The Bible

 

Ezekielis 16

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1 Viešpats kalbėjo man:

2 “Žmogaus sūnau, paskelbk Jeruzalei jos bjaurystes

3 ir sakyk jai: ‘Tavo kilmė ir giminė yra iš Kanaano krašto. Tavo tėvas buvo amoritas ir motina hetitė.

4 Kai tu gimei, tavo virkštelė nebuvo nupjauta, nebuvai nuplauta vandeniu nei ištrinta druska, nei vystyklais suvystyta.

5 vienas nepažvelgė į tave su gailesčiu ir nepadėjo tau. Kai gimei, buvai išmesta laukan.

6 Aš ėjau pro šalį ir, matydamas tave begulinčią kraujyje, tariau: ‘Gyvenk’.

7 Aš užauginau tave kaip lauko augalą. Tu užaugai, subrendai, tapai labai graži, iškilo krūtinė, užaugo plaukai, tačiau tu buvai plika ir nuoga.

8 Kai Aš eidamas pažiūrėjau į tave, buvo atėjęs tavo meilės laikas. Aš apdengiau tavo nuogumą savo apsiaustu, prisiekiau tau, padariau su tavimi sandorą, ir tu tapai mano.

9 Aš apiploviau tave vandeniu, nuploviau tavo kraują, patepiau aliejumi,

10 aprengiau margais drabužiais, apaviau brangiais odiniais sandalais, apgaubiau plona drobe, uždėjau šilkinį šydą

11 ir papuošiau papuošalais: ant rankų uždėjau apyrankes, ant kaklo grandinėlę,

12 į nosį įvėriau žiedą, į ausis­auskarus ir ant galvos uždėjau puikų vainiką.

13 Tu pasipuošei auksu ir sidabru, plona drobe, šilkais ir margais audiniais; valgei kvietinius miltus, medų ir aliejų; buvai graži ir pasiekei karališką didybę.

14 Tavo garsas sklido tautose dėl tavo grožio, nes, pasipuošusi papuošalais, kuriuos tau daviau, pasiekei tobulą grožį,­sako Viešpats Dievas.­

15 Pasitikėdama savo grožiu, tu pradėjai paleistuvauti ir atsiduodavai kiekvienam praeiviui.

16 Savo margais drabužiais papuošei aukštumas ir paleistuvavai jose. Taip niekada nebuvo ir nebus.

17 Iš mano tau duotų aukso ir sidabro papuošalų pasidarei vyrų atvaizdus ir paleistuvavai su jais.

18 Tu savo margais audiniais apdengei juos ir mano aliejų bei smilkalus aukojai jiems.

19 Tau duotą maistą: kvietinius miltus, aliejų ir medų­tu aukojai jiems, kaip malonų kvapą.

20 Net savo sūnus ir dukteris, kuriuos man pagimdei, aukojai jiems praryti. Ar dar neužteko tau paleistuvystės,

21 kad mano vaikus žudei ir aukojai jiems, leisdama per ugnį?

22 Taip elgdamasi ir paleistuvaudama, neatsiminei savo jaunystės dienų, kai plika ir nuoga gulėjai savo kraujyje.

23 Po visų tavo nedorybių­vargas, vargas tau,­sako Viešpats,­

24 tu pasistatei paleistuvystės namus ir įrengei aukštumas kiekvienoje gatvėje.

25 Kiekvienos gatvės pradžioje įsirengei aukštumas ir savo grožį apdrabstei purvais, atsiduodama kiekvienam praeiviui ir daugindama savo paleistuvystes.

26 Tu svetimavai su kaimynais, augalotais egiptiečiais, sukeldama mano pyktį.

27 Dabar Aš ištiesiau savo ranką virš tavęs ir atėmiau tavo dalį, ir atidaviau tave toms, kurios tavęs nekenčia, filistinų dukterims, kurios gėdijosi tavo gašlumo.

28 Tu ištvirkavai su asirais, nes buvai nepasotinama, bet ir su jais negalėjai pasitenkinti.

29 Tavo paleistuvystės padaugėjo nuo Kanaano krašto iki Chaldėjos, bet ir to tau dar neužteko.

30 Kokia nusilpusi tavo širdis,­sako Viešpats Dievas,­jei tu darei visa tai kaip begėdė paleistuvė.

31 Kiekvienoje gatvėje ir kiekvienoje aikštėje įrengei paleistuvystės namus ir aukštumas. Tu nebuvai paprasta paleistuvė, nes paniekinai užmokestį,

32 bet svetimautoja žmona, kuri savo vyro vieton priima svetimus.

