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เอเสเคียล 26

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1 อยู่มาในวันต้นเดือนปีที่สิบเอ็ด พระวจนะของพระเยโฮวาห์มายังข้าพเจ้าว่า

2 "บุตรแห่งมนุษย์เอ๋ย เพราะว่าเมืองไทระได้พูดเกี่ยวพันกับเยรูซาเล็มว่า `อ้าฮา ประตูเมืองของชนชาติทั้งหลายหักเสียแล้ว มันเปิดกว้างไว้รับข้า มันร้างเปล่าแล้ว ข้าจะบริบูรณ์ขึ้น'

3 เพราะฉะนั้นองค์พระผู้เป็นเจ้าพระเจ้าตรัสว่า ดูเถิด เมืองไทระเอ๋ย เราเป็นปฏิปักษ์กับเจ้า และจะนำประชาชาติเป็นอันมากมาต่อสู้เจ้า ดังทะเลกระทำให้คลื่นของมันขึ้นมา

4 เขาทั้งหลายจะทำลายกำแพงเมืองไทระ และพังทลายหอคอยของเมืองนั้นเสีย และเราจะขูดดินเสียจากเมืองนั้น กระทำให้อยู่บนยอดของศิลา

5 เมืองนั้นจะเป็นที่สำหรับตากอวนอยู่กลางทะเล เพราะเราได้ลั่นวาจาแล้ว องค์พระผู้เป็นเจ้าพระเจ้าได้ตรัส และเมืองนั้นจะเป็นของปล้นแห่งบรรดาประชาชาติ

6 และพวกธิดาของเมืองนี้ซึ่งอยู่บนแผ่นดินใหญ่จะต้องถูกฆ่าเสียด้วยดาบ แล้วเขาทั้งหลายจะทราบว่าเราคือพระเยโฮวาห์

7 เพราะองค์พระผู้เป็นเจ้าพระเจ้าตรัสดังนี้ว่า ดูเถิด เราจะนำเนบูคัดเนสซาร์กษัตริย์บาบิโลน ผู้เป็นจอมกษัตริย์มายังเมืองไทระจากทิศเหนือ พร้อมทั้งม้าและรถรบกับพลม้าและกองทหารกับคนมากมาย

8 ท่านจะฆ่าธิดาของเจ้าบนแผ่นดินใหญ่เสียด้วยดาบ ท่านจะก่อกำแพงล้อมเจ้าไว้และก่อเชิงเทินทำด้วยดั้งต่อสู้กับเจ้า

9 ท่านจะตั้งเครื่องทะลวงต่อสู้กับกำแพงของเจ้า และท่านจะเอาขวานของท่านฟันหอคอยของเจ้าลง

10 ม้าของท่านมามายจนฝุ่นม้าตลบคลุมเจ้าไว้ กำแพงเมืองของเจ้าจะสั่นสะเทือนด้วยเสียงพลม้าและเกวียนและรถรบ เมื่อท่านจะยกเข้าประตูเมืองของเจ้า อย่างกับคนเดินเข้าเมือง เมื่อเมืองนั้นแตกแล้ว

11 ท่านจะย่ำที่ถนนทั้งปวงของเจ้าด้วยกีบม้า ท่านจะฆ่าชนชาติของเจ้าเสียด้วยดาบ และเสาอันแข็งแรงของเจ้าจะล้มลงถึงดิน

12 ทรัพย์สมบัติของเจ้าท่านจะเอาเป็นของริบ และสินค้าของเจ้าท่านจะเอามาเป็นของปล้น เขาทั้งหลายจะพังกำแพงของเจ้าลง และจะทำลายบ้านอันพึงใจของเจ้าเสีย หิน ไม้ และดินของเจ้านั้นเขาจะโยนทิ้งเสียกลางน้ำ

