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Ezekiel 16

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1 Muling ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating sa akin, na nagsasabi.

2 Anak ng tao, ipakilala mo sa Jerusalem ang kaniyang mga kasuklamsuklam.

3 At sabihin mo, Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios sa Jerusalem: Ang iyong pinagmulan at ang iyong kapanganakan ay ang lupain ng Cananeo; ang Amorrheo ay iyong Ama, at ang iyong ina ay Hethea.

4 At tungkol sa iyong kapanganakan, nang araw na ikaw ay ipanganak ay hindi naputol ang iyong pusod, o napaliguan ka man sa tubig upang linisin ka; ikaw ay hindi pinahiran ng asin, o nabalot man.

5 Walang matang nahabag sa iyo; upang gawin ang anoman sa mga ito sa iyo, na maawa sa iyo; kundi ikaw ay nahagis sa luwal na parang, sapagka't ang iyong pagkatao ay itinakuwil, nang araw na ikaw ay ipanganak.

6 At nang ako'y dumaan sa tabi mo, at makita kita na nagugumon sa iyong dugo, sinabi ko sa iyo, Bagaman ikaw ay nagugumon sa iyong dugo, mabuhay ka: oo, sinabi ko sa iyo, Bagaman ikaw ay nagugumon sa iyong dugo, mabuhay ka.

7 Pinarami kita na parang damo sa parang, at ikaw ay kumapal at dumakilang mainam, at ikaw ay nagtamo ng mainam na kagayakan: ang iyong dibdib ay naganyo, at ang iyong buhok ay lumago; gayon ma'y ikaw ay hubo at hubad.

8 Nang ako nga'y magdaan sa tabi mo, at tumingin sa iyo, narito, ang iyong panahon ay panahon ng pagibig; at aking iniladlad ang aking balabal sa iyo, at tinakpan ko ang iyong kahubaran: oo, ako'y sumumpa sa iyo, at nakipagtipan sa iyo, sabi ng Panginoong Dios, at ikaw ay naging akin.

9 Nang magkagayo'y pinaliguan kita ng tubig; oo, aking nilinis na mainam ang iyong dugo, at pinahiran kita ng langis.

10 Binihisan din naman kita ng yaring may burda, at sinapatusan kita ng balat ng foka, at binigkisan kita sa palibot ng mainam na kayong lino, at binalot kita ng sutla.

11 Ginayakan din naman kita ng hiyas, at nilagyan ko ng mga pulsera ang iyong mga kamay, at ng isang kuwintas ang iyong leeg.

12 At nilagyan ko ng hikaw ang iyong ilong, at ng mga hikaw ang iyong mga tainga, at isang magandang putong ang iyong ulo.

13 Ganito ka nagayakan ng ginto at pilak; at ang iyong damit ay mainam na kayong lino, at sutla at yaring may burda; ikaw ay kumain ng mainam na harina, at ng pulot, at ng langis; at ikaw ay lubhang maganda, at ikaw ay guminhawa sa kalagayang pagkahari.

14 At ang iyong kabantugan ay nangalat sa gitna ng mga bansa dahil sa iyong kagandahan; sapagka't naging sakdal dahil sa aking kamahalan na aking inilagay sa iyo, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

15 Nguni't ikaw ay tumiwala sa iyong kagandahan, at nagpatutot dahil sa iyong kabantugan, at ikinalat mo ang iyong mga pakikiapid sa bawa't nagdaraan; yao'y kaniya nga.

16 At kinuha mo ang iyong mga suot, at ginawa mo para sa iyo ang mga mataas na dako na kagayakan na may sarisaring kulay, at nagpatutot sa kanila: ang gayong mga bagay ay hindi na darating, o mangyayari pa man.

17 Kinuha mo naman ang iyong mga magandang hiyas na ginto at pilak, na aking ibinigay sa iyo, at ginawa mo sa iyo ng mga larawan ng mga tao, at iyong ipinagpatutot sa kanila;

18 At iyong kinuha ang iyong mga bihisang may burda, at ibinalot mo sa kanila, at inilagay mo ang aking langis at ang aking kamangyan sa harap nila.

