The Bible

 

Ιεζεκιήλ 29

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1 Εν τω δεκατω ετει τω δεκατω μηνι, τη δωδεκατη του μηνος, εγεινε λογος Κυριου προς εμε, λεγων,

2 Υιε ανθρωπου, στηριξον το προσωπον σου επι Φαραω τον βασιλεα της Αιγυπτου και προφητευσον κατ' αυτου και καθ' ολης της Αιγυπτου·

3 λαλησον και ειπε, Ουτω λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος· Ιδου, εγω ειμαι εναντιον σου, Φαραω βασιλευ Αιγυπτου, μεγαλε δρακων, κοιτομενε εν μεσω των ποταμων αυτου· οστις ειπας, Ο ποταμος μου ειναι εμου και εγω εκαμον αυτον δι' εμαυτον.

4 Και θελω βαλει αγκιστρα εις τας σιαγονας σου, και θελω προσκολλησει τους ιχθυας του ποταμου σου εις τα λεπη σου, και θελω σε ανασυρει εκ μεσου των ποταμων σου· και παντες οι ιχθυες των ποταμων σου θελουσι προσκολληθη εις τα λεπη σου.

5 Και θελω σε εκριψει εν τη ερημω, σε και παντας τους ιχθυας των ποταμων σου· θελεις πεσει επι προσωπον της πεδιαδος· δεν θελεις συναχθη ουδε περισταλθη· εις τα θηρια της γης και εις τα πετεινα του ουρανου σε παρεδωκα εις βρωσιν·

6 και παντες οι κατοικουντες την Αιγυπτον θελουσι γνωρισει οτι εγω ειμαι ο Κυριος· διοτι εσταθησαν ραβδος καλαμινη εις τον οικον Ισραηλ.

7 Οτε σε επιασαν με την χειρα, συνετριβης και ετρυπησας ολον τον ωμον αυτων· και οτε εστηριχθησαν επι σε, συνεθλασθης και συνεκαμψας πασας τας οσφυας αυτων.

8 Δια τουτο ουτω λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος· Ιδου, θελω φερει ρομφαιαν επι σε και θελω εκκοψει απο σου ανθρωπον και κτηνος.

9 Και η γη της Αιγυπτου θελει εισθαι θαμβος και ερημια· και θελουσι γνωρισει οτι εγω ειμαι ο Κυριος· διοτι ειπεν, Ο ποταμος ειναι εμου και εγω εκαμον αυτον.

10 Δια τουτο ιδου, εγω ειμαι εναντιον σου και εναντιον των ποταμων σου· και θελω καμει την γην της Αιγυπτου ολως ερημον και θαμβος, απο Μιγδωλ μεχρι Συηνης και μεχρι των οριων της Αιθιοπιας.

11 Πους ανθρωπου δεν θελει διελθει δι' αυτης ουδε πους κτηνους θελει διελθει δι' αυτης ουδε θελει κατοικηθη τεσσαρακοντα ετη.

12 Και θελω καμει την γην της Αιγυπτου θαμβος, εν μεσω των ηρημωμενων τοπων, και αι πολεις αυτης εν μεσω των πολεων των ηρημωμενων θελουσιν εισθαι θαμβος τεσσαρακοντα ετη· και θελω διασπειρει τους Αιγυπτιους μεταξυ των εθνων και διασκορπισει αυτους εις τους τοπους.

13 Πλην ουτω λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος· Εν τω τελει των τεσσαρακοντα ετων θελω συναξει τους Αιγυπτιους εκ των λαων, εις τους οποιους ησαν διεσκορπισμενοι·

14 και θελω επαναγαγει τους αιχμαλωτους της Αιγυπτου και επιστρεψει αυτους εις την γην Παθρως, εις την γην της καταγωγης αυτων· και θελουσιν εισθαι εκει βασιλειον ποταπον.

15 Θελει εισθαι το ποταπωτερον των βασιλειων· και δεν θελει υψωθη πλεον επι τα εθνη· διοτι θελω ελαττωσει αυτους, δια να μη δεσποζωσιν επι τα εθνη.

16 Και δεν θελει εισθαι πλεον το θαρρος του οικου Ισραηλ, αναμιμνησκον την ανομιαν αυτων, αποβλεποντων οπισω αυτων· και θελουσι γνωρισει οτι εγω ειμαι Κυριος ο Θεος.

17 Και εν τω εικοστω εβδομω ετει, τω πρωτω μηνι, τη πρωτη του μηνος, εγεινε λογος Κυριου προς εμε, λεγων,

18 Υιε ανθρωπου, Ναβουχοδονοσορ ο βασιλευς της Βαβυλωνος εδουλευσε το στρατευμα αυτου δουλειαν μεγαλην κατα της Τυρου· πασα κεφαλη εφαλακρωθη και πας ωμος εξεδαρθη· μισθον ομως δια την Τυρον δεν ελαβεν ουτε αυτος ουτε το στρατευμα αυτου δια την δουλειαν, την οποιαν εδουλευσε κατ' αυτης·

19 δια τουτο ουτω λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος· Ιδου, εγω διδω την γην της Αιγυπτου εις τον Ναβουχοδονοσορ βασιλεα της Βαβυλωνος· και θελει σηκωσει το πληθος αυτης και θελει λεηλατησει την λεηλασιαν αυτης και λαφυραγωγησει τα λαφυρα αυτης· και τουτο θελει εισθαι ο μισθος εις το στρατευμα αυτου.

20 Εδωκα εις αυτον την γην της Αιγυπτου δια τον κοπον αυτου, με τον οποιον εδουλευσε κατ' αυτης, επειδη ηγωνισθησαν δι' εμε, λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος.