33 Jie duoda dovanas paleistuvėms, bet tu pati davei dovanas savo meilužiams ir papirkdavai juos, kad jie ateitų pas tave.

34 Tavo ištvirkavimas buvo ne toks, koks kitų moterų. Ne paskui tave sekiojo, bet tu duodavai užmokestį, o pati nieko negaudavai. Tuo tu skyreisi iš kitų’.

35 Paleistuve, išgirsk Viešpaties žodį!

36 ‘Kadangi tu atidengei savo gėdą, ištvirkaudama su meilužiais, su savo bjauriais stabais ir aukojai jiems savo vaikų kraują,

37 todėl Aš surinksiu visus tavo meilužius, kuriuos mylėjai, ir tuos, kurių nekentei. Aš juos surinksiu iš visur ir atidengsiu jiems visą tavo nuogumą.

38 Aš teisiu tave kaip svetimautoją ir žudytoją. Savo rūstybėje ir pavyde praliesiu tavo kraują

39 ir atiduosiu tave į jų rankas. Jie sugriaus tavo paleistuvystės namus ir sunaikins aukštumas. Jie nuplėš tau drabužius, atims papuošalus ir paliks tave pliką ir nuogą.

40 Susirinkę prieš tave, jie užmuš tave akmenimis, sukapos kardu,

41 sudegins tavo namus ir įvykdys teismo sprendimą daugelio moterų akivaizdoje. Taip padarysiu galą tavo paleistuvystei, ir tu nebedalysi daugiau dovanų.

42 Taip mano rūstybė prieš tave nurims ir pavydas liausis. Aš būsiu ramus ir nebepyksiu.

43 Tu neatsiminei savo jaunystės dienų, bet savo elgesiu supykdei mane, todėl visus tavo darbus suverčiau tau ant galvos.

44 Kiekvienas, kas vartoja patarles, sakys apie tave: ‘Kokia motina, tokia ir duktė’.

45 Tu esi duktė savo motinos, kuri paliko savo vyrą ir vaikus; tu esi sesuo savo seserų, kurios paliko savo vyrus ir vaikus. Jūsų motina buvo hetitė ir tėvas amoritas.

46 Tavo vyresnioji sesuo yra Samarija su savo dukterimis, gyvenanti tavo kairėje. Tavo jaunesnioji sesuo, gyvenanti tavo dešinėje, yra Sodoma su savo dukterimis.

47 Tačiau tu nevaikščiojai jų keliais ir nesielgei pagal jų bjaurystes. To buvo per maža tau, todėl tu iškrypai dar daugiau visuose savo keliuose.

48 Kaip Aš gyvas,­sako Viešpats Dievas,­tavo sesuo Sodoma su savo dukterimis nesielgė taip, kaip tu ir tavo dukterys.

49 Tavo sesers Sodomos ir jos dukterų nusikaltimas buvo išdidumas, perteklius ir dykinėjimas; beturčiui ir vargšui jos nepadėjo.

50 Jos kėlėsi puikybėn ir darė bjaurystes mano akivaizdoje. Todėl Aš sunaikinau jas.

51 Samarija nepadarė nė pusės tavo nuodėmių. Tu ją pralenkei savo bjaurystėmis. Tavo seserys yra teisesnės už tave.

52 Tu, kuri smerkei savo seseris, kentėk gėdą dėl nuodėmių, kurias padarei, kurios bjauresnės už jų nuodėmes. Jos yra teisesnės už tave. ausk ir kęsk savo gėdą, nes tu pateisinai savo seseris.

53 Kai Aš parvesiu Sodomos ir jos dukterų ištremtuosius, taip pat Samarijos ir jos dukterų ištremtuosius, parvesiu ir tavo ištremtuosius kartu su jais,

54 kad kęstum savo gėdą ir raustum dėl visko, ką darei, būdama joms paguoda.

55 Tavo seserys, Sodoma ir jos dukterys bei Samarija ir jos dukterys, sugrįš į savo senąją būklę, tada tu ir tavo dukterys sugrįšite į senąją savo būklę.

