The Bible

 

Ezekijel 17

Study

   

1 Dođe mi riječ Jahvina:

2 "Sine čovječji, smisli zagonetku i iznesi prispodobu domu Izraelovu! Reci:

3 'Ovako govori Jahve Gospod: Velik orao, velikih krila, duga perja, gusta, šarena paperja, doletje na Libanon i zgrabi cedrov vrh;

4 odlomi mu najvišu grančicu, odnese je u zemlju trgovaca i spusti je u grad prodavača.

5 Onda uze izdanak iz zemlje, u plodnu ga njivu posadi, kraj obilnih voda stavi, kao vrbu usadi.

6 Izdanak proklija, bujan izbi čokot, onizak izraste, mladice mu k orlu segnuše, a pod njim mu žilje bješe; u bujan se razvi čokot, potjera izdanke, mladice razgrana.

7 Bijaše i drugi orao, velik i velikih krila, gusta perja. I gle, čokot k njemu žilje pruži, k njemu upravi grančice svoje da ga natapa bolje od tla u koje bi zasađen.

8 Na plodnoj njivi, kraj obilnih voda, bješe zasađen: mogao je tjerat' mladice, uroditi rodom, k'o veličanstveni trs izrasti.'

9 Reci: 'Ovako govori Jahve Gospod: Hoće l' uspijevati? Neće l' mu orao sve žilje izguliti? Neće l' mu sve plodove potrgati? Neće l' mu sve mladice, čim izbiju, sasušiti? Da, i bez snažne mišice, i bez mnoštva naroda, iščupat će ga iz korijena!

10 Gle, zasađen je! Hoće l' uspijevati? Čim ga takne istočnjak, neće l' sav usahnuti? Da, na lijehama iz kojih niče uvenut će.'"

11 Dođe mi riječ Jahvina:

12 "Reci domu odmetničkome: 'Zar ne znate što ovo znači?' Reci im: 'Eto, dođe kralj babilonski u Jeruzalem, zarobi mu kralja i sve knezove, odvede ih k sebi u Babilon.

13 Odvede i izdanak iz kraljevskoga koljena, sklopi s njima savez i zakletvom se obveza, pošto odvede sve mogućnike iz zemlje,

14 da će kraljevstvo ostati neznatno i da se neće dizati, nego će čuvati i držati savez s njime.

15 Ali se on od njega odmetnu; poslanike uputi u Egipat, tražeći od njega konje i jaku vojsku. Hoće li uspjeti? Može li umaći onaj tko tako radi? Raskinu savez, pa da umakne?

16 Života mi moga, riječ je Jahve Gospoda: jer prezre zakletvu kralja koji ga na prijestolje posadi i razvrže savez s njime, u njegovoj će zemlji umrijeti, usred Babilona!

17 Svojom silnom vojskom i mnoštvom naroda faraon mu neće pomoći u boju kad onaj digne nasipe i sagradi kule opsadne da mu zatre mnogo ljudstvo.

18 Prezreo je zakletvu, razvrgao savez. Da, iako ruku bijaše dao, sve to učini! Ne, neće umaći!'

19 Stoga ovako govori Jahve Gospod: 'Života mi moga, zakletvu što je prezre i savez što ga razvrže oborit ću na glavu njegovu!

20 Mrežu ću nad njim razapeti i uhvatit će se u moju zamku, pa ću ga odvesti u Babilon i ondje mu suditi zbog nevjere kojom mi se iznevjeri.

21 Cvijet vojske njegove od mača će pasti, a ostatak se raspršiti u sve vjetrove. I spoznat ćete da ja, Jahve, tako rekoh.'

22 Ovako govori Jahve Gospod: 'S vrha cedra velikoga, s vrška mladih grana njegovih, odlomit ću grančicu i posadit' je na gori visokoj, najvišoj.

23 Na najvišoj gori izraelskoj nju ću zasaditi: razgranat će se ona, plodom uroditi.

24 I sve će poljsko drveće znati da ja sam Jahve koji visoko drvo ponizujem, a nisko uzvisujem; zeleno drvo sušim, a drvu suhu dajem da rodi. Ja, Jahve, rekoh i učinit ću!'"

