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Daniel 11

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1 καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ τῷ πρώτῳ κύρου τοῦ βασιλέως εἶπέν μοι ἐνισχῦσαι καὶ ἀνδρίζεσθαι

2 καὶ νῦν ἦλθον τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὑποδεῖξαί σοι ἰδοὺ τρεῖς βασιλεῖς ἀνθεστήκασιν ἐν τῇ περσίδι καὶ ὁ τέταρτος πλουτήσει πλοῦτον μέγαν παρὰ πάντας καὶ ἐν τῷ κατισχῦσαι αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ ἐπαναστήσεται παντὶ βασιλεῖ ἑλλήνων

3 καὶ στήσεται βασιλεὺς δυνατὸς καὶ κυριεύσει κυριείας πολλῆς καὶ ποιήσει καθὼς ἂν βούληται

4 καὶ ἐν τῷ ἀναστῆναι αὐτὸν συντριβήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ καὶ μερισθήσεται εἰς τοὺς τέσσαρας ἀνέμους τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἀλκὴν αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ κατὰ τὴν κυριείαν αὐτοῦ ἣν ἐδυνάστευσε ὅτι ἀποσταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ καὶ ἑτέρους διδάξει ταῦτα

5 καὶ ἐνισχύσει βασιλείαν αἰγύπτου καὶ εἷς ἐκ τῶν δυναστῶν κατισχύσει αὐτὸν καὶ δυναστεύσει δυναστεία μεγάλη ἡ δυναστεία αὐτοῦ

6 καὶ εἰς συντέλειαν ἐνιαυτῶν ἄξει αὐτούς καὶ εἰσελεύσεται βασιλεὺς αἰγύπτου εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τὴν βορρᾶ ποιήσασθαι συνθήκας καὶ οὐ μὴ κατισχύσῃ ὅτι ὁ βραχίων αὐτοῦ οὐ στήσει ἰσχύν καὶ ὁ βραχίων αὐτοῦ ναρκήσει καὶ τῶν συμπορευομένων μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ μενεῖ εἰς ὥρας

7 καὶ ἀναστήσεται φυτὸν ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης αὐτοῦ καθ' ἑαυτόν καὶ ἥξει ἐπὶ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἰσχύι αὐτοῦ βασιλεὺς βορρᾶ καὶ ποιήσει ταραχὴν καὶ κατισχύσει

8 καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῶν καταστρέψει μετὰ τῶν χωνευτῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς ὄχλους αὐτῶν μετὰ τῶν σκευῶν τῶν ἐπιθυμημάτων αὐτῶν τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ τὸ χρυσίον ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ ἀποίσουσιν εἰς αἴγυπτον καὶ ἔσται ἔτος βασιλεῖ βορρᾶ

9 καὶ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς βασιλείαν αἰγύπτου ἡμέρας καὶ ἐπιστρέψει ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ

10 καὶ ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐρεθισθήσεται καὶ συνάξει συναγωγὴν ὄχλου πολλοῦ καὶ εἰσελεύσεται κατ' αὐτὴν κατασύρων παρελεύσεται καὶ ἐπιστρέψει καὶ παροξυνθήσεται ἐπὶ πολύ

11 καὶ ὀργισθήσεται βασιλεὺς αἰγύπτου καὶ πολεμήσει μετὰ βασιλέως βορρᾶ καὶ παραδοθήσεται ἡ συναγωγὴ εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ

12 καὶ λήψεται τὴν συναγωγήν καὶ ὑψωθήσεται ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ καὶ ταράξει πολλοὺς καὶ οὐ μὴ φοβηθῇ

13 καὶ ἐπιστρέψει βασιλεὺς βορρᾶ καὶ συνάξει πόλεως συναγωγὴν μείζονα παρὰ τὴν πρώτην κατὰ συντέλειαν καιροῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ καὶ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς αὐτὴν ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἐν ὄχλῳ πολλῷ καὶ ἐν χρήμασι πολλοῖς

14 καὶ ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς ἐκείνοις διάνοιαι ἀναστήσονται ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα αἰγύπτου καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσει τὰ πεπτωκότα τοῦ ἔθνους σου καὶ ἀναστήσεται εἰς τὸ ἀναστῆσαι τὴν προφητείαν καὶ προσκόψουσι

