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Jeremija 51

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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.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #6367

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6367. 'A lion's cub is Judah' means innocence with innate strength. This is clear from the meaning of 'a lion' as the good of love and the truth from that good in their power, dealt with below, so that 'a lion's cub' is innocence with strength. The reason why with innate strength is meant is that here 'Judah' represents the celestial element of love, and the celestial element of love resides in the will part of the mind, 895, 917, 4493, 5117, and thus possesses innate strength. For a person is born into things that belong to the will part. That being so, members of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial, were born into the good of love, in the measure that good was present in their will. This then is why the strength is said to be innate. The reason 'a lion's cub' means innocence is that 'a lion' is the good of celestial love, and 'a cub', being so to speak its young child, accordingly means innocence.

[2] 'A lion' means the good of celestial love and the truth from that love in their power, and also in the contrary sense the evil of self-love in its power, as is clear from places in the Word where 'a lion' is mentioned. The good of celestial love is meant in John,

Behold, the Lion which is from the Tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the book and to loose its seven seals. Revelation 5:5.

Here the Lord is called 'the Lion' by virtue of the almighty power which His Divine Love and Divine Truth from that Love possess. There are also other places in the Word where Jehovah or the Lord is compared to a lion, as in Hosea,

They will go after Jehovah; He will roar like a lion, for He will roar, and respectfully [His] sons from the west 1 will draw near. Hosea 11:10.

[3] Also in Isaiah,

Thus said Jehovah to me, As a lion roars, and a young lion over its prey, when there come up against him a full number of shepherds, by whose voice he is not dismayed, and by whose tumult he is not distressed, so Jehovah Zebaoth will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill. Isaiah 31:4.

Here the almighty power of Divine Good is compared to 'a lion', and the almighty power of Divine Truth from that Good is compared to 'a young lion'. For it says that 'Jehovah Zebaoth will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill', and 'Mount Zion' means the Good of Divine Love and 'its hill' the Divine Truth from that Good, 795, 796, 1430, 4210.

[4] For the same reason the four living creatures in Ezekiel and in John, meaning cherubs, had the faces of a human being, lion, ox, and eagle: In Ezekiel,

The likeness of the faces of the four living creatures - [each of] the four had the face of a human being, and the face of a lion on the right side, and [each of] the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and [each of] the four had the face of an eagle. Ezekiel 1:10; 10:14.

And in John,

Around 2 the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. And the first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like a calf; the third living creature had a face like a human being; the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. Revelation 4:6-7.

The fact that the living creatures were cherubs is stated in Ezekiel to, which fact is also evident from the description of them in John, in which he says that they had 'eyes in front and behind'. The Lord's foresight and providence are meant by 'the cherubs', 308; and they had the face of a lion by virtue of the almighty power belonging to providence that Divine Truth from Divine Good possesses. So also with the cherubs around the new temple in Ezekiel 41:19.

[5] Celestial people in possession of the power supplied by the good and the truth from good which come from the Lord are meant by 'lions', as is evident in David,

There is no want to those fearing Jehovah. The young lions will lack and suffer hunger, but those seeking Jehovah will not lack any good thing. Psalms 34:9-10.

In the same author,

The [young] lions are roaring for plunder, and to seek from God their food. The sun rises, they are gathered together, and lie down in their dwelling-places. Psalms 104:21-22.

In Balaam's prophetic utterance,

At that time it will be said to Jacob and to Israel, What has God been doing? See, a people will rise up like an old lion, and like a young lion will lift itself up. He will not rest until he has devoured the prey. Numbers 23:23-24.

[6] And further on,

When Balaam saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes, he said, He crouches, he lies down like a lion, and like an old lion; who will rouse him? Numbers 24:2, 9.

The celestial is what is described here because celestial order is what the tribes represented by their encampments and was what Balaam saw in the spirit when he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes, 6335. That order originates in Divine Good coming through Divine Truth from the Lord; and within that order resides all power, meant here by a crouching and recumbent lion.

[7] In Micah,

The remnant of Jacob will be with the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, who, if he passes through, will tread down and tear in pieces, 3 and there is no deliverer. Your hand will be lifted up over your enemies, and all your adversaries will be cut off. Micah 5:8-9.

Here 'a lion' and a young lion stand for celestial good and celestial truth, which are 'the remnant of Jacob'. They also stand for that good and truth in Isaiah 21:8; Jeremiah 25:38; Ezekiel 38:13; Zechariah 11:3. And that same good and truth were also represented by the lions at Solomon's ivory throne, two next to the armrests 4 and twelve on the six steps, 1 Kings 10:18-20, and by the lions on the panels of the ten pedestals made of bronze, 1 Kings 7:29, 36.

[8] In the contrary sense 'a lion' means the evil of self-love in its power, as is evident from the following places: In Isaiah,

There will not be any lion there, and the savage of the wild animals will not go up on it; it will not be found there. But they will go free; thus the redeemed of Jehovah will return, and will come to Zion with song. Isaiah 35:9-10.

In Jeremiah,

Why has Israel become plunder? The young lions roar at him, they sound their voice; they turn his land into a waste. Jeremiah 2:14-15.

In the same prophet,

A lion has risen up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out; he has come from his place to turn the land into a waste. Jeremiah 4:7.

In the same prophet,

They did not know the way of Jehovah, the judgement of their God, therefore a lion from the forest has struck them down, and a wolf of the plains will devastate them. Jeremiah 5:4, 6.

In Nahum,

Where is the dwelling-place of lions, and the feeding-place 5 of the young lions, where the lion walked, the old lion, the lion's cub, and there is no one making them afraid? The lion tears in pieces enough for the cubs, and strangles for his old lionesses, and fills his caves with plunder, and his dwelling places with what he has pounced on. Behold, I am against you, said Jehovah Zebaoth, and I will burn her chariot in the smoke; but the sword will devour your young lions, and I will cut off your plunder from the earth. Nahum 2:11-13.

This refers to Nineveh.

In all these places 'a lion' stands for the power that the evil of self-love possesses, when it destroys and lays waste. 'A lion' has a like meaning in Jeremiah 12:8; 49:19; 50:17, 44; 51:38; Ezekiel 19:2-9; 32:2; Joel 1:6; Zephaniah 3:3; Psalms 57:4; 58:6; 91:13; Revelation 13:2.

Footnotes:

1. literally, sons from the sea

2. The Latin means Before but the Greek means Around, which Swedenborg has in other places where he quotes this verse.

3. Reading discerpet (will tear to pieces), which Swedenborg has in his rough draft, for disperget (will scatter)

4. literally, the hands of the throne

5. literally, pasture or grazing ground

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