The Bible

 

Yechezchial 16

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1 וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃

2 בֶּן־אָדָם הֹודַע אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַם אֶת־תֹּועֲבֹתֶיהָ׃

3 וְאָמַרְתָּ כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה לִירוּשָׁלִַם מְכֹרֹתַיִךְ וּמֹלְדֹתַיִךְ מֵאֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי אָבִיךְ הָאֱמֹרִי וְאִמֵּךְ חִתִּית׃

4 וּמֹולְדֹותַיִךְ בְּיֹום הוּלֶּדֶת אֹתָךְ לֹא־כָרַּת שָׁרֵּךְ וּבְמַיִם לֹא־רֻחַצְתְּ לְמִשְׁעִי וְהָמְלֵחַ לֹא הֻמְלַחַתְּ וְהָחְתֵּל לֹא חֻתָּלְתְּ׃

5 לֹא־חָסָה עָלַיִךְ עַיִן לַעֲשֹׂות לָךְ אַחַת מֵאֵלֶּה לְחֻמְלָה עָלָיִךְ וַתֻּשְׁלְכִי אֶל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה בְּגֹעַל נַפְשֵׁךְ בְּיֹום הֻלֶּדֶת אֹתָךְ׃

6 וָאֶעֱבֹר עָלַיִךְ וָאֶרְאֵךְ מִתְבֹּוסֶסֶת בְּדָמָיִךְ וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי׃

7 רְבָבָה כְּצֶמַח הַשָּׂדֶה נְתַתִּיךְ וַתִּרְבִּי וַתִּגְדְּלִי וַתָּבֹאִי בַּעֲדִי עֲדָיִים שָׁדַיִם נָכֹנוּ וּשְׂעָרֵךְ צִמֵּחַ וְאַתְּ עֵרֹם וְעֶרְיָה׃

8 וָאֶעֱבֹר עָלַיִךְ וָאֶרְאֵךְ וְהִנֵּה עִתֵּךְ עֵת דֹּדִים וָאֶפְרֹשׂ כְּנָפִי עָלַיִךְ וָאֲכַסֶּה עֶרְוָתֵּךְ וָאֶשָּׁבַע לָךְ וָאָבֹוא בִבְרִית אֹתָךְ נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וַתִּהְיִי לִי׃

9 וָאֶרְחָצֵךְ בַּמַּיִם וָאֶשְׁטֹף דָּמַיִךְ מֵעָלָיִךְ וָאֲסֻךֵךְ בַּשָּׁמֶן׃

10 וָאַלְבִּישֵׁךְ רִקְמָה וָאֶנְעֲלֵךְ תָּחַשׁ וָאֶחְבְּשֵׁךְ בַּשֵּׁשׁ וַאֲכַסֵּךְ מֶשִׁי׃

11 וָאֶעְדֵּךְ עֶדִי וָאֶתְּנָה צְמִידִים עַל־יָדַיִךְ וְרָבִיד עַל־גְּרֹונֵךְ׃

12 וָאֶתֵּן נֶזֶם עַל־אַפֵּךְ וַעֲגִילִים עַל־אָזְנָיִךְ וַעֲטֶרֶת תִּפְאֶרֶת בְּרֹאשֵׁךְ׃

13 וַתַּעְדִּי זָהָב וָכֶסֶף וּמַלְבּוּשֵׁךְ [כ= שֵׁשִׁי] [ק= שֵׁשׁ] וָמֶשִׁי וְרִקְמָה סֹלֶת וּדְבַשׁ וָשֶׁמֶן [כ= אָכָלְתִּי] [ק= אָכָלְתְּ] וַתִּיפִי בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד וַתִּצְלְחִי לִמְלוּכָה׃

14 וַיֵּצֵא לָךְ שֵׁם בַּגֹּויִם בְּיָפְיֵךְ כִּי כָּלִיל הוּא בַּהֲדָרִי אֲשֶׁר־שַׂמְתִּי עָלַיִךְ נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה׃

15 וַתִּבְטְחִי בְיָפְיֵךְ וַתִּזְנִי עַל־שְׁמֵךְ וַתִּשְׁפְּכִי אֶת־תַּזְנוּתַיִךְ עַל־כָּל־עֹובֵר לֹו־יֶהִי׃