13 เสียงเพลงของเจ้านั้นเราก็จะให้หยุด และเสียงพิณเขาคู่ของเจ้าจะไม่ได้ยินอีก

14 เราจะกระทำให้อยู่บนยอดของศิลา เจ้าจะเป็นสถานที่สำหรับตากอวน จะไม่มีใครสร้างเจ้าขึ้นใหม่เลย เพราะเราคือพระเยโฮวาห์ได้ลั่นวาจาแล้ว องค์พระผู้เป็นเจ้าพระเจ้าตรัสดังนี้แหละ

15 องค์พระผู้เป็นเจ้าพระเจ้าตรัสดังนี้แก่เมืองไทระว่า เกาะต่างๆจะมิได้สั่นสะเทือนด้วยเสียงที่เจ้าล้ม เมื่อผู้บาดเจ็บร้องครวญคราง เมื่อการเข่นฆ่าได้เกิดอยู่ท่ามกลางเจ้าหรือ

16 แล้วเจ้านายทั้งสิ้นที่ทะเลจะก้าวลงมาจากบัลลังก์และเปลื้องเครื่องทรงออก และปลดเครื่องแต่งตัวที่ปักออกเสีย และจะเอาความสั่นกลัวมาเป็นเครื่องทรง จะประทับอยู่บนพื้นดินและสั่นอยู่ทุกขณะและหวาดกลัวเพราะเจ้า

17 ท่านเหล่านี้จะเปล่งเสียงบทคร่ำครวญเรื่องเจ้า และกล่าวแก่เจ้าว่า `โอ ผู้มีพลเมืองเป็นชาวกลาสีเอ๋ย เจ้าถูกทำลายแล้ว เจ้าเป็นเมืองที่มีชื่อเสียง เจ้าเป็นเมืองแข็งกล้าอยู่ที่ทะเล ทั้งเจ้าและชาวเมืองของเจ้า ว่าถึงคนที่นั่นแล้วเจ้าให้เขากลัว

18 บัดนี้ เกาะทั้งหลายก็จะสั่นสะเทือนในวันที่เจ้าล้มลง เออ บรรดาเกาะที่อยู่ในทะเลก็จะกลัวเพราะเจ้าสิ้นไปเสีย'

19 เพราะองค์พระผู้เป็นเจ้าพระเจ้าตรัสดังนี้ว่า เมื่อเราจะกระทำให้เจ้าเป็นเมืองรกร้างเหมือนอย่างเมืองที่ไม่มีคนอาศัย เมื่อเราจะนำทะเลลึกมาท่วมเจ้า และน้ำมากหลายจะคลุมเจ้าไว้

20 แล้วเราจะนำเจ้าลงไปพร้อมกับคนเหล่านั้นที่ลงไปยังปากแดนคนตายไปอยู่กับคนสมัยเก่า และจะปล่อยให้เจ้าอยู่ที่โลกบาดาล ในสถานที่ที่โดดเดี่ยวอ้างว้างมาแต่โบราณ พร้อมกับผู้ที่ลงไปยังปากแดนคนตาย เพื่อว่าจะไม่มีใครอาศัยอยู่ในเจ้า และเราจะตั้งสง่าราศีในแผ่นดินของคนเป็น

21 เราจะกระทำให้เจ้าเป็นที่น่าครั่นคร้าม จะไม่มีเจ้าอีกแล้ว ถึงใครจะมาหาเจ้า เขาจะมาหาเจ้าไม่พบอีกต่อไปเป็นนิตย์ องค์พระผู้เป็นเจ้าพระเจ้าตรัสดังนี้แหละ"

   


Many thanks to Philip Pope for the permission to use his 2003 translation of the English King James Version Bible into Thai. Here's a link to the mission's website: www.thaipope.org