21 Εν εκεινη τη ημερα θελω καμει να βλαστηση το κερας του οικου Ισραηλ, και θελω σε καμει να ανοιξης στομα εν μεσω αυτων· και θελουσι γνωρισει οτι εγω ειμαι ο Κυριος.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1462

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1462. 'Egypt' means, in reference to the Lord, knowledge comprised of cognitions, but in reference to all others, knowledge in general. This becomes clear from the meaning of that country in the Word, dealt with already in several places, and specifically in 1164, 1165. Indeed the Ancient Church existed in Egypt, as it did in many other places, 1238, and while the Church was in that region all kinds of knowledge flourished there more than anything else; and this explains why 'Egypt' came to mean knowledge. But after those people desired to penetrate the mysteries of faith by means of all this knowledge, and so to inquire into the truth of Divine arcana from their own power, Egypt became a place of magic, and so came to mean factual knowledge which perverts, and which gives rise to falsities and derivative evils, as is clear in Isaiah 19:11.

[2] That 'Egypt' means all kinds of knowledge that serve a use, thus at this point knowledge comprised of cognitions which is able to serve as vessels for celestial and spiritual things, becomes clear from the following places in the Word: In Isaiah,

They have led Egypt astray, the corner-stone of the tribes. Isaiah 19:13.

Here it is called 'the corner-stone of the tribes', which was to serve as the base on which the things of faith meant by 'the tribes' were to rest. In the same prophet,

On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt which speak in the lip of Canaan and swear to Jehovah Zebaoth. Each will be called Ir Heres. On that day there will be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at its border to Jehovah; and it will be a sign and a witness to Jehovah Zebaoth in the land of Egypt, for they will cry to Jehovah because of the oppressors, and He will send a savior and a prince to them, and he will deliver them. And Jehovah will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Jehovah on that day and will offer sacrifice and minchah, and will make vows to Jehovah and perform them. And Jehovah will smite Egypt, smiting and healing, and they will return to Jehovah; and He will be entreated by them, and He will heal them. Isaiah 19:18-22.

Used in a good sense here, 'Egypt' stands for people who possess facts, or natural truths, which are the vessels for spiritual truths.

[3] In the same prophet,

On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Asshur, and Asshur will come into Egypt and Egypt into Asshur, and the Egyptians will serve Asshur. 1 On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Asshur, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom Jehovah Zebaoth will bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Asshur the work of My hands, and Israel My heritage. Isaiah 19:23-25.

Here 'Egypt' means knowledge consisting of natural truths, 'Asshur' reason or rational things, and 'Israel' spiritual things, which follow one another in that order. Hence the statement that 'on that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Asshur, and Israel will be the third with Egypt and Asshur'.

[4] In Ezekiel,

Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was your sail, that it might be to you an ensign. Ezekiel 27:7.

This refers to Tyre, which means the possession of cognitions. 'Fine linen with embroidered work' stands for the truths contained in all kinds of knowledge which are of service; belonging as they do to the external man facts ought to be of service to the internal man. In the same prophet,

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, At the end of forty years I will gather Egypt from the peoples among whom they were scattered, and I will bring back the captivity of Egypt. Ezekiel 29:13-14.

Here also 'Egypt' has much the same meaning, as is also said of Judah and Israel in many other places that they were to be gathered from the peoples and brought back from captivity. In Zechariah,

And it will be that whoever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, Jehovah Zebaoth, there will be no rain upon them And if the family of Egypt does not go up, and does not come . . . Zechariah 14:17-18.

Here also 'Egypt' is used in a good sense to have a similar meaning.

[5] That knowledge or human wisdom is meant by 'Egypt' becomes clear also in Daniel 11:43 where knowledge of celestial and of spiritual things is called 'the secret hoards of gold and silver' and also 'the precious things of Egypt'. And of Solomon it is said that his wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of the Egyptians, 1 Kings 4:30. And the house built by Solomon for Pharaoh's daughter had no other representation, 1 Kings 7:8 and following verses.

[6] The Lord's being taken into Egypt when He was an infant had no other meaning than that which here is meant by Abram, though He was also taken there so that He might fulfill all things that had taken place and were representative of Himself. The passage of Jacob and his sons down into Egypt represented in the inmost sense nothing other than the Lord's initial instruction in cognitions from the Word, as is also evident from what follows. In reference to the Lord the following is said in Matthew,

The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Rise, take the boy and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I tell you. He rose and took the boy and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, so that what had been said by the prophet might be fulfilled, when he said, Out of Egypt have I called My son. Matthew 2:13-15, 19-21.

This promise is stated in Hosea as follows,

When Israel was a boy I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. Hosea 11:1.

From this it is clear that 'the boy Israel' is used to mean the Lord, His instruction when a boy being expressed by the words, 'Out of Egypt have I called My son'.

[7] In the same prophet,

By a prophet Jehovah brought Israel up out of Egypt and by a prophet he was preserved. Hosea 12:12-13.

Here similarly 'Israel' is used to mean the Lord. 'A prophet' means one who teaches, thus teaching consisting of cognitions. In David,

Turn us back, O God Zebaoth, cause Your face 2 to shine and we shall be saved. You caused a vine to set out from Egypt, You drove out the nations and planted it. Psalms 80:7-8.

This too refers to the Lord, who is called 'the vine out of Egypt' as regards the cognitions in which He was receiving instruction.

Footnotes:

1. The Hebrew of his text in Isaiah may be read in two different ways - serve Asshur or serve with Asshur. Most English versions of Isaiah prefer the second of these.

2. literally, Faces

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