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Ιερεμία 42

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1 Και προσηλθον παντες οι αρχηγοι των στρατευματων και Ιωαναν ο υιος του Καρηα και Ιεζανιας ο υιος του Ωσαιου και πας ο λαος απο μικρου εως μεγαλου,

2 και ειπον προς Ιερεμιαν τον προφητην, Ας γεινη δεκτη, παρακαλουμεν, η δεησις ημων ενωπιον σου, και δεηθητι υπερ ημων προς Κυριον τον Θεον σου περι παντων τουτων των εναπολειφθεντων· διοτι εμειναμεν ολιγοι εκ πολλων, καθως οι οφθαλμοι σου βλεπουσιν ημας

3 δια να φανερωση εις ημας Κυριος ο Θεος σου την οδον εις την οποιαν πρεπει να περιπατησωμεν και το πραγμα το οποιον πρεπει να καμωμεν.

4 Και ειπε προς αυτους Ιερεμιας ο προφητης, Ηκουσα· ιδου, θελω δεηθη προς Κυριον τον Θεον υμων κατα τους λογους υμων, και οποιονδηποτε λογον ο Κυριος αποκριθη περι υμων, θελω αναγγειλει προς υμας· δεν θελω κρυψει ουδεν αφ' υμων.

5 Και αυτοι ειπον προς τον Ιερεμιαν, Ο Κυριος ας ηναι αληθης και πιστος μαρτυς μεταξυ ημων, οτι βεβαιως θελομεν καμει κατα παντας τους λογους, καθ' ους Κυριος ο Θεος σου σε αποστειλη προς ημας·

6 ειτε καλον και ειτε κακον, θελομεν υπακουσει εις την φωνην Κυριου του Θεου ημων, προς τον οποιον ημεις σε αποστελλομεν, δια να γεινη καλον εις ημας, οταν υπακουσωμεν εις την φωνην Κυριου του Θεου ημων.

7 Και μετα δεκα ημερας εγεινε λογος Κυριου προς τον Ιερεμιαν.

8 Και εκαλεσε τον Ιωαναν τον υιον του Καρηα και παντας τους αρχηγους των στρατευματων τους μετ' αυτου και παντα τον λαον, απο μικρου εως μεγαλου,

9 και ειπε προς αυτους, Ουτω λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος του Ισραηλ, προς τον οποιον με απεστειλατε δια να υποβαλω την δεησιν υμων ενωπιον αυτου·

10 Εαν εξακολουθητε να κατοικητε εν τη γη ταυτη, τοτε θελω σας οικοδομησει και δεν θελω σας κατακρημνισει, και θελω σας φυτευσει και δεν θελω σας εκριζωσει, διοτι μετενοησα δια το κακον το οποιον εκαμα εις εσας.

11 Μη φοβηθητε απο του βασιλεως της Βαβυλωνος, απο του οποιου τωρα φοβεισθε· μη φοβηθητε απ' αυτου, λεγει Κυριος, διοτι εγω ειμαι μεθ' υμων, δια να σωσω υμας και να ελευθερωσω υμας εκ της χειρος αυτου.

12 Και θελω δωσει οικτιρμους εις υμας, δια να οικτειρη υμας και να επιστρεψη υμας εις την γην υμων.

13 Αλλ' εαν σεις λεγητε, δεν θελομεν κατοικησει εν τη γη ταυτη, μη υπακουοντες εις την φωνην Κυριου του Θεου υμων,

14 λεγοντες, Ουχι· αλλα θελομεν εισελθει εις την γην της Αιγυπτου, οπου δεν θελομεν βλεπει πολεμον, και ηχον σαλπιγγος δεν θελομεν ακουει, και απο αρτον δεν θελομεν πεινασει, και εκει θελομεν κατοικησει·

15 δια τουτο, ακουσατε τωρα τον λογον του Κυριου, σεις οι υπολοιποι του Ιουδα· ουτω λεγει ο Κυριος των δυναμεων, ο Θεος του Ισραηλ· Εαν σεις προσηλωσητε το προσωπον σας εις το να εισελθητε εις την Αιγυπτον και υπαγητε να παροικησητε εκει,

16 τοτε η μαχαιρα, την οποιαν σεις φοβεισθε, θελει σας φθασει εκει εν τη γη της Αιγυπτου· και η πεινα, απο της οποιας σεις τρομαζετε, θελει εισθαι προσκεκολλημενη οπισω σας εκει εν τη Αιγυπτω, και εκει θελετε αποθανει·

17 και παντες οι ανδρες οι προσηλωσαντες το προσωπον αυτων εις το να υπαγωσιν εις την Αιγυπτον δια να παροικησωσιν εκει, θελουσιν αποθανει εν μαχαιρα, εν πεινη και εν λοιμω· και ουδεις εξ αυτων θελει μεινει η εκφυγει απο του κακου, το οποιον εγω θελω φερει επ' αυτους.

