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Ezechiele 21

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1 (H21-6) E la parola dell’Eterno mi fu rivolta in questi termini:

2 (H21-7) "Figliuol d’uomo, vòlta la faccia verso Gerusalemme, e rivolgi la parola ai luoghi santi, e profetizza contro il paese d’Israele;

3 (H21-8) e di’ al paese d’Israele: Così parla l’Eterno: Eccomi a te! Io trarrò la mia spada dal suo fodero, e sterminerò in mezzo a te giusti e malvagi.

4 (H21-9) Appunto perché voglio sterminare in mezzo a te giusti e malvagi, la mia spada uscirà dal suo fodero per colpire ogni carne dal mezzogiorno al settentrione;

5 (H21-10) e ogni carne conoscerà che io, l’Eterno, ho tratto la mia spada dal suo fodero; e non vi sarà più rimessa.

6 (H21-11) E tu, figliuol d’uomo, gemi! Coi lombi rotti e con dolore amaro, gemi dinanzi agli occhi loro.

7 (H21-12) E quando ti chiederanno: Perché gemi? rispondi: Per la notizia che sta per giungere; ogni cuore si struggerà, tutte le mani diverran fiacche, tutti gli spiriti verranno meno, tutte le ginocchia si scioglieranno in acqua. Ecco, la cosa giunge, ed avverrà! dice il Signore, l’Eterno".

8 (H21-13) E la parola dell’Eterno mi fu rivolta in questi termini:

9 (H21-14) "Figliuol d’uomo, profetizza, e di’: Così parla il Signore. Di’: La spada! la spada! è aguzzata ed anche forbita:

10 (H21-15) aguzzata, per fare un macello; forbita, perché folgoreggi. Ci rallegrerem noi dunque? ripetendo: "Lo scettro del mio figliuolo disprezza ogni legno".

11 (H21-16) Il Signore l’ha data a forbire, perché la s’impugni; la spada è aguzza, essa è forbita, per metterla in mano di chi uccide.

12 (H21-17) Grida e urla, figliuol d’uomo, poich’essa è per il mio popolo, e per tutti i principi d’Israele; essi son dati in balìa della spada col mio popolo; perciò percuotiti la coscia!

13 (H21-18) Poiché la prova è stata fatta; e che dunque, se perfino lo scettro sprezzante non sarà più? dice il Signore, l’Eterno.

14 (H21-19) E tu, figliuol d’uomo, profetizza, e batti le mani; la spada raddoppi, triplichi i suoi colpi, la spada che fa strage, la spada che uccide anche chi è grande, la spada che li attornia.

15 (H21-20) Io ho rivolto la punta della spada contro tutte le loro porte, perché il loro cuore si strugga e cresca il numero dei caduti; sì, essa è fatta per folgoreggiare, è aguzzata per il macello.

16 (H21-21) Spada! raccogliti! volgiti a destra, attenta! Volgiti a sinistra, dovunque è diretto il tuo filo!

17 (H21-22) E anch’io batterò le mani, e sfogherò il mio furore! Io, l’Eterno, son quegli che ho parlato".

18 (H21-23) E la parola dell’Eterno mi fu rivolta in questi termini:

19 (H21-24) "E tu, figliuol d’uomo, fatti due vie, per le quali passi la spada del re di Babilonia; partano ambedue dal medesimo paese; e traccia un indicatore, tracciato al capo della strada d’una città.

20 (H21-25) Fa’ una strada per la quale la spada vada a Rabba, città de’ figliuoli d’Ammon, e un’altra perché vada in Giuda, a Gerusalemme, città fortificata.

21 (H21-26) Poiché il re di Babilonia sta sul bivio, in capo alle due strade, per tirare presagi: scuote le freccie, consulta gl’idoli, esamina il fegato.

22 (H21-27) La sorte, ch’è nella destra, designa Gerusalemme per collocargli degli arieti, per aprir la bocca a ordinare il massacro, per alzar la voce in gridi di guerra, per collocare gli arieti contro le porte, per elevare bastioni, per costruire delle torri.

23 (H21-28) Ma essi non vedono in questo che una divinazione bugiarda; essi, a cui sono stati fatti tanti giuramenti! Ma ora egli si ricorderà della loro iniquità, perché siano presi.

24 (H21-29) Perciò così parla il Signore, l’Eterno: Poiché avete fatto ricordare la vostra iniquità mediante le vostre manifeste trasgressioni, sì che i vostri peccati si manifestano in tutte le vostre azioni, poiché ne rievocate il ricordo, sarete presi dalla sua mano.

25 (H21-30) E tu, o empio, dannato alla spada, o principe d’Israele, il cui giorno è giunto al tempo del colmo dell’iniquità;

26 (H21-31) così parla il Signore, l’Eterno: La tiara sarà tolta, il diadema sarà levato; tutto sarà mutato; ciò che in basso sarà innalzato; ciò ch’è in alto sarà abbassato.

