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Ezequiel 32

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1 Y ACONTECIO en el año duodécimo, en el mes duodécimo, al primero del mes, que fué á mí palabra de Jehová, diciendo:

2 Hijo del hombre, levanta endechas sobre Faraón rey de Egipto, y dile: A leoncillo de gentes eres semejante, y eres como la ballena en los mares: que secabas tus ríos, y enturbiabas las aguas con tus pies, y hollabas sus riberas.

3 Así ha dicho el Señor Jehová: Yo extenderé sobre ti mi red con reunión de muchos pueblos, y te harán subir con mi esparavel.

4 Y te dejaré en tierra, te echaré sobre la haz del campo, y haré que se asienten sobre ti todas las aves del cielo, y hartaré de ti las bestias de toda la tierra.

5 Y pondré tus carnes sobre los montes, y henchiré los valles de tu altura.

6 Y regaré de tu sangre la tierra donde nadas, hasta los montes; y los arroyos se henchirán de ti.

7 Y cuando te habré muerto, cubriré los cielos, y haré entenebrecer sus estrellas: el sol cubriré con nublado, y la luna no hará resplandecer su luz.

8 Todas las lumbreras de luz haré entenebrecer en el cielo por ti, y pondré tinieblas sobre tu tierra, dice el Señor Jehová.

9 Y entristeceré el corazón de muchos pueblos, cuando llevaré tu quebrantamiento sobre las gentes, por las tierras que no conociste.

10 Y haré atónitos sobre ti muchos pueblos, y sus reyes tendrán á causa de ti horror grande, cuando haré resplandecer mi espada delante de sus rostros, y todos se sobresaltarán en sus ánimos á cada momento en el día de tu caída.

11 Porque así ha dicho el Señor Jehová: La espada del rey de Babilonia vendrá sobre ti.

12 Con espadas de fuertes haré caer tu pueblo; todos ellos serán los fuertes de las gentes: y destruirán la soberbia de Egipto, y toda su multitud será deshecha.

13 Todas sus bestias destruiré de sobre las muchas aguas: ni más las enturbiará pie de hombre, ni uña de bestias las enturbiarán.

14 Entonces haré asentarse sus aguas, y haré ir sus ríos como aceite, dice el Señor Jehová.

15 Cuando asolaré la tierra de Egipto, y la tierra fuere asolada de su plenitud, cuando heriré á todos los que en ella moran, sabrán que yo soy Jehová.

16 Esta es la endecha, y cantarla han: las hijas de las gentes la cantarán: endecharán sobre Egipto, y sobre toda su multitud, dice el Señor Jehová.

17 Y aconteció en el año duodécimo, á los quince del mes, que fué á mí palabra de Jehová, diciendo:

18 Hijo del hombre, endecha sobre la multitud de Egipto, y despéñalo á él, y á las villas de las gentes fuertes, en la tierra de los profundos, con los que descienden á la sepultura.

19 Porque eres tan hermoso, desciende, y yace con los incircuncisos.

20 Entre los muertos á cuchillo caerán: al cuchillo es entregado: traedlo á él y á todos sus pueblos.

21 De en medio del infierno hablarán á él los fuertes de los fuertes, con los que le ayudaron, que descendieron, y yacen con los incircuncisos muertos á cuchillo.

22 Allí Assur con toda su gente: en derredor de él están sus sepulcros: todos ellos cayeron muertos á cuchillo.

23 Sus sepulcros fueron puestos á los lados de la fosa, y su gente está por los alrededores de su sepulcro: todos ellos cayeron muertos á cuchillo, los cuales pusieron miedo en la tierra de los vivientes.

24 Allí Elam, y toda su multitud por los alrededores de su sepulcro: todos ellos cayeron muertos á cuchillo, los cuales descendieron incircuncisos á los más profundos lugares de la tierra, porque pusieron su terror en la tierra de los vivientes, mas llevaron

25 En medio de los muertos le pusieron cama con toda su multitud: á sus alrededores están sus sepulcros: todos ellos incircuncisos muertos á cuchillo, porque fué puesto su espanto en la tierra de los vivientes, mas llevaron su confusión con los que desciende

26 Allí Mesech, y Tubal, y toda su multitud: sus sepulcros en sus alrededores: todos ellos incircuncisos muertos á cuchillo, porque habían dado su terror en la tierra de los vivientes.

27 Y no yacerán con los fuertes que cayeron de los incircuncisos, los cuales descendieron al sepulcro con sus armas de guerra, y pusieron sus espadas debajo de sus cabezas: mas sus pecados estarán sobre sus huesos, porque fueron terror de fuertes en la tierr

28 Tú pues serás quebrantado entre los incircuncisos, y yacerás con los muertos á cuchillo.

29 Allí Idumea, sus reyes y todos sus príncipes, los cuales con su fortaleza fueron puestos con los muertos á cuchillo: ellos yacerán con los incircuncisos, y con los que descienden al sepulcro.

30 Allí los príncipes del aquilón, todos ellos, y todos los de Sidón, que con su terror descendieron con los muertos, avergonzados de su fortaleza, yacen también incircuncisos con los muertos á cuchillo, y llevaron su confusión con los que descienden al sepu

31 A estos verá Faraón, y consolaráse sobre toda su multitud; Faraón muerto á cuchillo, y todo su ejército, dice el Señor Jehová.

32 Porque yo puse mi terror en la tierra de los vivientes, también yacerá entre los incircuncisos con los muertos á cuchillo, Faraón y toda su multitud, dice el Señor Jehová.

   

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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.