The Bible

 

以西結書 16

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1 耶和華的又臨到我說:

2 人子啊,你要使耶路撒冷知道他那些可憎的事,

3 耶和華耶路撒冷如此:你根本,你出世,是在迦南;你父親是亞摩利人,你母親是赫人。

4 論到你出世的景況,在你初生的日子沒有為你斷臍帶,也沒有用你,使你潔淨,絲毫沒有撒鹽在你身上,也沒有用布裹你。

5 誰的眼也不可憐你,為你做件這樣的事憐恤你;但你初生的日子扔在田野,是因你被厭惡。

6 我從你旁邊經過,見你滾在血中,就對你:你雖在血中,仍可存活;你雖在血中,仍可存活。

7 我使你生長好像田間所長的,你就漸漸長大,以致極其俊美,兩乳成形,頭髮長成,你卻仍然赤身露體。

8 我從你旁邊經過,見你的時候正動愛情,便用衣襟搭在你身上,遮蓋你的赤體;又向你起誓,與你結盟,你就歸於我。這是耶和華的。

9 那時我用你,洗淨你身上的血,又用抹你。

10 我也使你身穿繡花衣服,腳穿海狗皮鞋,並用細麻布給你束腰,用綢為衣披在你身上,

11 又用妝飾打扮你,將鐲子戴在你上,將金鍊戴在你項上。

12 我也將環子戴在你鼻子上,將耳環戴在你耳朵上,將華冠戴在你上。

13 這樣,你就有的妝飾,穿的是細麻衣和綢,並繡花衣;的是細麵、蜂蜜,並。你也極其美貌,發達到王后的尊榮。

14 你美貌的名聲傳在列邦中,你十分美貌,是因我加在你身上的威榮。這是耶和華的。

15 只是你仗著自己的美貌,又因你的名聲就行邪淫。你縱情淫亂,使過路的任意而行。

16 你用衣服為自己在處結彩,在其上行邪淫。這樣的事將必沒有,也必不再行了。

17 你又將我所你那華美的、寶器為自己製造人像,與他行邪淫;

18 又用你的繡花衣服給他披上,並將我的膏和香料擺在他跟前;

19 又將我賜你的食物,就是我賜的細麵、,和蜂蜜,都擺在他跟前為馨的供物。這是耶和華的。

20 並且你將給我所生的兒女焚獻給他。

21 你行淫亂豈是小事,竟將我的兒女殺了,使他們經火歸與他麼?

22 你行這一切可憎和淫亂的事,並未追念你幼年赤身露體滾在血中的日子。

23 你行這一切惡事之耶和華:你有禍了!有禍了!)

24 又為自己建造圓頂花樓,在各街上做了臺。

25 你在一切市口上建造臺,使你的美貌變為可憎的,又與一切過的多行淫亂。

26 你也和你鄰邦放縱情慾的埃及人行淫,加增你的淫亂,惹我發怒。

27 因此我伸攻擊你,減少你應用的糧食,又將你交恨你的非利士眾女(眾女是城邑的意思;本章下同),使他們任意待你。他們見你的淫行,為你羞恥。

28 你因貪色無厭,又與亞述人行淫,與他們行淫之後,仍不滿意

29 並且多行淫亂,直到那貿易之,就是迦勒底,你仍不滿意

30 耶和華:你行這一切事,都是不知羞恥妓女所行的,可見你的心是何等懦弱!

