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Ezekiel 16

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1 καὶ ἐγένετο λόγος κυρίου πρός με λέγων

2 υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου διαμάρτυραι τῇ ιερουσαλημ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῆς

3 καὶ ἐρεῖς τάδε λέγει κύριος τῇ ιερουσαλημ ἡ ῥίζα σου καὶ ἡ γένεσίς σου ἐκ γῆς χανααν ὁ πατήρ σου αμορραῖος καὶ ἡ μήτηρ σου χετταία

4 καὶ ἡ γένεσίς σου ἐν ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἐτέχθης οὐκ ἔδησαν τοὺς μαστούς σου καὶ ἐν ὕδατι οὐκ ἐλούσθης οὐδὲ ἁλὶ ἡλίσθης καὶ σπαργάνοις οὐκ ἐσπαργανώθης

5 οὐδὲ ἐφείσατο ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου ἐπὶ σοὶ τοῦ ποιῆσαί σοι ἓν ἐκ πάντων τούτων τοῦ παθεῖν τι ἐπὶ σοί καὶ ἀπερρίφης ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ πεδίου τῇ σκολιότητι τῆς ψυχῆς σου ἐν ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ἐτέχθης

6 καὶ διῆλθον ἐπὶ σὲ καὶ εἶδόν σε πεφυρμένην ἐν τῷ αἵματί σου καὶ εἶπά σοι ἐκ τοῦ αἵματός σου ζωή

7 πληθύνου καθὼς ἡ ἀνατολὴ τοῦ ἀγροῦ δέδωκά σε καὶ ἐπληθύνθης καὶ ἐμεγαλύνθης καὶ εἰσῆλθες εἰς πόλεις πόλεων οἱ μαστοί σου ἀνωρθώθησαν καὶ ἡ θρίξ σου ἀνέτειλεν σὺ δὲ ἦσθα γυμνὴ καὶ ἀσχημονοῦσα

8 καὶ διῆλθον διὰ σοῦ καὶ εἶδόν σε καὶ ἰδοὺ καιρός σου καιρὸς καταλυόντων καὶ διεπέτασα τὰς πτέρυγάς μου ἐπὶ σὲ καὶ ἐκάλυψα τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην σου καὶ ὤμοσά σοι καὶ εἰσῆλθον ἐν διαθήκῃ μετὰ σοῦ λέγει κύριος καὶ ἐγένου μοι

9 καὶ ἔλουσά σε ἐν ὕδατι καὶ ἀπέπλυνα τὸ αἷμά σου ἀπὸ σοῦ καὶ ἔχρισά σε ἐν ἐλαίῳ

10 καὶ ἐνέδυσά σε ποικίλα καὶ ὑπέδησά σε ὑάκινθον καὶ ἔζωσά σε βύσσῳ καὶ περιέβαλόν σε τριχάπτῳ

11 καὶ ἐκόσμησά σε κόσμῳ καὶ περιέθηκα ψέλια περὶ τὰς χεῖράς σου καὶ κάθεμα περὶ τὸν τράχηλόν σου

12 καὶ ἔδωκα ἐνώτιον περὶ τὸν μυκτῆρά σου καὶ τροχίσκους ἐπὶ τὰ ὦτά σου καὶ στέφανον καυχήσεως ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλήν σου

13 καὶ ἐκοσμήθης χρυσίῳ καὶ ἀργυρίῳ καὶ τὰ περιβόλαιά σου βύσσινα καὶ τρίχαπτα καὶ ποικίλα σεμίδαλιν καὶ ἔλαιον καὶ μέλι ἔφαγες καὶ ἐγένου καλὴ σφόδρα

14 καὶ ἐξῆλθέν σου ὄνομα ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐν τῷ κάλλει σου διότι συντετελεσμένον ἦν ἐν εὐπρεπείᾳ ἐν τῇ ὡραιότητι ᾗ ἔταξα ἐπὶ σέ λέγει κύριος

15 καὶ ἐπεποίθεις ἐν τῷ κάλλει σου καὶ ἐπόρνευσας ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί σου καὶ ἐξέχεας τὴν πορνείαν σου ἐπὶ πάντα πάροδον ὃ οὐκ ἔσται

16 καὶ ἔλαβες ἐκ τῶν ἱματίων σου καὶ ἐποίησας σεαυτῇ εἴδωλα ῥαπτὰ καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσας ἐπ' αὐτά καὶ οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃς οὐδὲ μὴ γένηται