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Apocalypse Explained # 395

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395. Verse 11. And white robes were given to every one of them, signifies Divine truth from the Lord with them, and protection. This is evident from the signification of "a white robe" as being Divine truth from the Lord, for "robe" signifies truth in general, because it is a general covering; and "white" is predicated of truths which are from the Lord; for whiteness pertains to light, and the light proceeding from the Lord as a sun is in its essence Divine truth. That "white robes were given to everyone of them" signifies also protection, will be told further on; but let it first be told why "a white robe" signifies Divine truth from the Lord. All spirits and angels are clothed according to their intelligence, or according to their reception of truth in the life, this constituting intelligence; for the light of their intelligence is formed into garments, and when these are thus formed they do not merely appear as garments, but they also are garments. For all things that exist in the spiritual world, and appear before the eyes of those there, exist from the light and heat that proceed from the Lord as a sun; from that origin have been created and formed not only all things in the spiritual world, but also all things in the natural world; for the natural world exists and subsists by means of the spiritual world from the Lord. From this it can be seen that the appearances that exist in heaven before the angels are altogether real; in like manner also the garments. As spirits and angels are clothed according to intelligence, and all intelligence is of truth, and angelic intelligence is of Divine truth, so they are clothed according to truths; this is why "garments" signify truths; "the garments" that are next to the body, that is, the inner garments, signify interior truths; but the garments that are outside of these and encompass them, signify exterior truths; therefore "a robe," "a mantle," and "a cloak," which are general coverings, signify truths in general, and "a white robe" Divine truth in general, which they have from the Lord. (But see what has been shown respecting The Garments with which Angels are Clothed, in the work on Heaven and Hell 177-182; and what has been said above about the signification of garments, n. 64-65, 195, 271.)

[2] "There were given to those who were under the altar white robes" signifies also protection by the Lord, because "the white robes" given to them represented the presence about them of the Lord with Divine truth; and by means of Divine truth the Lord protects His own, for He surrounds them with a sphere of light, from which they have white robes; and when encompassed by this sphere they can no longer be infested by evil spirits; for, as said above, they were infested by evil spirits, and were therefore hidden by the Lord. This also takes place with those who are elevated by the Lord into heaven. They are then clothed with white garments, which is an indication that they are in Divine truth, and thus in safety. But respecting those who were clothed in white robes more will be shown in the explanation of the following chapter (Revelation 7:9, 13-17).

[3] That "robe," "mantle," and "cloak" signify Divine truth in general can be seen also from the following passages. In Zechariah:

The prophets shall be ashamed every man of his vision which he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a mantle of hair to dissemble (Zechariah 13:4).

"Prophets" signify those who teach truths from the Word, and in an abstract sense, the truths of doctrine from the Word; and because of this signification of "prophets" they were clothed with a mantle of hair, "the mantle of hair" signifying Divine truth in ultimates, which is Divine truth in general, for the ultimate contains all things interior; "hair," too, signifies the ultimate. This is why:

Elijah, from his mantle, was called a hairy man (2 Kings 1:7-8);

And John the Baptist, who was as Elijah by reason of a like representation, had a garment of camel's hair (Matthew 3:4).

This makes clear the signification of "the prophets shall not wear a mantle of hair to dissemble," namely, that they shall not declare truths to be falsities, and falsities to be truths; this is what is signified by "dissembling."

[4] Because Elijah represented the Lord in relation to the Word, which is the doctrine of truth itself, and Elisha continued the representation, and because "mantle" signified Divine truth in general, which is the Word in ultimates, so the mantle divided the waters of Jordan, according to the following in the books of the Kings:

When Elijah found Elisha he cast his mantle upon him (1 Kings 19:19).

Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters of Jordan, and they were divided hither and thither, and they two passed over on the dry ground (2 Kings 2:8).

Elisha seeing when Elijah was carried up by a whirlwind into heaven, took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; and he took that mantle and smote the waters; and they were divided hither and thither, and he passed over (2 Kings 2:12-14).

