The Bible

 

Ιεζεκιήλ 38

Study

   

1 Και εγεινε λογος Κυριου προς εμε, λεγων,

2 Υιε ανθρωπου, στηριξον το προσωπον σου επι Γωγ, την γην του Μαγωγ, του ηγεμονος της Ρως, Μεσεχ και Θουβαλ, και προφητευσον κατ' αυτου,

3 και ειπε, Ουτω λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος· Ιδου, εγω ειμαι εναντιον σου, Γωγ, ηγεμων της Ρως, Μεσεχ και Θουβαλ·

4 και θελω σε περιστρεψει και βαλει αγκιστρα εις τας σιαγονας σου, και θελω εκβαλει σε και πασαν την δυναμιν σου, ιππους και ιππεας, παντας τουτους εντελως ωπλισμενους, μεγα αθροισμα μετα θυρεων και ασπιδων, παντας τουτους μεταχειριζομενους μαχαιρας.

5 Περσας, Αιθιοπας και Λιβυας μετ' αυτων· παντας τουτους μετ' ασπιδων και περικεφαλαιων·

6 τον Γομερ και παντα τα ταγματα αυτου, τον οικον Θωγαρμα απο των εσχατων του βορρα και παντα τα ταγματα αυτου και πολλους λαους μετα σου.

7 Ετοιμασθητι και ετοιμασον σεαυτον, συ και παν το αθροισμα σου το συναθροισθεν εις σε, και εσο φυλαξ εις αυτους·

8 μετα πολλας ημερας θελει γεινει επισκεψις εις σε· εν τοις εσχατοις χρονοις θελεις ελθει εις την γην, ητις ηλευθερωθη εκ της μαχαιρας και συνηχθη εκ πολλων λαων εναντιον των ορεων του Ισραηλ, τα οποια κατεσταθησαν ερημα διαπαντος· αυτος ομως μετεφερθη εκ μεσου των λαων, και θελουσι κατοικησει παντες ασφαλως.

9 Και θελεις αναβη και ελθει ως ανεμοζαλη· θελεις εισθαι ως νεφος, δια να σκεπασης την γην, συ και παντα τα ταγματα σου και πολυς λαος μετα σου.

10 Ουτω λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος· Και εν εκεινη τη ημερα θελουσιν αναβη πραγματα επι την καρδιαν σου και θελεις βουλευθη βουλας πονηρας·

11 και θελεις ειπει, Θελω αναβη εις γην πολεων ατειχιστων· θελω ελθει προς ησυχαζοντας, κατοικουντας εν ασφαλεια, παντας τουτους κατοικουντας πολεις ατειχιστους και μη εχουσας μοχλους και πυλας·

12 δια να λεηλατησης λεηλασιαν και να λαφυραγωγησης λαφυρον, δια να επαναστρεψης την χειρα σου επι ερημωσεις κατοικισθεισας και επι λαον συνηγμενον εκ των εθνων αποκτησαντα κτηνη και αγαθα, κατοικουντα εν μεσω της γης.

13 Σεβα και Δαιδαν και οι εμποροι της Θαρσεις, μετα παντων των σκυμνων αυτης, θελουσιν ειπει προς σε, Ηλθες να λεηλατησης λεηλασιαν; συνηθροισας το πληθος σου δια να λαφυραγωγησης λαφυρον; δια να αρπασης αργυριον και χρυσιον, δια να λαβης κτηνη και αγαθα, δια να καμης λειαν μεγαλην;

14 Δια τουτο, υιε ανθρωπου, προφητευσον και ειπε προς τον Γωγ, Ουτω λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος· Εν εκεινη τη ημερα, οτε ο λαος μου Ισραηλ θελει κατοικει εν ασφαλεια, συ δεν θελεις μαθει τουτο;

15 Και θελεις ελθει εκ του τοπου σου, εκ των εσχατων του βορρα, συ και πολλοι λαοι μετα σου, απαντες αναβαται ιππων, πληθος μεγα και δυναμις πολλη·

16 και θελεις αναβη εναντιον του λαου μου Ισραηλ ως νεφος, δια να σκεπασης την γην· τουτο θελει εισθαι εν ταις εσχαταις ημεραις· και θελω σε φερει εναντιον της γης μου, δια να με γνωρισωσι τα εθνη, οταν αγιασθω εν σοι, Γωγ, ενωπιον αυτων.

17 Ουτω λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος· Συ εισαι εκεινος, περι του οποιου ελαλησα εν ταις αρχαιαις ημεραις, δια των δουλων μου των προφητων του Ισραηλ, οιτινες προεφητευσαν εν εκειναις ταις ημεραις δια πολλων ετων, οτι εμελλον να σε φερω εναντιον αυτων;

18 Αλλ' εν εκεινη τη ημερα, εν τη ημερα καθ' ην ο Γωγ ελθη εναντιον της γης Ισραηλ, η οργη μου θελει αναβη επι το προσωπον μου, λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος.

19 Διοτι εν τω ζηλω μου, εν τω πυρι της οργης μου ελαλησα, Εξαπαντος εν τη ημερα εκεινη θελει εισθαι σεισμος μεγας εν γη Ισραηλ·

20 και οι ιχθυες της θαλασσης και τα πετεινα του ουρανου και τα θηρια του αγρου και παντα τα ερπετα τα ερποντα επι της γης και παντες οι ανθρωποι οι επι του προσωπου της γης θελουσι σεισθη απο της παρουσιας μου· και τα ορη θελουσιν ανατραπη και οι πυργοι θελουσι πεσει και παν τειχος θελει κατεδαφισθη.

21 Και θελω καλεσει εναντιον αυτου μαχαιραν κατα παντα τα ορη μου, λεγει Κυριος ο Θεος· η μαχαιρα εκαστου ανθρωπου θελει εισθαι κατα του αδελφου αυτου.