31 因你在一切市口上建造圓頂花樓,在各街上做了臺,你卻藐視賞賜,不像妓女

32 哎!你這行淫的妻啊,寧肯接外人,不接丈夫

33 妓女是得人贈送,你反倒贈送你所的人,賄賂他們從四圍與你行淫。

34 你行淫與別的婦女相反,因為不是人從你行淫;你既贈送人,人並不贈送你;所以你與別的婦女相反。

35 你這妓女啊,要耶和華的

36 耶和華如此:因你的污穢傾洩了,你與你所的行淫露出下體,又因你拜一切可憎的偶像,流兒女的血獻他,

37 我就要將你一切相歡相的和你一切所恨的都聚集來,從四圍攻擊你;又將你的下體露出,使他們盡了。

38 我也要審判你,好像官長審判淫婦和流人血的婦女一樣。我因忿怒忌恨,使流血的罪歸到你身上。

39 我又要將你交在他們中;他們必拆毀你的圓頂花樓,毀壞你的臺,剝去你的衣服,奪取你的華美寶器,留下你赤身露體。

40 他們也必帶多人來攻擊你,用石頭打死你,用刀刺透你,

41 焚燒你的房屋,在許多婦人眼前向你施行審判。我必使你不再行淫,也不再贈送與人。

42 這樣,我就止息向你發的忿怒,我的忌恨也要離開你,我要安靜不再惱怒。

43 因你不追念你幼年的日子,在這一切的事上向我發烈怒,所以我必照你所行的報應在你上,你就不再貪淫,行那一切可憎的事。這是耶和華的。

44 俗語的必用俗語攻擊你,母親怎樣,女兒也怎樣。

45 你正是你母親的女兒,厭棄丈夫和兒女;你正是你姊妹的姊妹,厭棄丈夫和兒女。你母親是赫人,你父親是亞摩利人。

46 你的姊姊是撒瑪利亞,他和他的眾女在你左邊;你的妹妹所多瑪,他和他的眾女在你右邊。

47 你沒有效法他們的行為,也沒有照他們可憎的事去做,你以那為小事,你一切所行的倒比他們更壞。

48 耶和華:我指著我的永生起誓,你妹妹所多瑪與他的眾女尚未行你和你眾女所行的事。

49 看哪,你妹妹所多瑪的罪孽是這樣:他和他的眾女都心驕氣傲,糧食飽足,大享安逸,並沒有扶助困苦和窮乏人的

50 他們狂傲,在我面前行可憎的事,我見便將他們除掉。

51 撒瑪利亞沒有犯你一半的,你行可憎的事比他更多,使你的姊妹因你所行一切可憎的事,倒顯為義。

52 你既斷定你姊妹為(為:或譯當受羞辱),就要擔當自己的羞辱;因你所犯的比他們更為可憎,他們就比你更顯為;你既使你的姊妹顯為,你就要抱愧擔當自己的羞辱

53 我必叫他們被擄的歸回,就是叫所多瑪和他的眾女,撒瑪利亞和他的眾女,並你們中間被擄的,都要歸回,

54 好使你擔當自己的羞辱,並因你一切所行的使他們得安慰,你就抱愧。

55 你的妹妹所多瑪和他的眾女必歸回原位;撒瑪利亞和他的眾女,你和你的眾女,也必歸回原位。

56 在你驕傲的日子,你的惡行沒有顯露以先,你的就不提你的妹妹所多瑪。那受了凌辱的亞蘭眾女和亞蘭四圍非利士的眾女都恨惡你,藐視你。

57 a

58 耶和華:你貪淫和可憎的事,你已經擔當了。

59 耶和華如此:你這輕看誓言、背棄盟約的,我必照你所行的待你。

60 然而我要追念在你幼年時與你所立的約,也要與你立定永約。

61 你接待你姊姊和你妹妹的時候,你要追念你所行的,自覺慚愧;並且我要將他們賜你為女兒,卻不是按著前約。

62 我要堅定與你所立的約(你就知道我是耶和華),

63 好使你在我赦免你一切所行的時候,心裡追念,自覺抱愧,又因你的羞辱就不再開。這是耶和華的。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #759

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759. "And the merchants of the earth have become rich owing to the potencies of her delights." This symbolizes the greater and lower in rank in the Roman Catholic hierarchy who by their dominion over sacred things strive for Divine majesty and superregal glory, who continually seek to establish it by multiplying the number of monasteries and possessions under their control, and by collecting and accumulating the world's treasures without end, and who thus procure for themselves physical and natural delights and gratifications by claiming for themselves a celestial and spiritual dominion.

The merchants of Babylon can only mean the greater and lower in rank in their church hierarchy, because in verse 23 of this chapter we are told that they are the great men of the earth. And the potencies of her delights with which they have become rich can only mean the dogmas that are the means by which they acquire for themselves dominion over people's souls, and so also over their possessions and wealth. People know that they collect these without end and swell their treasuries with them, and also that they make merchandise of the sanctities of the church, by selling salvation, for example, or heaven, in exchange for offerings and gifts made to monasteries and their saints and images, or in exchange for masses, indulgences and various dispensations.

[2] Who cannot see that if the papal dominion had not been broken at the time of the Protestant Reformation, Roman Catholics would have scraped together the possessions and wealth of all the kingdoms in the whole of Europe? And that then they would have made themselves the sole lords, and everyone else their servants? Do they not have the greatest part of their wealth from preceding centuries when they had power over emperors and kings, whom they could excommunicate and depose if they did not obey? And do they not still have annual incomes that are immense, and treasuries full of gold, silver, and precious stones?

The same barbarous lust for dominion is still lodged in the hearts of many of them, and is restrained only by a fear of its loss if it should extend beyond accepted limits.

Of what use, however, are such great incomes, treasures and possessions to them, other than to be delighted by them, to pride themselves on having them, and to establish their dominion to eternity?

It can be seen from this what is here symbolized by merchants of the earth who have become rich owing to the potencies of Babylon's delights.

They are called merchants also in Isaiah:

(The inhabitants of Babylon) are as stubble. Fire has burned them; they do not deliver their soul from the power of the flame... Such are... your merchants from your youth. (Isaiah 47:14-15)

[3] In the Word, to be a merchant or trader means, symbolically, to be engaged in procuring for oneself spiritual riches, which are concepts of truth and goodness, and in an opposite sense, concepts of falsity and evil, and to use the first to gain heaven, and the second to gain the world. For that reason the Lord likened the kingdom of heaven to a merchant seeking beautiful pearls (Matthew 13:45-46), and the people in the church to servants who were given talents with which to trade and gain more (Matthew 25:14-30), or who were given ten minas with which to likewise trade and gain more (Luke 19:12-26).