19 Ang aking tinapay naman na aking ibinigay sa iyo, mainam na harina, at langis, pulot, na aking ipinakain sa iyo, iyong inilagay nga sa harap nila na pinakamasarap na amoy; at ganito nangyari, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

20 Bukod dito'y kinuha mo ang iyong mga anak na lalake at babae, na iyong ipinanganak sa akin, at ang mga ito ay iyong inihain sa kanila upang lamunin. Ang iyo bagang mga pakikiapid ay maliit na bagay.

21 Na iyong pinatay ang aking mga anak, at iyong ibinigay sila na pinararaan sila sa apoy?

22 At sa lahat ng iyong mga kasuklamsuklam, at ng iyong mga pakikiapid hindi mo inalaala ang mga kaarawan ng iyong kabataan, nang ikaw ay hubo at hubad, at nagugumon sa iyong dugo.

23 At nangyari, pagkatapos ng iyong buong kasamaan (sa aba, sa aba mo! sabi ng Panginoong Dios),

24 Na ikaw ay nagtayo para sa iyo ng isang matayog na dako, at gumawa ka para sa iyo ng mataas na dako sa bawa't lansangan.

25 Itinayo mo ang iyong mataas na dako sa bawa't bukana ng daan, at ginawa mong kasuklamsuklam ang iyong kagandahan, at ibinuka mo ang iyong mga paa sa bawa't nagdaraan, at pinarami mo ang iyong pakikiapid.

26 Ikaw naman ay nakiapid din sa mga taga Egipto, na iyong mga kalapit bayan, na malaki sa pangangatawan; at iyong pinarami ang iyong pakikiapid upang mungkahiin mo ako sa galit.

27 Narito nga, iniunat ko ang aking kamay sa iyo, at binawasan ko ang iyong karaniwang pagkain, at ibinigay kita sa balang maibigan ng nangagtatanim sa iyo, na mga anak na babae ng mga Filisteo, na nangapapahiya sa iyong kalibugan.

28 Ikaw naman ay nagpatutot din sa mga taga Asiria, sapagka't ikaw ay hindi nasisiyahan: oo, ikaw ay nagpatutot sa kanila, at gayon ma'y hindi ka nasisiyahan.

29 Bukod dito'y iyong pinarami ang iyong pakikiapid sa lupain ng Canaan, hanggang sa Caldea; at gayon ma'y hindi ka nasisiyahan.

30 Pagkahinahina ng iyong loob, sabi ng Panginoong Dios, palibhasa'y iyong ginagawa ang lahat na bagay na ito, na gawa ng isang hambog na patutot:

31 Sa iyong pagtatayo ng iyong matayog na dako sa bukana ng bawa't daan, at ginagawa mo ang iyong mataas na dako sa bawa't lansangan; at hindi ka naging gaya ng isang patutot sa iyong pagwawalang kabuluhan ng upa.

32 Isang babae na napakakalunya! na tumatanggap sa iba na kahalili ng kaniyang asawa!

33 Sila'y nagbibigay ng mga kaloob sa lahat ng mga patutot: nguni't ikaw ay nagbibigay ng iyong mga kaloob sa lahat na mangliligaw sa iyo, at iyong sinusuhulan sila, upang sila'y magsilapit sa iyo sa bawa't dako, dahil sa iyong mga pakikiapid.

34 At ang kaibahan ng ibang mga babae ay nasa iyo sa iyong mga pakikiapid, sa paraang walang sumusunod sa iyo upang makiapid: at sa iyong pagbibigay ng upa, at walang upa na ibinibigay sa iyo, kaya't ikaw ay kaiba.

35 Kaya't, Oh patutot, pakinggan mo ang salita ng Panginoon:

36 Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios, Sapagka't ang iyong karumihan ay nahayag, at ang iyong kahubaran ay nalitaw sa iyong mga pakikiapid sa mga mangliligaw sa iyo; at dahil sa lahat ng diosdiosan na iyong mga kasuklamsuklam, at dahil sa dugo ng iyong mga anak, na iyong ibinigay sa kanila;

37 Kaya't, narito, aking pipisanin ang lahat na mangingibig sa iyo, na iyong pinagkaroonan ng kalayawan, at lahat ng iyong inibig, sangpu ng lahat na iyong kinapuotan; akin ngang pipisanin sila laban sa iyo sa bawa't dako, at aking ililitaw ang iyong kahubaran sa kanila, upang kanilang makita ang iyong buong kahubaran.

