The Bible

 

Ezechiel 29

Study

   

1 Léta desátého, desátého měsíce, dvanáctého dne téhož měsíce, stalo se slovo Hospodinovo ke mně, řkoucí:

2 Synu člověčí, obrať tvář svou proti Faraonovi králi Egyptskému, a prorokuj proti němu i proti všemu Egyptu.

3 Mluv a rci: Takto praví Panovník Hospodin: Aj, já proti tobě jsem, ó Faraone králi Egyptský, draku veliký, kterýž ležíš u prostřed řek svých, ješto říkáš: Já mám řeku svou, já zajisté jsem ji přivedl sobě.

4 Protož dám udici do čelistí tvých, a učiním, že zváznou ryby řek tvých na tvých šupinách; i vyvleku tě z prostředku řek tvých,i všecky ryby řek tvých na šupinách tvých zvázlé.

5 A nechám tě na poušti, tebe i všech ryb řek tvých. Na svrchku pole padneš, nebudeš sebrán ani shromážděn; šelmám zemským i ptactvu nebeskému dám tě k sežrání.

6 I zvědí všickni obyvatelé Egyptští, že já jsem Hospodin, proto že jste holí třtinovou domu Izraelskému.

7 Když se chytají tebe rukou, lámeš se, a roztínáš jim všecko rameno; a když se na tě zpodpírají, ztroskotána býváš, ačkoli nastavuješ jim všech bedr.

8 Protož takto praví Panovník Hospodin: Aj, já přivedu na tě meč, a vypléním z tebe lidi i hovada.

9 I bude země Egyptská pustinou a pouští, i zvědí, že já jsem Hospodin, proto že říkal: Řeka má jest, já zajisté jsem ji přivedl.

10 Protož aj, já budu proti tobě i proti řece tvé, a obrátím zemi Egyptskou v pustiny, v poušť přehroznou od věže Sevéne až do pomezí Mouřenínského.

11 Nepůjdeť přes ni noha člověka, ani noha dobytčete půjde přes ni, a nebude v ní bydleno za čtyřidceti let.

12 A tak uvedu zemi Egyptskou v pustinu nad jiné země pusté, a města její nad jiná města zpuštěná pustá budou za čtyřidceti let, když rozptýlím Egyptské mezi národy, a rozženu je do rozličných zemí.

13 A však takto praví Panovník Hospodin: Po skonání čtyřidceti let shromáždím Egyptské z národů, kamž rozptýleni budou.

14 A přivedu zase zajaté Egyptské, a uvedu je zase do země Patros, do země přebývání jejich, i budou tam královstvím sníženým.

15 Mimo jiná království bude sníženější, aniž se bude vynášeti více nad jiné národy; zmenším je zajisté, aby nepanovali nad národy.

16 I nebude více domu Izraelskému doufáním, kteréž by na pamět přivodilo nepravost, když by se obraceli za nimi; nebo zvědí, že já jsem Panovník Hospodin.

17 Potom bylo dvadcátého sedmého léta, prvního měsíce, prvního dne, že se stalo slovo Hospodinovo ke mně, řkoucí:

18 Synu člověčí, Nabuchodonozor král Babylonský podrobil vojsko své v službu velikou proti Týru. Každá hlava oblezla, a každé rameno odříno jest, mzdy pak nemá, on ani vojsko jeho, z Týru za tu službu, kterouž sloužili proti němu.

19 Z té příčiny takto praví Panovník Hospodin: Aj, já dávám Nabuchodonozorovi králi Babylonskému zemi Egyptskou, aby pobral zboží její, a rozebral loupeže její, i rozchvátal kořisti její, aby mělo mzdu vojsko jeho.

20 Za práci jejich, kterouž mi sloužili, dám jim zemi Egyptskou, proto že mně pracovali, praví Panovník Hospodin.

21 V ten den rozkáži vypučiti se rohu domu Izraelského. Tobě též způsobím, že otevřeš ústa u prostřed nich, i zvědí, že já jsem Hospodin.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #65

Study this Passage

  
/ 1232  
  

65. And girt about the breasts with a golden girdle. That this signifies Divine good, is evident from the signification of breasts with a girdle, as being to surround the chest; breasts and a girdle are mentioned because the breasts stand out from the chest, and a girdle surrounds. The reason why Divine good proceeding from the Lord is here meant, is, that the chest in general, and the breasts in particular, have such a signification. The reason why these denote good proceeding, is, that all garments signify those things which proceed; for they are outside the body and clothe it; and the things which proceed from, are also outside the body and engird it. (That this is the case, is evident from what is shown in the work, Heaven and Hell, concerning the garments with which the angels are clothed, n. 177-182; that is to say that every one there is clothed with garments according to his affection of understanding and becoming wise, and this affection is what proceeds from them; for there is a sphere which proceeds from each angel and spirit, this being a sphere of affection, and is called the sphere of his life, and they have garments according to this sphere. That their garments are from that sphere, is not evident to their sight, but yet they know that it is so; concerning this sphere, see Arcana Coelestia 2489, 4464, 5179, 7454, 8630.)

