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Ezekiel 23

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1 καὶ ἐγένετο λόγος κυρίου πρός με λέγων

2 υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου δύο γυναῖκες ἦσαν θυγατέρες μητρὸς μιᾶς

3 καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσαν ἐν αἰγύπτῳ ἐν τῇ νεότητι αὐτῶν ἐκεῖ ἔπεσον οἱ μαστοὶ αὐτῶν ἐκεῖ διεπαρθενεύθησαν

4 καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν ἦν οολα ἡ πρεσβυτέρα καὶ οολιβα ἡ ἀδελφὴ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐγένοντό μοι καὶ ἔτεκον υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν σαμάρεια ἡ οολα καὶ ιερουσαλημ ἡ οολιβα

5 καὶ ἐξεπόρνευσεν ἡ οολα ἀπ' ἐμοῦ καὶ ἐπέθετο ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐραστὰς αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀσσυρίους τοὺς ἐγγίζοντας αὐτῇ

6 ἐνδεδυκότας ὑακίνθινα ἡγουμένους καὶ στρατηγούς νεανίσκοι ἐπίλεκτοι πάντες ἱππεῖς ἱππαζόμενοι ἐφ' ἵππων

7 καὶ ἔδωκεν τὴν πορνείαν αὐτῆς ἐπ' αὐτούς ἐπίλεκτοι υἱοὶ ἀσσυρίων πάντες καὶ ἐπὶ πάντας οὓς ἐπέθετο ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασιν αὐτῆς ἐμιαίνετο

8 καὶ τὴν πορνείαν αὐτῆς ἐξ αἰγύπτου οὐκ ἐγκατέλιπεν ὅτι μετ' αὐτῆς ἐκοιμῶντο ἐν νεότητι αὐτῆς καὶ αὐτοὶ διεπαρθένευσαν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐξέχεαν τὴν πορνείαν αὐτῶν ἐπ' αὐτήν

9 διὰ τοῦτο παρέδωκα αὐτὴν εἰς χεῖρας τῶν ἐραστῶν αὐτῆς εἰς χεῖρας υἱῶν ἀσσυρίων ἐφ' οὓς ἐπετίθετο

10 αὐτοὶ ἀπεκάλυψαν τὴν αἰσχύνην αὐτῆς υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας αὐτῆς ἔλαβον καὶ αὐτὴν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ ἀπέκτειναν καὶ ἐγένετο λάλημα εἰς γυναῖκας καὶ ἐποίησαν ἐκδικήσεις ἐν αὐτῇ εἰς τὰς θυγατέρας

11 καὶ εἶδεν ἡ ἀδελφὴ αὐτῆς οολιβα καὶ διέφθειρε τὴν ἐπίθεσιν αὐτῆς ὑπὲρ αὐτὴν καὶ τὴν πορνείαν αὐτῆς ὑπὲρ τὴν πορνείαν τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτῆς

12 ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀσσυρίων ἐπέθετο ἡγουμένους καὶ στρατηγοὺς τοὺς ἐγγὺς αὐτῆς ἐνδεδυκότας εὐπάρυφα ἱππεῖς ἱππαζομένους ἐφ' ἵππων νεανίσκοι ἐπίλεκτοι πάντες

13 καὶ εἶδον ὅτι μεμίανται ὁδὸς μία τῶν δύο

14 καὶ προσέθετο πρὸς τὴν πορνείαν αὐτῆς καὶ εἶδεν ἄνδρας ἐζωγραφημένους ἐπὶ τοῦ τοίχου εἰκόνας χαλδαίων ἐζωγραφημένους ἐν γραφίδι

15 ἐζωσμένους ποικίλματα ἐπὶ τὰς ὀσφύας αὐτῶν καὶ τιάραι βαπταὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κεφαλῶν αὐτῶν ὄψις τρισσὴ πάντων ὁμοίωμα υἱῶν χαλδαίων γῆς πατρίδος αὐτῶν

16 καὶ ἐπέθετο ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τῇ ὁράσει ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῆς καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν ἀγγέλους πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰς γῆν χαλδαίων

17 καὶ ἤλθοσαν πρὸς αὐτὴν υἱοὶ βαβυλῶνος εἰς κοίτην καταλυόντων καὶ ἐμίαινον αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ πορνείᾳ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐμιάνθη ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἀπέστη ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῆς ἀπ' αὐτῶν

