The Bible

 

Ezechiele 43

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1 POI egli mi condusse alla porta, che riguardava verso il Levante.

2 Ed ecco la gloria dell’Iddio d’Israele, che veniva di verso il Levante; e la sua voce era simile al suon di grandi acque; e la terra risplendeva della sua gloria.

3 E la visione che io vidi era nell’aspetto simigliante alla visione che io vidi, quando venni per distrugger la città; e le sembianze erano le medesime con quelle che io avea vedute presso al fiume Chebar; ed io caddi sopra la mia faccia.

4 E la gloria del Signore entrò nella casa, per la via della porta, che riguardava verso il Levante.

5 E lo Spirito mi elevò, e mi menò nel cortile di dentro; ed ecco, la casa era ripiena della gloria del Signore.

6 Ed io udii uno che parlava a me dalla casa; ed un uomo fu quivi in piè appresso di me.

7 E mi disse: Figliuol d’uomo, ecco il luogo del mio trono, e il luogo delle piante de’ miei piedi, dove io abiterò fra i figliuoli d’Israele in perpetuo; e la casa d’Israele non contaminerà più il mio santo Nome, nè essi nè i lor re, con le lor fornicazioni, e con le carcasse de’ lor re, e co’ loro alti luoghi.

8 Come hanno fatto, quando hanno posta la lor soglia presso della mia soglia, e il loro stipite presso del mio stipite, talchè vi era sol la parete fra me e loro; e così hanno contaminato il mio Nome santo, con le loro abbominazioni, che hanno commesse; onde io li ho consumati nella mia ira.

9 Ora allontaneranno da me le lor fornicazioni, e le carcasse de’ lor re; ed io abiterò in mezzo di loro in perpetuo.

10 TU, figliuol d’uomo, dichiara alla casa d’Israele il disegno di questa casa; e sieno confusi delle loro iniquità; poi misurino la pianta di essa.

11 E quando si saranno vergognati di tutto quello che hanno fatto, fa’ loro assapere la forma di questa casa, e la sua disposizione, e le sue uscite, e le sue entrate, e tutte le sue figure, e tutti i suoi ordini, e tutte le sue forme, e tutte le sue regole; e disegnale davanti agli occhi loro; acciocchè osservino tutta la sua forma, e tutti i suoi ordini, e li mettano in opera.

12 Quest’è l’ordine della Casa: Sopra la sommità del monte, tutto il suo ricinto d’ogn’intorno sarà un luogo santissimo. Ecco, quest’è l’ordine della Casa.

13 E queste son le misure dell’altare, a cubiti, de’ quali ciascuno è d’un cubito e d’un palmo: Il suo seno era d’un cubito, ed altresì d’un cubito di larghezza; e il ricinto, ch’era sopra l’orlo di quello d’ogn’intorno, era d’una spanna; e quello era il suolo dell’altare.

14 Or dal seno, ch’era in terra, fino alla sportatura da basso vi erano due cubiti; e quella sportatura avea un cubito di larghezza; e dalla più piccola sportatura, fino alla maggiore, vi erano quattro cubiti; e la larghezza della maggiore era d’un cubito.

15 E l’Ariel era alto quattro cubito, e dall’Ariel in su vi erano le quattro corna.

16 E l’Ariel avea di lunghezza dodici cubiti, e altrettanti di larghezza; ed era quadro per ogni verso.

17 E la sportatura avea di lunghezza quattordici cubiti, ed altrettanti di larghezza, da tutti e quattro i suoi lati; e l’orlo, ch’era d’intorno a questa parte dell’altare, era d’un mezzo cubito; e il seno, ch’era presso all’altra, era d’un cubito d’ogni intorno; e i suoi gradi erano volti verso il Levante.

18 E quell’uomo mi disse: Figliuol d’uomo, così ha detto il Signore Iddio: Questi son gli ordini dell’altare, nel giorno che sarà fatto, per offerire sopra esso gli olocausti, e per ispandere sopra esso il sangue.

19 Ed allora tu darai a’ sacerdoti Leviti, che son della progenie di Sadoc, i quali si accostano a me, dice il Signore Iddio, per ministrarmi, un giovenco, per sacrificio per lo peccato.

20 E prenderai del sangue di esso, e ne metterai sopra le quattro corna dell’altare, ed ai quattro canti della sportatura, e sopra l’orlo, attorno attorno. Così netterai l’altare, e farai purgamento per esso.

21 Poi prenderai il giovenco del sacrificio per lo peccato, e quello sarà arso in un luogo della Casa appartato, fuori del Luogo santo.

22 E il secondo giorno tu offerirai, per sacrificio per lo peccato, un becco, senza difetto; e con esso si farà il purgamento per l’altare, come si sarà fatto col giovenco.

23 Quando tu avrai finito di far quel purgamento, tu offerirai un giovenco dell’armento, senza difetto; e un montone della greggia, senza difetto.