[2] From these considerations it is evident that the Lord's garments signify the proceeding Divine, which is Divine truth united to Divine good, which fills the whole heaven, and enters into the interiors of the mind, and imparts intelligence and wisdom to him who receives it. This is what is meant by being clothed with white garments. Because proceeding Divine good is signified by the girdle with which the Lord was girded, therefore the girdle appeared to be of gold, for by gold is signified the good of love (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 113, 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917, 9510, 9874, 9881). The reason why breasts are mentioned instead of the chest, which was girt with the girdle is, because breasts signify spiritual love, and the chest itself the good thereof; this love is also signified by breasts in Isaiah:

"I will place thee for an eternal excellency, a joy of generation and generation. Thou shalt suck the milk of the nations, and shalt suck the breasts of kings" (60:15, 16).

Kings denote truths from good from the Lord (as may be seen above, n. 31); breasts and chest denote that good, which is the good of spiritual love.

[3] That the chest signifies the good of spiritual love is from correspondence with heaven; for the whole heaven corresponds to all things of man; the inmost or third heaven corresponds to the head; the middle or second to the chest, and the ultimate or first, to the feet. On account of such correspondence, heaven is also called the Grand Man (Maximus Homo); and because the inmost or third heaven corresponds to the head, therefore by the head is signified the good of celestial love, which is the good of love to the Lord. The reason of this is, that the good of celestial love reigns in and constitutes that heaven; and because the middle or second heaven corresponds to the chest, therefore by the chest is signified the good of spiritual love, which is the good of love towards the neighbour, because this good reigns in and constitutes that heaven. And because the ultimate or first heaven corresponds to the feet, therefore by feet is signified the good of natural from spiritual love, which is the good of faith; the reason is that, that good reigns in and constitutes that heaven. From these considerations it is clear why it is that the breasts signify spiritual love, and the chest its good. (But these things may be better understood from what is shown in the work, Heaven and Hell; especially from the articles which treat of the three heavens, n. 29-39, where it is shown, that the Divine of the Lord in the heavens is love to Him and charity towards the neighbour, see n. 13-19; that the whole heaven resembles one man, see n. 59-67; and that there is correspondence of heaven with all things of man, see n. 87-102; and in Arcana Coelestia 4938, 4939, 10087. It is permitted to adduce from that work, by way of illustration, these few things. That the chest signifies the good of spiritual love, is because within, in the chest, are the heart and lungs, and the heart from correspondence signifies celestial love and the lungs spiritual love, but the lungs fill the chest; that there is such a correspondence, see Arcana Coelestia 3383-3896, 9280, 9300; what celestial love is and what spiritual love, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 23.)

  
/ 1232  
  

Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9280

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

9280. 'In order that your ox and your ass may rest' means the peace and serenity that external forms of good and truths enjoy at the same time. This is clear from the meaning of 'resting', when it refers to the seventh day or the sabbath, as peace and serenity, as immediately above in 9279; and from the meaning of 'ox' as external good, and of 'ass' as external truth, dealt with in 2781, 9135, 9255.

Beasts were signs of affections and inclinations such as the human being shares in common with them, see 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 776, 2179, 2180, 2781, 3218, 3519, 5198, 5913, 8937, 9090, 9135.

Beasts were used in sacrifices in accordance with their spiritual meaning, 1823, 2180, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3519.

All things existing in the world, in its three kingdoms, were representative of the spiritual and celestial realities of the Lord's kingdom, 1632, 1881, 2758, 2987-3003, 3213-3227, 3483, 3624-3649, 4939, 5116, 5427, 5428, 5477, 8211.

All things have a correspondence, 2987-3003, 3213-3226, 3337-3352, 3472-3485, 3624-3649, 3745-3750, 3883-3896, 4039-4055, 4218-4228, 4318-4331, 4403-4420, 4523-4533, 4622-4634, 4652-4660, 4791-4806, 4931-4952, 5050-5062, 5171-5189, 5377-5396, 5552-5573, 5711-5727, 8615.

[2] These references have been drawn together to enable it to be seen that not merely all beasts but also all objects in the world have a correspondence, and that in accordance with their correspondences they all represent and serve to mean spiritual and celestial realities, and in the highest sense Divine realities that are the Lord's. And from this the character of the ancient Churches, called representative Churches, may be seen. This character was such that each one of their sacred observances served to represent things that are the Lord's and belong to His kingdom, thus aspects of love to Him and belief in Him. In those times heaven was joined to a member of the Church by means of these observances, since internal aspects were presented in heaven. The Word of the Lord has also been given to the same end, for every detail in it, even to the smallest part of a letter, has a correspondence and spiritual meaning. Through the Word alone therefore is heaven linked to mankind.

[3] No one at the present day knows that this is so. Consequently when the natural man reads the Word and seeks to discover where its Divinity lies, but does not find it in the letter on account of its very ordinary style, he at first begins to disparage it and then to reject the idea that it has been dictated by God and sent down to mankind by way of heaven. The natural man does not know that the Word is Divine by virtue of its spiritual sense, which is not visible in the letter but is nevertheless present within the letter; nor does he know that this sense is presented in heaven when someone on earth reads it devoutly, and that the subject in that sense is the Lord and His kingdom. These are the Divine things which make the Word Divine and through which holiness flows from the Lord by way of heaven, even into the literal sense and into the actual letters. But as long as a person does not know what anything spiritual is he cannot know either what the spiritual sense is, nor thus what correspondence is. And as long as a person loves the world more than heaven, and self more than the Lord, he has no wish to know these things and understand them. Yet they were the source of all intelligence among the ancients, and they are also the source of wisdom among the angels. Hidden mysteries, which numerous diviners have vainly toiled to track down in the Word, lie in those things alone.

  
/ 10837  
  

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