The Bible

 

Ezekiel 23

Study

   

1 HE ENs Ord kom til mig således:

2 Meneskesøn! Der var to Kvinder, Døtre af en og samme Moder.

3 De bolede i deres Ungdom i Ægypten: der krammedes deres Bryster, der krænkede man deres Jomfrubarm.

4 Den ældste hed Ohola, hendes Søster Oholiba. Og de blev mine og fødte Sønner og Døtre. Ohola er Samaria, Oholiba Jerusalem.

5 Men i Stedet for at holde sig til mig bolede Ohola og var i Brynde for sine Elskere, Assurs Sønner, der nærmede sig hende

6 klædt i Purpur, Statholdere og Landshøvdinger, alle sammen smukke unge Mænd, yttere højt til Hest;

7 og hun gav dem sin bolerske Elskov, alle Assurs ypperste Sønner, og alle Vegne, hvor hun kom i Brynde, gjorde hun sig uren ved deres Afgudsbilleder.

8 Men sin Bolen med Ægypterne opgav hun ikke, thi de hade ligget hos hende i hendes Ungdom; de havde skændet hendes Jomfrubarm og udøst deres bolerske Attrå over hende.

9 Derfor gav jeg hende i hendes Elskeres, Assurs Sønners, Hånd, for hvem hun var i Brynde;

10 og de blottede hendes Blusel, tog hendes Sønner og Døtre og dræbte hende selv med Sværd, så hun fik Vanry blandt Kvinder; således fuldbyrdede de Dommen over hende.

11 Det så hendes Søster Oholiba, og dog kom hun i endnu værre Brynde og bolede endnu værre end Søsteren.

12 Hun kom i Brynde for Assurs Sønner, Statholdere og Landshøvdinger, der nærmede sig hende herligt klædt, yttere højt til Hest, alle sammen smukke unge Mænd.

13 Og jeg så, at hun blev uren; begge fulgte samme Vej.

14 Men hun drev sin Bolen videre endnu; thi da hun så Mænd afbildede på Muren, Billeder af Kaldæere, malet med rødt,

15 med Bælte om Lænd og nedhængende Hovedbind, alle at se til som Høvedsmænd, en Afbildning af Babels Sønner, hvis Hjemstavn Kaldæa er,

16 så kom hun i Brynde for dem, så snart hun fik Øje på dem, og hun sendte Bud til dem i Kaldæa:

17 Og Babels Sønner gik ind til hende, lå hos hende i Elskov og gjorde hende uren ved deres Bolen; og hun blev uren ved dem, til hun følte Lede ved dem.

18 Da hun havde åbenbaret sin bolerske Attrå og blottet sin Blusel, følte jeg Lede ved hende, som jeg var blevet led ved hendes søster.

19 Men hun drev sin Bolen videre endnu, idet hun kom sin Ungdoms Dage i Hu, da hun havde bolet i Ægypten,

20 og hun kom i Brynde ved dets Bolere, der havde Kød som Æsler og var gejle som Hingste;

21 og hun optog sin Ungdoms Skændsel, dengang Ægypterne krænkede hendes Jomfrubarm og krammede hendes unge Bryster,

22 Derfor, Oholiba, så siger den Herre HE EN: Jeg hidser dine Elskere på dig, dem, du følte Lede ved, og fører dem mod dig fra alle Kanter,

23 Babels Sønner og alle Kaldæerne, Pekod, Sjoa og Koa og med dem alle Assurs Sønner, alle sammen smukke unge Mænd, Statholdere og Landshøvdinger, Høvedsmænd og navnkundige Mænd, alle højt til Hest;

24 og de skal komme imod dig med en Vrimmel af Vogne og Hjul og en Hærskare af Folkeslag; store og små Skjolde og Hjelme skal de rette imod dig fra alle Kanter. Jeg overlader dem Dommen, og de skal dømme dig efter deres et.

25 Jeg retter min Nidkærhed imod dig, og de skal handle med dig i Vrede; din Næse og dine Ører skal de skære af, dit Afkom skal falde for Sværdet; de skal tage dine Sønner og Døtre, og dit Afkom skal fortæres af Ild;

26 de skal rive Klæderne af dig og tage alle dine Smykker;

27 jeg gør Ende på din Skændsel og din Bolen, som du hengav dig til i Ægypten, og du skal ikke mere løfte dit Blik til dem eller komme Ægypten i Hu.

28 Thi så siger den Herre HE EN: Se, jeg giver dig i deres Hånd, som du hader og ledes ved;

29 de skal handle med dig i Had og tage alt dit Gods og efterlade dig nøgen og bar, så din bolerske blussel blottes.

30 Det kan du takke din Skændsel og din Bolen for, thi du bolede med Folkene og gjorde dig uren med deres Afgudsbilleder.