18 καὶ ἀπεκάλυψεν τὴν πορνείαν αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπεκάλυψεν τὴν αἰσχύνην αὐτῆς καὶ ἀπέστη ἡ ψυχή μου ἀπ' αὐτῆς ὃν τρόπον ἀπέστη ἡ ψυχή μου ἀπὸ τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτῆς

19 καὶ ἐπλήθυνας τὴν πορνείαν σου τοῦ ἀναμνῆσαι ἡμέρας νεότητός σου ἐν αἷς ἐπόρνευσας ἐν αἰγύπτῳ

20 καὶ ἐπέθου ἐπὶ τοὺς χαλδαίους ὧν ἦσαν ὡς ὄνων αἱ σάρκες αὐτῶν καὶ αἰδοῖα ἵππων τὰ αἰδοῖα αὐτῶν

21 καὶ ἐπεσκέψω τὴν ἀνομίαν νεότητός σου ἃ ἐποίεις ἐν αἰγύπτῳ ἐν τῷ καταλύματί σου οὗ οἱ μαστοὶ νεότητός σου

22 διὰ τοῦτο οολιβα τάδε λέγει κύριος ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξεγείρω τοὺς ἐραστάς σου ἐπὶ σέ ἀφ' ὧν ἀπέστη ἡ ψυχή σου ἀπ' αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπάξω αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ σὲ κυκλόθεν

23 υἱοὺς βαβυλῶνος καὶ πάντας τοὺς χαλδαίους φακουδ καὶ σουε καὶ κουε καὶ πάντας υἱοὺς ἀσσυρίων μετ' αὐτῶν νεανίσκους ἐπιλέκτους ἡγεμόνας καὶ στρατηγοὺς πάντας τρισσοὺς καὶ ὀνομαστοὺς ἱππεύοντας ἐφ' ἵππων

24 καὶ πάντες ἥξουσιν ἐπὶ σὲ ἀπὸ βορρᾶ ἅρματα καὶ τροχοὶ μετ' ὄχλου λαῶν θυρεοὶ καὶ πέλται καὶ βαλοῦσιν φυλακὴν ἐπὶ σὲ κύκλῳ καὶ δώσω πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν κρίμα καὶ ἐκδικήσουσίν σε ἐν τοῖς κρίμασιν αὐτῶν

25 καὶ δώσω τὸν ζῆλόν μου ἐν σοί καὶ ποιήσουσιν μετὰ σοῦ ἐν ὀργῇ θυμοῦ μυκτῆρά σου καὶ ὦτά σου ἀφελοῦσιν καὶ τοὺς καταλοίπους σου ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ καταβαλοῦσιν αὐτοὶ υἱούς σου καὶ θυγατέρας σου λήμψονται καὶ τοὺς καταλοίπους σου πῦρ καταφάγεται

26 καὶ ἐκδύσουσίν σε τὸν ἱματισμόν σου καὶ λήμψονται τὰ σκεύη τῆς καυχήσεώς σου

27 καὶ ἀποστρέψω τὰς ἀσεβείας σου ἐκ σοῦ καὶ τὴν πορνείαν σου ἐκ γῆς αἰγύπτου καὶ οὐ μὴ ἄρῃς τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου ἐπ' αὐτοὺς καὶ αἰγύπτου οὐ μὴ μνησθῇς οὐκέτι

28 διότι τάδε λέγει κύριος κύριος ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ παραδίδωμί σε εἰς χεῖρας ὧν μισεῖς ἀφ' ὧν ἀπέστη ἡ ψυχή σου ἀπ' αὐτῶν

29 καὶ ποιήσουσιν ἐν σοὶ ἐν μίσει καὶ λήμψονται πάντας τοὺς πόνους σου καὶ τοὺς μόχθους σου καὶ ἔσῃ γυμνὴ καὶ ἀσχημονοῦσα καὶ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται αἰσχύνη πορνείας σου καὶ ἀσέβειά σου καὶ ἡ πορνεία σου

30 ἐποίησεν ταῦτά σοι ἐν τῷ ἐκπορνεῦσαί σε ὀπίσω ἐθνῶν καὶ ἐμιαίνου ἐν τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασιν αὐτῶν

31 ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου ἐπορεύθης καὶ δώσω τὸ ποτήριον αὐτῆς εἰς χεῖράς σου

32 τάδε λέγει κύριος τὸ ποτήριον τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου πίεσαι τὸ βαθὺ καὶ τὸ πλατὺ τὸ πλεονάζον τοῦ συντελέσαι