56 Savo sesers Sodomos vardo nė neminėdavai savo išdidumo metu,

57 kol atsidengė tavo nedorybės. Dabar tu esi pajuoka ir panieka Sirijos dukterims ir visiems aplinkui gyvenantiems bei filistinų dukterims.

58 Tu kentėjai už savo ištvirkavimą ir bjaurystes,­sako Viešpats Dievas.­

59 Aš pasielgsiu su tavimi taip, kaip tu pasielgei su manimi. Tu paniekinai priesaiką ir sulaužei sandorą.

60 Tačiau Aš atsiminsiu savo sandorą su tavimi, padarytą tavo jaunystės dienomis, ir sudarysiu su tavimi amžiną sandorą.

61 Tada atsiminusi savo kelius, tu gėdysies, kai priimsi savo seseris, vyresniąją ir jaunesniąją, kurias duosiu tau kaip dukteris, bet ne dėl tavo sandoros.

62 Aš įtvirtinsiu savo sandorą su tavimi ir tu žinosi, kad Aš esu Viešpats.

63 Tu atsiminsi, gėdysies ir neatversi burnos, kai tau atleisiu visa, ką darei’,­sako Viešpats Dievas”.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #7456

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7456. 'Will they not stone us?' means that they would thereby demolish the truths of faith that related to worship. This is clear from the meaning of 'stoning' as demolishing and wiping out falsities, but in the contrary sense, when done by the evil, as demolishing and wiping out the truths of faith. If the vile, foul, and hellish things referred to above in 7454 were to enter in among people whose worship is holy its holiness would be destroyed. The reason for this is that when a person's worship is holy he is withheld from such things, and people who are governed by good in faith and life are raised above the level of the senses on which such things reside. But when such objects do enter in the foul things present on the sensory level are stirred up - that is, the things which a person is withheld from when his worship is holy, as has been stated, and which people governed by good are raised above - and the holiness of the worship is destroyed. Experience too demonstrates this plainly, for if, when a person offers worship to God, some foul object appears and is not removed, worship ceases and is destroyed. This is what is meant when it is said that if those steeped in falsities arising from evils were nearby they would demolish the truths of faith that relate to worship.

[2] As for the meaning of 'stoning', it should be recognized that the Jews and Israelites, among whom a representative of the Church had been established, had two kinds of capital punishment, one being stoning, the other hanging on wood. Stoning was used if anyone sought to destroy the truths relating to worship which were commanded, while hanging was used if anyone sought to destroy goodness of life. The reason why those who sought to destroy truths relating to worship were stoned was that a stone was a sign of truth and in the contrary sense of falsity, 643, 1298, 3720, 6426. And the reason why those who sought to destroy goodness of life were hanged on wood was that wood was a sign of good and in the contrary sense of the evil belonging to evil desires, 643, 2784, 2812, 3720.

[3] The fact that punishment by stoning would be used if anyone should destroy truths relating to worship is evident from the following places: In Ezekiel,

Finally they will cause an assembly to come up upon you, and they will stone you with stones and cut you up with their swords. Ezekiel 16:40.

This refers to the perverse Jerusalem and the destruction of the truth of faith by means of falsities. This is why it says that 'they will stone with stones' and also 'cut up with swords', for 'a sword' means truth engaged in conflict with falsity and destroying it, and in the contrary sense falsity engaged in conflict with truth and destroying it, 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102.

[4] A similar statement occurs elsewhere in the same prophet,

Cause an assembly to come up against them, in order that the assembly may stone them with stones and tear them apart with their swords. Ezekiel 23:46-47.

This refers to Jerusalem and Samaria, by which the Church is meant. Jerusalem means the celestial-spiritual Church, Samaria the spiritual Church, and this chapter describes how forms of the good and truth of faith were destroyed in them.

[5] In Moses,

If an ox strikes a man or woman with its horn so that the person dies, the ox shall surely be stoned. Exodus 21:28.

'Striking a man or woman with the horn' means falsity engaged in conflict with truth and goodness and destroying them. For 'the horn' is falsity engaged in conflict, and also the power of falsity, 2832, while 'man and woman' in the Word means truth and goodness; and this makes plain what the internal sense of that command is and why it was that the ox had to be stoned.

[6] In the same author,

Anyone blaspheming the name of Jehovah shall surely be killed; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. Leviticus 24:16.