"Elijah's casting his mantle upon Elisha" signified the transference to Elisha of the representation of the Lord in relation to the Word; and that "the mantle fell from Elijah when he was taken away, and was taken up by Elisha," signified that this representation was then transferred to Elisha, for Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word, and they were clothed according to what they represented, "the mantle" signifying the Word in which is Divine truth in general, or Divine truth in the whole complex. "The dividing of the waters of Jordan by Elijah's mantle," first by Elijah and afterwards by Elisha, signified the power of Divine truth in ultimates; "the waters of Jordan" signifying, moreover, the first truths through which there is introduction into the church, and these first truths are such as are in the ultimates of the Word. From this, too, it can be seen that "a mantle" and "a robe" signify Divine truth in general. (That "Elijah" represented the Lord in relation to the Word, so, too, "Elisha," see Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5247. That the ultimate contains the interior things, and thus signifies all things in general, n. 634, 6239, 6465, 9215, 9216, 9828; that thus strength and power are in ultimates, n. 9836; that "Jordan" signifies the entrance into the church, and thus "the waters of Jordan" signify the first truths through which there is entrance, n. 1585, 4255; and that "waters" mean truths, see above, n. 71.) First truths are also ultimate truths, such as are in the sense of the letter of the Word, for through these entrance is effected, for these are first learned, and in them are all interior things which constitute the internal sense of the Word.

[5] One who does not know what "robe" or "mantle" signifies, does not know what "cloak" signifies, for a cloak, as well as a mantle, was a general garment, encompassing the tunic or inner garment, therefore it has a like signification. Neither does he know what was signified by Saul's rending the skirt of Samuel's cloak; by David's cutting off the skirt of Saul's cloak; by Jonathan's giving David his cloak and garments; and by kings' daughters being arrayed in cloaks of various colors; neither does he know the meaning of many other passages in which cloaks are mentioned in the Word. Of Saul's rending the skirt of Samuel's cloak, we read:

Samuel turned to go away, but he laid hold upon the skirt of his cloak and it was rent. And Samuel said, Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to thy companion, who is better than thou (1 Samuel 15:27-28).

The words of Samuel make clear that "the rending of the skirt of the cloak" signified the rending of the kingdom from Saul, for he said after it was done, "Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day," "a king" and "his kingdom" signifying the Divine truth of the church, and "the skirt of a cloak" signifying Divine truth in ultimates, that is, all Divine truth in general; for the kings that were over the sons of Israel represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and their kingdom signified the church in relation to Divine truth; therefore this historical fact signifies that king Saul was such that he could no longer represent the Lord, and that the representation of the church would perish if the kingdom were not rent from him. (That "kings" represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and thus "a kingdom" signified the church in relation to Divine truth, see above, n. 29, 31.)

[6] The same is signified by David's cutting off the skirt of Saul's cloak, of which we read:

David entered into the cave where Saul was, and cut off the skirt of his cloak, and when he afterwards showed it to Saul, Saul said, Now I know that thou shalt reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand (1 Samuel 24:3-5, 11, 20).

This was done by David of Divine Providence, that the like might be represented as above, "the skirt of the cloak," and "King Saul and his kingdom," having the like meaning as above.

[7] That Jonathan the son of Saul stripped himself of his cloak and his garments, and gave them to David, of which we read as follows, has a like signification:

Jonathan stripped off the cloak that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, and even his sword and his bow and even to his girdle (1 Samuel 18:4).

This signified that Jonathan, the heir of the kingdom, transferred all his right to David; for all the things that Jonathan gave to David were representative of the kingdom, that is, of the Divine truth of the church, which Saul represented; for as was said above, all the kings who were over the sons of Israel represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and their kingdom represented the church in relation to Divine truth.

[8] Because "cloaks" and "robes" signify Divine truth in general:

The king's daughters that were virgins were clad in robes of diverse colors (2 Samuel 13:18).

"The king's daughters that were virgins" signified the affections of truth, and thus the church, as can be seen from a thousand passages in the Word in which "the king's daughter," "the daughter of Zion," "the daughter of Jerusalem," also "the virgin of Zion," and "the virgin of Jerusalem" are mentioned; therefore "the king's daughters" represented also the truths of that affection by their garments, and in general by their robes, which, were therefore, variegated with diverse colors. So also truths from good, or truths from affection, are represented by the garments of the virgins in heaven; which truths are more fully described by:

The garments of the king's daughter (Psalms 45:9-10, 13-14).