27 (H21-32) Ruina! ruina! ruina! Questo farò di lei; anch’essa non sarà più, finché non venga colui a cui appartiene il giudizio, e al quale lo rimetterò.

28 (H21-33) E tu, figliuol d’uomo, profetizza, e di’: Così parla il Signore, l’Eterno, riguardo ai figliuoli d’Ammon ed al loro obbrobrio; e di’: La spada, la spada è sguainata; è forbita per massacrare, per divorare, per folgoreggiare.

29 (H21-34) Mentre s’hanno per te delle visioni vane, mentre s’hanno per te divinazioni bugiarde, essa ti farà cadere fra i cadaveri degli empi, il cui giorno è giunto al tempo del colmo dell’iniquità.

30 (H21-35) Riponi la spada nel suo fodero! Io ti giudicherò nel luogo stesso dove fosti creata, nel paese della tua origine;

31 (H21-36) e riverserò su di te la mia indignazione, soffierò contro di te nel fuoco della mia ira, e ti darò in mano d’uomini brutali, artefici di distruzione.

32 (H21-37) Tu sarai pascolo al fuoco, il tuo sangue sarà in mezzo al paese; tu non sarai più ricordata, perché io, l’Eterno, son quegli che ho parlato".

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 10061

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10061. 'And put it on the tip of Aaron's right ear and on the tip of the right ear of his sons' means all the ability to perceive Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good in the heavens. This is clear from the meaning of 'the blood' which was put on the tip of the ear as Divine Truth which is present in the heavens and in the Church and emanates from the Lord's Divine Good, dealt with immediately above in 10060; from the meaning of 'the ear' as the power of perception, dealt with in 9397, at this point the ability to perceive Divine Truth in the heavens and in the Church since all the power of perception there is used to perceive that Truth (in particular that power of perception in the celestial heaven is meant here, for those there perceive truth springing from good, see the places referred to in 9277); from the meaning of 'the tip' of the ear, which is the outermost part of it, as the whole or all, for even as what is first or highest means the whole or all, so does what is last or outermost, see above in 10044; and from the meaning of 'the right ear' as the ability to perceive truth emanating from good. The reason why 'the right ear' has this meaning is that parts on the right side of a human being correspond to the good from which truths spring, while those on the left side correspond to the truths through which comes good, 9604, 9736. It is likewise so with the brain, the face and sensory organs there, the breast, the loins, and the feet.

[2] Without knowledge of this arcanum no one can possibly know why it was commanded that the blood should be put on the tip of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of the right foot of Aaron and his sons, or why it was commanded that the right flank of this second ram together with the fat should be burned on the altar (spoken of below, in verses 22, 25 of the present chapter). Nor likewise can anyone know why it was commanded that the blood of the sacrifice should be put on the tip of the right ear of the one to be cleansed from leprosy, and on the thumb of his right hand and the big toe of his right foot, and that the priest should pour oil from a log 1 over his own left palm and dip his right finger in the oil that was on his left palm and sprinkle it with his right finger seven times before Jehovah, Leviticus 14:14-18, 25-28. Nor can people know the meaning where it says that the Lord told the disciples when they were fishing to cast their net on the right side of the boat, and that when they did so their catch was so great that they were not strong enough, because of the very great number of fish, to draw the net in, John 21:6. This represented the reality that when good is the side on which people act or teach they net countless items of truth; but not the reverse. Those also who possess truths and are governed by good are meant by the sheep on the right, but those who possess truths and are not governed by good are meant by the goats on the left, Matthew 25:32.

[3] 'The right hand' is also used to mean those who dwell in the light of truth emanating from good, in David,

The heavens are Yours, and the earth is Yours. The world and the fullness of it You have founded; the north and the right hand 2 You have created. Psalms 89:11-12.

'The heavens', 'the earth', and 'the world' mean the Church, 9325. 'The fullness' means all truth and goodness which constitute the Church, 'the north' being those there who dwell in a state of obscurity so far as truth is concerned, 3708, and 'the right hand' those who dwell in the light of truth emanating from good, so that much the same is meant by 'the right hand' as by 'midday' or 'the south', 9642. From this it becomes clear what 'sitting at God's right hand' means when used in reference to the Lord in Psalms 110:1, 5; Matthew 26:63-64; Mark 12:36; 14:61-62; Luke 20:42-43, namely Divine Power exercised through the Lord's Divine Truth emanating from His Divine Good, 3387, 4592, 4933, 7518, 8281, 9133.

[4] Since most things in the Word also have a contrary meaning, so too do 'the right' and 'the left'. In the contrary sense 'the right' means evil from which falsity arises, and 'the left' falsity through which comes evil, as in Zechariah,

Woe to the worthless shepherd deserting the flock! The sword will fall upon his arm and upon his right eye. His arm will become wholly withered, and his right eye will be utterly darkened. Zechariah 11:17.

