THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 16
(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)
1. SEND you forth the lamb of the ruler of the land from the Rock towards the wilderness, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion.
Verse 1. Send you forth the lamb of the ruler land from the Rock towards the wilderness, etc. - By a "lamb" is signified innocence, and inasmuch as the Lord is the essential innocence, which is in His kingdom for from Him is the ALL of innocence, hence He is called a "Lamb", as in the above passage, and also in the Apocalypse:
"They shall fight with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them, because He is Lord of lords, and King of kings; (Revelation 17:14) and besides in other passages in the Apocalypse, as Chapter Revelation 5:6; 6:1, 10; 7:9, 14, 17; 12:11; 13:8; 14:1, 4; 19:7, 9; 21:22, 23, 27; 22:1, 3.
That the "paschal lamb" denotes the Lord, in the supreme sense, is a known thing; for the "passover" signified the glorification of the Lord, that is, the putting on of the Divine [Principle] as to the Human; and, in the representative sense, it signifies the regeneration of man; and the "paschal lamb", that which is the essential of regeneration, that is, innocence; for no one can be regenerated but by charity in which is innocence: Arcana Coelestia 3904.
Inasmuch as the Lord when in the world, as to His Human, was Innocence itself, and since the ALL of innocence proceeds from Him, therefore He is called a "Lamb", and "the Lamb of God", as in Isaiah:
"Send you forth the Lamb of the ruler of the land from the Rock towards the wilderness, to the mountain of the daughter of ZIon." (Isaiah 16:1)
Again,
"He has endured exaction, and was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He is led as a Lamb to the slaughter." (Isaiah 53:7).
And in the Apocalypse:
"The lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them. (Revelation 7:17). Arcana Coelestia 10132.
That the "Rock" is the Lord as to Faith, and, in respect to man, that it is a faith which is from the Lord, is evident from many passages in the Word, as in Deuteronomy:
"Ascribe you greatness unto our God; He is the Rock, His work is perfect"; "he lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation"; - "of the Rock that begat you, you art not mindful", etc. (Deuteronomy 32:3, 4, 13, 15, 18, 31, 37)
From these things it is evident that it is Jehovah, that is, the Lord, who is called the "Rock"; that it is Jehovah, or the Lord, as to faith, appears evident from the particulars here adduced, as understood in the internal sense. As a " stone", in the Word, signifies the Truth of faith, (see Arcana Coelestia 643, 1298, 3720) hence it is that the Lord, as to Divine Truth, is called "the Stone of Israel." (Arcana Coelestia 6420)
From these considerations also it may be manifest that by "Rock" is meant the Lord as to faith, and also faith which is from the Lord, in the words which the Lord spake to Peter in Matthew:
"I say to you, You art Peter [Petrus], and upon this rock [petra] will I build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens: and whatsoever you shalt bind in the earth, shall be bound in the heavens: and whatsoever you shalt loose in the earth, shall be loosed in the heavens." (Matthew 16:18, 19)
That "Rock", in this passage, denotes the Lord as to faith, and faith which is from the Lord, and that "Peter" represents that faith, see the Preface to Chapter xxii., Genesis; also Arcana Coelestia 3738, 3750. It is evident also to everyone who thinks from sound reason, that the power of opening heaven and shutting hell for the good, and of opening hell and shutting heaven for the evil, is of the Lord alone; and the reason why it is of faith, is, because it is from the Lord, thus also is of the Lord, that is, the Lord Himself is in it; all power in the other life is by the Truth of faith derived from Good, Arcana Coelestia 4931, 6344. He who thinks from reason may also conclude that the church of the Lord was not built upon any man, thus not upon Peter, but upon the Lord Himself, thus upon faith in Him. From these considerations it may be seen into what and how great errors they fall, who lay so great stress on the letter of the Word; and with what eagerness the rulers of the church catch at the idea that such power was given to Peter, and consequently to those who call themselves his successors, for it favours their love; and with what difficulty they suffer themselves to be persuaded that anything else is meant, for everyone is willing to procure to himself the highest degree of power. From the above it is also evident how necessary it is to know what is signified by a "rock", what by "keys", and what by the "gates of hell", and by several such things, in the internal sense. Jehovah is called a "Rock", and that on such occasions is meant the Lord as to faith, is also manifest from many other passages in the Word, as from the following, which it is allowed to adduce without further explication:
"Send you forth the lamb of the ruler of the land from the Rock towards the wilderness, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion." (Isaiah 16:1)
Again,
"You have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not remembered the Rock of your strength." (Isaiah 17:10) Arcana Coelestia 8581.
