THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 55

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation.)

1. Ho! everyone that thirsts, come you to the waters! and he who has no silver: come you, buy, and eat! yea, come, buy you without silver, and without price, wine and milk.

VERSE 1. That "wine" and "milk", which were to be bought without silver, are not here understood, but things spiritual, to which they correspond, must be obvious to every one; wherefore, by "wine" is signified spiritual Good, which in its essence is Truth, and by "milk" the Good of that Truth. That these are given gratis by the Lord to such as are in ignorance of Truth and of Good, but nevertheless are in the desire thereof, is understood by their being bid "to come, to buy and eat without silver"; to "buy" signifies to procure to themselves, and to "eat" is to appropriate, which is done by application as of themselves. That they who are in ignorance of Truth and of Good, but in the desire thereof, are here meant, is evident; from its being said, "Everyone that thirsts, come you to the waters!" To "thirst" signifying to desire, and "waters" Truths - in the present case the Word, where Truths are. Apocalypse Explained 376 Apocalypse Explained 376[1-40]. See also Arcana Coelestia 8568, 8976.

"He who has no silver", signifies those who "are in ignorance of Truth, and yet in the Good of charity, as is the case with many in the church, and also with many Gentiles out of the church. Arcana Coelestia 1551.

Verses 1, 2. That to "eat" here signifies to appropriate to one's self from the Lord, is evident, for, it is said "Everyone who thirsts, come you to the waters! and he who has no silver; come you, buy, and eat"; by which is understood that everyone who desires Truth, and who had not Truth before, may procure and appropriate it to himself from the Lord. To "thirst" signifies to desire, "water" Truth, and "silver" the Truth of Good; wherefore, by "him who has no silver", is signified him who before had no Truth of Good; to "come" denotes to come to the Lord; to "buy" is to procure for himself; and to "eat" denotes to appropriate. "Come, buy you without silver, and without price, wine and milk", signifies to procure Divine Truth spiritual and Divine Truth natural without self-derived intelligence; "wine" denoting Divine Truth spiritual, and "milk" Divine Truth spiritual-natural. "Wherefore do you weigh out silver for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which will not satisfy?" signifies that it is in vain to endeavour, from the proprium to procure the Good of love, and that which nourishes the soul; "silver" here denoting Truth from the proprium, or self-derived intelligence, and, in like manner, "labour"; by "bread" is understood the Good of love; and "that which satisfies" denotes that which nourishes the soul, - in the present case, that which does not nourish. "Hearken diligently unto Me", signifies that those things are from the Lord alone; and "eat you that which is good, and your soul shall delight itself in fatness", signifies that they may appropriate to themselves celestial Good, from which is all delight of life; to "delight in fatness" denoting to be delighted from Good, and the "soul" signifying life. Apocalypse Explained 617.

That to "buy" and "sell" signifies to procure knowledges and to teach them, see Chapter 24:2; also Isaiah 52:3, the Exposition.

Verses 1-4. That to "drink" and to "eat"; is here to be informed concerning the Lord; and that "waters", "wine", "milk"; "bread", and "fatness", signify the things which are of the Truth and Good of Faith from Him; is evident. Arcana Coelestia 9412.

2. Wherefore do you weigh out silver for that which is no bread? and your labour for that which will not satisfy? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat you that which is good; and your soul shall delight itself in fatness.

Verse 2. Hearken diligently unto Me, and eat you that which is good; and your soul shall delight itself in fatness. - By "eating Good" is signified to appropriate Good to themselves; whence, by "delighting in fatness", is signified to be in a state of satisfaction and blessedness. Apocalypse Explained 1159.

3. Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hearken, that your soul may live: and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, even the sure mercies of David.