[9] As mourning in the Ancient Churches signified spiritual mourning, which is from the deprivation of truth, they represented this in their mourning, then by rending their mantles or cloaks, as is evident in Job:

When Job had lost all things, then he arose, rent his mantle, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return (Job 1:20-21).

Job's three friends, when they saw him, wept and rent their cloaks (Job 2:12).

(That "rending the garments" was a representative of mourning because of truth injured or destroyed, see Arcana Coelestia 4763.) And again in Ezekiel:

All the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and shall put away their cloaks and strip off their broidered garments; they shall be clothed with terrors; they shall sit upon the earth (Ezekiel 26:16).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, here the church where these are destroyed. That there are no longer any truths through which there can be a church, is signified by "all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones;" "the princes of the sea" meaning true primary knowledges [scientifica]; "to come down from thrones" signifying that these have been destroyed, and consequently that there is no intelligence. The like is signified by "they shall cast away their cloaks and strip off their broidered garments," "cloaks" meaning truths in general, and "broidered garments" the knowledges of truth; the consequent damnation is signified by "they shall be clothed with terrors; they shall sit upon the earth."

[10] In Micah:

My people have set up an enemy for themselves for the sake of a garment; ye strip off the mantle from them that pass by securely, returning from war (Micah 2:8).

These words do not mean that "the sons of Israel have set up an enemy for the sake of a garment, and have stripped off the mantle from those that pass by securely;" but they mean that they held as enemies those who spoke truths, and deprived of all truth those who had lived well and had shaken off falsities, "garment" meaning truth, "mantle" all truth because it means truth in general; "to pass by securely" means to live well; "men returning from war" mean those who have shaken off falsities, "war" meaning the combat of truth against falsity. Who cannot see that this is the spiritual meaning of the Word; and not that the people of Israel held some one as an enemy for the sake of a garment, or stripped off the mantle from those who passed by?

[11] In Matthew:

The scribes and Pharisees do all their works that they may be seen of men, and make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their robes (Matthew 23:5).

This the scribes and Pharisees did, but it also represented and signified that they talked about, and applied to life and to their traditions many things from the ultimates of the Word, in order that they might appear holy and learned. "Their phylacteries which they make broad," signify goods in outward form, for "phylacteries" were worn upon the hands, and "hands" signify deeds, because these are done by the hands; "the borders of their robes which they enlarge," signify external truths; external truths are those that are in the ultimate sense of the letter; "robes" mean truths in general, and "borders" their ultimates. (That "borders of robes" signify such truths, see Arcana Coelestia 9917.)

[12] In Isaiah:

I will rejoice in Jehovah, my soul shall exult in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).

"To rejoice in Jehovah" signifies to rejoice in Divine good; "to exult in God" signifies to exult in Divine truth; for the Lord is called "Jehovah" from Divine good, and "God" from Divine truth, and from these is all spiritual joy. "To clothe with the garments of salvation" signifies to instruct and to gift with truths; and "to cover with the robe of righteousness" signifies to fill with every truth from good, "robe" meaning all truth, because it means truth in general, and "righteousness" is predicated of good.

[13] In the same:

He put on the garments of vengeance, and covered Himself with zeal as with a robe (Isaiah 59:17).

This is said of the Lord and of His combat with the hells; for when He was in the world He reduced all things in the hells and in the heavens to order, and this by Divine truth from Divine love. "Garments of vengeance" signify the truths by which, and "zeal as a robe" the Divine love from which this was done; "robe" is mentioned to signify that it was done through Divine truths from Divine love. (But what "the robe of the ephod" signifies, in which Aaron was arrayed, and upon the borders of which were pomegranates and bells, of which in Exodus 28:31-35 and Leviticus 8:7, see Arcana Coelestia 9910-9928).

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