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Ezekiel 23

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1 και εγενετο λογος κυριου προς με λεγων

2 υιε ανθρωπου δυο γυναικες ησαν θυγατερες μητρος μιας

3 και εξεπορνευσαν εν αιγυπτω εν τη νεοτητι αυτων εκει επεσον οι μαστοι αυτων εκει διεπαρθενευθησαν

4 και τα ονοματα αυτων ην οολα η πρεσβυτερα και οολιβα η αδελφη αυτης και εγενοντο μοι και ετεκον υιους και θυγατερας και τα ονοματα αυτων σαμαρεια η οολα και ιερουσαλημ η οολιβα

5 και εξεπορνευσεν η οολα απ' εμου και επεθετο επι τους εραστας αυτης επι τους ασσυριους τους εγγιζοντας αυτη

6 ενδεδυκοτας υακινθινα ηγουμενους και στρατηγους νεανισκοι επιλεκτοι παντες ιππεις ιππαζομενοι εφ' ιππων

7 και εδωκεν την πορνειαν αυτης επ' αυτους επιλεκτοι υιοι ασσυριων παντες και επι παντας ους επεθετο εν πασι τοις ενθυμημασιν αυτης εμιαινετο

8 και την πορνειαν αυτης εξ αιγυπτου ουκ εγκατελιπεν οτι μετ' αυτης εκοιμωντο εν νεοτητι αυτης και αυτοι διεπαρθενευσαν αυτην και εξεχεαν την πορνειαν αυτων επ' αυτην

9 δια τουτο παρεδωκα αυτην εις χειρας των εραστων αυτης εις χειρας υιων ασσυριων εφ' ους επετιθετο

10 αυτοι απεκαλυψαν την αισχυνην αυτης υιους και θυγατερας αυτης ελαβον και αυτην εν ρομφαια απεκτειναν και εγενετο λαλημα εις γυναικας και εποιησαν εκδικησεις εν αυτη εις τας θυγατερας

11 και ειδεν η αδελφη αυτης οολιβα και διεφθειρε την επιθεσιν αυτης υπερ αυτην και την πορνειαν αυτης υπερ την πορνειαν της αδελφης αυτης

12 επι τους υιους των ασσυριων επεθετο ηγουμενους και στρατηγους τους εγγυς αυτης ενδεδυκοτας ευπαρυφα ιππεις ιππαζομενους εφ' ιππων νεανισκοι επιλεκτοι παντες

13 και ειδον οτι μεμιανται οδος μια των δυο

14 και προσεθετο προς την πορνειαν αυτης και ειδεν ανδρας εζωγραφημενους επι του τοιχου εικονας χαλδαιων εζωγραφημενους εν γραφιδι

15 εζωσμενους ποικιλματα επι τας οσφυας αυτων και τιαραι βαπται επι των κεφαλων αυτων οψις τρισση παντων ομοιωμα υιων χαλδαιων γης πατριδος αυτων

16 και επεθετο επ' αυτους τη ορασει οφθαλμων αυτης και εξαπεστειλεν αγγελους προς αυτους εις γην χαλδαιων

17 και ηλθοσαν προς αυτην υιοι βαβυλωνος εις κοιτην καταλυοντων και εμιαινον αυτην εν τη πορνεια αυτης και εμιανθη εν αυτοις και απεστη η ψυχη αυτης απ' αυτων

18 και απεκαλυψεν την πορνειαν αυτης και απεκαλυψεν την αισχυνην αυτης και απεστη η ψυχη μου απ' αυτης ον τροπον απεστη η ψυχη μου απο της αδελφης αυτης

19 και επληθυνας την πορνειαν σου του αναμνησαι ημερας νεοτητος σου εν αις επορνευσας εν αιγυπτω

20 και επεθου επι τους χαλδαιους ων ησαν ως ονων αι σαρκες αυτων και αιδοια ιππων τα αιδοια αυτων

21 και επεσκεψω την ανομιαν νεοτητος σου α εποιεις εν αιγυπτω εν τω καταλυματι σου ου οι μαστοι νεοτητος σου

22 δια τουτο οολιβα ταδε λεγει κυριος ιδου εγω εξεγειρω τους εραστας σου επι σε αφ' ων απεστη η ψυχη σου απ' αυτων και επαξω αυτους επι σε κυκλοθεν