31 Du vandrede i din Søsters Spor; derfor giver jeg dig hendes Bæger i Hånden.

32 siger den Herre HE EN: Du skal drikke af din Søsters Bæger, som er både dybt og bredt; du skal blive til Latter og Spot; Bægeret rummer meget;

33 det er fuldt af Beruselse og Stønnen, et Bæger med Gru og ædsel er din Søster Samarias Bæger.

34 Du skal drikke det ud til sidste Dråbe, gnave dets Skår og sønderrive dine Bryster, så sandt jeg har talet, lyder det fra den Herre HE EN.

35 Derfor, så siger den Herre HE EN: Fordi du glemte mig og kastede mig bag din yg, skal du bære Følgen af din Skændsel og Bolen.

36 Og HE EN sagde til mig: Menneskesøn! Vil du dømme Ohola og Oholiba, så forehold dem deres Vederstyggeligheder,

37 at de horede og har Blod på Hænderne; de horede med deres Afgudsbilleder, og til Føde for dem lod de Børnene, de fødte mig, gå igennem Ilden.

38 Fremdeles har de gjort mig dette: De har gjort min Helligdom uren og vanhelliget mine Sabbater;

39 endog samme Dag de havde slagtet deres Børn til Afgudsbillederne, kom de til min Helligdom og vanhelligede den. Sandelig, således gjorde de i mit Hus.

40 Ja, for Mænd, som kom langvejs fra, straks der var sendt dem Bud, badede du dig, sminkede du dine Øjne og tog dine Smykker på;

41 og du satte dig på et prægtigt Leje, og foran det dækkedes et Bord, på hvilket du satte min øgelse og min Olie.

42 Og det ligefrem larmede hos Søstrene; så mange Mænd kom der fra Ørkenen; og de lagde Spange om deres Arme og satte en herlig Krone på deres Hoved.

43 sagde jeg: Således har de horet, på Skøgevis har de bolet.

44 Man gik ind til dem som til en Skøge; således gik man ind til Ohola og Oholiba og øvede Skændsel.

45 Uvildige Mænd skal dømme dem efter Ægteskabsbryderskers og Morderskers et; thi de horede og har Blod på Hænderne.

46 Thi så siger den Herre HE EN: En Forsamling skal sammenkaldes imod dem, og de skal gives hen til at mishandles og udplyndres;

47 Forsamlingen skal stene dem og hugge dem sønder og sammen med Sværd; deres Sønner og Døtre skal man dræbe, og deres Huse skal man brænde.

48 Jeg gør Ende på Skændselen i Landet, og alle kvinder skal lade sig advare derved og ikke efterligne eders Skændsel.

49 Man skal lade eders Skændsel komme over eder, og I skal bære Følgen af de Synder, I gjorde med eders Afgudsbilleder; og I skal kende, at jeg er den Herre HE EN.

   


The Project Gutenberg Association at Carnegie Mellon University

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #576

Study this Passage

  
/ 1232  
  

576. Having breast-plates fiery, and purple (hyacinthinos) and sulphurous.- That this signifies reasonings combating from the disorderly desires of the love of self and of the love of the world, and from the falsities therefrom, is evident from the signification of breast-plates, as denoting armour for war, and specifically defences in combats, which are treated of above (n. 557); and from the signification of fire or fiery, as denoting the disorderly desire of the love of self, and thence of all evil (see above, n. 504); and from the signification of purple or purplish (hyacinthinum), as denoting the disorderly desire of the love of the world and thence of every falsity, of which in what follows; and from the signification of sulphur or sulphurous, as denoting the lust (concupiscentia) of destroying the goods and truths of the church by the falsities of evil (see below, n. 578), in this case falsity burning from those two loves. From these considerations it is evident, that breast-plates fiery, purple, and sulphurous, signify reasonings combating from the disorderly desires of the love of self and of the love of the world, and from the falsities thence.

[2] It must be observed in regard to purple (hyacinthinum) that, in the spiritual sense, it signifies the celestial love of truth, but in the opposite sense, the diabolical love of falsity, and also the love of the world. This is evident from the fact that it is of a celestial colour (coloris coelestis) and this colour signifies truth from a heavenly origin, and therefore, in the opposite sense, falsity from a diabolical origin. In the spiritual world there are seen the choicest colours, which derive their origin from good and truth; for colours there are modifications of heavenly light, thus of the intelligence and wisdom of the angels in heaven. For this reason, purple (hyacinthinum), crimson (purpura), and scarlet (coccineus) double dyed, were woven into the curtains of the tabernacle and the garments of Aaron. For the tabernacle represented the heaven of the Lord, the garments of Aaron, the Divine Truth of heaven and the church, while those things of which the tabernacle was constructed, and which formed the texture of the garments of Aaron, represented celestial and spiritual things, which are of the Divine Good and of the Divine Truth.