Verse 3. "David" signifies the Lord; the "everlasting covenant" is conjunction with Him; the "sure mercies of David" are the things which are of the Lord; and the procuring of which is understood by "going to Him", and by "hearkening that their soul may live." A "covenant" in this; and in many other passages, as in Isaiah 42:6; 49:8 (see the Exposition), signifies the Lord's conjunction with the human race by His Divine Human. That the Lord, as to His Divine Human, is the Mediator, and that no one can come to the Divine Itself, which is in the Lord; and which is called the "Father", except by the "Son", : that is, by the Divine Human, is known in the church; thus it is the Lord, as to His Divine Human, who is the Conjunction [or the Covenant]. Who can comprehend the Divine Itself by any thought? and, if not by any thought, who can be conjoined with Him in love? But everyone can comprehend the Divine Human in thought, and be conjoined with Him in love. Arcana Coelestia 6804.

4. Behold, for a Witness to the peoples I have given Him; a Prince and a Lawgiver to the nations.

5. Behold; the nation whom You knew not You shalt call; and the nations who knew not You shall run unto You, for the sake of Jehovah Your God; and for the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified You.

Verse 4. A Prince and a Lawgiver to the nations. - What is meant by these words, when applied to the Lord, see above, Chapter 33:22, the Exposition.

Verses 4, 5. A Witness to the peoples; - Behold, the nation whom You knew not You shalt call; and the nations who knew not You shall run unto You, etc. - These words treat of the Lord's kingdom, "Peoples" are those who are in Truths, and "'nations" those who are in Goods. Arcana Coelestia 1259.

6. Seek you Jehovah, while He may be found; call you upon Him, while He is near.

7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts: and let him return unto Jehovah, for He will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

8. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says Jehovah.

9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth; so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Verses 6-8. As these words treat of turning to the Lord, and of repentance, we will here adduce the Doctrine of Repentance.

He who would be saved must confess his sins, and do the work of repentance. To "confess sins" is to know evils, to perceive them in one's own heart, to charge one's self with their guilt, and to condemn one's self on account of them. When this is done in the presence of God, it constitutes the confession of sins. To "perform the work of repentance" is to abstain from sins after they have been confessed, and supplication has been made for their remission, from humility of heart; and to live in newness of life, according to the precepts of charity and faith. The man who makes only a general acknowledgement that he is a sinner, charging himself as guilty of all evils, and yet does not explore himself, that is, does not really see his own sins, may, indeed, make confession, but not the confession of repentance; for such a person, because he does not know his own evils, lives in the practice of them afterwards, just as he had done before.

Repentance which consists merely in words, and does not affect the life, is not repentance; neither are sins remitted by such repentance, but only by repentance of life. Sins are, indeed, continually remitted to man by the Lord, for the Lord is Mercy itself; but still they adhere to man, however he may think they are remitted; nor are they removed from him but by a life according to the precepts of true faith. So far as a man lives according to those precepts, so far his sins are removed, and so far as they are removed, so far they are remitted. The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 159-162, 165. See also the Exposition of Isaiah 34.

10. For as the rain descends, and the snow, from the heavens, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater;

11. So shall My Word be which goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in that] for which I have sent it.

Verses 1011. Here "the Word which goes forth out of the mouth of God" is compared to the "rain" and "snow" from heaven, because by the "Word" is meant the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, which flows in with us by the Word; in like manner, also, by "as the rain descends, and the snow, from the heavens." By the "rain" is signified spiritual Truth, which is appropriated to man; and by "snow", natural Truth, which is as snow when it is only in the memory, but becomes spiritual by love, as snow becomes rain-water by heat.

By "watering the earth, that it may bring forth and bud", is signified to vivify the church, that it may produce the Truth of doctrine and of faith, and the Good of love and of charity; the Truth of doctrine and of faith is understood by "the seed which it giveth to the sower", and the Good of love and of charity by "the bread which it giveth to the eater." "It shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please [or have willed]", signifies that it shall be received, and that man shall be led by it to look to the Lord. Apocalypse Explained 644.

