The Bible

 

Jeremija 51

Study

   

1 Ovako govori Jahve: "Gle, ja podižem protiv Babilona i protiv pučanstva kaldejskog vjetar zatornički.

2 Poslat ću na Babilon vijače da ga viju i prorešetaju zemlju njegovu. Kad ga sa svih strana opkole u kobni dan,

3 nek' strijelac luka ne odlaže, nek' ne skida oklopa! Ne štedite mladića njihovih, svu mu vojsku kleto uništite!

4 Pobijeni će padati po zemlji kaldejskoj, probodeni po ulicama njegovim."

5 Ne, Izrael - Judeja - nije udovica Boga svojega, Jahve nad Vojskama, iako je zemlja njihova puna krivice protiv Sveca Izraelova.

6 Bježite iz Babilona, nek' svak' spasi život svoj, da ne izginete s njegova bezakonja, jer ovo je vrijeme Jahvine odmazde, svakom plaća po zasluzi!

7 Babilon bijaše pehar zlatni u ruci Jahvinoj, pehar koji opi svijet cijeli. Vinom tim se puci opiše, i zato se puci obezumiše.

8 Iznenada pade Babilon, razmrskan: zakukajte nad njim! Potražite balzama rani njegovoj: možda će ozdravit'!

9 Liječili smo Babilon, al' se ne izliječi. Pustimo ga, vratimo se svaki u svoj kraj! Jer do neba dopire njegova osuda i diže se pod oblake.

10 Jahve je iznio pravdu našu! Hajde da Sionu objavimo djelo Jahve, Boga našega.

11 Naoštrite strelice, napunite tobolce! Jahve potače duh kraljeva medijskih jer naumi zatrti Babilon, Jahvina je to osveta, osveta za Hram njegov.

12 Razvijte stijeg, zidine babilonske! Pojačajte straže! Postavite stražare! Razmjestite zasjede! Jer Jahve što naumi to sad izvodi, kako je rekao protiv Babilona.

13 O, ti što prebivaš na velikim vodama i bogat blagom svakojakim! Sad ti svršetak dođe, kraj tvojoj lakomosti.

14 Životom svojim zakle se Jahve nad Vojskama: "Napunit ću te ljudstvom kao skakavcima, zaorit će protiv tebe vika bojna."

15 On snagom svojom stvori zemlju, mudrošću svojom uspostavi krug zemaljski i umom svojim razape nebesa.

16 Kad mu glas zaori, huče vode na nebesima, oblake diže s kraja zemlje: stvara kiši munje, vjetar izvodi iz skrovišta njegovih.

17 Svakom čovjeku pamet stane, svaki se zlatar zastidi svoga kipa, jer svi su mu kipovi samo varka, nema u njima duha.

18 Isprazni su oni, smiješne tvorevine, propast će u dan kazne.

19 'Jakovljev dio' nije kao oni: jer on je sve stvorio, Izrael pleme je baštine njegove. Jahve nad Vojskama ime je njegovo.

20 Ti si mi bio malj, oružje ratno. Pomlatih tobom narode, razmrskah tobom kraljevstva.

21 Pomlatih tobom konja i konjanika, pomlatih tobom bojna kola i vozača.

22 Pomlatih tobom čovjeka i ženu, pomlatih tobom starca i dijete. Pomlatih tobom mladića i djevojku, pomlatih tobom pastira i stado.

23 Pomlatih tobom ratara i zapregu njegovu, pomlatih tobom namjesnike i upravljače.

24 Ali na vaše oči sada plaća Babilonu i svim Kaldejcima za sve zlo koje učiniše Sionu - riječ je Jahvina.

25 "Evo me na te, Goro zatornice - riječ je Jahvina - zatornice svega svijeta! Zamahnut ću rukom protiv tebe, svalit ću te s litice, pretvorit ću te u goru spaljenu.

26 Iz tebe više neće klesati kamen ugaoni ni kamen temeljac, bit ćeš vječna pustinja" - riječ je Jahvina.

27 Podignite stijeg u zemlji, zatrubite u rog među narodima! Pripremite na nj narode, sazovite na nj kraljevstva - Ararat, Mini, Aškenaz! Postavite protiv njega pozivnike, nek' nasrnu konji k'o dlakavi skakavci!

28 Spremite na nj narode, kraljeve medijske, vojvode i namjesnike njihove i svu zemlju kojom vladaju.

29 Zemlja će se tresti, drhtati, kad se stanu uspinjati k Babilonu svi naumi Jahvini da pretvori zemlju babilonsku u pustinju nenastanjenu.

