The Bible

 

以西結書 37

Study

   

1 耶和華的靈(原文是)降在我身上。耶和華藉他的靈帶我出去,將我放在平原中;這平原遍滿骸

2 他使我從骸骨的四圍經過,誰知在平原的骸骨甚多,而且極其枯乾。

3 他對我:人子啊,這些骸能復活麼?我耶和華啊,你是知道的。

4 他又對我:你向這些骸發預言:枯乾的骸啊,要耶和華的

5 耶和華對這些骸如此:我必使氣息進入你們裡面,你們就要活了。

6 我必你們加上,使你們長,又將遮蔽你們,使氣息進入你們裡面,你們就要活了;你們便知道我是耶和華

7 於是,我遵命說預言。正說預言的時候,不料,有響聲,有地震;互相聯絡。

8 我觀,見骸骨上有,也長了,又有遮蔽其上,只是還沒有氣息。

9 對我:人子啊,你要發預言,向發預言,耶和華如此:氣息啊,要從方(原文是)而,吹在這些被殺的人身上,使他們活了。

10 於是我遵命說預言,氣息就進入骸骨,骸骨便活了,並且站起,成為極軍隊

11 主對我:人子啊,這些骸就是以色列全家。他們:我們的骨頭枯乾了,我們的指望失去了,我們滅絕淨盡了。

12 所以你要發預言對他們耶和華如此:我的民哪,我必開你們的墳墓,使你們從墳墓中出,領你們進入以色列地。

13 我的民哪,我開你們的墳墓,使你們從墳墓中出來,你們就知道我是耶和華

14 我必將我的靈放在你們裡面,你們就要活了。我將你們安置在本地,你們就知道我─耶和華如此,也如此成就了。這是耶和華的。

15 耶和華的又臨到我說:

16 人子啊,你要取杖,在其上猶大和他的同伴以色列人;又取杖,在其上為約瑟,就是為以法蓮,又為他的同伴以色列全家。

17 你要使這兩根杖接連為,在你中成為根。

18 你本國的子民問你:這是甚麼意思?你不指示我們麼?

19 你就對他們耶和華如此:我要將約瑟和他同伴以色列支派的杖,就是那在以法蓮中的,與猶大的杖同接連為,在我中成為根。

20 你所的那兩根杖要在他們眼前拿在中,

21 要對他們耶和華如此:我要將以色列人從他們所到的各國收取,又從四圍聚集他們,引導他們歸回本地。

22 我要使他們在那,在以色列上成為國,有王作他們眾民的王。他們不再為國,決不再分為國;

23 也不再因偶像和可憎的物,並一切的罪過玷污自己。我卻要他們出離一切的處,就是他們犯罪的地方;我要潔淨他們,如此,他們要作我的子民,我要作他們的

24 我的僕人大衛必作他們的王;眾民必歸個牧人。他們必順從我的典章,謹守遵行我的律例。

25 他們必在我賜僕人雅各上,就是你們列祖所。他們和他們的子孫,並子孫的子孫,都永遠在那裡。我的僕人大衛必作他們的王,直到永遠

26 並且我要與他們立平安的約,作為永約。我也要將他們安置在本地,使他們的人數增多,又在他們中間設立我的聖所,直到永遠

27 我的居所必在他們中間;我要作他們的,他們要作我的子民。

28 我的所在以色列人中間直到永遠外邦人就必知道我是叫以色列成為耶和華

   

Commentary

 

Tell

  

In Genesis 12:18, telling signifies to indicate, to come to know, to inform, or to be informed. Reflection is an internal telling. (Arcana Coelestia 2862)

In Genesis 24:49, "tell me, and if not, tell me" signifies the free state of their deliberation. (Arcana Coelestia 3158)

In Revelation 1:1, 2, this signifies to make manifest. (Apocalypse Revealed 3)

In Genesis 24:66, when the servant tells Isaac his story, it signifies perception from the Divine Natural. (Arcana Coelestia 3209)

'To tell' signifies perceiving, because in the spiritual world, or in heaven, they do not need to tell what they think because they communicate every thought. This is why 'to tell,' in the spiritual sense, signifies perceiving.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 5601)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3158

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

3158. 'Tell me; and if not, tell me' means a state in which they are free to deliberate. This is evident from the sense of the words themselves. From all that has gone before it is clear that while the sense of the letter in this chapter is dealing with the betrothal and marriage of Rebekah to Isaac, the internal sense is dealing with the introduction and joining together of truth and good, for the introduction and joining together of truth and good is spiritual betrothal and spiritual marriage. In both instances a free state to deliberate is necessary. The necessity for it in betrothal and marriage is well known, but the necessity for it in the introduction and joining together of truth and good is not so well known because it is not visible to the natural man and belongs among the things that go on quite apart from any reflecting on them. Yet this activity continues moment by moment in one who is being reformed and regenerated, that is to say, he experiences a free state when truth is being joined to good.

[2] Everyone may know, if he merely stops to think, that nothing ever exists as a person's own unless it forms part of his will. That which belongs solely to the understanding does not become a person's own until it belongs also to his will, for what belongs to the will constitutes the essential being (esse) of a person's life, whereas what belongs to the understanding constitutes the manifestation (existere) of that essential being. Consent flowing from the understanding alone is not consent, but all consent springs from the will. Unless therefore the truth of faith which belongs to the understanding is received by the good of love which belongs to the will it is in no sense truth that has been acknowledged, and so is not faith. In order that it may be received by good that belongs to the will it is necessary that a free state should exist. Everything that belongs in the will looks to be free. The state itself of the will is freedom, for what I will, I choose and desire since that is what I love and acknowledge as that which is good. From this it becomes clear that the truth of faith in no sense becomes a person's own until it has been accepted by the will, that is, introduced and joined to the good there, which cannot happen except in a free state.

  
/ 10837  
  

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