23 υιους βαβυλωνος και παντας τους χαλδαιους φακουδ και σουε και κουε και παντας υιους ασσυριων μετ' αυτων νεανισκους επιλεκτους ηγεμονας και στρατηγους παντας τρισσους και ονομαστους ιππευοντας εφ' ιππων

24 και παντες ηξουσιν επι σε απο βορρα αρματα και τροχοι μετ' οχλου λαων θυρεοι και πελται και βαλουσιν φυλακην επι σε κυκλω και δωσω προ προσωπου αυτων κριμα και εκδικησουσιν σε εν τοις κριμασιν αυτων

25 και δωσω τον ζηλον μου εν σοι και ποιησουσιν μετα σου εν οργη θυμου μυκτηρα σου και ωτα σου αφελουσιν και τους καταλοιπους σου εν ρομφαια καταβαλουσιν αυτοι υιους σου και θυγατερας σου λημψονται και τους καταλοιπους σου πυρ καταφαγεται

26 και εκδυσουσιν σε τον ιματισμον σου και λημψονται τα σκευη της καυχησεως σου

27 και αποστρεψω τας ασεβειας σου εκ σου και την πορνειαν σου εκ γης αιγυπτου και ου μη αρης τους οφθαλμους σου επ' αυτους και αιγυπτου ου μη μνησθης ουκετι

28 διοτι ταδε λεγει κυριος κυριος ιδου εγω παραδιδωμι σε εις χειρας ων μισεις αφ' ων απεστη η ψυχη σου απ' αυτων

29 και ποιησουσιν εν σοι εν μισει και λημψονται παντας τους πονους σου και τους μοχθους σου και εση γυμνη και ασχημονουσα και αποκαλυφθησεται αισχυνη πορνειας σου και ασεβεια σου και η πορνεια σου

30 εποιησεν ταυτα σοι εν τω εκπορνευσαι σε οπισω εθνων και εμιαινου εν τοις ενθυμημασιν αυτων

31 εν τη οδω της αδελφης σου επορευθης και δωσω το ποτηριον αυτης εις χειρας σου

32 ταδε λεγει κυριος το ποτηριον της αδελφης σου πιεσαι το βαθυ και το πλατυ το πλεοναζον του συντελεσαι

33 μεθην και εκλυσεως πλησθηση και το ποτηριον αφανισμου ποτηριον αδελφης σου σαμαρειας

34 και πιεσαι αυτο και τας εορτας και τας νεομηνιας αυτης αποστρεψω διοτι εγω λελαληκα λεγει κυριος

35 δια τουτο ταδε λεγει κυριος ανθ' ων επελαθου μου και απερριψας με οπισω του σωματος σου και συ λαβε την ασεβειαν σου και την πορνειαν σου

36 και ειπεν κυριος προς με υιε ανθρωπου ου κρινεις την οολαν και την οολιβαν και απαγγελεις αυταις τας ανομιας αυτων

37 οτι εμοιχωντο και αιμα εν χερσιν αυτων τα ενθυμηματα αυτων εμοιχωντο και τα τεκνα αυτων α εγεννησαν μοι διηγαγον αυτοις δι' εμπυρων

38 εως και ταυτα εποιησαν μοι τα αγια μου εμιαινον και τα σαββατα μου εβεβηλουν

39 και εν τω σφαζειν αυτους τα τεκνα αυτων τοις ειδωλοις αυτων και εισεπορευοντο εις τα αγια μου του βεβηλουν αυτα και οτι ουτως εποιουν εν μεσω του οικου μου

40 και οτι τοις ανδρασιν τοις ερχομενοις μακροθεν οις αγγελους εξαπεστελλοσαν προς αυτους και αμα τω ερχεσθαι αυτους ευθυς ελουου και εστιβιζου τους οφθαλμους σου και εκοσμου κοσμω

41 και εκαθου επι κλινης εστρωμενης και τραπεζα κεκοσμημενη προ προσωπου αυτης και το θυμιαμα μου και το ελαιον μου ευφραινοντο εν αυτοις

42 και φωνην αρμονιας ανεκρουοντο και προς ανδρας εκ πληθους ανθρωπων ηκοντας εκ της ερημου και εδιδοσαν ψελια επι τας χειρας αυτων και στεφανον καυχησεως επι τας κεφαλας αυτων