30 Nebojše babilonske odustaše od borbe, u utvrdama posjedaše, nesta sile njihove: postadoše kao žene. Spaljeni su domovi njihovi, polomljeni zasuni na vratima.

31 Teklič tekliča prestiže, glasnik juri za glasnikom, da jave kralju babilonskom da mu je grad sa svih strana zauzet,

32 prijelazi zaposjednuti, tvrđave ognjem popaljene, a ratnici prestrašeni.

33 Jer ovako govori Jahve, Bog Izraelov: "Kći je babilonska kao gumno u vrijeme kad se po njem gazi; još malo, i doći će joj vrijeme žetve."

34 Izjeo me, satro babilonski kralj, odgurnuo me kao prazan pladanj, k'o zmaj me on progutao, napunio trbušinu, iz mog me istjerao Edena.

35 "Nasilje i patnje moje na Babilon!" govore stanovnici Siona. "Krv moja na Kaldejce!" govori Jeruzalem.

36 Zato ovako govori Jahve: "Gle, ja ću braniti parnicu tvoju i krvavo te osvetiti. Sasušit ću more njegovo i presahnut ću izvore njegove.

37 Babilon će biti hrpa ruševina, brlog čagljima, užas i ruglo, kraj nenastanjen.

38 Svi zajedno riču k'o lavovi, zavijaju kao lavići.

39 Kad se ugriju, priredit će im pijanku, napojiti ih da se provesele, da zaspe vječnim snom, da se više ne probude - riječ je Jahvina.

40 Odvest ću ih k'o janjce na klanje, kao jarce i ovnove."

41 "Kako li je zauzet, kako osvojen taj ponos zemlje sve? Kako li Babilon posta strašilo narodima?

42 Uzdiglo se more protiv Babilona, prekrilo ga valovlje njegovo.

43 Gradovi mu pustoš postali, zemlja suha, pustara: čovjek u njoj ne stanuje, niti njom prolazi sin čovječji."

44 "Kaznit ću Bela babilonskog, iz ralja mu otet što je progutao. Neće više k njemu hrliti narodi, srušit će se babilonske zidine.

45 Izađi iz njega, narode moj! Nek' svaki spasi život svoj od jarosnoga gnjeva Jahvina!

46 Neka vam srce ne klone! Ne bojte se glasÄa što se zemljom šire, jedne godine ovakvi, druge onakvi, i što u zemlji vlada nasilje, te silnik za silnikom ustaje.

47 Jer evo dolaze dani kada ću kazniti kipove babilonske, i sva će mu se zemlja postidjeti, i svi će mu pobijeni ležat' posred grada.

48 Tada će nad Babilonom klicati nebo i zemlja i sve što je na njima, jer će sa sjevera navaliti na grad, zatornici njegovi - riječ je Jahvina!

49 I Babilon mora pasti za pobijene Izraelce, kao što su za Babilon padali pobijeni po svem svijetu.

50 Vi što umakoste maču, idite, ne ostajte ovdje. Spominjite se Jahve u zemlji dalekoj, i neka vam Jeruzalem bude na srcu:

51 'Stidjeli smo se slušajuć' sramotu, rumenilo nam prekrilo lice kad ono tuđinci nahrupiše u Svetište Doma Jahvina.'

52 Zato, evo, dolaze dani - riječ je Jahvina - kad ću kazniti kipove njegove i po svoj će mu zemlji stenjat' ranjenici.

53 Da se Babilon popne do neba, da se utvrdi na visu nedostupnu, na moju će zapovijed na nj navalit' pustošnici" - riječ je Jahvina.

54 Čujte vapaj iz Babilona, i strašan poraz iz zemlje kaldejske!

55 Jer sam Jahve pustoši Babilon, on stišava strašnu buku njegovu: bučili su vali njegovi k'o vode velike, razlijegala se huka njihova.

56 Jest, pustošnik dođe na Babilon, uhvaćeni su ratnici njegovi, lukovi im polomljeni. Zaista, Jahve je Bog osvetnik koji plaća po zasluzi!

57 "Opojit ću mu knezove i mudrace, vojvode, namjesnike i ratnike: da zaspe vječnim snom pa se više ne probude" - govori Kralj, ime mu je Jahve nad Vojskama.

58 Ovako govori Jahve nad Vojskama: "Široke zidine babilonske bit će do temelja razvaljene, a visoka trava njegova bit će ognjem spaljena. Narodi se zalud trudili, puci se za oganj mučili!"

59 Evo zapovijedi što je prorok Jeremija dade Seraji, sinu Mahsejina sina Nerije, kad je Seraja krenuo u Babilon sa Sidkijom, kraljem judejskim, četvrte godine njegova vladanja. Seraja bijaše veliki komornik.