33 μέθην καὶ ἐκλύσεως πλησθήσῃ καὶ τὸ ποτήριον ἀφανισμοῦ ποτήριον ἀδελφῆς σου σαμαρείας

34 καὶ πίεσαι αὐτό καὶ τὰς ἑορτὰς καὶ τὰς νεομηνίας αὐτῆς ἀποστρέψω διότι ἐγὼ λελάληκα λέγει κύριος

35 διὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει κύριος ἀνθ' ὧν ἐπελάθου μου καὶ ἀπέρριψάς με ὀπίσω τοῦ σώματός σου καὶ σὺ λαβὲ τὴν ἀσέβειάν σου καὶ τὴν πορνείαν σου

36 καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρός με υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου οὐ κρινεῖς τὴν οολαν καὶ τὴν οολιβαν καὶ ἀπαγγελεῖς αὐταῖς τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῶν

37 ὅτι ἐμοιχῶντο καὶ αἷμα ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν τὰ ἐνθυμήματα αὐτῶν ἐμοιχῶντο καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἃ ἐγέννησάν μοι διήγαγον αὐτοῖς δι' ἐμπύρων

38 ἕως καὶ ταῦτα ἐποίησάν μοι τὰ ἅγιά μου ἐμίαινον καὶ τὰ σάββατά μου ἐβεβήλουν

39 καὶ ἐν τῷ σφάζειν αὐτοὺς τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν καὶ εἰσεπορεύοντο εἰς τὰ ἅγιά μου τοῦ βεβηλοῦν αὐτά καὶ ὅτι οὕτως ἐποίουν ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ οἴκου μου

40 καὶ ὅτι τοῖς ἀνδράσιν τοῖς ἐρχομένοις μακρόθεν οἷς ἀγγέλους ἐξαπεστέλλοσαν πρὸς αὐτούς καὶ ἅμα τῷ ἔρχεσθαι αὐτοὺς εὐθὺς ἐλούου καὶ ἐστιβίζου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου καὶ ἐκόσμου κόσμῳ

41 καὶ ἐκάθου ἐπὶ κλίνης ἐστρωμένης καὶ τράπεζα κεκοσμημένη πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ θυμίαμά μου καὶ τὸ ἔλαιόν μου εὐφραίνοντο ἐν αὐτοῖς

42 καὶ φωνὴν ἁρμονίας ἀνεκρούοντο καὶ πρὸς ἄνδρας ἐκ πλήθους ἀνθρώπων ἥκοντας ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ ἐδίδοσαν ψέλια ἐπὶ τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν καὶ στέφανον καυχήσεως ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν

43 καὶ εἶπα οὐκ ἐν τούτοις μοιχεύουσιν καὶ ἔργα πόρνης καὶ αὐτὴ ἐξεπόρνευσεν

44 καὶ εἰσεπορεύοντο πρὸς αὐτήν ὃν τρόπον εἰσπορεύονται πρὸς γυναῖκα πόρνην οὕτως εἰσεπορεύοντο πρὸς οολαν καὶ πρὸς οολιβαν τοῦ ποιῆσαι ἀνομίαν

45 καὶ ἄνδρες δίκαιοι αὐτοὶ ἐκδικήσουσιν αὐτὰς ἐκδικήσει μοιχαλίδος καὶ ἐκδικήσει αἵματος ὅτι μοιχαλίδες εἰσίν καὶ αἷμα ἐν χερσὶν αὐτῶν

46 τάδε λέγει κύριος κύριος ἀνάγαγε ἐπ' αὐτὰς ὄχλον καὶ δὸς ἐν αὐταῖς ταραχὴν καὶ διαρπαγὴν

47 καὶ λιθοβόλησον ἐπ' αὐτὰς λίθοις ὄχλων καὶ κατακέντει αὐτὰς ἐν τοῖς ξίφεσιν αὐτῶν υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ θυγατέρας αὐτῶν ἀποκτενοῦσι καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἐμπρήσουσιν

48 καὶ ἀποστρέψω ἀσέβειαν ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ παιδευθήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ γυναῖκες καὶ οὐ μὴ ποιήσουσιν κατὰ τὰς ἀσεβείας αὐτῶν

49 καὶ δοθήσεται ἡ ἀσέβεια ὑμῶν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας τῶν ἐνθυμημάτων ὑμῶν λήμψεσθε καὶ γνώσεσθε διότι ἐγὼ κύριος

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #6534

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6534. 'And horsemen' means intellectual concepts. This is clear from the meaning of 'horsemen' as things connected with the understanding; for 'a horse' means the power of understanding, 2760-2761, 3217, 5321, 6125. The meaning of 'horsemen' as things connected with the understanding becomes clear in addition from the following places: In Moses,

Jehovah alone led him; He caused him to ride over the heights of the land. Deuteronomy 32:12, 17.