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #8972

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

8972. Verse 1 And these are the judgements which you shall set before them means those more external truths such as must exist in a civic state where the Church is representative, which flow from the internal truths belonging to order in heaven. The fact that these things are meant by 'the judgements that were to be set before the children of Israel' is clear from the meaning of 'judgements' as truths, dealt with in 2235, 6397, 7206, 8685, 8695. The reason why 'judgements' are truths is that all judgement is effected by means of truths; therefore 'executing judgement' in the Word means executing truth, that is, judging in accordance with truths. But the plural 'judgements' means civil laws, thus those more external truths such as exist in a civic state. The words 'where the Church is representative' are added because these truths contain and embody within themselves the truths that belong to order in heaven, as may be recognized from the internal sense of them.

[2] The laws which the Lord delivered to the children of Israel and commanded them to keep were divided into commandments, judgements, and statutes. The term 'commandments' was given to those which were laws of life, 'judgements' to those which were laws of the civic state, and 'statutes' to those which were laws of worship. As regards judgements specifically, they are the kinds of laws that are contained in the present chapter and also some that follow. They served as laws in a Church in which inner realities, those of heaven and of the Church, were represented by outward things; but they do not serve as laws in a Church in which inner realities are no longer represented by outward things, as in the Christian Church. The reason for this is that inner realities have been revealed to people of this Church, and therefore inner realities are the channel through which contact is made with heaven, not outward things, as had been the situation before the Christian Church. Here is the reason why members of the Christian Church are not bound to adhere to the outward requirements of the laws called judgements and statutes, only to the inward ones. Holiness still remains within them because they hold holy truths within them, as also does every single command in the Word regarding the sacrifices. Although these are no longer prescriptive laws they remain holy constituents of the Word because of the Divine realities which they hold within themselves and which they represented. For when they are read by a Christian the Divine realities which are held within them and which were represented by them are discerned in heaven. They fill the angels with holiness, and at the same time the reader too through influx from the angels, especially if the reader himself is thinking at the same time about the Divine realities within them. From this it is evident that even the Old Testament Word is extremely holy.

[3] The fact that the laws which the Lord delivered to the children of Israel and commanded them to keep were divided into commandments that were laws of life, judgements that were laws of the civic state, and statutes that were laws of worship, is evident in Moses,

Jehovah said to Moses, Go, say to them, Go back into your tents. But you, stand here with Me, that I may tell you all the commandments, and statutes, and judgements which you shall teach them, so that they may do them. Deuteronomy 5:30-31.

In the same author,

Furthermore these are the commandments, statutes, and judgements which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you. Deuteronomy 6:1.

In the same author,

Therefore you shall keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which I am commanding you today, to do them. Deuteronomy 7:11.

In David,

If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgements, if they profane My statutes and do not keep My commandments, I will visit their transgression with the rod. Psalms 89:30-32.

[4] Furthermore all the laws, in that they were those of a representative Church, were generally called judgements and statutes, as in Moses,

Now therefore, O Israel, hear the statutes and the judgements which I will teach you, that you may do them. What great nation [is there] that has righteous statutes and judgements, like all this law which I will set before you today? Deuteronomy 4:1, 8; 5:1.

In Ezekiel.

Jerusalem has changed My judgements into wickedness more than the nations, and My statutes more than the lands that are around her; for they have repudiated My judgements, and have not walked in My statutes. Ezekiel 5:6-7.

In the same prophet,

Let him 1 walk in My statutes and keep My judgements - to do the truth. Ezekiel 18:9.

In addition to these there are many other places, such as Leviticus 18:5; 19:37; 20:22; 25:18; 26:15; Deuteronomy 26:17; Ezekiel 11:12, 20; 20:11, 13, 25; 37:24.

Footnotes:

1. The Latin means them but the Hebrew means him

  
/ 10837  
  

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