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Hosea 9

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1 Μη χαιρε, Ισραηλ, μηδε ευφραινου ως οι λαοι· διοτι επορνευσας εκκλινων απο του Θεου σου· ηγαπησας μισθωματα επι παν αλωνιον σιτου.

2 Το αλωνιον και ο ληνος δεν θελουσι θρεψει αυτους, και ο οινος θελει εκλειψει απ' αυτων.

3 Δεν θελουσι κατοικησει εν τη γη του Κυριου· αλλ' ο Εφραιμ θελει επιστρεψει προς την Αιγυπτον, και θελουσι φαγει ακαθαρτα εν τη Ασσυρια.

4 Δεν θελουσι προσφερει σπονδας οινου εις τον Κυριον, ουδε θελουσιν εισθαι αρεστοι εις αυτον· αι θυσιαι αυτων θελουσιν εισθαι εις αυτους ως αρτος πενθουντων· παντες οι τρωγοντες αυτας θελουσι μιανθη· διοτι αρτος αυτων υπερ της ψυχης αυτων δεν θελει εισελθει εις τον οικον του Κυριου.

5 Τι θελετε καμει εν ημερα πανηγυρεως και εν ημερα εορτης του Κυριου;

6 Διοτι, ιδου, εφυγον δια την ταλαιπωριαν· η Αιγυπτος θελει συναξει αυτους, η Μεμφις θελει θαψει αυτους· τα δι' αργυριου επιθυμητα αυτων, κνιδαι θελουσι κληρονομησει αυτα· ακανθαι θελουσιν εισθαι εν ταις σκηναις αυτων.

7 Ηλθον αι ημεραι της επισκεψεως, αι ημεραι της ανταποδοσεως ηλθον· ο Ισραηλ θελει γνωρισει τουτο· ο προφητης ειναι αφρων, ο ανθρωπος ο πνευματεμφορος μαινομενος, δια το πληθος της ανομιας σου και του μεγαλου κατα σου μισους.

8 Ο φρουρος του Εφραιμ ητο ο μετα του Θεου μου, ο δε προφητης εγεινε παγις ιξευτου εις πασας τας οδους αυτου και μισος εν τω οικω του Θεου αυτου.

9 Διεφθαρησαν βαθεως ως εν ταις ημεραις της Γαβαα· δια τουτο θελει ενθυμηθη την ανομιαν αυτων, θελει επισκεφθη τας αμαρτιας αυτων.

10 Ευρηκα τον Ισραηλ ως σταφυλην εν ερημω· ειδον τους πατερας σας ως τα πρωτογεννητα της συκης εν τη αρχη αυτης· αλλ' αυτοι υπηγον προς τον Βεελ-φεγωρ και αφιερωθησαν εις την αισχυνην· και εγειναν βδελυκτοι, καθως το αντικειμενον της αγαπης αυτων.

11 Περι δε του Εφραιμ, ως πτηνον θελει πεταξει η δοξα αυτων, απο της γεννας και απο της μητρας και απο της συλληψεως·

12 αλλα και αν εκθρεψωσι τα τεκνα αυτων, θελω ατεκνωσει αυτους, ωστε να μη μεινη ανθρωπος, διοτι ουαι ετι εις αυτους, οταν συρθω απ' αυτων.

13 Ο Εφραιμ με εφαινετο ως η Τυρος, πεφυτευμενος εν τοπω τερπνω· πλην ο Εφραιμ θελει εκφερει τα τεκνα αυτου δια τον φονεα.

14 Δος εις αυτους, Κυριε· τι θελεις δωσει; δος εις αυτους μητραν αποβαλλουσαν και μαστους ξηρους.

15 Πασα η κακια αυτων ειναι εν Γαλγαλοις· διοτι εκει εμισησα αυτους· δια την κακιαν των πραξεων αυτων θελω εξωσει αυτους απο του οικου μου· δεν θελω αγαπα πλεον αυτους· παντες οι αρχοντες αυτων ειναι αποσταται.

16 Επαταχθη ο Εφραιμ· η ριζα αυτων εξηρανθη· καρπον δεν θελουσι καμει· οτι και αν γεννησωσι, θελω θανατωσει τα επιθυμητα της μητρας αυτων.

17 Ο Θεος μου θελει απορριψει αυτους, διοτι δεν εισηκουσαν αυτον· και θελουσιν εισθαι πλανωμενοι μεταξυ των εθνων.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #382

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382. 'Being a wanderer and a fugitive in the land' means not knowing what truth and good are. This is clear from the meaning in the Word of 'wandering' and of 'fleeing', as in Jeremiah,

Prophets and priests wander blind in the streets; they are defiled with blood. Things which have no power they touch with their garments. Lamentations 4:13-14.

Here 'prophets' stands for those who teach, 'priests' for those who live according to what is taught. 'Wandering blind in the streets' means not knowing what good and truth are.

[2] In Amos,

Part of one field had rain, and part of the field on which it did not rain dried up. So two or three cities will wander to one city to drink water, and they will not be satisfied. Amos 4:7-8.

Here 'the part of the field on which rain fell' is the doctrine of faith that derives from charity, while 'the part or section of the field on which it did not rain' is the doctrine of faith devoid of charity. 'Wandering to drink water' similarly means searching for truth.

[3] In Hosea,

Ephraim has been stricken, their root has dried up, they will bear no fruit. My God will cast them away because they have not hearkened to Him, and they will be wanderers among the nations. Hosea 9:16-17.

'Ephraim' stands for an understanding of truth, that is, for faith, since he was Joseph' s firstborn. 'A root which had dried up' stands for charity that is incapable of bearing fruit. 'Wanderers among the nations' means that they have no knowledge of truth and good.

[4] In Jeremiah,

Go up against Arabia and lay waste the sons of the east. Flee, wander far away; the inhabitants of Hazer have plunged into the depths to dwell there. Jeremiah 49:28, 30.

'Arabia' and 'the sons of the east' stand for the possession of celestial riches, or things of love, which when laid waste are also spoken of as 'fleeing and wandering', or fugitives and wanderers, when they achieve nothing good at all. And 'the inhabitants of Hazer', or those who possess spiritual riches, which are things of faith, are spoken of as 'plunging into the depths', which means perishing.

In Isaiah,

All your chief men are wandering about together, on account of the bow they have been put in chains. They have fled from far away. Isaiah 12:3.

This refers to 'the valley of vision', which is the delusion that faith can exist without charity. This explains why verse 14 below speaks of 'a wanderer and a fugitive', that is, a person who, confessing faith in isolation from charity, has no knowledge at all of truth and good.

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

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