Moreover, because Tyre symbolizes the church in respect to its concepts of truth and goodness, therefore the whole of chapter twenty-seven in Ezekiel has trading and gain as its subject, and we are told concerning Tyre:

In your wisdom and your understanding you have gained... for yourself... gold and silver into your treasuries; and by the great wisdom in your trading you have increased your riches... (Ezekiel 28:4-5)

And elsewhere:

...Tyre... has been laid waste..., whose merchants are princes, and its traders the honorable of the earth. (Isaiah 23:1, 8)

Also, the corrupt church among Jews in the land of Canaan is called the land of trade (Ezekiel 16:3, 29; 21:30; 29:14).

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

The Bible

 

列王纪上 14

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1 那時,耶羅波安的兒子亞比雅病了。

2 耶羅波安對他的妻:你可以起來改裝,使人不知道你是耶羅波安的妻,往示羅去,在那裡有先知亞希雅。他曾告訴我,你必作這民的王。

3 現在你要帶個餅,與幾個薄餅,和一瓶蜜去見他,他必告訴你兒子將要怎樣。

4 耶羅波安的妻就這樣行,起身往示羅去,到了亞希雅的家。亞希雅因年紀老邁,眼目發直,不能見。

5 耶和華先曉諭亞希雅:耶羅波安的妻要問你,因他兒子病了,你當此此如此告訴他。他進的時候必裝作別的婦人。

6 他剛進,亞希雅見他步的響聲,就:耶羅波安的妻,進罷!你為何裝作別的婦人呢?我奉差遣將凶事告訴你。

7 你回去告訴耶羅波安耶和華以色列的如此:我從民中將你舉,立你作我民以色列的君,

8 將國從大衛家奪回賜你;你卻不效法我僕人大衛,遵守我的誡命,一心順從我,行我眼中看為正的事。

9 你竟行惡,比那在你以先的更甚,為自己立了別,鑄了偶像,惹我發怒,將我丟在背後

10 因此,我必使災禍臨到耶羅波安的家,將屬耶羅波安的男丁,無論困住的、自由的都從以色列中剪除,必除盡耶羅波安的家,如人除盡糞土一般。

11 凡屬耶羅波安的人,在城中的必被在田野的必被空中的。這是耶和華的。

12 所以你起身回家去罷!你的一進城,你兒子就必死了

13 以色列眾人必為他哀哭,將他葬埋。凡屬耶羅波安的人,惟有他得入墳墓;因為在耶羅波安的家中,只有他向耶和華以色列的顯出善行。

14 耶和華必另立一王治理以色列。到了日期,他必剪除耶羅波安的家;那日期已經到了。

15 耶和華擊打以色列人,使他們搖動,像中的蘆葦一般;又將他們從耶和華賜給他們列祖的美地上拔出來,分散在大那邊;因為他們做木偶,惹耶和華發怒。

16 因耶羅波安所犯的,又使以色列人陷在裡,耶和華必將以色列人仇敵。

17 耶羅波安的妻起身回去,到了得撒,剛到門檻,兒子就死了

18 以色列眾人將他葬埋,為他哀哭,正如耶和華藉他僕人先知亞希雅所

19 耶羅波安其餘的事,他怎樣爭戰,怎樣作,都以色列記上。

20 耶羅波安作王二十年,就與他列祖同睡。他兒子拿答接續他作王。

21 所羅門的兒子羅波安作猶大王。他登基的時候年四十歲,在耶路撒冷,就是耶和華以色列眾支派中所選擇立他名的城,作王十七年。羅波安的母親名叫拿瑪,是亞捫人。

22 猶大人行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,犯觸動他的憤恨,比他們列祖更甚。

23 因為他們在各岡上,各青翠築壇,立柱像和偶。

24 國中也有孌童。猶大人效法耶和華以色列人面前所趕出的外邦人,行一切可憎惡的事。

25 羅波安王第五年,埃及王示撒上來攻取耶路撒冷

26 奪了耶和華殿和王宮裡的寶物,盡都帶走,又奪去所羅門製造的盾牌

27 羅波安王製造銅盾牌代替那金盾牌,交給守王宮的護衛長看守。

28 王每逢進耶和華的殿,護衛兵就拿這盾牌,隨後仍將盾牌送回,放在護衛房。

29 羅波安其餘的事,凡他所行的,都猶大記上。

30 羅波安與耶羅波安時常爭戰。

31 羅波安與他列祖同睡,葬在大衛城他列祖的墳地裡。他母親名叫拿瑪,是亞捫人。他兒子亞比央(又名亞比雅)接續他作王。