The Bible

 

エレミヤ書 48

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1 モアブの事について、万イスラエルのはこう言われる、「ああ、ネボはわざわいだ、これは滅ぼされた。キリヤタイムははずかしめられて取られ、とりでは、はずかしめられてこわされた。

2 モアブの誉は、消え去った。ヘシボンで人々はモアブを図り、『さあ、このを断ち滅ぼそう』という。マデメンよ、おまえもまた滅ぼされる、つるぎがおまえを追う。

3 ホロナイムから叫び声が聞える、『荒廃と大いなる滅亡だ』という。

4 モアブは滅ぼされ、叫びはゾアルにまで聞える。

5 彼らは泣きながらルヒテの坂を登る。彼らはホロナイムの下り坂で、『滅亡』の叫びを聞いたからだ。

6 逃げて、自分の身を救え、荒野の野ろばのようになれ。

7 おまえが、とりでと財とを頼みにしたので、おまえも捕えられるからだ。またケモシは、その祭司とつかさたちと共に、捕えられて行く。

8 滅ぼす者はすべての来る、一つのものがれることができない。は滅び、平地は荒される、主の言われたとおりである。

9 モアブに翼を与えて、飛び去らせよ。その々は荒れて、住む者はなくなる。

10 主のわざを行うことを怠る者はのろわれる。またそのつるぎを押えてを流さない者はのろわれる。

11 モアブはその幼い時から安らかで、酒が、沈んだおりの上にとどまって、器から器に、くみ移されなかったように、捕え移されなかったので、そのはなお存し、その香気も変ることがない。

12 は言われる、それゆえ見よ、わたしがこれを傾ける者どもをつかわす来る。彼らはこれを傾け、その器をあけ、そのかめを砕く。

13 その時モアブはケモシのためにをかく。ちょうどイスラエルのがその頼みとしたベテルのためにをかいたようになる。

14 あなたがたはどうして『われわれは勇士だ。強い戦士だ』というのか。

15 モアブとその々を滅ぼす者は上って来、モアブのえり抜きの若者たちは下って殺されたと万と名のる王が言われる。

16 モアブの災難は近づいている、その苦難はすみやかに来る

17 すべてその周囲にある者よ、またその名を知る者よ、彼のために嘆いて、『ああ、強き笏、麗しきつえは、ついに折れた』と言え。

18 デボンに住む者よ、ああなたの栄えを離れて下り、かわいた地に座せよ。モアブを滅ぼす者があなたに攻めのぼって来て、あなたの城を滅ぼしたからだ。

19 アロエルに住む者よ、道のかたわらに立って見張りし、逃げてくる男、のがれてくる女に尋ねて、『何が起ったのか』と言え。

20 モアブは敗れて、恥をこうむっている。嘆き呼ばわれ。アルノン川のほとりで、モアブは滅ぼされたと告げよ。

21 さばきは高原の地に臨み、ホロン、ヤハズ、メパアテ、

22 デボン、ネボ、ベテ・デブラタイム、

23 キリヤタイム、ベテ・ガムル、ベテ・メオン、

24 ケリオテ、ボズラなどモアブの地のすべてのの、遠いものにも近いものにも、臨んだ。

25 モアブは砕け、そのは折れたとは言われる。

26 モアブを酔わせよ、彼がに敵して自ら高ぶったからである。モアブは自分の吐いた物の中にころがって、笑い草となる。

27 イスラエルはあなたの笑い草ではなかったか。あなたが、彼のことをるごとに首を振ったのは、彼が盗賊の中にいたとでもいうのか。

28 モアブ住む者よ、を去っての間に住め。谷の入のかたわらに巣を作る山ばとのようにせよ。

29 われわれはモアブの高慢な事を聞いた、その高慢は、はなはだしい。すなわち、その尊大、高慢、横柄、およびそのの高ぶりのことを聞いた

30 は言われる、わたしは彼の横着なのを知る、彼の自慢は偽りで、その行いも偽りである。

31 それゆえ、わたしはモアブのために嘆き、モアブの全地のために呼ばわる。キルヘレスの人々のためにわたしは悲しむ。

32 シブマのぶどうの木よ、わたしはヤゼルのために泣くのにまさっておまえのために泣く。おまえのつるは延びてを越え、ヤゼルに及んだ。おまえのの実と、その収穫を滅ぼす者が襲ってきた。