[3] That the veil before the ark was woven of purple, crimson, scarlet double dyed, and fine linen, may be seen in Exodus (26:31); and similarly the hanging for the door of the tent (verse 36); and also the hanging for the gate of the court (Exodus 27:16). The loops also on the edge of the curtain of the tent were made of purple (Exodus 26:4); the ephod was made of gold, purple, crimson, scarlet double dyed interwoven (Exodus 28:6); and also the breast-plate of judgment (verse 15); and when they went forward in the wilderness, Aaron and his sons spread a covering of purple upon the ark, upon the table of faces, upon the lampstand and its lamps, upon the golden altar, and upon all the vessels of ministry (Num. 4:6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12). The reason of these things was, that the Divine Truth proceeding from the Divine Love, and which was signified by the cloth of purple, embraces and defends all the holy things of heaven and the church, which are represented by these things.

[4] Since purple signified the celestial love of truth, therefore it was commanded that the sons of Israel should make a

"fringe upon the borders of their garments, and put upon the fringe a thread of purple (hyacinthinum), that they might look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Jehovah, and do them" (Num. 15:38, 39).

The thread of purple was clearly a means of calling to remembrance the commandments of Jehovah. The commandments of Jehovah are the essential truths of heaven and the church, and those who are in the celestial love of truth alone call them to remembrance.

[5] That purple signifies the love of truth, is plain also from the following passages in Ezekiel:

"Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was thy spreading forth to be thy sign; purple (hyacinthinum) and crimson (purpura) from the isles of Elisha was thy covering; thy merchants with perfect things, with wrappings of purple, and broidered work and with treasures of rich apparel" (27:7, 24).

These things are said of Tyrus, which signifies the church as to the cognitions of truth thus also the cognitions of truth pertaining to the church, while the merchandize and tradings mentioned in that chapter describe the procuring of intelligence by means of those cognitions. Broidered work from Egypt signifies the knowledge (scientia) of such things as pertain to the church, and this being in a lower place, and thus round about or without, it is called spreading forth, and said to be for a sign. Purple and crimson from the isles of Elisha, signify the spiritual affection of truth and good; they are therefore said to be for a covering, a covering denoting truth. By wrappings of purple and broidered work, are signified all truths spiritual and natural, and these, together with cognitions from the Word, are meant by treasures of rich apparel.

[6] Since purple (hyacinthinum) signifies the celestial love of truth, therefore also, in the opposite sense, it signifies the diabolical love of falsity; in which sense also purple (hyacinthinum) is used in the Word. Thus in Ezekiel it is said:

"Two women, the daughters of one mother; In Egypt they committed whoredoms in their youth. Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah. And Oholah played the harlot while subject to me; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours, which were clothed with purple (hyacinthinum), governors and leaders, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses" (23:2-6).

Here Samaria and Jerusalem signify the church, Samaria, the spiritual church, and Jerusalem, the celestial church, which are called Oholah and Oholibah, because those names signify a tent, and a tent signifies the church as to worship. A woman also, in the Word, signifies the church. By their committing whoredoms in Egypt, is signified that they falsified the truths of the church by the scientifics of the natural man. By doting on the Assyrians, is signified that they falsified by reasonings from those scientifics, Ashur and Assyria denoting reasonings. They are said to be clothed in purple, by reason of fallacies and falsities, which in the external form appear like truths, because drawn from the sense of the letter of the Word perversely applied. And from the same appearance they are also called governors and rulers, desirable young men, riding upon horses. For those who reason from their own intelligence appear to themselves, and to others who are in a similar state, to be intelligent and wise, and the things which they speak, to be truths of intelligence and goods of wisdom, when nevertheless they are falsities, and these they love because they are from the proprium. Governors and leaders signify chief truths, and riding upon horses, the intelligent.

[7] So in Jeremiah:

"Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the goldsmith; purple (hyacinthinum) and crimson (purpura) is their clothing; they are all the work of wise men" (10:9).

The subject here treated of is the idols of the house of Israel, which signify false doctrinals because they are from [man's] own intelligence, therefore they are called the work of the workman, and of the hands of the goldsmith, and all the work of wise men, and this for the reason that they appear to them as truths and goods. Silver from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, signifies what appears in external form as truth and good, because from the sense of the letter of the Word. From these considerations it is evident that, purple (hyacinthinum) signifies the love of falsity, because from the proprium, or [man's] own intelligence. Purple also signifies the love of the world, because the love of the world corresponds to the love of falsity, as the love of self, signified by fire, corresponds to the love of evil. For all evil is from the love of self, and all falsity from the love of the world originating in the love of self, for spiritual evil, which is signified by the love of the world, is, in its essence, falsity, just as spiritual good is, in its essence, truth, as may be seen in Heaven and Hell 15).

  
/ 1232  
  

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