24 E tu li offerirai davanti al Signore, e i sacerdoti getteranno del sale sopra, e li offeriranno in olocausto al Signore.

25 Per lo spazio di sette giorni, tu sacrificherai un becco per giorno, per lo peccato; e i sacerdoti sacrificheranno un giovenco dell’armento, ed un montone della greggia, senza difetto.

26 Per lo spazio di sette giorni, essi faranno il purgamento per l’altare, e lo purificheranno; ed essi si consacreranno nel lor ministerio.

27 E compiuti que’ giorni, dall’ottavo giorno innanzi, quando i sacerdoti sacrificheranno sopra l’altare i vostri olocausti, e i vostri sacrificii da render grazie, io vi gradirò, dice il Signore Iddio.

   


To many Protestant and Evangelical Italians, the Bibles translated by Giovanni Diodati are an important part of their history. Diodati’s first Italian Bible edition was printed in 1607, and his second in 1641. He died in 1649. Throughout the 1800s two editions of Diodati’s text were printed by the British Foreign Bible Society. This is the more recent 1894 edition, translated by Claudiana.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9742

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9742. 'On the south side, southwards' means that it dwells in the light of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'the south, southwards' as a place where truth dwells in light, dealt with in 9642. The reason why the court lay on that side was that those who are in the court of heaven, that is, in the lowest heaven, are governed by the good of faith, and the good of faith comes into being through enlightenment provided by the light which comes from the Lord. The light which comes from the Lord is the truth of faith, and when this truth is integrated into the will it is called the good of faith. With those who are in the outer court a new will part is formed within the understanding part of their mind, 9596; and to enable it to be formed there it is necessary for those people to dwell in the light of truth. This explains why in relation to the dwelling-place the court was made 'on the south side, southwards'.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #8764

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8764. 'And [how] I bore you on eagles' wings' means and that as a result they were raised by means of truths to heavenly light. This is clear from the meaning of 'bearing someone on eagles' wings' as being raised on high, even to heavenly light; for 'bearing' means being raised, 'wings' spiritual truths, and 'an eagle' the rational in respect of truth (regarding this meaning of 'eagle', see 3901); for eagles fly on high. By the visible heaven or sky the ancients understood the angelic heaven. The simple also believed that angels had their home up there, and in addition that since places on high were nearer the sun and stars, heavenly light itself shone there. So it is that 'being borne on eagles' wings' means being taken on high into that light. The reason why one is raised into it by means of the truths of faith is that the truth of faith is what raises a person right up to heaven, where the good of faith is. The rational in respect of truth is meant by 'an eagle' because the rational level of a person is his heaven or sky, and in relation to it the natural level is so to speak the earth. For the rational constitutes the internal man and the natural the external.

[2] The reason why 'wings' are spiritual truths is that birds in general mean intellectual concepts and thoughts, 40, 745, 776, 3219, 5149, 7441, and therefore 'wings' are spiritual truths since all real understanding is formed from them. An understanding formed from falsities, no matter how clear and sharp-sighted it may seem to be, is no real understanding. Real understanding sees in the light of heaven, and the light of heaven is spiritual truth, that is, the truth of faith. Consequently where the truth of faith does not exist there is no light, only thick darkness; and an understanding set in thick darkness is no understanding at all. 'Wings' are also power, which spiritual truth possesses, derived from its good; for the wings on birds are like the hands and arms on a human being, and 'arms' and 'hands' mean power, 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7538, 7673, 8050, 8153, 8281, 8305. Regarding the power which spiritual truth possesses, derived from good, see 3563, 4931, 5623, 6344, 6423.

[3] The fact that 'wings' are spiritual truths or the truths of faith, possessing power derived from good, is evident from places elsewhere in the Word. Consequently when wings are attributed to the Divine, Divine Truth possessing almighty power is meant by them, for example where they are attributed to cherubs, by whom the Lord's providence is meant, as in Ezekiel,

Each cherub had four faces, and each one had four wings. Their wings were straight up, [the wing] of one towards [that of I the other; each had wings covering their bodies. I heard the sound of [their] wings, like the sound of great waters, like the voice of Shaddai, when they were coming, the sound 1 of tumult, like the sound 1 of a camp. When they stood they let down their wings. I heard the sound 1 of their wings, brushing together 2 , [the wing] of one towards [that of] the other, and the noise 1 of the wheels beside them. The sound 1 of the wings of the cherubs was heard even in the outer court, like the voice of God Shaddai. The likeness of the hands of a human being was under their wings. Ezekiel 1:4, 6, 23-24; 3:13; 10:5, 21.