17 καὶ ἔλαβες τὰ σκεύη τῆς καυχήσεώς σου ἐκ τοῦ χρυσίου μου καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἀργυρίου μου ἐξ ὧν ἔδωκά σοι καὶ ἐποίησας σεαυτῇ εἰκόνας ἀρσενικὰς καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσας ἐν αὐταῖς

18 καὶ ἔλαβες τὸν ἱματισμὸν τὸν ποικίλον σου καὶ περιέβαλες αὐτὰ καὶ τὸ ἔλαιόν μου καὶ τὸ θυμίαμά μου ἔθηκας πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν

19 καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους μου οὓς ἔδωκά σοι σεμίδαλιν καὶ ἔλαιον καὶ μέλι ἐψώμισά σε καὶ ἔθηκας αὐτὰ πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν εἰς ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας καὶ ἐγένετο λέγει κύριος

20 καὶ ἔλαβες τοὺς υἱούς σου καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας σου ἃς ἐγέννησας καὶ ἔθυσας αὐτὰ αὐτοῖς εἰς ἀνάλωσιν ὡς μικρὰ ἐξεπόρνευσας

21 καὶ ἔσφαξας τὰ τέκνα σου καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτὰ ἐν τῷ ἀποτροπιάζεσθαί σε ἐν αὐτοῖς

22 τοῦτο παρὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πορνείαν σου καὶ οὐκ ἐμνήσθης τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς νηπιότητός σου ὅτε ἦσθα γυμνὴ καὶ ἀσχημονοῦσα καὶ πεφυρμένη ἐν τῷ αἵματί σου ἔζησας

23 καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ πάσας τὰς κακίας σου λέγει κύριος

24 καὶ ᾠκοδόμησας σεαυτῇ οἴκημα πορνικὸν καὶ ἐποίησας σεαυτῇ ἔκθεμα ἐν πάσῃ πλατείᾳ

25 καὶ ἐπ' ἀρχῆς πάσης ὁδοῦ ᾠκοδόμησας τὰ πορνεῖά σου καὶ ἐλυμήνω τὸ κάλλος σου καὶ διήγαγες τὰ σκέλη σου παντὶ παρόδῳ καὶ ἐπλήθυνας τὴν πορνείαν σου

26 καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσας ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αἰγύπτου τοὺς ὁμοροῦντάς σοι τοὺς μεγαλοσάρκους καὶ πολλαχῶς ἐξεπόρνευσας τοῦ παροργίσαι με

27 ἐὰν δὲ ἐκτείνω τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ σέ καὶ ἐξαρῶ τὰ νόμιμά σου καὶ παραδώσω σε εἰς ψυχὰς μισούντων σε θυγατέρας ἀλλοφύλων τὰς ἐκκλινούσας σε ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ σου ἧς ἠσέβησας

28 καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσας ἐπὶ τὰς θυγατέρας ασσουρ καὶ οὐδ' οὕτως ἐνεπλήσθης καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσας καὶ οὐκ ἐνεπίπλω

29 καὶ ἐπλήθυνας τὰς διαθήκας σου πρὸς γῆν χαλδαίων καὶ οὐδὲ ἐν τούτοις ἐνεπλήσθης

30 τί διαθῶ τὴν θυγατέρα σου λέγει κύριος ἐν τῷ ποιῆσαί σε ταῦτα πάντα ἔργα γυναικὸς πόρνης καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσας τρισσῶς

31 ἐν ταῖς θυγατράσιν σου τὸ πορνεῖόν σου ᾠκοδόμησας ἐπὶ πάσης ἀρχῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ τὴν βάσιν σου ἐποίησας ἐν πάσῃ πλατείᾳ καὶ ἐγένου ὡς πόρνη συνάγουσα μισθώματα

32 ἡ γυνὴ ἡ μοιχωμένη ὁμοία σοι παρὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς λαμβάνουσα μισθώματα

33 πᾶσι τοῖς ἐκπορνεύσασιν αὐτὴν προσεδίδου μισθώματα καὶ σὺ δέδωκας μισθώματα πᾶσι τοῖς ἐρασταῖς σου καὶ ἐφόρτιζες αὐτοὺς τοῦ ἔρχεσθαι πρὸς σὲ κυκλόθεν ἐν τῇ πορνείᾳ σου

34 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν σοὶ διεστραμμένον παρὰ τὰς γυναῖκας ἐν τῇ πορνείᾳ σου καὶ μετὰ σοῦ πεπορνεύκασιν ἐν τῷ προσδιδόναι σε μισθώματα καὶ σοὶ μισθώματα οὐκ ἐδόθη καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν σοὶ διεστραμμένα

