the love of self is falsity, it is said, "give ear to the law of God, ye people of Gomorrah."

[8] In Moses:

Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and their grapes are of the field of Gomorrah, grapes of gall, their clusters are of bitterness (Deuteronomy 32:32).

This is said of the direful falsities that exist with the posterity of Jacob, springing from the evils of the love of self. But this is explained above n. 519. In Lamentations:

They that did eat delicacies are laid waste in the streets, they that were brought up in crimson have embraced dunghills; the iniquity of My people is become greater than the sin of Sodom, that was overturned as in a moment (Lamentations 4:5, 6).

This is said of those who are of the Lord's celestial kingdom and church when they are changed into the opposite, for it is celestial love that is turned into the love of self, which is a diabolical love; of those who have been so changed the above is said. What is signified by "eating delicacies," "brought up in crimson," "laid waste in the streets," and "embracing dung-hills," has been explained in the article above n. 652. It is said that their iniquity "is become greater than the sin of Sodom," because they had the Word, from which they could know the truths and goods of heaven and the church, or of doctrine and life, and adulterated them, and this the inhabitants of Sodom could not do; for he who knows the will of the Lord and does it not, sins more than he who does not know it. Moreover, all those with whom the love of self is dominant despise the holy things of heaven and the church, and deny the Divine of the Lord; and to confirm the evils flowing forth from that love they either adulterate the Word or reject it as a writing that is holy only from having been so accepted. Those, therefore, who do this from the love of self are compared to Sodom and Gomorrah.

[9] That those who are taught by the Lord respecting the truths and goods of the church, and yet reject and deny them, do worse than those in Sodom, is evident from the Lord's words respecting Capernaum, in Matthew:

Thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down unto hell; for if the mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee it would have remained until this day; I say unto thee 1 that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee 1 (Matthew 11:23, 24).

For the Lord after He left Nazareth abode in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13).

And there did miracles (Matthew 8:5-14; 4:46-54 to the end).

Like things were said by the Lord of the cities in which the disciples preached His coming or the Gospel and were not received. As in these words in Matthew:

Whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words, when ye go forth out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet; verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city (Matthew 10:14, 15; Mark 6:11; Luke 10:10-12).

For no one rejects the holy things of the church and denies the Divine of the Lord more interiorly than those do who are in the love of self; those who are in the love of the world and in the evils therefrom may reject the holy things of the church, but not so interiorly, that is, from the confirmation of the heart.

[10] Like things are said of the prophets and the people who adulterate the truths and goods of the Word to confirm evils and falsities. In Jeremiah:

In the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible stubbornness, in adulterating and walking in a lie, while they have strengthened the hands of the evil that no man doth return from his wickedness; they are become to Me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah (Jeremiah 23:14).

By "prophets" here those are meant who teach the truths and goods of doctrine, and in an abstract sense, which is the genuine spiritual sense, doctrine from the Word is meant, thus also the Word in respect to doctrine, therefore "a horrible stubbornness" signifies confirmation of heart against the truths and goods of the Word; "to adulterate and walk in a lie" signifies to pervert the goods and truths of the Word; "to adulterate" signifies to pervert the goods of the Word by evils and falsities, a "lie" means falsity, and "to walk in a lie" means to live in falsities. "To strengthen the hands of the evil" signifies to confirm evils and thence their power over goods; and "no man doth return from his wickedness" signifies to persist in the evils and falsities of doctrine; therefore it is said "they are become as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah," "as Sodom" signifying to be in evils springing from the love of self, and "the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah" signifying an evil life from the falsities of doctrine.

[11] The evil that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah is described as follows in Moses:

That they wished to offer violence to the angels, and were therefore smitten with blindness, so that they could not find the door where the angels were; and that therefore Jehovah caused brimstone and fire to rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and overthrew those cities and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which sprang up from the ground (Genesis 19:1-28).

"Their wishing to offer violence to the angels" means to Divine good and Divine truth, for these are signified by "angels;" the "blindness" with which they were smitten so that they could not find the door signified the complete rejection and denial of the Divine and of the holy things of heaven and the church, even so far as to be unable to see and acknowledge anything of heaven or the church, which is signified by "not finding the door" where the angels were; "brimstone" signifies the lust of destroying the goods and truths of the church by falsities, and "fire" signifies the love of self and every evil that destroys, here the destruction of goods and truths.

[12] That "Sodom and Gomorrah" mean all evils and falsities flowing forth from the love of self has been told me from heaven; for when they who are in evils from that love perish, which occurred at the time of the Last Judgment, there was an appearance of brimstone and fire raining down from heaven; this I also witnessed. That this would occur at the time of the Last Judgment was also predicted by the Lord in Luke:

Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot, on the day that he went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all; after the same manner shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed (Luke 17:28-30).

[13] Because those who from the love of self confirm themselves by means of falsities in evils against the truths and goods of heaven and the church, completely root out with themselves every truth of doctrine and of the Word and every good of spiritual and celestial love, there takes place in them a total vastation, which is thus described in Moses:

The whole land shall be brimstone and salt, a burning; it shall not be sown, neither shall it spring forth, nor shall any herb come up thereon, according to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Admah and Zeboiim (Deuteronomy 29:23).

"Brimstone" signifies the vastation of all good by lusts from evils; "salt" signifies the vastation of all truth by falsities from those lusts; "the burning of the whole land" signifies the devastation of the church by the love of self; "it shall not be sown, neither spring forth, nor shall any herb come up thereon," signifies that there will be no capacity whatever to receive the truth of the church, "herb" signifying the truth of the church when it first springs forth. And because such is the devastation of good and truth from the love of self it is said, "like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Admah and Zeboiim," "Admah and Zeboiim" signifying the knowledges of evil and falsity. That such things are to occur at the time of the Last Judgment is what is signified by "in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The Greek has "you."

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.