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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 #9166

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9166. 'An oath of Jehovah shall be between them both' means enquiry made through truths from the Word regarding every single aspect of these things. This is clear from the meaning of 'an oath' as confirming through truths, dealt with in 2842, 3037, 3375, so that 'an oath of Jehovah' means doing so through truths from the Word, for the Word contains Jehovah's truths, that is, God's truths; and from the meaning of 'them both' as in every single aspect, for in the internal sense 'between both' does not mean between two but in every single aspect. 'Two' means things joined together to make a single whole, 1686, 3519, 5194, 8423, thus all that composes the whole, or every single aspect of it. This is what those in heaven perceive 'two' to be; and the reason why they do so is that when a discussion takes place among angels regarding two truths at variance with each other, a scene in which two spirits are arguing with each other presents itself on the level below. And since these spirits are the subordinates of a number of communities, every single aspect of one truth appears with one spirit, and every single aspect of the other truth with the other spirit. From this the angels perceive how the two are able to be linked together. I have been allowed to know from experience that this is what happens. So it is that when the words 'them both' are used in reference to truths they mean in every single aspect. This also is the reason why 'two' means something complete, 9103.

[2] The reason why it was permissible among the Israelite and Jewish nation to swear by Jehovah was that they were not internal, only external people, and when they engaged in the worship of God they did so on an external and not an internal level. The fact that they were like this, see 4281, 4293, 4429, 4433, 4680, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4903, 6304, 8588, 8788, 8806. When the confirmation of a truth comes down into the external man separated from the internal, it is effected by means of an oath; but not so when it comes down into the external by way of the internal. For in the internal man truth appears in its own light, but in the external without the internal truth appears in darkness. This explains why the celestial angels, who inhabit the inmost or third heaven, being in the highest degree of light do not even confirm truths by the use of reasons. Still less do they engage in argument and reasoning about truths; they simply say Yes or No, which they do by virtue of an ability received from the Lord to perceive and see them.

[3] This explains why the Lord has said the following regarding oaths,

You have heard that it was said, You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord your oaths. But I say to you, You shall not swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is His footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your words be, Yes, yes; No, no; anything beyond this is from evil. 1 Matthew 5:33-37.

These words imply that confirmation of God's truths should come from the Lord and not from man, which it does when people are internal and not external. For people who are external confirm truths by means of oaths, but those who are internal do so by means of reasons, while those who are even more internal do not confirm them at all but simply say It is so, or It isn't so. Those who are external are called natural people, those who are internal are called spiritual people, and those even more internal are called celestial people. The last of these - celestial people - have the ability, received from the Lord, to perceive intuitively whether something is true or not, see 2708, 2715, 2718, 3246, 4448, 7877. All this shows what was implied when the Lord said, You shall not swear at all, and also Let your words be Yes, yes; No, no. But why He also said that they were not to swear by heaven, by the earth, by Jerusalem, or by their head, and that any words beyond 'Yes, yes; No, no' are from evil, must be explained.

[4] Swearing by heaven means doing so by Divine Truth, thus by the Lord there. Heaven is heaven not by virtue of the angels regarded in themselves but by virtue of the Divine Truth emanating from the Lord, thus by virtue of the Lord Himself, within them; for the Divine within them is what enables them to be angels of heaven and be called angels of heaven. This explains why those in heaven are said to be 'in the Lord', why the Lord is the All in every single thing of heaven, and also why angels are God's truths, being recipients of God's truth emanating from the Lord.

Heaven is heaven and is called heaven by virtue of what is Divine and the Lord's there, see 552, 3038, 3700. Angels are God's truths, 4295, 4402, 7268, 7873, 8301. Something of the Lord is meant by an angel in the Word, 1925, 2821, 3039, 4085, 4295, 6280.

Since heaven is the Lord in respect of Divine Truth, it says 'you shall not swear by heaven, for it is God's throne'. 'God's throne' is Divine Truth which emanates from the Lord, 5313, 6397, 9039.

[5] Swearing by the earth however is doing so by the Church, thus by Divine Truth there. For just as heaven is the Lord by virtue of Divine Truth that emanates from Him, so too is the Church, the Church being the Lord's heaven or His kingdom on earth. For the meaning of 'earth' in the Word as the Church, see 662, 1066, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end), 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, 8011, 8732. And since 'the earth' is the Church, the place where what is Divine and the Lord's below heaven exists, it says 'you shall not swear by the earth, for it is God's footstool'. 'Footstool' means God's truth below heaven, which is truth as it exists in the literal sense of the Word; for on this sense God's truth in heaven, which is the Word in the internal sense, rests and so to speak stands. Truth as it exists in the literal sense is meant by 'footstool' in David, in Psalms 99:5; 132:7; in Isaiah 60:13; and in Jeremiah, in Lamentations 2:1.

[6] Swearing by Jerusalem however is doing so by teachings that present truth drawn from the Word. For in a broad sense 'Jerusalem' is the Church, 2117, 3654; but when the words 'the earth', meaning the Church, are used, followed by 'Jerusalem', 'Jerusalem' then means the Church's teachings, consequently teachings that present God's truth drawn from the Word. This is why it is called 'the city of the great [King, who is] God', for 'city' in the internal sense of the Word means teachings that present the truth, see 402, 2449, 2943, 3216, 4478, 4492, 4493.

[7] Swearing by his head however means a person's doing so by the truth which he himself believes to be the truth and makes part of his faith; for this as it resides with him constitutes 'his head', and it is also what is meant by 'the head' in Isaiah 15:2; 29:10; in Ezekiel 7:18; 13:18; 16:12; 29:18; in Matthew 6:17; and elsewhere. Therefore it also says, 'for you cannot make one hair white or black'. 'Hair' means truth belonging to the external or natural man, 3301, the kind that exists with those who believe the truth not because they perceive it to be the truth but because the teachings of the Church declare it to be so. And since they know the truth on no other grounds than this it says that they are not to swear by it because they cannot make a hair white or black. 'Making a hair white' means declaring on one's own authority that truth is truth, and 'making a hair black' declaring on one's own authority that falsity is falsity. For 'white' is said in reference to truth, 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319, and therefore 'black' in reference to falsity.

[8] From all this one may now see what is meant by the command not to swear at all, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by Jerusalem, nor by one's head, namely that a person should not use what is his own to confirm God's truth but what is the Lord's with him. Therefore it also says finally, Your words shall be Yes, yes; No, no; anything beyond this is from evil. Those who have the ability, which comes from the Lord, to perceive and see truth confirm it in this way alone, even as angels of the inmost or third heaven do, the ones who are called celestial angels, spoken about above. The reason why any words beyond 'Yes, yes; No, no' are from evil is that anything beyond them does not come from the Lord but from a person's proprium or self, thus from evil, since a person's proprium is nothing but evil, see 210, 215, 874-876, 987, 1023, 1044, 1047, 3812 (end), 4328, 5660, 8941, 8944. All this again shows in what way the Lord spoke, that is to say, in such a way that every single word contained an inner meaning, since He spoke from the Divine. Thus He spoke for the benefit of angels at the same time as for men; for angels perceive the Word according to its inner meaning.

Footnotes:

1. or from the evil one

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