16 וַתִּקְחִי מִבְּגָדַיִךְ וַתַּעֲשִׂי־לָךְ בָּמֹות טְלֻאֹות וַתִּזְנִי עֲלֵיהֶם לֹא בָאֹות וְלֹא יִהְיֶה׃

17 וַתִּקְחִי כְּלֵי תִפְאַרְתֵּךְ מִזְּהָבִי וּמִכַּסְפִּי אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָךְ וַתַּעֲשִׂי־לָךְ צַלְמֵי זָכָר וַתִּזְנִי־בָם׃

18 וַתִּקְחִי אֶת־בִּגְדֵי רִקְמָתֵךְ וַתְּכַסִּים וְשַׁמְנִי וּקְטָרְתִּי [כ= נָתַתִּי] [ק= נָתַתְּ] לִפְנֵיהֶם׃

19 וְלַחְמִי אֲשֶׁר־נָתַתִּי לָךְ סֹלֶת וָשֶׁמֶן וּדְבַשׁ הֶאֱכַלְתִּיךְ וּנְתַתִּיהוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם לְרֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ וַיֶּהִי נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה׃

20 וַתִּקְחִי אֶת־בָּנַיִךְ וְאֶת־בְּנֹותַיִךְ אֲשֶׁר יָלַדְתְּ לִי וַתִּזְבָּחִים לָהֶם לֶאֱכֹול הַמְעַט [כ= מִתַּזְנֻתֵךְ] [ק= מִתַּזְנוּתָיִךְ]׃

21 וַתִּשְׁחֲטִי אֶת־בָּנָי וַתִּתְּנִים בְּהַעֲבִיר אֹותָם לָהֶם׃

22 וְאֵת כָּל־תֹּועֲבֹתַיִךְ וְתַזְנֻתַיִךְ לֹא [כ= זָכַרְתִּי] [ק= זָכַרְתְּ] אֶת־יְמֵי נְעוּרָיִךְ בִּהְיֹותֵךְ עֵרֹם וְעֶרְיָה מִתְבֹּוסֶסֶת בְּדָמֵךְ הָיִית׃

23 וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי כָּל־רָעָתֵךְ אֹוי אֹוי לָךְ נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה׃

24 וַתִּבְנִי־לָךְ גֶּב וַתַּעֲשִׂי־לָךְ רָמָה בְּכָל־רְחֹוב׃

25 אֶל־כָּל־רֹאשׁ דֶּרֶךְ בָּנִית רָמָתֵךְ וַתְּתַעֲבִי אֶת־יָפְיֵךְ וַתְּפַשְּׂקִי אֶת־רַגְלַיִךְ לְכָל־עֹובֵר וַתַּרְבִּי אֶת־[כ= תַּזְנֻתֵךְ] [ק= תַּזְנוּתָיִךְ]׃

26 וַתִּזְנִי אֶל־בְּנֵי־מִצְרַיִם שְׁכֵנַיִךְ גִּדְלֵי בָשָׂר וַתַּרְבִּי אֶת־תַּזְנֻתֵךְ לְהַכְעִיסֵנִי׃

27 וְהִנֵּה נָטִיתִי יָדִי עָלַיִךְ וָאֶגְרַע חֻקֵּךְ וָאֶתְּנֵךְ בְּנֶפֶשׁ שֹׂנְאֹותַיִךְ בְּנֹות פְּלִשְׁתִּים הַנִּכְלָמֹות מִדַּרְךֵּךְ זִמָּה׃

28 וַתִּזְנִי אֶל־בְּנֵי אַשּׁוּר מִבִּלְתִּי שָׂבְעָתֵךְ וַתִּזְנִים וְגַם לֹא שָׂבָעַתְּ׃

29 וַתַּרְבִּי אֶת־תַּזְנוּתֵךְ אֶל־אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן כַּשְׂדִּימָה וְגַם־בְּזֹאת לֹא שָׂבָעַתְּ׃

30 מָה אֲמֻלָה לִבָּתֵךְ נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה בַּעֲשֹׂותֵךְ אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה מַעֲשֵׂה אִשָּׁה־זֹונָה שַׁלָּטֶת׃