18 Διοτι ουτω λεγει ο Κυριος των δυναμεων, ο Θεος του Ισραηλ· Καθως ο θυμος μου και η οργη μου εξεχυθησαν επι τους κατοικους της Ιερουσαλημ, ουτως η οργη μου θελει εκχυθη εφ' υμας, οταν εισελθητε εις την Αιγυπτον· και θελετε εισθαι εις βδελυγμα και εις θαμβος και εις καταραν και εις ονειδος· και δεν θελετε ιδει πλεον τον τοπον τουτον.

19 Ο Κυριος ειπε περι υμων, ω υπολοιποι του Ιουδα, Μη υπαγητε εις την Αιγυπτον· γνωρισατε καλως οτι σημερον διεμαρτυρηθην εναντιον σας.

20 Διοτι σεις εδολιευθητε εν ταις ψυχαις υμων, οτε με απεστειλατε προς Κυριον τον Θεον υμων, λεγοντες, Δεηθητι υπερ ημων προς Κυριον τον Θεον ημων· και κατα παντα οσα λαληση Κυριος ο Θεος ημων, ουτως απαγγειλον προς ημας και θελομεν καμει.

21 Και απηγγειλα σημερον προς εσας· και δεν υπηκουσατε εις την φωνην Κυριου του Θεου υμων ουδε εις παντα, δια τα οποια με απεστειλε προς εσας.

22 Τωρα λοιπον εξευρετε βεβαιως, οτι θελετε αποθανει εν μαχαιρα, εν πεινη και εν λοιμω, εν τω τοπω οπου επιθυμειτε να υπαγητε δια να παροικησητε εκει.

   

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Apocalypse Revealed # 503

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503. We will now say what Egypt symbolizes in the Word: Egypt symbolizes the natural self joined to the spiritual self, and its affection for truth then and consequent knowledge and intelligence. And in an opposite sense it symbolizes the natural self divorced from the spiritual self, and its conceit in its own intelligence then and consequent irrationality in spiritual matters.

Egypt symbolizes the natural self joined to the spiritual self, and its affection for truth then and consequent knowledge and intelligence, in the following passages:

In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt... swearing an oath to Jehovah of Hosts... In that day there will be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt... Then Jehovah will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day... (Isaiah 19:18-21)

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, so that the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria - a blessing in the midst of the land, whom Jehovah of Hosts shall bless, saying, "Blessed is My people Egypt, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance." (Isaiah 19:23-25)

Egypt there is the natural component, Assyria the rational one, and Israel the spiritual one. These three form a person of the church.

That is why the king of Egypt is called "the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings," and Egypt is called "the cornerstone of (the) tribes." (Isaiah 19:11, 13) And regarding Solomon we are told that his wisdom excelled the wisdom of the Egyptians (1 Kings 4:30). We are also told that he "took Pharaoh's daughter as a wife, and brought her into the city of David" (1 Kings 3:1), and that he "built a house for Pharaoh's daughter next to the porch" (1 Kings 7:8).

[2] For this reason Joseph was carried down into Egypt and there became the ruler of the whole land (Genesis 41).

Since Egypt symbolized the natural self in respect to its affection for truth and consequent knowledge and intelligence, therefore Joseph, the husband of Mary, having been warned by an angel, went with the infant Lord into Egypt (Matthew 2:14-15), in fulfillment of the prophecy,

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. (Hosea 11:1)

You caused a vine to come out of Egypt; You... planted it... and caused it to send forth its roots... (Psalms 80:8-9)

For a person is born natural, becomes rational, and later spiritual. Thus is a vine from Egypt planted and caused to take root.

For the sake of this representation, moreover, Abraham sojourned in Egypt (Genesis 12:10ff.). And Jacob was commanded to go with his sons into Egypt, and they also abode there (Genesis 46ff.).