35 διὰ τοῦτο πόρνη ἄκουε λόγον κυρίου

36 τάδε λέγει κύριος ἀνθ' ὧν ἐξέχεας τὸν χαλκόν σου καὶ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ἡ αἰσχύνη σου ἐν τῇ πορνείᾳ σου πρὸς τοὺς ἐραστάς σου καὶ εἰς πάντα τὰ ἐνθυμήματα τῶν ἀνομιῶν σου καὶ ἐν τοῖς αἵμασιν τῶν τέκνων σου ὧν ἔδωκας αὐτοῖς

37 διὰ τοῦτο ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπὶ σὲ συνάγω πάντας τοὺς ἐραστάς σου ἐν οἷς ἐπεμίγης ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ πάντας οὓς ἠγάπησας σὺν πᾶσιν οἷς ἐμίσεις καὶ συνάξω αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ σὲ κυκλόθεν καὶ ἀποκαλύψω τὰς κακίας σου πρὸς αὐτούς καὶ ὄψονται πᾶσαν τὴν αἰσχύνην σου

38 καὶ ἐκδικήσω σε ἐκδικήσει μοιχαλίδος καὶ ἐκχεούσης αἷμα καὶ θήσω σε ἐν αἵματι θυμοῦ καὶ ζήλου

39 καὶ παραδώσω σε εἰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν καὶ κατασκάψουσιν τὸ πορνεῖόν σου καὶ καθελοῦσιν τὴν βάσιν σου καὶ ἐκδύσουσίν σε τὸν ἱματισμόν σου καὶ λήμψονται τὰ σκεύη τῆς καυχήσεώς σου καὶ ἀφήσουσίν σε γυμνὴν καὶ ἀσχημονοῦσαν

40 καὶ ἄξουσιν ἐπὶ σὲ ὄχλους καὶ λιθοβολήσουσίν σε ἐν λίθοις καὶ κατασφάξουσίν σε ἐν τοῖς ξίφεσιν αὐτῶν

41 καὶ ἐμπρήσουσιν τοὺς οἴκους σου πυρὶ καὶ ποιήσουσιν ἐν σοὶ ἐκδικήσεις ἐνώπιον γυναικῶν πολλῶν καὶ ἀποστρέψω σε ἐκ τῆς πορνείας σου καὶ μισθώματα οὐ μὴ δῷς οὐκέτι

42 καὶ ἐπαφήσω τὸν θυμόν μου ἐπὶ σέ καὶ ἐξαρθήσεται ὁ ζῆλός μου ἐκ σοῦ καὶ ἀναπαύσομαι καὶ οὐ μὴ μεριμνήσω οὐκέτι

43 ἀνθ' ὧν οὐκ ἐμνήσθης τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς νηπιότητός σου καὶ ἐλύπεις με ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις καὶ ἐγὼ ἰδοὺ τὰς ὁδούς σου εἰς κεφαλήν σου δέδωκα λέγει κύριος καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησας τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἐπὶ πάσαις ταῖς ἀνομίαις σου

44 ταῦτά ἐστιν πάντα ὅσα εἶπαν κατὰ σοῦ ἐν παραβολῇ λέγοντες καθὼς ἡ μήτηρ καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ

45 θυγάτηρ τῆς μητρός σου σὺ εἶ ἡ ἀπωσαμένη τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς καὶ ἀδελφὴ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου τῶν ἀπωσαμένων τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἡ μήτηρ ὑμῶν χετταία καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν αμορραῖος

46 ἡ ἀδελφὴ ὑμῶν ἡ πρεσβυτέρα σαμάρεια αὐτὴ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῆς ἡ κατοικοῦσα ἐξ εὐωνύμων σου καὶ ἡ ἀδελφή σου ἡ νεωτέρα σου ἡ κατοικοῦσα ἐκ δεξιῶν σου σοδομα καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῆς

47 καὶ οὐδ' ὧς ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτῶν ἐπορεύθης οὐδὲ κατὰ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῶν ἐποίησας παρὰ μικρὸν καὶ ὑπέρκεισαι αὐτὰς ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς σου

48 ζῶ ἐγώ λέγει κύριος εἰ πεποίηκεν σοδομα ἡ ἀδελφή σου αὐτὴ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῆς ὃν τρόπον ἐποίησας σὺ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες σου

