The Bible

 

Ezékiel 32

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1 És lõn a tizenkettedik esztendõben, a tizenkettedik hónapban, a hónap elsején, lõn az Úr beszéde hozzám, mondván:

2 Embernek fia! kezdj gyászéneket a Faraóról, Égyiptom királyáról, és mondjad néki: Nemzetek fiatal oroszlánja, elvesztél; hiszen te olyan valál, mint a krokodil a tengerekben, mert kijövél folyóidon és megháborítád lábaiddal a vizeket és felzavartad folyóikat.

3 Így szól az Úr Isten: Ezért kivetem rád hálómat sok nép serege által, és kihúznak téged varsámban.

4 És leterítlek a földre, a mezõség színére vetlek, és reád szállítom az ég minden madarát, s megelégítem belõled az egész föld vadait.

5 S vetem húsodat a hegyekre, és betöltöm a völgyeket rothadásoddal.

6 És megitatom áradásod földjét véredbõl mind a hegyekig, s a mélységek megtelnek belõled.

7 És mikor eloltalak, beborítom az eget, s csillagait besötétítem, a napot felhõbe borítom, és a hold nem fényeskedik fényével.

8 Minden világító testet megsötétítek miattad az égen, és bocsátok sötétséget földedre, ezt mondja az Úr Isten.

9 És megszomorítom sok nép szívét, ha elhíresztelem romlásodat a nemzetek között, a földeken, a melyeket nem ismersz.

10 És cselekszem, hogy elborzadjanak miattad a sok népek, s királyaik rémüljenek el rémüléssel miattad, mikor villogtatom fegyveremet elõttök, s remegni fognak minden szempillantásban, kiki az õ életéért, zuhanásod napján.

11 Mert így szól az Úr Isten: A babiloni király fegyvere jön reád.

12 Vitézeknek fegyvereivel hullatom el sokaságodat, õk a népek legkegyetlenebbjei mindnyájan; és elpusztítják Égyiptom kevélységét, és elvész minden sokasága.

13 És elvesztem minden barmát a sok vizek mellõl, és nem zavarja fel azokat többé ember lába, sem barmok körme azokat föl nem zavarja.

14 Akkor meghiggasztom vizeiket, és folyóikat, olajként folyatom, ezt mondja az Úr Isten,

15 Mikor Égyiptom földjét pusztasággá teszem, és kipusztul a föld teljességébõl, mert megverek minden rajta lakót, hogy megtudják, hogy én vagyok az Úr.

16 Gyászének ez és sírva énekeljék; a népek leányai énekeljék sírva; Égyiptomról és minden sokaságáról énekeljék sírva, ezt mondja az Úr Isten.

17 És lõn a tizenkettedik esztendõben, a hónap tizenötödikén, lõn az Úr beszéde hozzám, mondván:

18 Embernek fia! sírj Égyiptom sokaságán, és szállítsd alá õt te és a hatalmas nemzetek leányai a mélységek országába azokhoz, kik sírgödörbe szálltak.

19 Kinél nem voltál volna kedvesebb? Szállj alá, hadd fektessenek a körülmetéletlenek mellé!

20 A fegyverrel megölettek közt essenek el! A fegyver átadatott; húzzátok lefelé õt és minden sokaságát!

21 Szólni fognak felõle a vitézek hatalmasai a sír közepébõl együtt az õ segítõivel: alászállottak, hogy itt feküdjenek a körülmetéletlenek, mint fegyverrel megöltek!

22 Itt van Assúr és egész sokasága, körülte sírjai, mindnyájan megölettek, kik fegyver miatt hulltak el,

23 A kinek sírjai a sírgödör legmélyén vannak és sokasága az õ sírja körül van, mindnyájan megölettek, fegyver miatt elestek, kik félelmére valának az élõk földjének.

24 Itt van Elám és egész sokasága az õ sírja körül, mindnyájan megölettek, kik fegyver miatt hulltak el, kik alászálltak körülmetéletlenül a mélységek országába, kik félelmére valának az élõk földjének, és viselik gyalázatukat azok mellett, kik sírgödörbe szálltak.

25 A megölettek között vetettek néki ágyat minden sokaságával, körülte vannak ennek sírjai, mindnyájan körülmetéletlenek, fegyverrel megölettek, mert félelmére valának az élõk földjének, és viselik gyalázatukat azok mellett, kik sírgödörbe szálltak; a megölettek közé vetették õket!

26 Itt van Mések-Tubál és minden sokasága, körülte vannak ennek sírjai, mindnyájan körülmetéletlenek, fegyverrel megölettek, mert félelmére valának az élõk földjének.

27 És nem feküsznek együtt az erõsekkel, kik elestek a körülmetéletlenek közül, kik hadiszerszámaikkal szálltak alá a sírba s kiknek az õ fegyvereiket fejük alá tették; mert lõn az õ vétkök csontjaikon, mivelhogy félelmére [valának] a vitézeknek az élõk földjén.