So, too, the land of Canaan, which symbolizes the church, is described to extend "even to the river of Egypt" (Genesis 15:18, 1 Kings 4:21, Micah 7:12). And Egypt is compared to the Garden of Eden, the garden of God (Ezekiel 31:2, 8, Genesis 13:10).

The knowledge of the natural self is also called "the precious things of Egypt" (Daniel 11:43), and "fine embroidered linen from Egypt" (Ezekiel 27:7).

And so on elsewhere where Egypt is spoken of affirmatively, as in Isaiah 27:12-13.

[3] On the other hand, in an opposite sense Egypt symbolizes the natural self divorced from the spiritual self, and its conceit in its own intelligence then and consequent irrationality in spiritual matters, in the following places:

Because...(Pharaoh's) heart was lifted up in its height, and it set its top among the thick boughs..., aliens... will cut him off and cast him down... In the day when he went down to hell..., I covered the deep over him...(and) you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised... (Ezekiel 31:10-18)

...the foundations (of Egypt) shall be overthrown... ...the pride of her power shall come down... ...and shall be laid waste... her cities... in the midst of the desolate cities... I will set fire to Egypt..., and I will disperse Egypt among the nations, and scatter them throughout the lands. (Ezekiel 30:1ff.)

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help..., and do not look to the Holy One of Israel... For the Egyptians are men, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. (Isaiah 31:1, 3)

Egypt rises up like a flood... He says, "I will go up, I will cover the earth, (and) I will destroy... Come up, O horses, and rage, O chariots! ...The sword shall devour (you), and be... made drunk with blood...; there is no healing for you. (Jeremiah 46:2, 8-11)

How do you say to Pharaoh, "I am the son of the wise, and the son of ancient kings?" Where are your wise men now? ...let them know... The princes of Zoan have become fools...; they have led Egypt astray..., the cornerstone of (the) tribes... Neither will there be any work for Egypt, which may form the head or the tail... (Isaiah 19:1-17)

...prophesy against... Egypt..., O great whale who lie in the midst of your rivers. Because he said, "My river, and I have made myself," (therefore) I will put hooks in your jaws, and cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales... And I will leave you in the wilderness... Therefore... the land of Egypt shall become desolate and waste. (Ezekiel 29:1-12)

And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 30:1, 2, 7; 2 Kings 18:21.

[4] Since the Egyptians became of such a character, therefore they were rendered desolate as regards all the goods and truths of the church. Their desolations are described by the miracles done there, which were plagues, and these symbolized the many lusts of the natural self divorced from the spiritual self, a natural self which acts only in accordance with its own intelligence and its conceit. The plagues symbolic of its lusts were these:

That the water in the river turned to blood so that the fish died and the river stank. (Exodus 7)

That the streams and ponds brought forth frogs upon the land of Egypt. That the dust of the ground turned into lice. That a swarm of noxious flying insects was sent. (Exodus 8)

[That a pestilence occurred so that the livestock of Egypt died.] That sores were caused to break out with pustules on man and beast. That a downpour of hail mixed with fire rained down. (Exodus 9)

That locusts were sent. That darkness occurred through all the land of Egypt. (Exodus 10).

That all the firstborn in the land of Egypt died. (Exodus 11,12)

And finally, that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea (Exodus 14), which symbolizes hell.

To find what all these things symbolize specifically, see Arcana Coelestia (The Secrets of Heaven), published in London, where they are explained.

It is apparent from this what is symbolically meant by the plagues and diseases of Egypt in Deuteronomy 7:15; 28:60; what is symbolically meant by drowning in the river of Egypt in Amos 8:8; 9:5; and why it is that Egypt is called a land of bondage in Micah 6:4, the land of Ham in Psalms 106:22, and an iron furnace in Deuteronomy 4:20, 1 Kings 8:51.

[5] The reason Egypt symbolizes both intelligence and irrationality in spiritual matters was that the Ancient Church, which extended through many kingdoms in Asia, existed also in Egypt, and at that time the Egyptians, more than any others, cultivated a study of the correspondences between spiritual and natural things, as is apparent from the hieroglyphs there. But when that study among them was turned into magic and became idolatrous, then their intelligence in spiritual matters became irrational. Egypt symbolizes this, therefore, in an opposite sense.

It can be seen from this what the great city means, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.