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Hosea 10

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1 Israel a vine full of branches, the fruit is agreeable to it: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath multiplied altars, according to the plenty of his land he hath abounded with idols.

2 Their heart is divided: now they shall perish: he shall break down their idols, he shall destroy their altars.

3 For now they shall say: We have no king: because we fear not the Lord: and what shall a king do to us?

4 You speak words of an unprofitable vision, and you shall make a covenant: and judgment shall spring up as bitterness in the furrows of the field.

5 The inhabitants of Samaria have worshipped the king of Bethaven: for the people thereof have mourned over it, and the wardens of its temple that rejoiced over it in its glory because it is departed from it.

6 For itself also is carried into Assyria, a present to the avenging king: shame shall fall upon Ephraim, and Israel shall be confounded in his own will.

7 Samaria hath made her king to pass as froth upon the face of the water.

8 And the high places of the idol, the sin of Israel shall be destroyed: the bur and the thistle shall grow up over their altars: and they shall say to the mountains: Cover us; and to the hills: Fall upon us.

9 From the days of Gabaa, Israel hath sinned, there they stood: the battle in Gabaa against the children of iniquity shall not overtake them.

10 According to my desire I will chastise them: and the nations shall be gathered together against them, when they shall be chastised for their two iniquities.

11 Ephraim is a heifer taught to love to tread out corn, but I passed over upon the beauty of her neck: I will ride upon Ephraim, Juda shall plough, Jacob shall break the furrows for himself.

12 Sow for yourselves in justice, and reap in the mouth of mercy, break up your fallow ground: but the time to seek the Lord is, when he shall come that shall teach you justice.

13 You have ploughed wickedness, you have reaped iniquity, you have eaten the fruit of lying: because thou hast trusted in thy ways, in the multitude of thy strong ones.

14 A tumult shall arise among thy people: and all thy fortresses shall be destroyed as Salmana was destroyed, by the house of him that judged Baal in the day of battle, the mother being dashed in pieces upon her children.

15 So hath Bethel done to you, because of the evil of your iniquities.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1179

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1179. 'Therefore it used to be said, Like Nimrod, mighty in hunting before Jehovah' means that since so many were being persuaded this became a proverbial expression. In addition to this it means that such a religion easily captivates people's minds. This becomes clear from what has been stated and also from the actual sense of the letter. Moreover because in early times names were given to real things this name was given to this form of worship, that is to say, it used to be said that 'Nimrod', meaning that form of worship, was 'mighty in hunting', that is, was one that captivated people's minds. The reason for the words 'before Jehovah' is that people with whom that form of worship existed called separated faith 'Jehovah' or 'a man Jehovah', as is clear from what has been stated already about Cain in 340, who likewise means faith separated from charity. The difference between Cain and Ham however lies in the fact that the former existed in the celestial Church which had perception, while the latter existed in the spiritual Church which had none. As a consequence the former was far more monstrous than the latter. In early times such people were called 'mighty', as in Isaiah,

All the glory of Kedar will be brought to an end, and the remainder of the number of the bows of the mighty men of the sons of Kedar will be diminished. Isaiah 21:16-17.

And in Hosea,

You have ploughed wickedness, you have reaped iniquity, you have eaten the fruit of lying, because you have trusted in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men. Hosea 10:13.

And in other places. They called themselves 'men' (vir) and 'mighty' from faith, for one particular word in the original language expresses the idea of being 'mighty' and at the same time that of a man (vir), and it is used in the Word in reference to faith, and indeed in both senses.

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

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