28 Te is a körülmetéletlenek közt rontatol meg, és fekszel a fegyverrel megölettek mellett.

29 Itt van Edom királyaival és minden fejedelmével, kik vettettek erõsségökben a fegyverrel megöltekhez, õk a körülmetéletlenekkel feküsznek s azokkal, a kik sírgödörbe szálltak.

30 Ott vannak észak uralkodói mindnyájan, és minden sidoni, a kik alászálltak a megölettekkel, rettenetes voltukban, erõsségökben megszégyenülve; és feküsznek körülmetéletlenül a fegyverrel megölettek mellett, és viselik gyalázatukat a sírgödörbe szálltak között.

31 Ezeket látni fogja a Faraó, és megvígasztalódik minden sokasága felõl; fegyverrel ölettek meg a Faraó és minden õ serege, ezt mondja az Úr Isten,

32 Mert félelmére adtam õt az élõk földjének; ezért ott vetnek ágyat néki a körülmetéletlenek között, a fegyverrel megölettek mellett, a Faraónak és minden sokaságának, ezt mondja az Úr Isten.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #6015

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6015. 'In the carts which Pharaoh sent to carry him' means the matters of doctrine obtained from the Church's factual knowledge. This is clear from the meaning of 'the carts' as matters of doctrine, dealt with in 5945; and from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as the Church's factual knowledge in general. For 'Egypt' means the Church's factual knowledge, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, and therefore the king of that land means such knowledge in general, as he does elsewhere in the Word, though in the majority of places perverted factual knowledge is meant by Egypt and so also by Pharaoh. The representation of 'Pharaoh' as factual knowledge in general is evident in Isaiah,

The princes of Zoan are foolish, the wise counsellors of Pharaoh; counsel has become brutish. How do you say to Pharaoh, I am a son of the wise, a son of the kings of old? Isaiah 19:11.

Here 'Pharaoh' stands for the Church's factual knowledge in general, which was why he was called 'a son of the wise' and 'a son of the kings of old'. 'The wise' and 'the kings of old' stand for the truths that the Ancient Church possessed. But that factual knowledge made nonsensical is meant, for it says 'The princes of Zoan have become foolish; counsel has become brutish'.

[2] In the same prophet,

They depart to go down to Egypt but have not asked at My mouth, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt. Therefore the strength of Pharaoh will become shame for you, and trust in the shadow of Egypt ignominy. Isaiah 30:2-3.

'Strengthening themselves in the strength of Egypt, and trusting in the shadow of Egypt' stands for relying in matters of faith on factual knowledge and having no belief in any spiritual truth unless it is what factual knowledge and sensory evidence so declare. But that is a perversion of order. The truths of faith must occupy first place, and supporting factual knowledge must take second place; for if the latter occupy first place, no belief in any truth whatever exists.

[3] In Jeremiah,

Jehovah Zebaoth, the God of Israel, said, Behold, I am making a visitation upon Amen in No, and upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt, and upon its gods, and upon its kings - especially upon Pharaoh and those trusting in him. Jeremiah 46:25.

Here also 'Pharaoh' stands for factual knowledge in general. 'Those trusting in him' stands for people who rely on factual knowledge but do not rely on the Word, that is, on the Lord in the Word. Such a reliance leads to a complete perversion in the things people are taught to believe, which in turn leads to falsity and also to the refusal to accept that what is Divine and heavenly is anything at all. These people in particular are all too ready to say, Let me see these things with my own eyes; or, Produce the facts to prove the truth of it, and then I will believe it. But even if they did see them or such proof was produced they would not believe, because an unaccepting attitude of mind governs everything.

[4] In the same prophet,

Against Pharaoh. 1 Behold, waters rising out of the north which will become a deluging stream, and they will deluge the land and all that fills it, the city and those who dwell in it, so that men cry out and every inhabitant of the land wails because of the sound of the beat of the hoofs of the horses his mighty ones and the noise of his chariot, the rumble of its wheels. Jeremiah 47:1-3.

It is plain from every detail stated here regarding Pharaoh that 'Pharaoh' is factual knowledge in general, existing in this instance in a perverted state of order, which destroys the truths of faith. 'A deluging stream' is factual knowledge destroying an understanding of truth, and so is knowledge that lays waste. 'They will deluge the land and all that fills it' is the entire Church. 'The city and those who dwell in it' is the truth the Church possesses, and the good this truth leads to. 'The beat of the hoofs of the horses' is the lowest kind of factual knowledge gained directly from sensory impressions. 'The noise of his chariot' is false teaching derived from that knowledge. 'The rumble of its wheels' is sensory impressions and the false notions going with them that advance themselves.

