5
他筑垒攻击我，用苦楚（原文是苦胆）和艰难围困我。
撒母耳记下 16
1
大卫刚过山顶，见米非波设的仆人洗巴拉着备好了的两匹驴，驴上驮着二百面饼，一百葡萄饼，一百个夏天的果饼，一皮袋酒来迎接他。
2
王问洗巴说：你带这些来是甚麽意思呢？洗巴说：驴是给王的家眷骑的；面饼和夏天的果饼是给少年人吃的；酒是给在旷野疲乏人喝的。
3
王问说：你主人的儿子在哪里呢？洗巴回答王说：他仍在耶路撒冷，因他说：以色列人今日必将我父的国归还我。
4
王对洗巴说：凡属米非波设的都归你了。洗巴说：我叩拜我主我王，愿我在你眼前蒙恩。
5
大卫王到了巴户琳，见有一个人出来，是扫罗族基拉的儿子，名叫示每。他一面走一面咒骂，
8
你流扫罗全家的血，接续他作王；耶和华把这罪归在你身上，将这国交给你儿子押沙龙。现在你自取其祸，因为你是流人血的人。
9
洗鲁雅的儿子亚比筛对王说：这死狗岂可咒骂我主我王呢？求你容我过去，割下他的头来。
10
王说：洗鲁雅的儿子，我与你们有何关涉呢？他咒骂是因耶和华吩咐他说：你要咒骂大卫。如此，谁敢说你为甚麽这样行呢？
11
大卫又对亚比筛和众臣仆说：我亲生的儿子尚且寻索我的性命，何况这便雅悯人呢？由他咒骂罢！因为这是耶和华吩咐他的。
13
於是大卫和跟随他的人往前行走。示每在大卫对面山坡，一面行走一面咒骂，又拿石头砍他，拿土扬他。
14
王和跟随他的众人疲疲乏乏地到了一个地方，就在那里歇息歇息。
16
大卫的朋友亚基人户筛去见押沙龙，对他说：愿王万岁！愿王万岁！
17
押沙龙问户筛说：这是你恩待朋友麽？为甚麽不与你的朋友同去呢？
18
户筛对押沙龙说：不然，耶和华和这民，并以色列众人所拣选的，我必归顺他，与他同住。
19
再者，我当服事谁呢？岂不是前王的儿子麽？我怎样服事你父亲，也必照样服事你。
21
亚希多弗对押沙龙说：你父所留下看守宫殿的妃嫔，你可以与他们亲近。以色列众人听见你父亲憎恶你，凡归顺你人的手就更坚强。
Apocalypse Revealed #298
298. And I looked, and behold, a white horse. (6:2) This symbolizes an understanding of truth and goodness from the Word among those people.
A horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word, and a white horse an understanding of truth from the Word. For the color white is predicated of truths (no. 167).
That a horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word is something we showed in a separate short work titled The White Horse. But because we cited only some passages there, we will present more here by way of confirmation. The reality of it is clearly apparent from the fact that horses were seen to go forth from the book which the Lamb opened, and that the living creatures said, "Come and see." For the living creatures symbolize the Word (nos. 239, 275, 286). So, too, does the book (no. 256). And the Son of Man, who here is the Lamb, is the Lord in relation to the Word (no. 44).