38 At aking hahatulan ka na gaya ng hatol sa mga babaing nangangalunya at nagbububo ng dugo; at aking dadalhin sa iyo ang dugo ng kapusukan at ng paninibugho.

39 Ikaw ay ibibigay ko rin sa kanilang kamay, at kanilang ibabagsak ang iyong matayog na dako, at igigiba ang iyong mga mataas na dako, at kanilang huhubaran ka ng iyong mga suot, at kukunin ang iyong magandang mga hiyas; at kanilang iiwan ka na hubo at hubad.

40 Sila naman ay mangagaahon ng isang pulutong laban sa iyo, at babatuhin ka nila ng mga bato, at palalagpasan ka ng kanilang mga tabak.

41 At susunugin nila ng apoy ang iyong mga bahay, at maglalapat ng mga kahatulan sa iyo sa paningin ng maraming babae; at aking patitigilin ka sa pagpapapatutot, at ikaw naman ay hindi na magbibigay pa ng upa.

42 Sa gayo'y aking papawiin ang aking kapusukan sa iyo, at ang aking paninibugho ay hihiwalay sa iyo, at ako'y matatahimik, at hindi na magagalit pa.

43 Sapagka't hindi mo naalaala ang mga kaarawan ng iyong kabataan, kundi ako'y pinapagiinit mo sa lahat ng mga bagay na ito; kaya't, narito, akin namang pararatingin ang iyong lakad sa iyong ulo, sabi ng Panginoong Dios: at hindi ka na gagawa ng kahalayang ito, na higit kay sa lahat ng iyong mga kasuklamsuklam.

44 Narito, bawa't sumasambit ng mga kawikaan ay sasambitin ang kawikaang ito laban sa iyo, na sasabihin, Kung ano ang ina, gayon ang kaniyang anak na babae.

45 Ikaw ang anak na babae ng iyong ina, na nagtakuwil ng kaniyang asawa at ng kaniyang mga anak; at ikaw ang kapatid ng iyong mga kapatid, na nagtakuwil ng kanilang mga asawa at ng kanilang mga anak: ang inyong ina ay Hetea, at ang inyong ama ay Amorrheo.

46 At ang iyong panganay na kapatid na babae ay ang Samaria na tumatahan sa iyong kaliwa, siya at ang kaniyang mga anak na babae; at ang iyong bunsong kapatid na babae na tumatahan sa iyong kanan ay Sodoma at ang kaniyang mga anak.

47 Gayon ma'y hindi ka lumakad sa kanilang mga lakad, o gumawa man ng ayon sa kanilang kasuklamsuklam, kundi wari napakaliit na bagay, ikaw ay hamak na higit kay sa kanila sa lahat ng iyong mga lakad.

48 Buhay ako, sabi ng Panginoong Dios, ang Sodoma na iyong kapatid na babae ay hindi gumawa, siya o ang kaniyang mga anak na babae man, na gaya ng iyong ginawa, ng ginawa mo, at ng iyong mga anak na babae.

49 Narito, ito ang kasamaan ng iyong kapatid na babae na Sodoma; kapalaluan, kayamuan sa tinapay, at ang malabis na kapahingahan ay nasa kaniya at sa kaniyang mga anak na babae; at hindi man niya pinalakas ang kamay ng dukha at mapagkailangan.

50 At sila'y palalo at gumawa ng kasuklamsuklam sa harap ko: kaya't aking inalis sila, ayon sa aking minagaling.

51 Kahit ang Samaria ay hindi nakagawa ng kalahati ng iyong mga kasalanan, nguni't pinarami mo ang iyong mga kasuklamsuklam na higit kay sa kanila, at iyong pinabuti ang iyong mga kapatid na babae sa pamamagitan ng lahat mong mga kasuklamsuklam na iyong ginawa.

52 Ikaw rin naman, taglayin mo ang iyong sariling kahihiyan, sa iyong paglalapat ng kahatulan sa iyong mga kapatid na babae; sa iyong mga kasalanan na iyong nagawa na higit na kasuklamsuklam kay sa kanila, sila'y lalong matuwid kay sa iyo: oo, malito ka, at taglayin mo ang iyong kahihiyan, sa iyong pagpapabuti sa iyong mga kapatid na babae.