33 喜びと楽しみは、実り多いモアブの地を去った。わたしは、ぶどうをしぼる所にも酒をなくした。楽しく呼ばわって、ぶどうを踏む者もなくなった。呼ばわっても、喜んで呼ばわる声ではない。

34 ヘシボンとエレアレは叫ぶ。ヤハヅに至るまで、ゾアルからホロナイムとエグラテ・シリシヤに至るまで、彼らはその声をあげる。ニムリムの水も絶えたからである。

35 は言われる、わたしは犠牲を高き所にささげ、香をそのにたく者をモアブのうちに滅ぼす。

36 それゆえ、わたしのモアブのために笛のように嘆き、わたしのはキルヘレスの人々のために笛のように嘆く。彼らの獲たが消えうせたからである。

37 人はみな髪をそり、皆ひげをそり、みなに傷をつけ、荒布を着ける。

38 モアブではどこの屋根の上も、広場も、ただ悲しみに包まれている。これは、わたしが、だれもほしがらない器のようにモアブを砕いたからであるとは言われる。

39 ああ、モアブはついに滅びた。人々は嘆く。ああ、モアブじて顔をそむけた。モアブはその周囲のすべての者の笑い草となり恐れとなった」。

40 はこう言われる、「見よ、敵はわしのように速く飛んできて、モアブに向かってをのべる。

41 町々は取られ、城は奪われる。そのモアブの勇士のは子を産む女ののようになる。

42 モアブは滅ぼされて、国を成さないようになる。に敵して自ら誇ったからである。

43 は言われる、モアブに住む者よ、恐れと、穴と、わなとがあなたに臨んでいる。

44 恐れをさけて逃げる者は穴におちいり、穴をよじ上って出る者は、わなに捕えられる。わたしがモアブに、そのせられる年に、これらのものを臨ませるからであるとは言われる。

45 逃げた者はヘシボンの陰に、力なく立ちどまる。ヘシボンからが出、シホンの家から炎が出て、モアブの額、騒ぐ人々の頭の頂を焼いたからだ。

46 モアブよ、おまえはわざわいだ。ケモシの民は滅びた。おまえのむすこらは捕え移され、おまえのらも捕え行かれたからである。

47 しかし末のにわたしは再びモアブを栄えさせるとは言われる」。ここまではモアブのさばきの事をいったのである。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1589

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1589. 'Like the land of Egypt as you come to Zoar' means facts acquired from affections for good. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'Egypt', dealt with in 1164, 1165, in a good sense in 1462, as knowledge, and from the meaning of 'Zoar' as the affection for good. Zoar was a city not far from Sodom, to which also Lot fled when he was snatched by angels from the fire of Sodom, as described in Genesis 19:20, 22, 30. In addition to this, Zoar is referred to in Genesis 14:2, 8; Deuteronomy 34:3; Isaiah 15:5; Jeremiah 48:34, in all of which places also it means an affection. And since it means the affection for good, it also means in the contrary sense, as is usual, the affection for evil.

[2] There are three constituent parts of the external man - rational, factual, and external sensory. The rational part is more interior, the factual more exterior, and the external sensory the most external. The rational is the part by means of which the internal man is joined to the external, the character of the rational determining the character of this conjunction. The external sensory part consists in the present instance in sight and hearing. But in itself the rational has no existence if affection does not flow into it, making it active so as to receive life. Consequently the rational receives its character from that of the affection flowing into it. When the affection for good flows in, that affection for good becomes with the rational an affection for truth; and the contrary happens when the affection for evil flows in. Because the factual part attaches itself to the rational and serves as its agent it also follows that the affection flows into and reorganizes the factual part. For nothing has life in the external man apart from affection. The reason is that the affection for good comes down from the celestial, that is, from celestial love, which imparts life to everything into which it flows, even to affections for evil, that is, to evil desires.

[3] Actually the good of love from the Lord flows in constantly, doing so through the internal man into the external. But anyone who is governed by an affection for evil, that is, by an evil desire, corrupts that good. Nevertheless the life brought to it remains. Such may be seen from a comparison with objects on which the sun's rays fall. There are some objects which accept them in a most beautiful way, converting them into the most beautiful colours, as a diamond, ruby, jacinth, sapphire, and other precious stones do. Other objects however do not accept them in that manner but convert them into the ugliest colours. The same point may be shown from the very characters of people. There are some who accept the good actions of another with every display of affection, while others convert them into evil. From this it becomes clear what the knowledge acquired from affections for good is which is meant by 'the land of Egypt as you come to Zoar' when the rational is 'like the garden of Jehovah'.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1164

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1164. That 'Cush' or Ethiopia means interior cognitions of the Word by which people confirm false assumptions is clear in Jeremiah,

Egypt comes up like the river, and like the rivers the waters are tossed about; and he said, I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and those who dwell in it. Go up, O horses, and rage, O chariots, and let the mighty men go forth, Cush and Put that handle the shield. Jeremiah 46:8-9.