60 Jeremija je u jednu knjigu bio zapisao svu nesreću koja je morala doći na Babilon - sva ona proroštva napisana protiv Babilona.

61 Jeremija reče Seraji: "Kad dođeš u Babilon, išti prigodu da obznaniš sve ove riječi.

62 I reci: 'Jahve, ti sam reče da ćeš zatrti ovo mjesto te u njemu ničega više neće biti, ni čovjeka ni živinčeta, nego će postati vječna pustinja.'

63 Kad pročitaš ovu knjigu, zaveži je za kamen i baci uEufrat.

64 I reci: 'Ovako će potonuti Babilon i neće se više podići iz nesreće koju ću na nj svaliti.'" To su riječi Jeremijine.

   

Commentary

 

King

  
Meeting of three kings in Potsdam and Charlottenburg, 1709, by Samuel Theodor Gericke

In Genesis 14:1, kings signify apparent goods and truths having the upper hand. In the next verse, they stand for the dominant evils and falsities against which the Lord fought as he passed He grew up on Earth.

In Genesis 14:3, we see that these evils and falsities were unclean; and in Genesis 14:4, that they burst forth later. (Arcana Coelestia 1661-1664).

In Genesis 14:14-15, this signifies that the Lord gained victory over them the evils represented earlier in the chapter. (Arcana Coelestia 1711-1715)

In Isaiah 33:17, a king signifies seeing genuine truth. (Apocalypse Explained 304[31])

In Revelation 9:11, a king signifies one who is in truth from an affection for what is good, and abstractly that truth itself -- here, in the opposite sense. (Apocalypse Revealed 440)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1661

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

1661. 'And so it was in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim' means just so many kinds of apparent goods and truths which are not in themselves goods and truths, and which were present with the Lord's external Man. This becomes clear from the meaning of all these in the internal sense, and also from what follows. For the subject is the Lord's conflict against evils and falsities, here His first conflict which came during His childhood and earliest adolescence. That conflict He first entered into and endured after He had been endowed with knowledge and cognitions, hence the expression 'in the days of' these kings.

[2] Nobody can possibly fight against evils and falsities until he knows what evil and falsity are, not therefore until he has received instruction. A person does not know what evil is, still less what falsity is, before he is capable of understanding and of forming judgements for himself, which is the reason why a person does not enter into temptations until he has reached the age of maturity. Thus everyone is tempted in adult life, but the Lord was tempted even in childhood.

[3] Everyone fights first of all from the goods and truths he has received by means of cognitions, and it is from them and by means of them that he forms judgements concerning evils and falsities. Everyone furthermore when he first starts to fight imagines that these goods and truths from which he fights are his own, that is, he ascribes them to himself, and at the same time ascribes to himself the power by which he resists. This is allowed because a person cannot at the time know anything different. Before anyone has been regenerated he cannot possibly know, so as to be able to say that he knows, acknowledges, and believes, that no good or truth at all comes from self, but that everything good and true comes from the Lord; nor can he possibly know that he is unable by his own power to resist any evil or falsity. Indeed he does not know that evil spirits are activating and implanting the evils and falsities, still less that he is in communication with hell by means of evil spirits, and that hell presses on him like the sea against every part of a dike, which he can by no means resist by his own strength. Yet because he cannot do otherwise, until he has been regenerated, than imagine that he resists by his own strength, this too is permitted; and in this condition he is admitted into conflicts, or temptations. Subsequently however he becomes more and more enlightened.

[4] When a person's state is such that he imagines that good and truth originate in himself and that the power to resist is his own, the goods and truths from which he fights against evils and falsities are not really goods and truths, however much they appear to be so, for they have that which is his own within them, and he places self-merit in victory, boasting as though it were he that had overcome evil and falsity, when in fact it is the Lord alone who fights and overcomes. That this is indeed so none can know except those who are being regenerated by means of temptations.

[5] Because the Lord in earliest childhood was led into very serious conflicts against evils and falsities it was inevitable that at that time even He should think that way. This happened both because it was according to Divine order that His Human Essence should through continuous conflicts and victories be brought to the Divine Essence and united to it, and because the goods and truths from which He fought against evils and falsities belonged to the External Man. And because those goods and truths were not completely Divine they are for that reason called appearances of good and truth. His Divine Essence brought the Human Essence to itself in this way in order that it might overcome by its own power. The arcana here however are more than can possibly be described. In short, in those first conflicts the goods and truths residing with the Lord from which He fought were permeated by things inherited from the mother, and insofar as they were permeated by things inherited from the mother they were not Divine. Gradually however, as He overcame evil and falsity they were purified and made Divine.

  
/ 10837  
  

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