43 και ειπα ουκ εν τουτοις μοιχευουσιν και εργα πορνης και αυτη εξεπορνευσεν

44 και εισεπορευοντο προς αυτην ον τροπον εισπορευονται προς γυναικα πορνην ουτως εισεπορευοντο προς οολαν και προς οολιβαν του ποιησαι ανομιαν

45 και ανδρες δικαιοι αυτοι εκδικησουσιν αυτας εκδικησει μοιχαλιδος και εκδικησει αιματος οτι μοιχαλιδες εισιν και αιμα εν χερσιν αυτων

46 ταδε λεγει κυριος κυριος αναγαγε επ' αυτας οχλον και δος εν αυταις ταραχην και διαρπαγην

47 και λιθοβολησον επ' αυτας λιθοις οχλων και κατακεντει αυτας εν τοις ξιφεσιν αυτων υιους αυτων και θυγατερας αυτων αποκτενουσι και τους οικους αυτων εμπρησουσιν

48 και αποστρεψω ασεβειαν εκ της γης και παιδευθησονται πασαι αι γυναικες και ου μη ποιησουσιν κατα τας ασεβειας αυτων

49 και δοθησεται η ασεβεια υμων εφ' υμας και τας αμαρτιας των ενθυμηματων υμων λημψεσθε και γνωσεσθε διοτι εγω κυριος

   

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #6432

Studere hoc loco

  
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6432. 'The blessings of the breasts' means with affections for goodness and truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'the breasts' as affections for goodness and truth. 'The breasts' means those affections because the breasts communicate with the generative organs, and for that reason they too belong to the province of conjugial love (regarding that province see 5050-5062). Now conjugial love corresponds to the heavenly marriage, which is a marriage of goodness and truth (for conjugial love comes down from that marriage, see 2618, 2728, 2729, 2803, 3132, 4434, 4835, 6179), and therefore 'the breasts' means affections for goodness and truth. In addition they derive that meaning from the fact that the breasts are what feed infants and so mean, through the affection that goes with breast-feeding, conjugial love when joined to the love of offspring.

[2] The same affections are also meant by 'the breasts' in Isaiah,

You will suck the milk of nations, and the breasts of kings you will suck. Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron silver. Isaiah 60:16-17.

'Sucking the breasts of kings' stands for good obtained from truth, for by 'kings' truths are meant, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148. 'The milk of nations' and 'the breasts of kings' plainly mean some profoundly spiritual matter, for those words would otherwise be meaningless. The fact that goodness and truth are meant is clear from the words that follow, which are 'Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron silver'; for 'bronze' is natural good, 425, 1551, and 'gold' celestial good, 113, 1551, 1552, 5658; 'iron' is natural truth, 425, 426, and 'silver' spiritual truth, 1551, 2954, 5658, 6112.

[3] In Ezekiel,

As regards increase, I gave you to be like the seed of the field, out of which you grew up and matured and reached full beauty; your breasts were formed and your hair had grown. Ezekiel 16:7.

This refers to Jerusalem, which here means the Ancient spiritual Church. 'Breasts that were formed' stands for interior affections for goodness and truth, 'your hair had grown for exterior affections belonging to the natural - 'hair' being the natural as regards truth, see 3301, 5247, 5569-5573. These words plainly contain a spiritual sense which is not visible in the letter, for without that sense why would it say of Jerusalem that its breasts were formed and its hair had grown?

[4] In the same prophet,

Two women, the daughters of one mother, committed whoredom in Egypt. In their youth they committed whoredom; there their breasts were squeezed, and there they contemplated their virgin busts. Ezekiel 23:2-3, 8, 21.

This passage in Ezekiel states that the two women are Jerusalem and Samaria, by whom Churches are meant in the internal sense. The statement that in their youth they committed whoredom with Egypt means that they falsified the truths of the Church by their use of factual knowledge - 'committing whoredom' is falsifying truths, see 2466, 4865, and 'Egypt' is factual knowledge, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702. Consequently 'their breasts were squeezed' stands for affections for goodness and truth that became perverted through falsifications. The fact that the women's whoredom and the squeezing of their breasts mean such things can be seen by those who are prepared to look into what is meant in the description of those women.