This refers to the Ancient Church. 'Causing to ride over the heights of the land' stands for endowing with superior understanding.

[2] In David,

In your majesty 1 climb into [your chariot], and ride on the word of truth and meekness and righteousness, and your right arm will teach you marvellous things. Psalms 45:4.

This refers to the Lord. 'Riding on the word of truth' stands for having a genuine understanding of truth. In the same author,

Sing to God, praise His name; exalt Him who rides on the clouds by His name Jah. Psalms 68:4.

This too refers to the Lord. 'The clouds' stands for the literal sense of the Word, preface to Genesis 18, and 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343 (end); 'riding on them' stands for being in command of the internal sense, in which truth resides with all the intelligence and wisdom it can bring.

[3] In Zechariah,

On that day I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness; and on the house of Judah I will open My eye. But every horse of the peoples I will strike with blindness. Zechariah 12:4.

'Horse' stands for the power of understanding, and 'rider' or 'horseman' for the intellect. Does anyone not see that 'horse' here does not mean a horse, or that 'rider' does not mean rider, but that something else such as can be struck with panic and madness, and also with blindness, is meant? That something else, it is evident, is the understanding or intellect.

[4] By 'horses and horsemen' intellectual concepts are meant, and in the contrary sense reasonings and consequent falsities, as may be seen in John,

I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; to him a crown was given; he went out conquering. Then there came out another horse, fiery-red; and it was granted to him who sat on it that he should take peace away from the earth, and that men should slay one another. Therefore to him was given a great sword. I saw, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it held a balance in his hand. I saw therefore, and behold, a pale horse and he who sat on it, whose name was death. Revelation 6:2, 4-5, 8.

Here, as is evident from the details of the description, the horses and those seated on them mean things connected with an understanding consisting of truth, and in the contrary sense an understanding consisting of falsity. 'The white horse and he who sat on it' stands for an understanding consisting of truth gained from the Word; the one seated on the white horse is, as explicitly stated in Revelation 19:11, 13, 16, the Lord as to the Word. 'The fiery-red horse and he who sat on it' stands for reasonings resulting from desires for evil, which do violence to truths from the Word. 'The black horse and he who sat on it' stands for a destroyed ability to understand the truth, while 'the pale horse and he who sat on it' stands for damnation resulting from such destruction.

[5] 'Horses and horsemen' in the contrary sense stands for a perverted understanding and the falsities it produces, in Ezekiel also,

Oholah committed whoredom under Me and doted on her lovers - governors and leaders, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. Her sister Oholibah was in love with the sons of Asshur - governors and leaders, her neighbours, clothed in perfect adornment, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men. Ezekiel 23:5-6, 12.

'Oholah' stands for the perverted spiritual Church, which is Samaria, and 'Oholibah' for the perverted celestial Church, which is Jerusalem; for the Israelites who belonged to Samaria represented the spiritual Church, but the Jews who belonged to Jerusalem represented the celestial Church. 'The Assyrians' and 'the sons of Asshur' stand for reasoning against the truths of faith, 1186, 'horsemen riding on horses' for a perverted understanding, from which falsities are produced.

[6] In Habakkuk,

I am rousing the Chaldeans, a bitter and headstrong nation, marching into the breadth of the earth, to inherit habitations that are not its own Its horses are swifter than leopards, sharper than the evening wolves, so that its horsemen spread out, and therefore its horsemen come from afar. Habakkuk 1:6, 8.

'The Chaldeans' stands for those governed by falsities, though to outward appearances they are governed by truths; thus 'the Chaldeans' stands for the profanation of truth, whereas 'Babel' stands for the profanation of good, 1182, 1368. 'Marching into the breadth of the earth' stands for destroying truths - 'the breadth of the earth' meaning truth, see 3433, 3434, 4482. From this it is evident that 'the horsemen who spread out and who arrive from afar' are things connected with a perverted understanding, which are therefore falsities.

Footnotes:

1. literally, honour

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

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