12. For with joy shall you go forth, and you shall be led out with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into song; and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Verse 12. The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into song; and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. - And in David:

"Praise Jehovah, you mountains and hills; fruit-trees, and all cedars", (Psalm 148:9)

In these words is described the joy of heart originating in the Good of love and charity; and "mountains", "hills", "trees", and "cedars" are said to "break forth in to singing", to "clap their hands", and to "praise", because thereby are signified the Goods and Truths which cause joys in man; for man does not rejoice from himself, but from the Goods and Truths which are in him; these are the things which rejoice, because they are the ground of man's rejoicing. Apocalypse Explained 644.

Because "mountains" and "hills" signified such things in the ancient church, divine worship was performed on mountains and hills; and afterwards the Hebrew nation placed altars upon mountains and hills, and there offered sacrifices and incense; and where there were no hills, they made high places; and as this worship became idolatrous, because they considered the "mountains" and the "hills" themselves holy, and thought nothing at all of the holy things which they signified, therefore. that worship was prohibited to the Israelitish and Jewish people, because that people was more prone than any other to idolatrous worship. In order, however, that this representative, which had been in ancient times, might be retained, "Mount Zion" was chosen, and by it, in the supreme sense, is represented the Divine Good of the Divine Love of the Lord, and in a respective sense, the Divine-Celestial and the Divine-Spiritual [principle] of His kingdom. Arcana Coelestia 6135.

13. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle: and it shall be unto Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off.

Verse 13. That "thorns" and "briers" signify evils and falsities, see Chapter 5:6; 7:23, 24, 25, the Exposition; and as to the signification of the "myrtle" and the "fir-tree", see Chapter 41:19, the Exposition.

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Isaiah Chapter 55.

1. Ho! everyone that thirsts, come you to the waters! and he who has no silver: come you, buy, and eat! yea, come, buy you without silver, and without price, wine and milk.

2. Wherefore do you weigh out silver for that which is no bread? and your labour for that which will not satisfy? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat you that which is good; and your soul shall delight itself in fatness.

3. Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hearken, that your soul may live: and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, even the sure mercies of David.

4. Behold, for a Witness to the peoples I have given Him; a Prince and a Lawgiver to the nations.

5. Behold; the nation whom You knew not You shalt call; and the nations who knew not You shall run unto You, for the sake of Jehovah Your God; and for the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified You.

6. Seek you Jehovah, while He may be found; call you upon Him, while He is near.

7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts: and let him return unto Jehovah, for He will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

8. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says Jehovah.

9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth; so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

10. For as the rain descends, and the snow, from the heavens, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater;

11. So shall My Word be which goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in that] for which I have sent it.

12. For with joy shall you go forth, and you shall be led out with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into song; and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle: and it shall be unto Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off.

1551. That 'silver' means truths is clear from the meaning of 'silver' as truth. The most ancient people compared the goods and truths present in man to metals. Innermost or celestial goods which flow from love to the Lord they compared to gold, truths deriving from these to silver. Goods of a lower or natural kind however they compared to bronze, and truths of a lower kind to iron. Nor did they just compare them; they also called them such. This was the origin of periods of time being likened to those same metals and being called the golden, silver, bronze, and iron ages, for these followed in that order one after another. The golden age was the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial man. The silver age was the time of the Ancient Church, which was spiritual man. The bronze age was the time of the Church that followed, and the iron age came after that. Similar things were also meant by the statue which Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream, whose head was of fine gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, and shins of iron, Daniel 2:32-33. That periods of the Church were to follow one another in that order, and actually did so, is clear in that very chapter of the same prophet.

[2] That 'silver' in the internal sense of the Word wherever it is mentioned means truth, or in the contrary sense falsity, is clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver, and instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. And I will make peace your assessment, and righteousness your tax-collectors. Isaiah 60:17.

Here it is evident what each metal means. The subject is the Lord's Coming, His kingdom, and the celestial Church. 'Instead of bronze, gold' is celestial good in place of natural good; 'instead of iron, silver' is spiritual truth in place of natural truth; 'instead of wood, bronze' is natural good in place of bodily good; 'instead of stone, iron' is natural truth in place of truth acquired through the senses. In the same prophet,

Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the water, and he who has no money, ¹ come, buy and eat! Isaiah 55:1.