53 At aking panunumbalikin uli sila mula sa kanilang pagkabihag, sa pagkabihag ng Sodoma at ng kaniyang mga anak na babae, at sa pagkabihag ng Samaria at ng kaniyang mga anak na babae, at sa pagkabihag ng iyong mga bihag sa gitna nila.

54 Upang iyong taglayin ang iyong sariling kahihiyan, at ikaw ay mapahiya dahil sa lahat na iyong ginawa sa iyong pagaliw sa kanila.

55 At ang iyong mga kapatid na babae ang Sodoma at ang kaniyang mga anak na babae mangagbabalik sa kanilang dating kalagayan; at ang Samaria at ang kaniyang mga anak na babae ay mangagbabalik sa kanilang dating kalagayan; at ikaw at ang iyong mga anak ay mangagbabalik sa inyong dating kalagayan.

56 Sapagka't ang iyong kapatid na babae na Sodoma ay hindi nabanggit ng iyong bibig sa kaarawan ng iyong kapalaluan;

57 Bago nalitaw ang iyong kasamaan, gaya sa panahon ng kapulaan sa mga anak na babae ng Siria, at sa lahat na nangasa palibot niya, na mga anak na babae ng mga Filisteo, na siyang kumukutya sa iyo sa palibot.

58 Iyong isinagawa ang iyong kahalayan at ang iyong mga kasuklamsuklam, sabi ng Panginoon.

59 Sapagka't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios, Akin namang gagawin sa iyo na gaya ng iyong ginawa, na iyong hinamak ang sumpa sa pagsira ng tipan.

60 Gayon ma'y aalalahanin ko ang aking tipan sa iyo nang mga kaarawan ng iyong kabataan, at aking itatatag sa iyo ang isang walang hanggang tipan.

61 Kung magkagayo'y aalalahanin mo ang iyong mga lakad, at mapapahiya ka, pagka iyong tatanggapin ang iyong mga kapatid na babae, ang iyong mga matandang kapatid at ang iyong batang kapatid: at aking ibibigay sila sa iyo na mga pinakaanak na babae, nguni't hindi sa pamamagitan ng iyong tipan.

62 At aking itatatag ang aking tipan sa iyo; at iyong malalaman na ako ang Panginoon;

63 Upang iyong maalaala, at malito ka, at kailan pa man ay hindi mo na bukahin ang iyong bibig, dahil sa iyong kahihiyan, pagka aking pinatawad ka ng lahat na iyong nagawa, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

   

Iz Swedenborgovih djela

 

Arcana Coelestia #5433

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5433. 'You have come to see the nakedness of the land' means that nothing would please them more than to know for themselves that they are not truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'coming to see' as wishing to know that a thing is so, and therefore as nothing would give greater pleasure than to know it; from the meaning of 'the nakedness' as a lack of truths, thus that they are not truths, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the land' as the Church (see 566, 662, 1067, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end), 3355, 4447, 4535). So that 'the nakedness of the land' here means a lack of truths known to the Church. The reason 'the nakedness' means a deprivation or lack of truths is that 'clothes' in general means truths, while each specific type of garment means some particular kind of truth, see 2576, 3301, 4545, 4677, 4741, 4742, 4763, 5248, 5319, and therefore 'the nakedness' means a lack of truths, as will also be seen from the places below that are quoted from the Word.