31 בִּבְנֹותַיִךְ גַּבֵּךְ בְּרֹאשׁ כָּל־דֶּרֶךְ וְרָמָתֵךְ [כ= עָשִׂיתִי] [ק= עָשִׂית] בְּכָל־רְחֹוב וְלֹא־[כ= הָיִיתי] [ק= הָיִית] כַּזֹּונָה לְקַלֵּס אֶתְןָן׃

32 הָאִשָּׁה הַמְּנָאָפֶת תַּחַת אִישָׁהּ תִּקַּח אֶת־זָרִים׃

33 לְכָל־זֹנֹות יִתְּנוּ־נֵדֶה וְאַתְּ נָתַתְּ אֶת־נְדָנַיִךְ לְכָל־מְאַהֲבַיִךְ וַתִּשְׁחֳדִי אֹותָם לָבֹוא אֵלַיִךְ מִסָּבִיב בְּתַזְנוּתָיִךְ׃

34 וַיְהִי־בָךְ הֵפֶךְ מִן־הַנָּשִׁים בְּתַזְנוּתַיִךְ וְאַחֲרַיִךְ לֹא זוּנָּה וּבְתִתֵּךְ אֶתְןָן וְאֶתְןַן לֹא נִתַּן־לָךְ וַתְּהִי לְהֶפֶךְ׃

35 לָכֵן זֹונָה שִׁמְעִי דְּבַר־יְהוָה׃ ף

36 כֹּה־אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה יַעַן הִשָּׁפֵךְ נְחֻשְׁתֵּךְ וַתִּגָּלֶה עֶרְוָתֵךְ בְּתַזְנוּתַיִךְ עַל־מְאַהֲבָיִךְ וְעַל כָּל־גִּלּוּלֵי תֹועֲבֹותַיִךְ וְכִדְמֵי בָנַיִךְ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתְּ לָהֶם׃

37 לָכֵן הִנְנִי מְקַבֵּץ אֶת־כָּל־מְאַהֲבַיִךְ אֲשֶׁר עָרַבְתְּ עֲלֵיהֶם וְאֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתְּ עַל כָּל־אֲשֶׁר שָׂנֵאת וְקִבַּצְתִּי אֹתָם עָלַיִךְ מִסָּבִיב וְגִלֵּיתִי עֶרְוָתֵךְ אֲלֵהֶם וְרָאוּ אֶת־כָּל־עֶרְוָתֵךְ׃

38 וּשְׁפַטְתִּיךְ מִשְׁפְּטֵי נֹאֲפֹות וְשֹׁפְכֹת דָּם וּנְתַתִּיךְ דַּם חֵמָה וְקִנְאָה׃

39 וְנָתַתִּי אֹותָךְ בְּיָדָם וְהָרְסוּ גַבֵּךְ וְנִתְּצוּ רָמֹתַיִךְ וְהִפְשִׁיטוּ אֹותָךְ בְּגָדַיִךְ וְלָקְחוּ כְּלֵי תִפְאַרְתֵּךְ וְהִנִּיחוּךְ עֵירֹם וְעֶרְיָה׃

40 וְהֶעֱלוּ עָלַיִךְ קָהָל וְרָגְמוּ אֹותָךְ בָּאָבֶן וּבִתְּקוּךְ בְּחַרְבֹותָם׃

41 וְשָׂרְפוּ בָתַּיִךְ בָּאֵשׁ וְעָשׂוּ־בָךְ שְׁפָטִים לְעֵינֵי נָשִׁים רַבֹּות וְהִשְׁבַּתִּיךְ מִזֹּונָה וְגַם־אֶתְןַן לֹא תִתְּנִי־עֹוד׃

42 וַהֲנִחֹתִי חֲמָתִי בָּךְ וְסָרָה קִנְאָתִי מִמֵּךְ וְשָׁקַטְתִּי וְלֹא אֶכְעַס עֹוד׃

43 יַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא־[כ= זָכַרְתִּי] [ק= זָכַרְתְּ] אֶת־יְמֵי נְעוּרַיִךְ וַתִּרְגְּזִי־לִי בְּכָל־אֵלֶּה וְגַם־אֲנִי הֵא דַּרְךֵּךְ בְּרֹאשׁ נָתַתִּי נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וְלֹא [כ= עָשִׂיתִי] [ק= עָשִׂית] אֶת־הַזִּמָּה עַל כָּל־תֹּועֲבֹתָיִךְ׃