22 Και θελω ελθει εις κρισιν εναντιον αυτου εν λοιμω και εν αιματι· και θελω βρεξει επ' αυτον και επι τα ταγματα αυτου και επι τον πολυν λαον τον μετ' αυτου βροχην κατακλυσμου και λιθους χαλαζης, πυρ και θειον.

23 Και θελω μεγαλυνθη και αγιασθη, και θελω γνωρισθη ενωπιον πολλων εθνων και θελουσι γνωρισει οτι εγω ειμαι ο Κυριος.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3240

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

3240. 'And Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan' means the derivatives from the first division. This is clear from the representation of 'Jokshan' and his sons 'Sheba and Dedan' dealt with below. Since they are mere names here and they mean states and derivatives of the Lord's spiritual Church, something about what they are in general must be stated. The celestial Church differs from the spiritual Church in that in those who belong to the celestial Church and who are called celestial, love - that is to say, the good and truth of love - is present; but in those who belong to the spiritual Church and who are called spiritual, faith - that is to say, the good and truth of faith - is present. Good as it exists with those who are celestial consists in love to the Lord, and truth as it exists with them in love towards the neighbour. But good as it exists with those who are spiritual consists in charity towards the neighbour, and truth as it exists with them in faith insofar as this is doctrine concerning charity. From this it may be seen that good and truth are present in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, as they are in His celestial kingdom, yet are considerably different.

[2] It should be recognized in addition that the inhabitants of those kingdoms are distinguished from one another by means of good and truth for the reason that some are governed more by good, others more by truth. And it is from this that derivatives arise, that is to say, derivatives of good and derivatives of truth. The derivatives of good in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are those which are represented by the sons of Jokshan, who are referred to in this verse, but the derivatives of truth there are those which are represented by the sons of Midian, who are referred to in the next verse. Now because there are two categories of spiritual people - those governed more by good and those governed more by truth - two varieties of doctrine therefore exist among them, namely matters of doctrine concerning charity and matters of doctrine concerning faith. Matters of doctrine concerning charity exist for the sake of those governed by the good of faith, who are meant here by the sons of Jokshan. But matters of doctrine concerning faith exist for the sake of those governed by the truth of faith, who are meant by the sons of Midian.

[3] Sheba and Dedan are those who constitute the first category, that is, people in the Lord's spiritual kingdom who are governed by the good of faith and with whom matters concerning charity exist. This explains why Sheba and Dedan mean the cognitions of celestial things, or what amounts to the same, those with whom such cognitions exist, that is, with whom matters of doctrine concerning charity exist, for matters of doctrine are cognitions, and that which is celestial with the spiritual man is charity. For Sheba and Dedan mean those cognitions, as has been shown in Volume One, in 117, 1168, 1171, 1172, though there they are the great-grandsons of Ham, and are called the sons of Raamah. It should be realized however that Ham, like Japheth and Shem also, never was an actual person, but that those who belonged to the Church after the Flood called Noah were distinguished as regards goods and truths into three groups, and these groups were referred to by those names, 736, 1062, 1065, 1140, 1141, 1162, and in various other places. Nevertheless there were nations which were so called, but these were descended from different individuals, as is evident here from Sheba and Dedan who were descended from Jokshan, Abraham's son by Keturah.

[4] As regards 'Sheba' meaning those with whom cognitions of celestial things exist - thus those governed by the good of faith - this is clear from the places introduced in 117, 1171. 'Dedan' has a similar meaning, as is clear from the texts quoted in 1172, as well as from the following: In Isaiah,

The prophecy concerning Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will spend the night, O bands of Dedanites. To the thirsty bring water; O inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet with his bread the fugitive, for they will flee before the swords, before the drawn sword. Isaiah 21:13-15.

'Spending the night in the forest in Arabia' stands for being made desolate as regards good. For 'Arabia' means those with whom celestial things exist, that is, the goods of faith, so that 'spending the night there in the forest' is when goods exist no longer, and therefore means desolation, which is also described by 'fleeing before the swords, before the drawn sword'. Celestial things, that is, the goods of faith - or what amount to the same, the works of charity - which are theirs, are meant by 'bringing water to the thirsty, and with bread meeting the fugitive'.

[5] In Jeremiah,

I took the cup from Jehovah's hand and made all the nations to whom Jehovah sent me drink it - Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and its kings and its princes, to turn them into a desolation; Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people; all the kings of Tyre and all the kings of Sidon; Dedan and Tema, and Buz, and all who have cut the corners [of their hair] all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media, and all the kings of the north. Jeremiah 25:17-19, 22-23, 25-26.

This also refers to the desolation of the spiritual Church, different elements of which Church are mentioned in order and are meant by Jerusalem, the cities of Judah, Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, Dedan, Tema, Buz, Zimri, Elam, and Media.

[6] In Ezekiel,

Sheba and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, and all its young lions will say to you, Have you come to seize the spoil? Have you assembled your company to carry off plunder, to carry away silver and gold, and to take cattle and possessions, and seize great spoil? Ezekiel 38:13.

This refers to Gog who means external worship separated from internal, which is idolatrous, 1151. 'Sheba and Dedan' stands for the internal aspects of worship, namely the goods of faith, 'Tarshish' for corresponding external worship. The silver, gold, cattle, possessions, and spoil which Gog - or external worship separated from the internal - wishes to 'carry away' are the cognitions of good and truth, which those who are meant by Sheba and Dedan fight for and defend, and who are on that account called 'young lions'. In the proper sense 'Sheba' is those with whom cognitions of good exist, 'Dedan' those with whom cognitions of truth derived from good are present.

  
/ 10837  
  

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