'Blaspheming the name of Jehovah' means using malevolent falsities to do violence to truths and forms of good that relate to worship. 'The name of Jehovah' means everything in one embrace that is used to worship Jehovah, see 2724, 3006, thus every aspect of faith and charity, 6674. This also explains why the Israelite woman s son who blasphemed the name of Jehovah was led outside the camp and stoned, Leviticus 24:11, 14, 23. Furthermore it had been commanded that those who served other gods should be stoned, Deuteronomy 17:3, 5, and also those who enticed anyone to serve other gods, Deuteronomy 13:6-10. 'Serving other gods' means profane worship by means of which true worship is destroyed.

[7] If no evidence of virginity were found with a young woman when she married she was to be stoned because she had played the fool in Israel by committing whoredom in her father's house, Deuteronomy 22:20-21. The reason for this was that 'whoredom' meant the falsification of truth, thus the destruction of it, 2466, 4865. If a man lay in the city with a young woman, a virgin, who was betrothed to a man, both were to be stoned, Deuteronomy 22:23-24, and for the same reason, namely whoredom; for spiritual whoredom is the falsification of truth. In Luke 20:5-6, [one reads about the chief priests, scribes, and elders] coming to the conclusion among themselves that if they said John's baptism was from heaven [the Lord] would say, 'Why did you not believe him?' But if they said 'From men', all the people would stone them. Here also 'stoning' is spoken of because of opposition to the truth.

The reason why the Jews sought to stone Jesus because He said, Before Abraham was, I am, John 8:58-59, was that that nation believed this to be false. In a similar way they sought to stone Jesus because He said He and His Father were one, John 10:30-33; for they thought, as these verses also state, that this was blasphemy.

From all this one may now see what stoning was and why it was commanded, and also that punishment by stoning, administered since ancient times as its use in Egypt proves, was derived from the representatives of the Ancient Church.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #7102

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7102. 'Lest perhaps He fall on us with pestilence and sword' means to avoid the damnation of evil and falsity. This is clear from the meaning of 'lest perhaps He fall on' as lest they run into - into damnation; from the meaning of 'pestilence' as the damnation of evil, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'sword' as the vastation of truth, and also the punishment of falsity, dealt with in 2799, and so also as damnation, since the punishment of falsity, when truth has been devasted, is damnation.

[2] The Word mentions four kinds of vastation and punishment - sword, famine, evil wild animal, and pestilence. 'Sword' means the vastation of truth and the punishment of falsity; 'famine' the vastation of good and the punishment of evil; 'evil wild animal' the punishment of evil that arises out of falsity; and 'pestilence' the punishment of evil that does not arise out of falsity but out of evil. And since punishment is meant, damnation is meant also, since damnation is the punishment suffered by those who persist in evil. Those four kinds of punishment are referred to as follows in Ezekiel,

. . . when I shall send My four severe 1 judgements - sword, and famine, and evil wild animal, and pestilence - onto Jerusalem, to cut off man and beast from it. Ezekiel 14:21.

In the same prophet,

I will send famine and evil wild animals upon you, and I will make you bereft. And pestilence and blood will pass through you; in particular I will bring the sword upon you. Ezekiel 5:17.

[3] The meaning of 'pestilence' as the punishment of evil and its damnation is evident from the following places: In Ezekiel,

Those in waste places will die by the sword, and the one who is in the open field 2 I will give to the wild animals to devour him, and those who are in fortifications and caverns will die from pestilence. Ezekiel 33:27.

'In waste places dying by the sword' stands for suffering the vastation of truth and consequently the damnation of falsity. 'The one who is in the open field being given to the wild animals to devour him' stands for the damnation of those ruled by evil arising out of falsity. 'Those who are in fortifications and caverns, dying from pestilence' stands for the damnation of evil which uses falsity to fortify itself.

[4] In the same prophet,

The sword is without, and pestilence and famine within; he that is in the field will die by the sword, but him that is in the city famine and pestilence will devour. Ezekiel 7:15.

'The sword' stands for the vastation of truth and the damnation of falsity; 'famine' and 'pestilence' stand for the vastation of good and the damnation of evil. The sword is said to be 'without' and famine and pestilence 'within' because the vastation of truth takes place externally but the vastation of good internally. When however a person leads a life that rests on falsity, damnation is meant by the words 'he that is in the field will die by the sword'; and when a person leads a life ruled by evil which he defends by the use of falsity, damnation is meant by the words 'him that is in the city famine and pestilence will devour'.

