The Bible

 

Ezekiel 36

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1 καὶ σύ υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου προφήτευσον ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη ισραηλ καὶ εἰπὸν τοῖς ὄρεσιν τοῦ ισραηλ ἀκούσατε λόγον κυρίου

2 τάδε λέγει κύριος κύριος ἀνθ' ὧν εἶπεν ὁ ἐχθρὸς ἐφ' ὑμᾶς εὖγε ἔρημα αἰώνια εἰς κατάσχεσιν ἡμῖν ἐγενήθη

3 διὰ τοῦτο προφήτευσον καὶ εἰπόν τάδε λέγει κύριος κύριος ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀτιμασθῆναι ὑμᾶς καὶ μισηθῆναι ὑμᾶς ὑπὸ τῶν κύκλῳ ὑμῶν τοῦ εἶναι ὑμᾶς εἰς κατάσχεσιν τοῖς καταλοίποις ἔθνεσιν καὶ ἀνέβητε λάλημα γλώσσῃ καὶ εἰς ὀνείδισμα ἔθνεσιν

4 διὰ τοῦτο ὄρη ισραηλ ἀκούσατε λόγον κυρίου τάδε λέγει κύριος τοῖς ὄρεσιν καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς καὶ ταῖς φάραγξιν καὶ τοῖς χειμάρροις καὶ τοῖς ἐξηρημωμένοις καὶ ἠφανισμένοις καὶ ταῖς πόλεσιν ταῖς ἐγκαταλελειμμέναις αἳ ἐγένοντο εἰς προνομὴν καὶ εἰς καταπάτημα τοῖς καταλειφθεῖσιν ἔθνεσιν περικύκλῳ

5 διὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει κύριος κύριος εἰ μὴν ἐν πυρὶ θυμοῦ μου ἐλάλησα ἐπὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ιδουμαίαν πᾶσαν ὅτι ἔδωκαν τὴν γῆν μου ἑαυτοῖς εἰς κατάσχεσιν μετ' εὐφροσύνης ἀτιμάσαντες ψυχὰς τοῦ ἀφανίσαι ἐν προνομῇ

6 διὰ τοῦτο προφήτευσον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τοῦ ισραηλ καὶ εἰπὸν τοῖς ὄρεσιν καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς καὶ ταῖς φάραγξιν καὶ ταῖς νάπαις τάδε λέγει κύριος ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ζήλῳ μου καὶ ἐν τῷ θυμῷ μου ἐλάλησα ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀνειδισμοὺς ἐθνῶν ἐνέγκαι ὑμᾶς

7 διὰ τοῦτο ἐγὼ ἀρῶ τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη τὰ περικύκλῳ ὑμῶν οὗτοι τὴν ἀτιμίαν αὐτῶν λήμψονται

8 ὑμῶν δέ ὄρη ισραηλ τὴν σταφυλὴν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν ὑμῶν καταφάγεται ὁ λαός μου ὅτι ἐγγίζουσιν τοῦ ἐλθεῖν

9 ὅτι ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐφ' ὑμᾶς καὶ ἐπιβλέψω ἐφ' ὑμᾶς καὶ κατεργασθήσεσθε καὶ σπαρήσεσθε

10 καὶ πληθυνῶ ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἀνθρώπους πᾶν οἶκον ισραηλ εἰς τέλος καὶ κατοικηθήσονται αἱ πόλεις καὶ ἡ ἠρημωμένη οἰκοδομηθήσεται

11 καὶ πληθυνῶ ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἀνθρώπους καὶ κτήνη καὶ κατοικιῶ ὑμᾶς ὡς τὸ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὑμῶν καὶ εὖ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ὥσπερ τὰ ἔμπροσθεν ὑμῶν καὶ γνώσεσθε ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος

12 καὶ γεννήσω ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἀνθρώπους τὸν λαόν μου ισραηλ καὶ κληρονομήσουσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ ἔσεσθε αὐτοῖς εἰς κατάσχεσιν καὶ οὐ μὴ προστεθῆτε ἔτι ἀτεκνωθῆναι ἀπ' αὐτῶν

13 τάδε λέγει κύριος κύριος ἀνθ' ὧν εἶπάν σοι κατέσθουσα ἀνθρώπους εἶ καὶ ἠτεκνωμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ ἔθνους σου ἐγένου