44 הִנֵּה כָּל־הַמֹּשֵׁל עָלַיִךְ יִמְשֹׁל לֵאמֹר כְּאִמָּה בִּתָּהּ׃

45 בַּת־אִמֵּךְ אַתְּ גֹּעֶלֶת אִישָׁהּ וּבָנֶיהָ וַאֲחֹות אֲחֹותֵךְ אַתְּ אֲשֶׁר גָּעֲלוּ אַנְשֵׁיהֶן וּבְנֵיהֶן אִמְּכֶן חִתִּית וַאֲבִיכֶן אֱמֹרִי׃

46 וַאֲחֹותֵךְ הַגְּדֹולָה שֹׁמְרֹון הִיא וּבְנֹותֶיהָ הַיֹּושֶׁבֶת עַל־שְׂמֹאולֵךְ וַאֲחֹותֵךְ הַקְּטַנָּה מִמֵּךְ הַיֹּושֶׁבֶת מִימִינֵךְ סְדֹם וּבְנֹותֶיהָ׃

47 וְלֹא בְדַרְכֵיהֶן הָלַכְתְּ וּבְתֹועֲבֹותֵיהֶן [כ= עָשִׂיתִי] [ק= עָשִׂית] כִּמְעַט קָט וַתַּשְׁחִתִי מֵהֵן בְּכָל־דְּרָכָיִךְ׃

48 חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה אִם־עָשְׂתָה סְדֹם אֲחֹותֵךְ הִיא וּבְנֹותֶיהָ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂית אַתְּ וּבְנֹותָיִךְ׃

49 הִנֵּה־זֶה הָיָה עֲוֹן סְדֹם אֲחֹותֵךְ גָּאֹון שִׂבְעַת־לֶחֶם וְשַׁלְוַת הַשְׁקֵט הָיָה לָהּ וְלִבְנֹותֶיהָ וְיַד־עָנִי וְאֶבְיֹון לֹא הֶחֱזִיקָה׃

50 וַתִּגְבְּהֶינָה וַתַּעֲשֶׂינָה תֹועֵבָה לְפָנָי וָאָסִיר אֶתְהֶן כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי׃ ס

51 וְשֹׁמְרֹון כַּחֲצִי חַטֹּאתַיִךְ לֹא חָטָאָה וַתַּרְבִּי אֶת־תֹּועֲבֹותַיִךְ מֵהֵנָּה וַתְּצַדְּקִי אֶת־[כ= אֲחֹותֵךְ] [ק= אֲחֹותַיִךְ] בְּכָל־תֹּועֲבֹותַיִךְ אֲשֶׁר [כ= עָשִׂיתי] [ק= עָשִׂית]׃

52 גַּם־אַתְּ שְׂאִי כְלִמָּתֵךְ אֲשֶׁר פִּלַּלְתְּ לַאֲחֹותֵךְ בְּחַטֹּאתַיִךְ אֲשֶׁר־הִתְעַבְתְּ מֵהֵן תִּצְדַּקְנָה מִמֵּךְ וְגַם־אַתְּ בֹּושִׁי וּשְׂאִי כְלִמָּתֵךְ בְּצַדֶּקְתֵּךְ אַחְיֹותֵךְ׃

53 וְשַׁבְתִּי אֶת־שְׁבִיתְהֶן אֶת־[כ= שְׁבִית] [ק= שְׁבוּת] סְדֹם וּבְנֹותֶיהָ וְאֶת־[כ= שְׁבִית] [ק= שְׁבוּת] שֹׁמְרֹון וּבְנֹותֶיהָ [כ= וּשְׁבִית] [ק= וּשְׁבוּת] שְׁבִיתַיִךְ בְּתֹוכָהְנָה׃

54 לְמַעַן תִּשְׂאִי כְלִמָּתֵךְ וְנִכְלַמְתְּ מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂית בְּנַחֲמֵךְ אֹתָן׃