[5] In Ezekiel,

The Lord Jehovih said, Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster who is lying in the midst of his rivers, who has said, The river is mine and I have made myself. Therefore I will put hooks in your jaws, and cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales. Ezekiel 29:2-4.

Here also 'Pharaoh' stands for factual knowledge in general, which in a similar way is evident from each detail that is stated regarding him.

[6] In the same prophet,

Raise a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt. You are like monsters in the seas, and you have come forth with your rivers, and have troubled the waters with your feet; you have stirred up their rivers. When I have blotted you out, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars, I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. All the bright lights [in the heavens] I will darken over you, and I will put darkness over your land. Ezekiel 32:1, 3, 7-8.

The details of this description, like many more in the Prophets, cannot be understood by anyone, it is evident, without the internal sense. No one can understand what is meant when it says that Pharaoh is like monsters in the seas, has come forth with 2 his rivers, and has troubled the waters with his feet. Nor can anyone know what is meant when it says that the heavens will be covered above him, the stars will be darkened, and all the bright lights will be darkened; also that the sun will be covered with a cloud, the moon will not give its light, and darkness will be put over his land. But the internal sense shows what all these details mean; it shows that factual knowledge perverts the truths of the Church if a person uses it to enter the mysteries of faith without believing anything unless factual knowledge, indeed sensory evidence, causes him to see it. This is the internal sense of this description, as the explanation of each separate detail shows.

[7] Pharaoh is called 'king of Egypt' by virtue of the truth factual knowledge holds within it. For factual knowledge is truth as it exists in the natural, and 'king' is truth, see 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044; also, much the same is meant by the king of a people as by the people themselves, 4789, so that much the same is meant by 'Pharaoh' as by 'Egypt', but the same thing in general. ('Egypt' has been shown many times to mean factual knowledge.) Pharaoh is compared to 'monsters in the seas' because 'a monster' or 'a sea monster' means general sources of facts, 42, While 'seas' means gatherings together of them, 28. Then it is said that he has come forth with his rivers because ideas displaying intelligence are meant by 'rivers', 108, 109, 2702, 3051, but here ideas displaying insanity since they flow from sensory impressions and factual knowledge, 5196. After this it is said that he troubled the waters with his feet and stirred up their rivers because 'waters' means spiritual truths, 680, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, and 'feet' things belonging to the natural, 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, so that 'troubling the waters with one's feet' is defiling and perverting the truths of faith by means of factual knowledge which the natural possesses. And 'stirring up their rivers' is doing the same to intelligence.

[8] Finally it is said that when he is blotted out the heavens will be covered, because 'the heavens' means a person's interiors, since these are his heavens. They are 'closed' when factual knowledge holds sway over the truths of faith, that is, when the natural holds sway over the spiritual. When this is the situation the cognitions or knowledge of truth and good perish, meant by 'I will darken the stars of the heavens, and all the bright lights'; for 'the stars' are those cognitions, see 2495, 2849, 4697, and 'the lights' are forms of good and truth, 30-38. The inability of the good of love to flow in any longer at that time is meant by 'I will cover the sun with a cloud', and the inability of the good of faith to flow in by 'the moon will not give its light' - 'the sun' being the good of love, and 'the moon the good of faith, see 1519, 1530, 2120, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4696. The occupation therefore of the natural mind by falsities alone is meant by 'I will put darkness over your land' - 'darkness' being falsities, 1839, 1860, 4418, 4531, and 'Pharaoh's land' or 'the land of Egypt' being the natural mind, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5701. From all this one may now see what the meaning is within the details of this prophecy. Since 'Pharaoh' means factual knowledge in general he also means the natural in general, 5799.

Footnotes:

1. These verses in Jeremiah 47 refer to the Philistines, though Pharaoh is mentioned in verse 1. Chapter Jeremiah 46 deals specifically with Egypt and Pharaoh.

2. Reading cum (with) for ex (from)

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

The Bible

 

Genesis 1

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1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2 Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God's Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.

3 God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

4 God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness.

5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." There was evening and there was morning, one day.

6 God said, "Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters."

7 God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.

8 God called the expanse "sky." There was evening and there was morning, a second day.

9 God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear;" and it was so.

10 God called the dry land "earth," and the gathering together of the waters he called "seas." God saw that it was good.

11 God said, "Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with its seed in it, on the earth;" and it was so.

12 The earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with its seed in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.

13 There was evening and there was morning, a third day.

14 God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;

15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of sky to give light on the earth;" and it was so.

16 God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.

17 God set them in the expanse of sky to give light to the earth,

18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.

19 There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.

20 God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky."

21 God created the large sea creatures, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good.

22 God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."

23 There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.

24 God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind;" and it was so.

25 God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.

26 God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

27 God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

29 God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.

30 To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;" and it was so.

31 God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.