14 διὰ τοῦτο ἀνθρώπους οὐκέτι φάγεσαι καὶ τὸ ἔθνος σου οὐκ ἀτεκνώσεις ἔτι λέγει κύριος κύριος

15 καὶ οὐκ ἀκουσθήσεται οὐκέτι ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἀτιμία ἐθνῶν καὶ ὀνειδισμοὺς λαῶν οὐ μὴ ἀνενέγκητε λέγει κύριος κύριος

16 καὶ ἐγένετο λόγος κυρίου πρός με λέγων

17 υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου οἶκος ισραηλ κατῴκησεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς αὐτῶν καὶ ἐμίαναν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀκαθαρσίαις αὐτῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀκαθαρσίαν τῆς ἀποκαθημένης ἐγενήθη ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτῶν πρὸ προσώπου μου

18 καὶ ἐξέχεα τὸν θυμόν μου ἐπ' αὐτοὺς

19 καὶ διέσπειρα αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰ ἔθνη καὶ ἐλίκμησα αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰς χώρας κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῶν καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτῶν ἔκρινα αὐτούς

20 καὶ εἰσήλθοσαν εἰς τὰ ἔθνη οὗ εἰσήλθοσαν ἐκεῖ καὶ ἐβεβήλωσαν τὸ ὄνομά μου τὸ ἅγιον ἐν τῷ λέγεσθαι αὐτούς λαὸς κυρίου οὗτοι καὶ ἐκ τῆς γῆς αὐτοῦ ἐξεληλύθασιν

21 καὶ ἐφεισάμην αὐτῶν διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου τὸ ἅγιον ὃ ἐβεβήλωσαν οἶκος ισραηλ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οὗ εἰσήλθοσαν ἐκεῖ

22 διὰ τοῦτο εἰπὸν τῷ οἴκῳ ισραηλ τάδε λέγει κύριος οὐχ ὑμῖν ἐγὼ ποιῶ οἶκος ισραηλ ἀλλ' ἢ διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου τὸ ἅγιον ὃ ἐβεβηλώσατε ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν οὗ εἰσήλθετε ἐκεῖ

23 καὶ ἁγιάσω τὸ ὄνομά μου τὸ μέγα τὸ βεβηλωθὲν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὃ ἐβεβηλώσατε ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν καὶ γνώσονται τὰ ἔθνη ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ἐν τῷ ἁγιασθῆναί με ἐν ὑμῖν κατ' ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν

24 καὶ λήμψομαι ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ ἀθροίσω ὑμᾶς ἐκ πασῶν τῶν γαιῶν καὶ εἰσάξω ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν γῆν ὑμῶν

25 καὶ ῥανῶ ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ὕδωρ καθαρόν καὶ καθαρισθήσεσθε ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἀκαθαρσιῶν ὑμῶν καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν εἰδώλων ὑμῶν καὶ καθαριῶ ὑμᾶς

26 καὶ δώσω ὑμῖν καρδίαν καινὴν καὶ πνεῦμα καινὸν δώσω ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ ἀφελῶ τὴν καρδίαν τὴν λιθίνην ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν καὶ δώσω ὑμῖν καρδίαν σαρκίνην

27 καὶ τὸ πνεῦμά μου δώσω ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ ποιήσω ἵνα ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασίν μου πορεύησθε καὶ τὰ κρίματά μου φυλάξησθε καὶ ποιήσητε

28 καὶ κατοικήσετε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἧς ἔδωκα τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν καὶ ἔσεσθέ μοι εἰς λαόν κἀγὼ ἔσομαι ὑμῖν εἰς θεόν

29 καὶ σώσω ὑμᾶς ἐκ πασῶν τῶν ἀκαθαρσιῶν ὑμῶν καὶ καλέσω τὸν σῖτον καὶ πληθυνῶ αὐτὸν καὶ οὐ δώσω ἐφ' ὑμᾶς λιμόν

30 καὶ πληθυνῶ τὸν καρπὸν τοῦ ξύλου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τοῦ ἀγροῦ ὅπως μὴ λάβητε ὀνειδισμὸν λιμοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν

31 καὶ μνησθήσεσθε τὰς ὁδοὺς ὑμῶν τὰς πονηρὰς καὶ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα ὑμῶν τὰ μὴ ἀγαθὰ καὶ προσοχθιεῖτε κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ἐν ταῖς ἀνομίαις ὑμῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς βδελύγμασιν ὑμῶν