[2] The implications of this may be seen from what has been stated immediately above in 5472, where it is said that people who do not learn truths for truth's own sake and for their life's sake, but for the sake of material gain, inevitably think that the truths known to the Church are not truths. The reason for this is that the affection for gain is an earthly affection, whereas the affection for truth is a spiritual one. One or the other must have dominion, for no one can serve two masters. Consequently where one affection exists the other does not, so that where the affection for truth is present the affection for gain is absent, and where the affection for gain is present the affection for truth is absent. This being so, if the affection for material gain has dominion, then inevitably nothing pleases the person more than to know that truths are not truths. Yet nothing else pleases him more than when others believe that truths are truths. If the internal man looks downwards, that is to say, towards earthly things and makes these everything, he cannot possibly look upwards and have anything there since earthly things completely swallow up and smother everything. The reason for this is that the angels from heaven who are present with a person cannot dwell among earthly things; they therefore depart, in which case spirits from hell draw near who, while they are present with a person, cannot dwell among heavenly things. As a consequence he then thinks that heavenly things are of no importance, while earthly ones are everything. And when that person thinks that earthly things are everything, he believes himself to be more learned and wiser than everybody else, in that he himself does not accept the truths known to the Church, and at the same time says that they exist for those who are simple. The affection that moves a person is therefore either an earthly affection or else a heavenly one, for he cannot have his being simultaneously with angels from heaven and with spirits from hell; for if he did he would be left hanging between heaven and hell. But when he is moved by an affection for truth for truth's own sake, that is, for the sake of the Lord's kingdom (where Divine Truth is present) and so for the Lord's sake, he is among angels. He does not in this case despise material gain insofar as it enables him to lead his life in the world. But such gain is not his end in view, only the useful purposes it serves which are seen by him as intermediate ends leading on to an ultimate heavenly one. This being so, his heart is by no means at all set on material gain.

[3] The fact that 'the nakedness' means a lack of truths may also be seen from other places in the Word, as in John,

To the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write, Because you say, I am rich and have become wealthy, so that I have need of nothing - when you do not know that you are wretched and miserable, and needy, and blind, and naked.... Revelation 3:17.

Here being 'naked' stands for suffering from a scarcity of truth. In the same place,

I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified in the fire, and white garments to clothe you, and do not let the shame of your nakedness be manifested. Revelation 3:18.

'Buying gold' stands for acquiring good and making this one's own, 'that you may become wealthy' for acquiring it to the end that celestial and spiritual good may be present; 'white garments' stands for spiritual truths, 'the shame of nakedness' for the lack of any goodness or truth. For 'buying' means acquiring and making one's own, see 5374; 'gold' celestial and spiritual good, 1551, 1552; 'garments' truths, 1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319; while 'white' is attributed to truth because this comes from the light of heaven, 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319.

[4] In the same book,

Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is he who is awake and keeps his garments, so that he may not walk naked. Revelation 16:15.

'He who keeps his garments' stands for the person who hangs on to truths. 'So that he may not walk naked' stands for so that he is not without truths. In Matthew,

The King will say to those at His right hand, I was naked and you clothed Me around, and to those at His left, I was naked and you did not clothe Me around. Matthew 25:36, 43.

'Naked' stands for the good who acknowledge that within themselves no good or truth at all exists, 4958.

[5] In Isaiah,

Is not this the fast, to break your bread for the hungry, and that you may bring afflicted outcasts to your house, when you see the naked and cover him? Isaiah 58:7.

Here the meaning is similar. In Jeremiah,

Jerusalem sinned grievously, therefore she became a menstruous woman; all who honoured her despised her, for they saw her nakedness. Lamentations 1:8.

Here 'nakedness' stands for a lack of truths. In Ezekiel,

You reached full beauty, your breasts were formed and your hair had grown; but you were naked and bare. I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. You did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare. Ezekiel 16:7-8, 22.

[6] This refers to Jerusalem, by which the Ancient Church is meant - what it was like when it was first established and what it came to be like after that. That is to say, initially it was lacking in truths, after which it was furnished with them, but finally it cast them aside. In the same prophet,

If a man is righteous, one who has executed judgement and righteousness, he gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. Ezekiel 18:5, 7.

'Covering the naked with clothing' stands for furnishing with truths those who desire truths. In Hosea,

Lest I strip her naked, present her as she was on the day she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and set her like a land of dryness, and slay her with thirst. Hosea 2:3.

'Stripping her naked' stands for leaving her without truths. In Nahum,

I will show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame. Nahum 3:5.

'Showing the nations its nakedness' stands for its ugliness. All ugliness is a result of the absence of truths, all beauty a result of the presence of them, 4985, 5199.