[5] In Hosea,

Contend with your mother, let her remove her whoredoms from her sight, 1 and her adulteries from between her breasts, lest perhaps I strip her naked, and make her like a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. Hosea 2:1, 3.

'Mother' here stands for the Church, 289, 2691, 2717, 3703, 4257, 5581, whoredoms' for falsifications of truth, 2466, 4865, 'adulteries' for adulterations of good, 2466, 2729, 3399. Consequently 'adulteries from between her breasts' stands for adulterated affections for goodness and truth, 'stripping naked' for depriving of all truth, 1073, 4958, 5437, 'making like a wilderness, setting like a dry land, and slaying with thirst' for the annihilation of all truth.

[6] In the same prophet,

Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. Hosea 9:14.

'Dry breasts' stands for affections for neither truth nor good. In Isaiah,

O women without anxiety, stand still, hear My voice; O confident daughters, perceive My speech with your ears. Strip and make yourself bare, and gird [sackcloth] around your waist 2 - people beating themselves on their breasts for the fields of unmixed wine, and the fruitful vine. Isaiah 32:9, 11-12.

'Daughters' stands for affections, 2362, 3024, 3963, 'being stripped bare' for being deprived of truth, 1073, 4958, 5433, 'girding [sackcloth] around one's waist' for suffering grief over good that has been lost, 'beating on breasts' for suffering grief over the good of truth that has been lost. Since these things are meant, it also says 'for the fields of unmixed wine, and the fruitful vine'; for 'the field' is the Church in respect of good, thus the Church's good, 2971, 3196, 3310, 3766, and 'vine' is the spiritual Church, and therefore the good of truth, 5113, 6375, 6376.

[7] In the Book of Revelation,

I saw seven golden lampstands, and 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. Revelation 1:12-13.

'Golden lampstands' are truths of good, 'the Son of Man' is Divine Truth, 'surrounded by a golden girdle around the breasts' the good of love. Anyone may deduce from the holiness of the Word that the things John saw concealed within themselves realities such as belong to the Lord's kingdom and His Church; for what holiness would there be in making predictions about kingdoms in the world? From this one may recognize that they are heavenly things that are meant by 'lampstands' and by 'the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe, and surrounded by a golden girdle around the breasts'.

[8] In Luke,

A certain woman lifted up her voice out of the crowd; 3 she said about Jesus, Blessed is the womb that carried You, and the breasts that You sucked. But Jesus said, Rather than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it. Luke 11:27-28.

The Lord's reply shows what 'blessed is the womb' and what 'the breasts' mean - 'those who hear the Word of God and keep it', thus affections for truth which exist with those who hear the Word or God, and affections for good which exist with those who keep it, that is, put it into practice.

V:

1. literally, faces

2. literally, upon your loins

3. literally, the people

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

Bibliorum

 

Ezekiel 31:3-18

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3 Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches, and with a forest-like shade, and of high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs.

4 The waters nourished it, the deep made it to grow: its rivers ran all around its plantation; and it sent out its channels to all the trees of the field.

5 Therefore its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field; and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches became long by reason of many waters, when it shot [them] forth.

6 All the birds of the sky made their nests in its boughs; and under its branches did all the animals of the field bring forth their young; and under its shadow lived all great nations.

7 Thus was it beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its root was by many waters.

8 The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it; the fir trees were not like its boughs, and the plane trees were not as its branches; nor was any tree in the garden of God like it in its beauty.

9 I made it beautiful by the multitude of its branches, so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied it.

10 Therefore thus said the Lord Yahweh: Because you are exalted in stature, and he has set his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;

11 I will even deliver him into the hand of the mighty one of the nations; he shall surely deal with him; I have driven him out for his wickedness.

12 Strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: on the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the watercourses of the land; and all the peoples of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him.

13 On his ruin all the birds of the sky shall dwell, and all the animals of the field shall be on his branches;

14 to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, neither set their top among the thick boughs, nor that their mighty ones stand up on their height, [even] all who drink water: for they are all delivered to death, to the lower parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with those who go down to the pit.

15 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the day when he went down to Sheol I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained its rivers; and the great waters were stayed; and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.

16 I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to Sheol with those who descend into the pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the lower parts of the earth.

17 They also went down into Sheol with him to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were his arm, [that] lived under his shadow in the midst of the nations.

18 To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth: you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord Yahweh.