In this case 'Egypt' stands for people who believe nothing they do not grasp through facts. As a result everything is subject to doubt, denial and falsification, meant by 'rising up, covering the earth, and destroying the city'. Here 'Cush' stands for the more universal and interior cognitions of the Word by which they confirm accepted false assumptions. 'Put' stands for cognitions drawn from the literal sense of the Word which are based on sensory appearances.

[2] In Ezekiel,

A sword will come upon Egypt, and there will be grief in Cush when the slain 1 falls in Egypt; and they will take her multitude, and her foundations will be destroyed. Cush and Put and Lud and all of Ereb 2 and Kub, and the sons of the land of the covenant will fall with them by the sword. Ezekiel 30:4-6.

Except from the internal sense nobody could possibly know what these statements mean. And if the names did not mean real things, these verses would have practically no meaning at all. In this case however 'Egypt' means the knowledge by means of which they wish to enter into the mysteries of faith. 'Cush and Put' are called 'her foundations' because they are cognitions drawn from the Word.

[3] In the same prophet,

On that day messengers will go forth from before Me in ships to terrify overconfident Cush, and there will be grief among them as in the day of Egypt. Ezekiel 30:9.

'Cush' stands for cognitions drawn from the Word which confirm falsities hatched out of facts. In the same prophet,

I will make the land of Egypt into waste places, an utter desolation, from the tower of Seveneh as far as the border of Cush. Ezekiel 29:10.

In this case 'Egypt' stands for facts, 'Cush' for cognitions of the interior things of the Word, which are 'the borders' beyond which knowledge does not go.

[4] In Isaiah,

The king of Asshur will lead away the captives of Egypt and the captives of Cush, boys and old men, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt. And they will be dismayed and ashamed because of Cush their hope, and because of Egypt their glory. Isaiah 20:4-5.

Here 'Cush' stands for cognitions drawn from the Word by which falsities obtained through facts are confirmed. 'Asshur' is reasoning which carries away those who are captive. In Nahum,

Cush was her strength, Egypt too, and that without limit; Put and the Libyans were your help. Nahum 3:9.

This refers to a vastated Church where in a similar way 'Egypt' stands for facts and 'Cush' for cognitions.

[5] 'Cush' and 'Egypt' stand simply for cognitions and knowledge which are truths useful to people whose faith is grounded in charity. 'Cush and Egypt' is used in this good sense in Isaiah,

Jehovah said, The labour of Egypt, and the wares of Cush and of the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours. They will follow after you in fetters, they will come over and bow down to you. To you they will make the supplication, God is with you only, and there is no other besides God. Isaiah 45:14.

'The labour of Egypt' stands for knowledge, 'the wares of Cush and the Sabeans' for cognitions of spiritual things which serve those who acknowledge the Lord, for all knowledge and every cognition are theirs.

[6] In Daniel,

The king of the north will have dominion over the secret hoards of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans (Put) and the Cushites will follow in his 3 steps. Daniel 11:3.

'Put and Cush' here stands for cognitions drawn from the Word, 'Egypt' for facts. In Zephaniah,

From beyond the rivers of Cush are those who adore Me. Zephaniah 3:10.

This stands for those who are beyond the range of cognitions, and so for gentiles. In David,

Noblemen will come out of Egypt, Cush will hasten [to stretch out] her hands to God. Psalms 68:31.

Here 'Egypt' stands for knowledge, and 'Cush' for cognitions.

[7] In the same author,

I will mention Rahab and Babel among those who know Me; behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush. The latter was born here (in the city of God). Psalms 87:4.

'Cush' stands for cognitions drawn from the Word, hence the statement that he was 'born in the city of God'. Since 'Cush' means interior cognitions of the Word and intelligence acquired from these, it is therefore said that the second river going out of the garden of Eden encompassed the whole land of Cush. On this see what has appeared already in 117.

Footnotes:

1. literally, the pierced

2. the Hebrew word rendered Ereb here is usually regarded not as a proper but as a common noun which means a mixed company.

3. The Latin means your but the Hebrew means his, which Swedenborg has in another place where he quotes this verse.

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