55 וַאֲחֹותַיִךְ סְדֹם וּבְנֹותֶיהָ תָּשֹׁבְןָ לְקַדְמָתָן וְשֹׁמְרֹון וּבְנֹותֶיהָ תָּשֹׁבְןָ לְקַדְמָתָן וְאַתְּ וּבְנֹותַיִךְ תְּשֻׁבֶינָה לְקַדְמַתְכֶן׃

56 וְלֹוא הָיְתָה סְדֹם אֲחֹותֵךְ לִשְׁמוּעָה בְּפִיךְ בְּיֹום גְּאֹונָיִךְ׃

57 בְּטֶרֶם תִּגָּלֶה רָעָתֵךְ כְּמֹו עֵת חֶרְפַּת בְּנֹות־אֲרָם וְכָל־סְבִיבֹותֶיהָ בְּנֹות פְּלִשְׁתִּים הַשָּׁאטֹות אֹותָךְ מִסָּבִיב׃

58 אֶת־זִמָּתֵךְ וְאֶת־תֹּועֲבֹותַיִךְ אַתְּ נְשָׂאתִים נְאֻם יְהוָה׃ ס

59 כִּי כֹה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה [כ= וְעָשִׂית] [ק= וְעָשִׂיתִי] אֹותָךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂית אֲשֶׁר־בָּזִית אָלָה לְהָפֵר בְּרִית׃

60 וְזָכַרְתִּי אֲנִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אֹותָךְ בִּימֵי נְעוּרָיִךְ וַהֲקִמֹותִי לָךְ בְּרִית עֹולָם׃

61 וְזָכַרְתְּ אֶת־דְּרָכַיִךְ וְנִכְלַמְתְּ בְּקַחְתֵּךְ אֶת־אֲחֹותַיִךְ הַגְּדֹלֹות מִמֵּךְ אֶל־הַקְּטַנֹּות מִמֵּךְ וְנָתַתִּי אֶתְהֶן לָךְ לְבָנֹות וְלֹא מִבְּרִיתֵךְ׃

62 וַהֲקִימֹותִי אֲנִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וְיָדַעַתְּ כִּי־אֲנִי יְהוָה׃

63 לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרִי וָבֹשְׁתְּ וְלֹא יִהְיֶה־לָּךְ עֹוד פִּתְחֹון פֶּה מִפְּנֵי כְּלִמָּתֵךְ בְּכַפְּרִי־לָךְ לְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂית נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה׃ ס

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #8409

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8409. As regards 'flesh' and its meaning the proprium in both the genuine and contrary senses, in the highest sense it is the Lord's Divine proprium, which is His Divine Human, and so is the good of His love towards the entire human race. From this in the sense that relates to man 'flesh' means a proprium made alive by the Lord's Proprium; that is, it is the Lord's Proprium present with the person, and so is the good of love to Him. Regarding the meaning of 'flesh' in this sense, see 3813, 7850. But in the contrary sense 'flesh' is the proprium that is man's own, thus the evil of self-love, and consequently the desires of that love, which are cravings, 999, 3813. The proprium that is man's own is nothing but evil, see 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1023, 1044, 1047, 3812 (end), 5660, 5786. The fact that 'flesh' means the proprium that is man's own, thus evil of every kind, is in addition clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

I will feed your oppressors with their flesh, and they will be drunk with their blood as with new wine. Isaiah 49:26.

'Feeding with flesh' stands for filling with their own evil.

[2] In Jeremiah,

Cursed is the man (vir) who trusts in man (homo), and makes flesh his arm, but his heart departs from Jehovah. Jeremiah 17:5.

'Making flesh his arm' stands for trusting in power that is one's own; therefore eating the flesh of one's arm stands for trusting in self, Isaiah 9:20. In Isaiah,

Egypt is man (homo) and not God, and his horses are flesh and not spirit. Isaiah 31:3.

'Horses of Egypt' stands for factual knowledge belonging to a perverted understanding, 6125; 'flesh' stands for what is dead, and 'spirit' for what is living. This is why the Egyptians 1 are called great in flesh, Ezekiel 16:26. The expression 'what is dead' is applied to evil, since evil leads to spiritual death, and 'what is living' is applied to good, since good leads to spiritual life.

[3] This explains why 'flesh' and 'spirit' are set in contrast to each other in the Word, as in John,

That which has been born of flesh is flesh, and that which has been born from the spirit is spirit. John 3:6.