15 καὶ ἐπελεύσεται βασιλεὺς βορρᾶ καὶ ἐπιστρέψει τὰ δόρατα αὐτοῦ καὶ λήψεται τὴν πόλιν τὴν ὀχυράν καὶ οἱ βραχίονες βασιλέως αἰγύπτου στήσονται μετὰ τῶν δυναστῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔσται αὐτῷ ἰσχὺς εἰς τὸ ἀντιστῆναι αὐτῷ

16 καὶ ποιήσει ὁ εἰσπορευόμενος ἐπ' αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἀνθεστηκὼς ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ καὶ στήσεται ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ καὶ ἐπιτελεσθήσεται πάντα ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ

17 καὶ δώσει τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπελθεῖν βίᾳ πᾶν τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ καὶ συνθήκας μετ' αὐτοῦ ποιήσεται καὶ θυγατέρα ἀνθρώπου δώσει αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ φθεῖραι αὐτήν καὶ οὐ πείσεται καὶ οὐκ ἔσται

18 καὶ δώσει τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ λήψεται πολλοὺς καὶ ἐπιστρέψει ὀργὴν ὀνειδισμοῦ αὐτῶν ἐν ὅρκῳ κατὰ τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτοῦ

19 ἐπιστρέψει τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ κατισχῦσαι τὴν χώραν αὐτοῦ καὶ προσκόψει καὶ πεσεῖται καὶ οὐχ εὑρεθήσεται

20 καὶ ἀναστήσεται ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης αὐτοῦ φυτὸν βασιλείας εἰς ἀνάστασιν ἀνὴρ τύπτων δόξαν βασιλέως καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις ἐσχάταις συντριβήσεται καὶ οὐκ ἐν ὀργῇ οὐδὲ ἐν πολέμῳ

21 καὶ ἀναστήσεται ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ εὐκαταφρόνητος καὶ οὐ δοθήσεται ἐπ' αὐτὸν δόξα βασιλέως καὶ ἥξει ἐξάπινα κατισχύσει βασιλεὺς ἐν κληροδοσίᾳ αὐτοῦ

22 καὶ τοὺς βραχίονας τοὺς συντριβέντας συντρίψει ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ

23 καὶ μετὰ τῆς διαθήκης καὶ δήμου συνταγέντος μετ' αὐτοῦ ποιήσει ψεῦδος καὶ ἐπὶ ἔθνος ἰσχυρὸν ἐν ὀλιγοστῷ ἔθνει

24 ἐξάπινα ἐρημώσει πόλιν καὶ ποιήσει ὅσα οὐκ ἐποίησαν οἱ πατέρες αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ οἱ πατέρες τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ προνομὴν καὶ σκῦλα καὶ χρήματα αὐτοῖς δώσει καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἰσχυρὰν διανοηθήσεται καὶ οἱ λογισμοὶ αὐτοῦ εἰς μάτην

25 καὶ ἐγερθήσεται ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα αἰγύπτου ἐν ὄχλῳ πολλῷ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς αἰγύπτου ἐρεθισθήσεται εἰς πόλεμον ἐν ὄχλῳ ἰσχυρῷ σφόδρα λίαν καὶ οὐ στήσεται ὅτι διανοηθήσεται ἐπ' αὐτὸν διανοίᾳ

26 καὶ καταναλώσουσιν αὐτὸν μέριμναι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀποστρέψουσιν αὐτόν καὶ παρελεύσεται καὶ κατασυριεῖ καὶ πεσοῦνται τραυματίαι πολλοί

27 καὶ δύο βασιλεῖς μόνοι δειπνήσουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐπὶ μιᾶς τραπέζης φάγονται καὶ ψευδολογήσουσι καὶ οὐκ εὐοδωθήσονται ἔτι γὰρ συντέλεια εἰς καιρόν

28 καὶ ἐπιστρέψει εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτοῦ ἐν χρήμασι πολλοῖς καὶ ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν διαθήκην τοῦ ἁγίου ποιήσει καὶ ἐπιστρέψει ἐπὶ τὴν χώραν αὐτοῦ

29 εἰς καιρόν καὶ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς αἴγυπτον καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὡς ἡ πρώτη καὶ ἡ ἐσχάτη

30 καὶ ἥξουσι ῥωμαῖοι καὶ ἐξώσουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐμβριμήσονται αὐτῷ καὶ ἐπιστρέψει καὶ ὀργισθήσεται ἐπὶ τὴν διαθήκην τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ποιήσει καὶ ἐπιστρέψει καὶ διανοηθήσεται ἐπ' αὐτούς ἀνθ' ὧν ἐγκατέλιπον τὴν διαθήκην τοῦ ἁγίου