[4] 'Wings' here are God's truth. This is clear from the details contained in the description, both from the detail that the wings were straight up, one towards the other, and that they covered their bodies, as well as the details that the sound of them when it was heard was like the sound of great waters, like the noise of the wheels, and like the voice of Shaddai, and also the detail that the likeness of the hands of a human being was under their wings. The wings going straight up, one towards the other, represented the fellowship of all in the Divine. Their covering the cherubs' bodies was a sign that Divine Truth clothed Divine Good from which it comes forth; for Divine Good is the flame, and Divine Truth is the light emanating from it. This light encircles and so clothes that flame all round. The actual flame is not visible in heaven, only the light containing the flame, which is thereby felt as heat, which is love. The sound heard 'like the sound of many waters' means the nature of Divine Truth as it exists in heaven; and the like is meant by the sound of it being like the noise of the wheels and like the voice of Shaddai. For 'sound' and 'voice' are attributed to Divine Truth. This explains why the words 'the sound of great waters' are used, for 'waters' are truths, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8137, 8138, 8568; also the words 'the noise of the wheels', for 'wheels' are truths belonging to religious teachings, since 'chariots' are teachings that uphold truth, 5321, 5945, 8146, 8148, 8215; as well as 'the voice of God Shaddai', for 'God Shaddai' is truth rebuking in temptations and subsequently bringing comfort, 1992, 4572, 5628. 'The likeness of the hands of a human being under their wings' was a sign of the almighty power that Divine Truth possesses, for 'hands' are power, and in the highest sense almighty power when they are attributed to the Lord.

[5] From all this one may see what was represented by the wings of the cherubs who were over the mercy seat which was over the ark of the covenant, and by their being spread out upwards and covering the mercy seat, Exodus 25:20; also what the cherubs on the curtains of the tabernacle and on the veil represented, and in Solomon's temple too. In a similar way one may see what those all around within the new house represented, as described in Ezekiel 41:18-20; likewise what is meant by the four living creatures around the throne, each one of which had for itself six wings round about, Revelation 4:8, and what by the seraphim standing above the throne, each of which had six wings, Isaiah 6:1-2.

[6] The fact that 'wings' in the internal sense are spiritual truths or the truths of faith is clear in Ezekiel,

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, A great eagle with great wings with long pinions full of feathers, 3 in its embroidery, came on Lebanon and took a twig of the cedar. He carried it into a land of commerce. After that he took some of the seed of the land and planted it in a seed field; he took it to great waters. It sprouted and became a spreading vine. And there was another eagle with great wings and full of feathers, 4 and behold, the vine directed its roots towards it, and sent out its branches to it, in a good field, by many waters. It was planted to produce branches, and to bear fruit, in order that it might become a magnificent vine. Ezekiel 17:1-8.

This prophecy describes the establishment of the spiritual Church by the Lord. 'The eagle' referred to here is faith, 'its great wings and long pinions' are the truths of faith, and 'its embroidery' is factual knowledge. Growth out of all this is described by 'a twig of the cedar from Lebanon, by 'a land of commerce', and 'the seed of the land in a seed field, [taken] to great waters', the actual Church arising from this being 'a vine'. For the meaning of 'a vine' as the spiritual Church, see 1069, 5113, and as the external Church, 6375. But 'a magnificent vine' planted by another eagle is the internal Church, 6376; for the external aspect of the Church is described by the one eagle, and the internal aspect of it by the other. The prophet describes later on in the same chapter how this Church established among the Ancients was perverted among the Jews.

[7] The truth of faith is in like manner meant by 'wings' in David,

If you lie between the rows, 5 [you will be like] the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her pinions with the yellow of gold. Psalms 68:13.

'The wings of a dove' are the truths of faith, 'dove' meaning faith, see 870. They are said to be 'covered with silver' because 'silver' is truth derived from good, 1551, 2954, 5658, 6914, 6917, 7999.

[8] The meaning of 'wings' as God's truth is in addition clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

Those who await Jehovah are renewed with strength; they mount up with wings like eagles. Isaiah 40:31.

In David,

God rode on a cherub, and flew; He was borne on the wings of the wind. Psalms 18:10; 104:3.

This refers to Divine Truth and its power. In the same author,

Jehovah will cover you under His wing, and under His wings will you put your trust. Truth is a shield and buckler. Psalms 91:4.

'Being covered by Jehovah's wing, and putting one's trust under His wings' stands for protection and trust that belong to faith. The like is meant by being hidden under the shadow of God's wings, Psalms 17:8; trusting in the shadow of His wings, Psalms 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; singing in the shadow of His wings, Psalms 63:7.

[9] Most things also have a contrary meaning, and this is no less so with 'wings'. In that contrary sense 'wings' means falsities, as in John,

From the smoke of the pit of the abyss there went out locusts, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariot horses running to war. Revelation 9:3, 9..

Here 'wings' are falsities fighting against truth, for 'locusts' are falsities in the things that are outermost, 7643.

Footnotes:

1. literally, voice

2. literally, kissing

3. literally, A great eagle, great with wings, long with pinions, and full with feathers

4. literally, another eagle, great with wings, and full with feathers

5. What Swedenborg, following the Latin version of Sebastian Schmidt, understands the Hebrew to mean here is uncertain.

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