耶利米書 44
1
有臨到耶利米的話，論及一切住在埃及地的猶大人，就是住在密奪、答比匿、挪弗、巴忒羅境內的猶大人，說：
2
萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：我所降與耶路撒冷和猶大各城的一切災禍你們都看見了。那些城邑今日荒涼，無人居住；
3
這是因居民所行的惡，去燒香事奉別神，就是他們和你們，並你們列祖所不認識的神，惹我發怒。
4
我從早起來差遣我的僕人眾先知去說，你們切不要行我所厭惡這可憎之事。
6
因此，我的怒氣和忿怒都倒出來，在猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷的街市上，如火著起，以致都荒廢淒涼，正如今日一樣。
7
現在耶和華─萬軍之神、以色列的神如此說：你們為何作這大惡自害己命，使你們的男人、婦女、嬰孩，和吃奶的都從猶大中剪除、不留一人呢？
8
就是因你們手所做的，在所去寄居的埃及地向別神燒香惹我發怒，使你們被剪除，在天下萬國中令人咒詛羞辱。
9
你們列祖的惡行，猶大列王和他們后妃的惡行，你們自己和你們妻子的惡行，就是在猶大地、耶路撒冷街上所行的，你們都忘了麼？
10
到如今還沒有懊悔，沒有懼怕，沒有遵行我在你們和你們列祖面前所設立的法度律例。
11
所以萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：我必向你們變臉降災，以致剪除猶大眾人。
12
那定意進入埃及地、在那裡寄居的，就是所剩下的猶大人，我必使他們盡都滅絕，必在埃及地仆倒，必因刀劍饑荒滅絕；從最小的到至大的都必遭刀劍饑荒而死，以致令人辱罵、驚駭、咒詛、羞辱。
13
我怎樣用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫刑罰耶路撒冷，也必照樣刑罰那些住在埃及地的猶大人；
14
甚至那進入埃及地寄居的，就是所剩下的猶大人，都不得逃脫，也不得存留歸回猶大地。他們心中甚想歸回居住之地；除了逃脫的以外，一個都不能歸回。
15
那些住在埃及地巴忒羅知道自己妻子向別神燒香的，與旁邊站立的眾婦女，聚集成群，回答耶利米說：
17
我們定要成就我們口中所出的一切話，向天后燒香、澆奠祭，按著我們與我們列祖、君王、首領在猶大的城邑中和耶路撒冷的街市上素常所行的一樣；因為那時我們吃飽飯、享福樂，並不見災禍。
18
自從我們停止向天后燒香、澆奠祭，我們倒缺乏一切，又因刀劍饑荒滅絕。
19
婦女說：我們向天后燒香、澆奠祭，做天后像的餅供奉他，向他澆奠祭，是外乎我們的丈夫麼？
21
你們與你們列祖、君王、首領，並國內的百姓，在猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷街市上所燒的香，耶和華豈不記念，心中豈不思想麼？
22
耶和華因你們所作的惡、所行可憎的事，不能再容忍，所以你們的地荒涼，令人驚駭咒詛，無人居住，正如今日一樣。
23
你們燒香，得罪耶和華，沒有聽從他的話，沒有遵行他的律法、條例、法度，所以你們遭遇這災禍，正如今日一樣。
24
耶利米又對眾民和眾婦女說：你們在埃及地的一切猶大人當聽耶和華的話。
25
萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：你們和你們的妻都口中說、手裡做，說：我們定要償還所許的願，向天后燒香、澆奠祭。現在你們只管堅定所許的願而償還罷！
26
所以你們住在埃及地的一切猶大人當聽耶和華的話。耶和華說：我指著我的大名起誓，在埃及全地，我的名不再被猶大一個人的口稱呼說：我指著主─永生的耶和華起誓。
27
我向他們留意降禍不降福；在埃及地的一切猶大人必因刀劍、饑荒所滅，直到滅盡。
28
脫離刀劍、從埃及地歸回猶大地的人數很少；那進入埃及地要在那裡寄居的，就是所剩下的猶大人，必知道是誰的話立得住，是我的話呢？是他們的話呢？
29
耶和華說：我在這地方刑罰你們，必有預兆，使你們知道我降禍與你們的話必要立得住。
30
耶和華如此說：我必將埃及王法老合弗拉交在他仇敵和尋索其命的人手中，像我將猶大王西底家交在他仇敵和尋索其命的巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒手中一樣。
Arcana Coelestia # 2533
2533. That 'now return the man's wife' means that the spiritual truth of doctrine was by him to be brought back untouched from the rational is clear from the meaning of 'a wife' as spiritual truth, dealt with in 2507, 2510, and from the meaning of 'a man' as doctrine itself. Actually when Abraham who represents the Lord in that state is called 'a man' he means celestial truth, which is the same as doctrine from a celestial origin; for 'man' in the internal sense means the understanding part of the mind, see 158, 265, 749, 915, 1007, 2517. From this it is evident that 'resuming the man's wife' means bringing back the spiritual truth of doctrine untouched. Its being brought back untouched from the rational is meant because 'Abimelech' who was required to return her means doctrine that has regard to rational things, or what amounts to the same, means the rational things comprising doctrine, 2510.
[2] It has been stated above that although the doctrine of faith is in itself Divine and so stands above all human, even angelic, range of understanding, it has nevertheless been expressed in the Word in a rational manner in accordance with man's range of understanding. It is like a parent who is teaching small boys and girls. When teaching them he explains every single thing in accordance with their own mentality, even though he himself thinks from what is more interior or higher. Otherwise he would be teaching without their learning, or it would be like casting seed on bare rock. The same applies also to the angels who in the next life instruct the simple in heart. Although the angels possess celestial and spiritual wisdom they nevertheless do not go above the heads of those they are teaching but use simple ideas to talk to them, yet advance by degrees to higher ideas as the instruction advances. For if they were to speak from angelic wisdom the simple would not grasp anything at all and so would not be led on to the truths and goods of faith. Much the same would happen if in the Word the Lord had not taught in a rational manner in accordance with man's range of understanding. Nevertheless in its internal sense the Word is raised up to angelic understanding. But even so, that highest level of meaning on which the Word exists with angels is infinitely lower than the Divine. This shows what the Word is like in origin, and so what it is in itself, and thus that at every point it embodies more than the whole of heaven is capable of comprehending, even as to one small part, though in the letter it seems so ordinary and so crude.
[3] The fact that the Lord is the Word, because the Word derives from Him and He is in the Word, is clear in John,
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the Only Begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1, 4, 14.
See also Revelation 19:11, 13, 16. And because the Lord is the Word, He is doctrine also, for no other doctrine exists which is itself Divine.