The "wilderness" denotes what has yet but little of life; (Arcana Coelestia 1927) also states of temptation. Arcana Coelestia 2708; see especially 3900.
2. And as a wandering bird, driven from the nest, so shall be the daughters of Moab at the fords of Arnon.
Verse 2. Mention is made of "daughters" in many passages of the Word, and everyone may see that in those passages are not meant daughters, as where mention is made of "the daughter of Zion", -of "the daughter of Jerusalem", -of "the daughters of Tarshish", -of "the daughter of My people", denoting affections of Good and Truth, as may be seen above, Chapter 1:8, the Exposition; and whereas they denote the affections of Good and Truth, they denote also churches, for churches are churches by reason of those affections. Hence it is that by "the daughter of Zion" is signified the celestial church, and this from the affection of Good; whereas by "the daughter of Jerusalem" is signified the spiritual church, and this from the affection of Truth. (Arcana Coelestia 2362)
The same is also signified by "the daughter of My people." (Isaiah 22:4; (Jeremiah 6:1:1, 26; and in many other passages.) Hence it is evident what is signified by the "daughters" of the nations, as by the "daughters" of the Philistines, the "daughters" of Egypt, - of Tyre and Sidon, - of Edom, - of Moab, - of the Chaldeans, and of Babel, and the "daughters" of Sodom, namely, the affections of what is evil and false, in "which their religious principles were grounded, consequently the religious principles themselves. Arcana Coelestia 3024.
3. Bring counsel; execute judgment; make your shadow as the night in the midst of noon-day: hide the outcasts; discover not the fugitive.
Verse 3. Make your shadow as the night in the midst of noon-day. - "In the midst of noon-day", signifies in the midst of the light of Truth. Arcana Coelestia 9642.
4. Let Mine outcasts sojourn with you, O Moab; be you to them a covert from the face of the spoiler: for the oppressor is no more, the destroyer ceases; they that trampled you are consumed out of the land.
Verses 3, 4, 14. Bring counsel; execute judqment; hide the outcasts; diecover not the fugitive. Let Mine outcasts sojourn with you, O Moab; be you to them a covert from the face of the spoiler, etc. - The subject treated of throughout this chapter is also concerning " Moab", and, by him, concerning those who are principled in such [external] good, and who are here described in nearly the same words as in Jeremiah xlviii., being advised in like manner to remain in their common goodnesses and truths, and not to suffer themselves to be tainted with false principles. Common goodnesses and truths are signified by their "bringing counsel, executing judgment, hiding the outcast, not discovering the fugitive, and being a covert from the face of the spoiler", -all which things signify the externals of worship; but whereas they suffer themselves to be tainted with false principles, it is said "Within three years, as the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab shall be reviled, in all his great multitude; and the remnant shall be few, small, and without strength." Arcana Coelestia 2468.
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Isaiah Chapter 16
1. SEND you forth the lamb of the ruler of the land from the Rock towards the wilderness, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion.
2. And as a wandering bird, driven from the nest, so shall be the daughters of Moab at the fords of Arnon.
3. Bring counsel; execute judgment; make your shadow as the night in the midst of noon-day: hide the outcasts; discover not the fugitive.
4. Let Mine outcasts sojourn with you, O Moab; be you to them a covert from the face of the spoiler: for the oppressor is no more, the destroyer ceases; they that trampled you are consumed out of the land.
5. And the throne shall be established in mercy: and in truth shall He sit thereon, in the tabernacle of David, a Judge, searching out judgment, and despatching justice.
6. We have heard of the pride of Moab: he is very proud; of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his anger: vain are his lies.
7. Therefore shall Moab howl; for Moab shall everyone howl: for the foundations of Kir-hare-seth shall you moan; surely they are stricken.
8. For the fields of Heshbon are withered; [as to] the vine of Sibmah, the lords of the nations have broken down the branches thereof; they reached unto Jazer; they strayed through the desert; her branches are plucked up; they passed over the sea.
9. Wherefore I will weep, as with the weeping of Jazer, for the vine of Sibmah: I will water you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh! for upon your summer fruits, and upon your vintage, the shout [of war] has fallen.
10. And joy and gladness are taken away from Carmel; and in the vineyards they shall not sing, they shall not shout: in the vats the treader shall not tread out the wine; I have made the shouting to cease.
11. Wherefore my bowels for Moab like a harp shall sound; and mine inward parts for Kir-haresh.
12. And it shall be, when Moab shall see that he has wearied himself out on the high place, that he shall enter his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail.
13. This is the Word which Jehovah spake concerning Moab at that time :
14. But now has Jehovah spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab shall be reviled, in all his great multitude; and the remnant shall be few, small, and without strength.