'He who has no money' ¹ is the person who does not know the truth but who nevertheless possesses the good that stems from charity, as is the case with many people inside the Church, and with gentiles outside it.

[3] In the same prophet,

The islands will wait for Me, the ships of Tarshish at their head, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them, to the name of Jehovah your God, and to the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 60:9.

This refers specifically to a new Church, or a Church among gentiles, and in general to the Lord's kingdom. 'Ships from Tarshish' stands for cognitions, 'silver' for truths, and 'gold' for goods, which are those things they 'will bring to the name of Jehovah'. In Ezekiel,

For your adornment you took vessels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and you made for yourselves figures of the male. Ezekiel 16:17.

Here 'gold' stands for cognitions of celestial things, 'silver' of spiritual things. In the same prophet,

You were adorned with gold and silver, and your raiment was fine linen and silk, and embroidered cloth. Ezekiel 16:13.

This refers to Jerusalem, by which the Lord's Church is meant, whose adornment is being described in this manner. In the same prophet,

Behold, you who are wise, there is no secret they have hidden from you; by your wisdom and by your intelligence you have acquired riches for yourself, and you have acquired gold and silver in your treasuries. Ezekiel 28:3-4.

Here, in what is said in reference to Tyre, 'gold' is plainly identified with the riches of wisdom, and 'silver' with the riches of intelligence.

[4] In Joel,

You have taken My silver and My gold, and My good and desirable treasures you have carried into your temples. Joel 3:5.

This refers to Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia, which mean cognitions, and these are 'the silver and the gold they took into their temples'. In Haggai,

The elect of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory. Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold. The glory of this latter house will be greater than that of the former. Haggai 2:7-9.

This refers to the Lord's Church to which 'gold and silver' have reference. In Malachi,

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi. Malachi 3:3.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord. In David,

The words of Jehovah are pure words, silver refined in an earthen crucible, poured seven times. Psalms 12:6.

'Silver purified seven times' stands for Divine truth. At the time of their exodus out of Egypt the children of Israel were commanded that every woman should ask of her neighbour, and of her who sojourned in her house, vessels of silver and vessels of gold and garments, and that they should put them on their sons and on their daughters, and so despoil the Egyptians, Exodus 3:22; 11:2-3; 12:35-36. Anyone may see from this that the children of Israel would never have been ordered to steal and despoil the Egyptians of those possessions in that way if these did not represent some arcana. But what those arcana are may become clear from the meaning of 'silver and gold, garments, and Egypt', and from the fact that what these possessions represented is similar to the words here 'rich in the silver and gold from Egypt', used in reference to Abram.

[5] Just as 'silver' means truth so in a contrary sense it means falsity, for people under the influence of falsity imagine falsity to be the truth, as is also clear in the Prophets. In Moses,

You shall not covet the silver and the gold of the nations, nor take it for yourself, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to Jehovah your God. You shall utterly detest it. Deuteronomy 7:25-26.

'The gold of the nations' stands for evils, and 'their silver' for falsities. In the same author,

You shall not make gods of silver to be with Me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. Exodus 20:23.

In the internal sense these words mean nothing other than falsities and evil desires, falsities being meant by 'gods of silver', and evil desires by 'gods of gold'. In Isaiah,

On that day everyone will spurn his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your hands have made for you - a sin. Isaiah 31:7.

'Idols of silver and idols of gold' stands for similar things that are false and evil 'Which your hands have made' stands for what is a product of the proprium. In Jeremiah,

They are foolish and stupid; that wood is a way of learning vanities! Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the smith and of the hands of the moulder. Their clothing is violet and purple These are all the work of the wise. Jeremiah 10:8-9.

Here 'silver' and 'gold' quite clearly stand for similar things that are false and evil.

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