In the same gospel,

It is the Spirit who bestows life, the flesh does not profit anything. The words which I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life. John 6:63.

In the Book of Genesis,

Jehovah said, My spirit will not reprove man forever, in that he is flesh. Genesis 6:3.

'Flesh' here stands for the proprium that is man's own. Similarly in Matthew,

Jesus said, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this, but My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:17.

And in John,

As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name, who were born, not of blood, 2 nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man (vir), but of God. John 1:12-13.

'The will of the flesh' stands for the proprium, the will part, 'the will of man' for the proprium, the understanding part; and 'sons of God' stands for those who have been regenerated. And those undergoing regeneration all receive life from the Lord's Proprium, which is the Lord's Flesh and body and is Divine Goodness itself.

[4] Since 'flesh' in the contrary sense means the proprium that is man's own, and so means evil, it also means craving, for the life of the flesh, which belongs properly to the body, consists of nothing else than the desires of the senses, the delights of the bodily appetites, and cravings. The fact that 'flesh' means craving is clear from the following verses in Moses,

The rabble who were in the midst of the people had a strong craving, and so the children of Israel wept repeatedly and said, Who will feed us with flesh? But now our soul is dry; there is nothing at all except the man[na] for our eyes [to look] at. And Jehovah said to Moses, You shall say to the people, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, in order that you may eat flesh; for you have wept in the ears of Jehovah, saying, Who will feed us with flesh, for it was better for us in Egypt? Jehovah will give you flesh to eat - for a whole month, 3 until it comes out of your nose and is loathsome to you. The flesh was still between their teeth, before it could be swallowed when Jehovah's anger flared up against the people, and Jehovah struck the people with an extremely great plague. So he called the name of that place The Craves of Craving, because there they buried the people having the craving. Numbers 11:4, 6, 16, 18, 20, 33-34.

From all this one may now see what 'sitting by a pot of flesh in the land of Egypt' means, namely a life according to their own pleasure and such as they craved for, which is the life of the proprium.

Footnotes:

1. literally, the children (or sons) of Egypt

2. literally, bloods

3. literally, month of days

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #5786

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5786. 'behold, we are my lord's slaves' means that they are to be deprived for ever of their own freedom. This is clear from the meaning of slaves' as being without any freedom of their own, dealt with in 5760, 5763. What is meant by being deprived of the freedom of one's own has also been stated in the paragraphs that have just been mentioned; however, since it is an extremely important matter, let it be restated. A person has both an external man and an internal man. The external man is the means through which the internal man acts; for the external man is merely the organ or instrument of the internal. This being so, the external man must be made wholly subservient and subject to the internal; and when the external man is subject to the internal, heaven acts on the external man by means of the internal man and makes the external man conform to things such as are of heaven.

[2] The opposite occurs when the external man is not the servant but the master. The external man is the master when a person has the pleasure of the body and the senses as his end in view, especially when the objects of his selfish and worldly love and not the things of heaven are his end - to have as his end in view being to love one and not the other. For when a person has those objects as his end he no longer believes that there is any such thing as an internal man or that within himself there is anything that will be living when his body dies. In his case the internal, since it does not hold the position of the master, is merely the servant of the external, employed to enable thought and reasoning against what is good and true to take place; for in this person's case no other kind of influx by way of the internal is available. This is also the reason why people like this utterly despise, indeed recoil from the things of heaven. From all this it is plain that the external man, which is the same as the natural man, ought to be wholly subject to the internal or spiritual man, and consequently should exist without any freedom of its own.

[3] Freedom of one's own consists in giving oneself up to every kind of base pleasure, despising others in comparison with oneself, and making them subject like slaves to oneself. Or else it consists in persecuting others, hating them, being delighted when bad things happen to them - especially things done to them by one's own designs or by the use of deceit - and wishing to see them dead. These are the kinds of things that come from indulging one's own freedom. From this one may see what a person is like when he exercises this type of freedom, namely a devil in human form. But when he loses this freedom he receives a heavenly freedom from the Lord, the nature of which is completely unknown to those exercising the freedom of their own. They imagine that if the freedom of their own were taken away from them no life at all would remain. But in actual fact this is when true life has its beginning and when true delight, blessing, happiness, and wisdom arrive, because this freedom comes from the Lord.

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