[5] In Leviticus,

I will bring upon you a sword executing the vengeance of the covenant; wherever you are gathered into your cities, I will send pestilence into the midst of you, and you will be delivered 3 into the hand of the enemy. When I have cut off your supply of bread 4 ... Leviticus 26:25-26.

Here in a similar way 'a sword' stands for the vastation of truth and the damnation of falsity, 'pestilence' for the damnation of evil. The vastation of good, meant by 'famine', is described when [the Lord] speaks of cutting off their supply of bread. 'Cities' into which they would be gathered has the same meaning as 'the city' just above - falsities that are used to defend evils. For the meaning of 'cities' as truths, and so in the contrary sense as falsities, see 402, 2268, 2712, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493.

[6] In Ezekiel,

Therefore because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your abominations, a third part of you will die from pestilence, and be annihilated [by famine] in your midst; then a third will fall by the sword around you; finally I will scatter a third to every wind, so that I will draw out a sword after them. Ezekiel 5:11-12.

'Famine' stands for the damnation of evil, 'sword' for the damnation of falsity. 'Scattering to every wind' and 'drawing out a sword after them' stand for getting rid of truths and seizing on falsities.

[7] In Jeremiah,

If they offer burnt offering or minchah, I am not accepting those things, but I will consume those people by sword, famine, and pestilence. Jeremiah 14:12.

In the same prophet,

I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they will die from a great pestilence. Afterwards I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and those in this city left from the pestilence, and from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. He who remains in this city will die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out and defects to the Chaldeans besieging you will live, and his soul will become spoil to him. Jeremiah 21:6-7, 9.

In the same prophet,

I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, till they are consumed from upon the earth. Jeremiah 24:10.

Here also 'sword' means the vastation of truth, 'famine' the vastation of good, and 'pestilence' damnation; and 'sword', 'famine', and 'pestilence' have the same meanings in the following places as well: Jeremiah 27:8; 29:17-18; 32:24, 36; 34:17; 38:2; 42:17, 22; 44:13; Ezekiel 12:16.

[8] Since those three scourges follow in their own particular order [of severity], David was presented by the prophet Gad with the three. He had to choose between the coming of seven years of famine, fleeing three months before his enemies, or three days of pestilence in the land, 2 Samuel 24:13. ('Fleeing before his enemies' implies 'the sword'.) In Amos,

I have sent the pestilence upon you in the way of Egypt, I have killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. 5 Amos 4:10.

'The pestilence in the way of Egypt' stands for the vastation of good by means of falsities, which are 'the way of Egypt'. 'Killing young men with the sword, along with captured horses' stands for the vastation of truth, truths being meant by 'young men' and intellectual concepts by 'horses', 5 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321, 6534.

[9] In Ezekiel,

Pestilence and blood will pass through you. Ezekiel 5:17.

In the same prophet,

I will send upon her pestilence and blood in her streets. Ezekiel 28:23.

Here 'pestilence' stands for good that has been adulterated, and 'blood' for truth that has been falsified. For the meaning of 'blood' as falsified truth, see 4735, 6978.

[10] In David,

You will not be afraid of the terror of the night, of the arrow that flies by day, of the pestilence that creeps in thick darkness, of death that lays waste at noonday. Psalms 91:5-6.

'The terror of the night' stands for falsity which lies concealed; 'the arrow that flies by day' for falsity which is out in the open; 'the pestilence that creeps in thick darkness' for evil which lies concealed; 'death which lays waste at noonday' for evil which is out in the open. The fact that 'pestilence' means evil and the damnation of evil is evident from the use of the word 'death', which is distinguished here from pestilence solely by its being said of death that it 'lays waste at noonday' but of pestilence that it 'creeps in thick darkness'. In the same author,

He opened a way for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, and He subjected their life to pestilence. Psalms 78:50.

This refers to the Egyptians, 'pestilence' standing for every kind of evil and its damnation.

Footnotes:

1. literally, evil

2. literally, upon the face of the field

3. The Latin means I will deliver you but the Hebrew means you will be delivered.

4. literally, While I am about to break the staff of bread for you

5. literally, the captivity of your horses

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