49 πλὴν τοῦτο τὸ ἀνόμημα σοδομων τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου ὑπερηφανία ἐν πλησμονῇ ἄρτων καὶ ἐν εὐθηνίᾳ οἴνου ἐσπατάλων αὐτὴ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῆς τοῦτο ὑπῆρχεν αὐτῇ καὶ ταῖς θυγατράσιν αὐτῆς καὶ χεῖρα πτωχοῦ καὶ πένητος οὐκ ἀντελαμβάνοντο

50 καὶ ἐμεγαλαύχουν καὶ ἐποίησαν ἀνομήματα ἐνώπιόν μου καὶ ἐξῆρα αὐτάς καθὼς εἶδον

51 καὶ σαμάρεια κατὰ τὰς ἡμίσεις τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν σου οὐχ ἥμαρτεν καὶ ἐπλήθυνας τὰς ἀνομίας σου ὑπὲρ αὐτὰς καὶ ἐδικαίωσας τὰς ἀδελφάς σου ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἀνομίαις σου αἷς ἐποίησας

52 καὶ σὺ κόμισαι βάσανόν σου ἐν ᾗ ἔφθειρας τὰς ἀδελφάς σου ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις σου αἷς ἠνόμησας ὑπὲρ αὐτὰς καὶ ἐδικαίωσας αὐτὰς ὑπὲρ σεαυτήν καὶ σὺ αἰσχύνθητι καὶ λαβὲ τὴν ἀτιμίαν σου ἐν τῷ δικαιῶσαί σε τὰς ἀδελφάς σου

53 καὶ ἀποστρέψω τὰς ἀποστροφὰς αὐτῶν τὴν ἀποστροφὴν σοδομων καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων αὐτῆς καὶ ἀποστρέψω τὴν ἀποστροφὴν σαμαρείας καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων αὐτῆς καὶ ἀποστρέψω τὴν ἀποστροφήν σου ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν

54 ὅπως κομίσῃ τὴν βάσανόν σου καὶ ἀτιμωθήσῃ ἐκ πάντων ὧν ἐποίησας ἐν τῷ σε παροργίσαι με

55 καὶ ἡ ἀδελφή σου σοδομα καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῆς ἀποκατασταθήσονται καθὼς ἦσαν ἀπ' ἀρχῆς καὶ σαμάρεια καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῆς ἀποκατασταθήσονται καθὼς ἦσαν ἀπ' ἀρχῆς καὶ σὺ καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες σου ἀποκατασταθήσεσθε καθὼς ἀπ' ἀρχῆς ἦτε

56 καὶ εἰ μὴ ἦν σοδομα ἡ ἀδελφή σου εἰς ἀκοὴν ἐν τῷ στόματί σου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ὑπερηφανίας σου

57 πρὸ τοῦ ἀποκαλυφθῆναι τὰς κακίας σου ὃν τρόπον νῦν ὄνειδος εἶ θυγατέρων συρίας καὶ πάντων τῶν κύκλῳ αὐτῆς θυγατέρων ἀλλοφύλων τῶν περιεχουσῶν σε κύκλῳ

58 τὰς ἀσεβείας σου καὶ τὰς ἀνομίας σου σὺ κεκόμισαι αὐτάς λέγει κύριος

59 τάδε λέγει κύριος καὶ ποιήσω ἐν σοὶ καθὼς ἐποίησας ὡς ἠτίμωσας ταῦτα τοῦ παραβῆναι τὴν διαθήκην μου

60 καὶ μνησθήσομαι ἐγὼ τῆς διαθήκης μου τῆς μετὰ σοῦ ἐν ἡμέραις νηπιότητός σου καὶ ἀναστήσω σοι διαθήκην αἰώνιον

61 καὶ μνησθήσῃ τὴν ὁδόν σου καὶ ἐξατιμωθήσῃ ἐν τῷ ἀναλαβεῖν σε τὰς ἀδελφάς σου τὰς πρεσβυτέρας σου σὺν ταῖς νεωτέραις σου καὶ δώσω αὐτάς σοι εἰς οἰκοδομὴν καὶ οὐκ ἐκ διαθήκης σου

62 καὶ ἀναστήσω ἐγὼ τὴν διαθήκην μου μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἐπιγνώσῃ ὅτι ἐγὼ κύριος

63 ὅπως μνησθῇς καὶ αἰσχυνθῇς καὶ μὴ ᾖ σοι ἔτι ἀνοῖξαι τὸ στόμα σου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ἀτιμίας σου ἐν τῷ ἐξιλάσκεσθαί μέ σοι κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησας λέγει κύριος

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1551

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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.

Footnotes:

1. or silver

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

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