Arcana Coelestia # 9248
9248. 'You shall not take up a report of vanity' means not listening to false ideas. This is clear from the meaning of 'taking up a report' as hearing and doing, thus listening, for to express the idea of a report the original language uses a word that means hearing; and from the meaning of 'vanity' as falsity, in particular falsity in doctrine and religious practice, as becomes clear from the following places: In Ezekiel,
No more will there be any vision of vanity or flattering divination in the midst of the house of Israel. Ezekiel 12:24.
'A vision of vanity' stands for a false revelation. In the same prophet,
They have seen vanity and lying divination. 1 Because you speak vanity and see a lie, therefore behold, I am against you, that My hand may be against the prophets who see vanity and divine a lie. Ezekiel 13:6-9.
'The prophets', of whom it says here that they see vanity and divine a lie, means teachers, and in the abstract sense doctrinal teachings, 2534, 7269. Furthermore prophets are spoken of as seeing things, which also is why they were called 'seers' in ancient times, 1 Samuel 9:9; and they are spoken of as divining them too.
[2] When 'seeing' or 'vision' is attributed to the prophets, revelation in regard to doctrine is meant in the internal sense; and when 'divining' or 'divination' is attributed to them, revelation in regard to life is meant. And since 'vanity' means falsity in doctrine and 'a lie' falsity in life, the words 'they have seen vanity and lying divination' are used. In the same prophet,
What they see for you is vanity, and what they divine for you is a lie. Ezekiel 21:29.
In Zechariah,
The teraphim speak iniquity, and the diviners see a lie, and they speak dreams of vanity. 2 Zechariah 10:2.
In Jeremiah,
The prophets have seen vanity. Lamentations 2:14.
The fact that 'vanity' means falsity in doctrine and religious practice is also evident in Hosea,
They have become vanity; in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Hosea 12:11.
In Jeremiah,
My people have forgotten Me; they have burned incense to vanity. Jeremiah 18:15.
The like may be seen elsewhere, such as Isaiah 5:18; 30:28; 59:4; Psalms 12:2; 119:37-38; 144:7-8.
Poznámky pod čarou:
2 Kings 1:9-16
9
Then [the king] sent a captain of fifty with his fifty to him. He went up to him; and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. He said to him, "Man of God, the king has said, 'Come down!'"
10
Elijah answered to the captain of fifty, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty!" fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.
11
Again he sent to him another captain of fifty and his fifty. He answered him, "Man of God, the king has said, 'Come down quickly!'"
12
Elijah answered them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty!" The fire of God came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.
13
Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, "Man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight.
14
Behold, fire came down from the sky, and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties. But now let my life be precious in your sight."
15
The angel of Yahweh said to Elijah, "Go down with him. Don't be afraid of him." He arose, and went down with him to the king.
16
He said to him, "Thus says Yahweh, 'Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no god in Israel to inquire of his word? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.'"