'Arm' here stands for the power of truth when used to justify evil; and because this power is 'worthless' it says that it 'will become wholly withered'. 'Right eye' is the knowledge of good when used to substantiate falsity; and because this knowledge is 'worthless' it says that it 'will be utterly darkened'. 'Shepherd' is one who teaches truths and leads by means of them towards good, 343, 3795, 6044, so that 'the worthless shepherd' is one who teaches and leads towards evil. 'Arm' means the power that truth springing from good possesses, 4931-4937, 7205, but 'the arm of a worthless shepherd' is the lack of power. 'Eye' is the understanding and perception of truth, 4403-4421, 4523-4534, 9051, but 'the right eye of a worthless shepherd' is a knowledge of good devoid of any understanding or perception of it because it is made to serve falsity. 'Utter (or thick) darkness' is falsity arising from evil, 7711.

[5] In Matthew,

Jesus said, If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you; it will be better for you that one of your members perish, than that your whole body be cast into gehenna. Matthew 5:29-30.

'Right eye' means an understanding of and belief in falsity arising from evil, and 'right hand' falsity itself arising from evil. Anyone may recognize that 'eye' is not used here to mean the eye nor 'right hand' to mean the right hand, and that the eye causing a person to stumble should not be plucked out, nor should the right hand causing him to stumble be cut off, for that would contribute nothing to the person's well-being. In John,

The beast placed on them all a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads. Revelation 13:16.

'Right hand' here is falsity arising from evil, and 'forehead' is the love of evil from which falsity arises. 'Forehead' means heavenly love and therefore in the contrary sense hellish love, see 9936.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. i.e. a container which takes its name from a Hebrew measure for liquids

2. i.e. the south

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

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Arcana Coelestia # 7711

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7711. 'And there will be thick darkness over the land of Egypt' means total deprivation of truth and good. This is clear from the meaning of 'thick darkness' as total deprivation of truth and good. Various places in the Word mention 'darkness' (tenebrae) and also at the same time 'thick darkness' (caligo), and in those places 'darkness' has reference to falsity and 'thick darkness' to evil together with it. But the word that is used in this verse to express thick darkness denotes pitch-black darkness (tenebrae densissimae), which in the internal sense means the kinds of falsities that well up from evil. Such falsities arise with those who have belonged to the Church and led an evil life contrary to the commandments of religious belief which they knew. The evil from which those falsities well up is the opposite of the Church, the opposite of heaven, the opposite of the Lord, and so the direct opposite of goodness and truth. This state is now described by 'thick darkness'.

[2] The fact that 'darkness' and 'thick darkness' are mentioned together in the Word, and that 'darkness' means the deprivation of truth, while 'thick darkness' means the deprivation of both truth and good, may be recognized in the following places: In Isaiah,

Judgement is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us. We wait for light, but, behold, darkness; and for brightness, but we walk in thick darkness. We grope for the wall like the blind, and as if without eyes we grope; we stumble at midday as if it were twilight; among the living we are like the dead. Isaiah 59:9-10.

'Judgement is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us' stands for the fact that there is no truth, and no good either, 'judgement' being used to refer to truth and 'righteousness' to refer to good, see 2235, 3997. 'Waiting for light' stands for awaiting truth, and 'waiting for brightness' stands for awaiting the good of truth since the brightness of light is derived from good. The fact that the expression 'darkness' is used in those verses as the opposite of 'light' and 'judgement', and so of truth, and 'thick darkness' as the opposite of 'brightness' and 'righteousness', and so of good, is self-evident. So it is that 'darkness' is the deprivation of truth, and 'thick darkness' the deprivation of both truth and good. In Amos,

Is not the day of Jehovah darkness and not light, and thick darkness, [and] no brightness in it? Amos 5:20.

Here the meaning is similar. In Joel,

The day of Jehovah is coming, a day of darkness and thick darkness, a day of cloud and gloom. Joel 2:2.

[3] In Zephaniah,

The day of Jehovah a day of vastation and devastation, a day of darkness and thick darkness. Zephaniah 1:15.

'Darkness' stands for the deprivation of truth, and 'thick darkness' for the deprivation of both truth and good. If 'thick darkness' were no different in meaning from 'darkness' it would be a pointless repetition, which is far from being a feature of the holy Word. In the Word it is common for a pair of expressions to describe one particular thing, the first having reference to truth or falsity, the second to good or evil. A like example occurs in Isaiah,

He will look to the earth, and behold, anguish and darkness; [he will be one] benighted by anguish, and by a thick darkness of colliding. 1 Isaiah 8:11.

[4] 'Darkness' also means ignorance of the truth, such as exists among gentiles, and 'thick darkness' ignorance about what is good, in Isaiah,

On that day the deaf will hear the words of a book, and out of thick darkness and out of darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Isaiah 29:18.

In the same prophet,

If you satisfy the afflicted soul, your light will rise in the darkness, and your thick darkness will be as midday. Isaiah 58:10.

'Darkness' is falsities, see 7688.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. The Latin caligine impulsus may mean collided with in darkness, or - as Swedenborg's reference to this text in 7711 can only mean - a thick darkness of colliding.

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