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

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Arcana Coelestia #3301

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3301. 'A hairy garment' means the truth of the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'a tunic' as something that clothes another thing - that something being in this case truth because this serves to clothe good (for truth is like a garment, 1073, 2576, or what amounts almost to the same, truth is the recipient vessel for good, 1469, 1496, 1832, 1900, 2063, 2261, 2269); and also from the meaning of 'hairy' as the natural as regards truth. Hair, or the hair on the head, is mentioned several times in the Word, and in those places means that which is natural, the reason being that hairs are outgrowths on the most exterior parts of a person, as also is the natural in relation to its rational and to the interior parts of the rational. During his lifetime it seems to everyone as though the natural within him is all there is to him, but this is so far from being true, that the natural is rather an outgrowth from the internal parts of him, like hairs from the parts of the body. They also stem from internal parts in almost the same way. This also is why people who have been wholly natural during their lifetime are seen in the next life to have faces covered almost entirely with hair when a visual presentation is made of that state. What is more, man's natural is represented by 'the hair'. When it is an outgrowth from good it is represented by attractive and neatly arranged hair, but when it is not the outgrowth from good by unattractive and dishevelled hair.

[2] It is from this representation that in the Word 'hair', or 'the hair on the head' is used to mean the natural, especially as regards truth, as in Zechariah,

It will happen on that day, that the prophets will be ashamed, [every] man on account of his vision when he has prophesied. And he will not put on a hairy garment in order to deceive. Zechariah 13:4.

'The prophets' stands for people who teach truths, here for those who teach falsities, 2534. 'Vision' stands for truths, here for falsities, 'hairy garment' for the natural as regards truth. But because it was not truth but falsity the phrase 'in order to deceive' is used. Such clothing was worn by the prophets so that truth, being external, might be represented by them. This also was why, dressed in a similar way, Elijah the Tishbite is called a hairy man, 2 Kings 1:8, and why John, the last of the prophets, had a garment of camel hair, Matthew 3:4 - 'camels' being facts in the natural man, see 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, and facts being the truths of the natural man, 3293.

[3] That 'the hair' meant the natural as regards truth is quite clear from the Nazirites who were commanded not to shave their heads with a razor all the days of their Nazirite vow, not until their days of abstinence to Jehovah had been completed. Then they were to let down the hair on their heads and at the door of the Tent of Meeting were to shave the head of their Naziriteship and put the hair on to the fire which was beneath the eucharistic sacrifice, Numbers 6:5, 18-19. They represented the Lord's Divine Human, and from this the person belonging to the celestial Church, who was a likeness of the Lord, 51 - representing that person's natural man by 'the hair'. When they were being sanctified therefore they were to lay aside their old or previous natural man into which they had been born and were to assume the new. This was meant by the requirement, when the days of abstinence to Jehovah had been completed, to let down the hair on their heads and to put it on to the fire beneath the sacrifice. For the state of the celestial man is a state in which good is present in him and from that good he has a knowledge of all truths. He never thinks and talks from truths about good, still less from facts about good, see 202, 337, 2715, 2718, 3246. Furthermore those who are celestial are of such a nature that before they lay aside that state into which they were born their natural has become so powerfully equipped with truth that they are capable of fighting with the hells; for it is truth, never good, that goes into battle. The hells cannot make even the remotest approach towards good. That truth is of such a nature, and good of such a nature, see 1950, 1951.

[4] From this it is evident how it was that Samson had strength from his hair, referred to as follows,

The angel of Jehovah appeared to Samson's mother, saying, Behold, you will conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come up over his head; the boy shall be a Nazirite of God from the womb. Judges 13:3, 5.

Later on he revealed to Delilah that if he were shaved his strength would leave him and he would be rendered powerless. And immediately he had been shaved, his strength did leave him and the Philistines seized him. And when subsequently the hair on his head started to grow again, where he had been shaved, his strength returned to him, enabling him to dislodge the pillars of the house, Judges 16:1-end. Who does not see that this description holds a heavenly arcanum within it, and that nobody knows what that arcanum is unless he has been taught regarding representatives, that is to say, that a Nazirite portrayed the celestial man, and as long as he had his hair he portrayed the natural part of that man, with whom, as has been stated, such strong and powerful truth was present? And Samson had such strength because at that period of time all representatives which the Lord had commanded had such force and effect. But he was not a consecrated Nazirite like those mentioned above, that is to say, someone who had put on a state of good instead of truth. The chief reason why the ultimate existence of his strength lay in his hair was so that he might represent the Lord who from the natural man as regards truth was to fight the hells and overcome them. This He did before putting on Divine Good and Truth even as regards the natural man.