It is apparent from this, first, that nothing else is meant here by the horse than an understanding of the Word. This can be still more clearly seen from this later description in the book of Revelation:
I saw heaven opened, when behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called... The Word of God... And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS... And His armies in heaven... followed Him on white horses. (Revelation 19:11, 13-14, 16)
[2] That a horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word can be further seen from the following passages:
O Jehovah..., is Your wrath against the sea, that You ride on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation? ...You trampled the sea with your horses, the mud of many waters. (Habakkuk 3:8, 15)
The hooves of Jehovah's horses are regarded as rocks... (Isaiah 5:28)
On that day... I will strike every horse with stupor, and its rider with madness...; and I will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. (Zechariah 12:4)
On that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, "Holiness to Jehovah." (Zechariah 14:20)
Because God has made her forget wisdom, and did not impart to her understanding. When she lifts herself on high, she scorns the horse and its rider. (Job 39:17-18, and following verses)
I will cut off... the horse from Jerusalem... Rather He shall speak peace to the nations. (Zechariah 9:10)
At Your rebuke, (O Jehovah,) both the chariot and horse fell asleep. (Psalms 76:6)
I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms... and I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down... (Haggai 2:22)
With you I will disperse... kingdoms; with you I will disperse the horse and its rider. (Jeremiah 51:20-21)
Assemble yourselves... from round about to My sacrifice... You will be satisfied at My table with horses and riders... (Thus) I will set My glory among the nations. (Ezekiel 39:17, 20-21)
...gather together for the great supper of God, (and) you (will) eat... the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them... (Revelation 19:17-18)
Dan shall be... a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels, so that its rider falls backward. I have waited for your salvation, O Jehovah! (Genesis 49:17-18)
Gird Your sword..., O Mighty One... Mount up..., ride upon the Word of truth... (Psalms 45:3-4)
Sing to God...; extol Him who rides on the clouds... (Psalms 68:4)
Behold, Jehovah is riding on a... cloud... (Isaiah 19:1)
Sing praises to the Lord..., to Him who rides on the heaven of the heaven of old...! (Psalms 68:32-33)
(God) rode upon a cherub... (Psalms 18:10)
Then you shall delight yourself in Jehovah; and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the earth... (Isaiah 58:14)
Jehovah alone led him... (And) He made him ride in the heights of the earth... (Deuteronomy 32:12-13)
I will make Ephraim ride. (Hosea 10:11)
Ephraim also symbolizes an understanding of the Word.
[3] Since Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word, therefore they were called the chariot of Israel and his horsemen. Elisha said to Elijah,
"My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" (2 Kings 2:12)
And Joash said to Elisha,
"O my father..., the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" (2 Kings 13:14)
Jehovah opened the eyes of (Elisha's) servant, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:17)
A chariot symbolizes doctrine from the Word, and a horseman one who is wise as a result of it.
The following have similar symbolic meanings: The four chariots coming from between the bronze mountains in Zechariah, and the four horses harnessed to them, which were red, black, white, and dappled, called also four spirits, and said to go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth (Zechariah 6:1-8, 15). Horses in these places symbolize an understanding of the Word, or an understanding of truth from the Word. So, too, in other places.
[4] This can be further seen from horses mentioned in an opposite sense, in which they symbolize an understanding of the Word or of truth falsified by reasonings, and also extinguished, and likewise a person's own intelligence, as in the following passages:
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses..., and do not look to the Holy One of Israel... Egypt is man and not God, and its horses are flesh and not spirit. (Isaiah 31:1, 3)
You shall... set a king over (Israel) whom Jehovah... chooses... Only let him not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses. (Deuteronomy 17:15-16)
These statements are made because Egypt symbolizes knowledge and reasoning springing from a person's own intelligence, the result of which is a falsification of the Word's truth, which is the meaning of horses here.
Assyria shall not save us. We will not ride on a horse... (Hosea 14:3)
Some glory in chariots, and some in horses; but we will glory in the name of... our God. (Psalms 20:7)
A horse is a false means for safety. (Psalms 33:17)
(Jehovah) does not delight in the strength of the horse. (Psalms 147:10)
...thus says... the Holy One of Israel: ."..In... confidence shall be your strength." But... you said, "No..., ...we will flee on a horse...." And, "We will ride on a swift horse." (Isaiah 30:15-16)
...Jehovah... will make (Judah) as a glorious horse... ...the riders on horses shall be put to shame. (Zechariah 10:3, 5)
Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies... ...and the neighing horse, and the jolting chariot... The horseman causing to ascend... (Nahum 3:1-4)
...I will bring against Tyre... the king of Babylon..., with horses, with chariots, and with horsemen... Because of the abundance of his horses, their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen... and the chariots... With the hooves of his horses he will trample all your streets. (Ezekiel 26:7-11)
Tyre symbolizes the church in respect to its concepts of truth, in this case these concepts falsified in it, which are the horses of Babylon. And so on in other places, as in Isaiah 5:28; Ezekiel 17:15; 23:6, 20; Habakkuk 1:6, 8-10; Psalms 66:12.
An understanding of the Word extinguished is symbolized also by the horses, fiery red, black and pale, in the verses that now follow.
To be shown that a horse symbolizes an understanding of truth from the Word owing to appearances in the spiritual world, see my small book titled The White Horse.