31 καὶ βραχίονες παρ' αὐτοῦ στήσονται καὶ μιανοῦσι τὸ ἅγιον τοῦ φόβου καὶ ἀποστήσουσι τὴν θυσίαν καὶ δώσουσι βδέλυγμα ἐρημώσεως

32 καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις διαθήκης μιανοῦσιν ἐν σκληρῷ λαῷ καὶ ὁ δῆμος ὁ γινώσκων ταῦτα κατισχύσουσι καὶ ποιήσουσι

33 καὶ ἐννοούμενοι τοῦ ἔθνους συνήσουσιν εἰς πολλούς καὶ προσκόψουσι ῥομφαίᾳ καὶ παλαιωθήσονται ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ καὶ ἐν προνομῇ ἡμερῶν κηλιδωθήσονται

34 καὶ ὅταν συντρίβωνται συνάξουσιν ἰσχὺν βραχεῖαν καὶ ἐπισυναχθήσονται ἐπ' αὐτοὺς πολλοὶ ἐπὶ πόλεως καὶ πολλοὶ ὡς ἐν κληροδοσίᾳ

35 καὶ ἐκ τῶν συνιέντων διανοηθήσονται εἰς τὸ καθαρίσαι ἑαυτοὺς καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐκλεγῆναι καὶ εἰς τὸ καθαρισθῆναι ἕως καιροῦ συντελείας ἔτι γὰρ καιρὸς εἰς ὥρας

36 καὶ ποιήσει κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ παροργισθήσεται καὶ ὑψωθήσεται ἐπὶ πάντα θεὸν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν θεὸν τῶν θεῶν ἔξαλλα λαλήσει καὶ εὐοδωθήσεται ἕως ἂν συντελεσθῇ ἡ ὀργή εἰς αὐτὸν γὰρ συντέλεια γίνεται

37 καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς θεοὺς τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ προνοηθῇ καὶ ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ γυναικὸς οὐ μὴ προνοηθῇ ὅτι ἐν παντὶ ὑψωθήσεται καὶ ὑποταγήσεται αὐτῷ ἔθνη ἰσχυρά

38 ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ κινήσει καὶ θεόν ὃν οὐκ ἔγνωσαν οἱ πατέρες αὐτοῦ τιμήσει ἐν χρυσίῳ καὶ ἀργυρίῳ καὶ λίθῳ πολυτελεῖ καὶ ἐν ἐπιθυμήμασι

39 ποιήσει πόλεων καὶ εἰς ὀχύρωμα ἰσχυρὸν ἥξει μετὰ θεοῦ ἀλλοτρίου οὗ ἐὰν ἐπιγνῷ πληθυνεῖ δόξαν καὶ κατακυριεύσει αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πολὺ καὶ χώραν ἀπομεριεῖ εἰς δωρεάν

40 καὶ καθ' ὥραν συντελείας συγκερατισθήσεται αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεὺς αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐποργισθήσεται αὐτῷ βασιλεὺς βορρᾶ ἐν ἅρμασι καὶ ἐν ἵπποις πολλοῖς καὶ ἐν πλοίοις πολλοῖς καὶ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς χώραν αἰγύπτου

41 καὶ ἐπελεύσεται εἰς τὴν χώραν μου

42 καὶ ἐν χώρᾳ αἰγύπτου οὐκ ἔσται ἐν αὐτῇ διασῳζόμενος

43 καὶ κρατήσει τοῦ τόπου τοῦ χρυσίου καὶ τοῦ τόπου τοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ πάσης τῆς ἐπιθυμίας αἰγύπτου καὶ λίβυες καὶ αἰθίοπες ἔσονται ἐν τῷ ὄχλῳ αὐτοῦ

44 καὶ ἀκοὴ ταράξει αὐτὸν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ βορρᾶ καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ἐν θυμῷ ἰσχυρῷ καὶ ῥομφαίᾳ ἀφανίσαι καὶ ἀποκτεῖναι πολλούς

45 καὶ στήσει αὐτοῦ τὴν σκηνὴν τότε ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν θαλασσῶν καὶ τοῦ ὄρους τῆς θελήσεως τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ἥξει ὥρα τῆς συντελείας αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ βοηθῶν αὐτῷ

   

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.

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