[5] From this it is also evident why the high priest, on whose head the anointing oil had been poured and who had been consecrated 1 to wear the garments, was commanded not to shave his head or to rend his garments, Leviticus 21:10. And in a similar way where the new Temple is referred to the Levitical priests were commanded not to shave their head or to let their hair grow long, Ezekiel 44:20; that is to say, they represented the Lord's Divine Natural as regards truth that is derived from good and is called truth grounded in good. That 'hair' or the hair on the head means the natural as regards truth is clear also from the prophetical parts of the Word, as in Ezekiel,

I gave you to be like the seed of the field, from which you grew up and became tall to full beauty; your breasts were formed and your hair had grown. Ezekiel 16:7.

This refers to Jerusalem, which is the Ancient Church here and which in process of time became perverted. 'Breasts were formed' stands for natural good, 'hair which has grown' for natural truth.

[6] In Daniel,

I saw, until thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was a flame of fire. Daniel 7:9.

And in John,

In the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and surrounded by a golden girdle around the breasts. His head however and hair were white, like white wool, like snow; but His eyes were like a flame of fire. Revelation 1:13-14.

'Hair white like pure wool' stands for the Divine Natural as regards truth. In the Word, and in the religious observances of the Jewish Church, truth itself was represented by 'white', and because truth is derived from good is called 'pure wool'. The reason why truth was represented by 'white' and good by 'red' was that truth is akin to light and good to fire, the source of the light.

[7] As with everything else in the Word 'the hair' also has a contrary sense and means the natural as regards truth when perverted, as in Isaiah,

On that day the Lord will shave by means of a razor hired at the crossing-places of the River - by means of the King of Asshur - the head and the hair of the feet; and it will consume the beard also. Isaiah 7:20.

In Ezekiel,

Son of man, take for yourself a sharp sword, use it as a barber's razor which you shall run over your head and over your beard. Then you are to take balances and you are to divide it. A third you are to burn with fire in the midst of the city; a third you are to strike with the sword round about it; and a third you are to scatter to the wind. You shall take from it a small number, and bind it in your skirts. Finally you are to take from these again and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them with fire, and from this, fire will come forth to the whole house of Israel. Ezekiel 5:1-4.

All this, by the use of representatives, describes how natural truth, interior and exterior, meant by 'the hair' and 'the beard', ceased to exist any longer. Its destruction by lusts is meant by its being burned with fire, by reasonings by its being struck with the sword round about the city, by false assumptions by its being scattered to the wind. These statements are similar in content to what the Lord teaches in Matthew about some seed, which is the truth, falling among thorns, some on stony ground, and some along the path, Matthew 13:1-9.

[8] That 'the heir' means the unclean truths and the falsities belonging to the natural man was also represented by the requirement that when a woman from among enemies who had been taken captive was to be married to [an Israelite], she was to be brought to his home, the hair on her head was to be shaved off, her nails were to be pared, and the garments of her captivity were to be removed, Deuteronomy 21:12-13. Also when Levites were consecrated, the water of expiation was to be sprinkled over them, they were to pass a razor over their entire flesh, and to wash their clothes, and so be pure, Numbers 8:7. Also, Nebuchadnezzar was driven from among men so that he ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet from the dew of heaven, till his hair grew to be like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws, Daniel 4:33. In the case of leprosy they were required to note the colours of hair and beard, whether these were white, reddening, yellow, or black. They were to look for the same in garments. And the person who was cleansed from leprosy was required to shave all the hair on his head, his beard, and his eyebrows, Leviticus 13:1-59; 14:8-9. The latter meant the unclean falsities that result from unholiness, which is leprosy in the internal sense.

[9] 'Baldness' however meant the natural when no truth at all is present in it, as in Isaiah,

He is going up to Bayith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep over Nebo; and Moab will howl over Medeba. On all their heads is baldness; every beard is shaved off. Isaiah 15:2.

In the same prophet, Instead of well-set hair there will be baldness, branding instead of beauty. Isaiah 3:24

The children who said to Elisha, Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead! and who were torn apart by the bears out of the forest, 2 Kings 2:23-24, represent people who blaspheme the Word as though it had no truth within it; for Elisha represented the Lord as regards the Word, 2762. From this it is also evident how prevalent representatives were at that period of time.

Bilješke:

1. literally, whose hand had been filled

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