32 οὐ δι' ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ ποιῶ λέγει κύριος κύριος γνωστὸν ἔσται ὑμῖν αἰσχύνθητε καὶ ἐντράπητε ἐκ τῶν ὁδῶν ὑμῶν οἶκος ισραηλ

33 τάδε λέγει κύριος ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ᾗ καθαριῶ ὑμᾶς ἐκ πασῶν τῶν ἀνομιῶν ὑμῶν καὶ κατοικιῶ τὰς πόλεις καὶ οἰκοδομηθήσονται αἱ ἔρημοι

34 καὶ ἡ γῆ ἡ ἠφανισμένη ἐργασθήσεται ἀνθ' ὧν ὅτι ἠφανισμένη ἐγενήθη κατ' ὀφθαλμοὺς παντὸς παροδεύοντος

35 καὶ ἐροῦσιν ἡ γῆ ἐκείνη ἡ ἠφανισμένη ἐγενήθη ὡς κῆπος τρυφῆς καὶ αἱ πόλεις αἱ ἔρημοι καὶ ἠφανισμέναι καὶ κατεσκαμμέναι ὀχυραὶ ἐκάθισαν

36 καὶ γνώσονται τὰ ἔθνη ὅσα ἂν καταλειφθῶσιν κύκλῳ ὑμῶν ὅτι ἐγὼ κύριος ᾠκοδόμησα τὰς καθῃρημένας καὶ κατεφύτευσα τὰς ἠφανισμένας ἐγὼ κύριος ἐλάλησα καὶ ποιήσω

37 τάδε λέγει κύριος ἔτι τοῦτο ζητηθήσομαι τῷ οἴκῳ ισραηλ τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτοῖς πληθυνῶ αὐτοὺς ὡς πρόβατα ἀνθρώπους

38 ὡς πρόβατα ἅγια ὡς πρόβατα ιερουσαλημ ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς αὐτῆς οὕτως ἔσονται αἱ πόλεις αἱ ἔρημοι πλήρεις προβάτων ἀνθρώπων καὶ γνώσονται ὅτι ἐγὼ κύριος

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #483

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483. And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about peoples, nations, tongues, and many kings." (10:11) This symbolically means that such being the case, the character of people caught up in faith alone must be further told.

That this is the symbolic meaning is apparent from what follows, in which the subject is people caught up in faith alone, to the end of chapter 16. After that the subject is the Roman Catholic religion, then the casting out of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet into hell, and afterward the New Church, which will worship the Lord alone.

To prophesy means, symbolically, to teach (nos. 8, 133), and so to prophesy again means to teach further. "Peoples" symbolize people who are impelled by doctrinal truths or doctrinal falsities, and "nations" symbolize people who are impelled by good practices or evil practices. More about these later. "Tongues" symbolize people who are impelled by truths and goods or falsities and evils externally (no. 282), and "kings" people who are impelled by them internally. To be shown that kings symbolize people who are impelled by truths springing from goodness, and in an opposite sense, people who are impelled by falsities springing from evil, and abstractly truths themselves springing from goodness or falsities themselves springing from evil, see nos. 20, 664, 704, 720, 830, 921. And as the subject in what follows is in particular people impelled by interior falsities, the text says, "and many kings," which symbolizes falsities accompanying evil in abundance.

The text says peoples, nations, tongues and kings in order to mean all people in the church who are of this character.

John's being told that he had to prophesy again means, symbolically, to teach further the character of people caught up in faith alone, in order that their falsities may be exposed and thus eradicated, since no falsity is eradicated before it has been exposed.

[2] That "peoples" symbolize people impelled by doctrinal truths or falsities, and "nations" people impelled by good or evil practices, can be seen from many passages in the Word where peoples and nations are mentioned. However, to demonstrate this we will cite here only some passages where peoples and nations are mentioned together, from which this conclusion may be drawn, as each and every particular in the Word contains a marriage of the Lord and the church, and consequently a marriage of goodness and truth; and "peoples" refer to truth, and "nations" to goodness. The presence of such a marriage in each and every particular of the Word may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture, nos. 80-90.

[3] Here are the passages in the Word:

Woe to a sinful nation, to a people laden with iniquity... (Isaiah 1:4)

I will send him against a hypocritical nation, against the people of My wrath I will command him... (Isaiah 10:6)

(Jehovah) who is striking the peoples... with an incurable plague, who is ruling the nations in anger... (Isaiah 14:6)

At that time a present will be brought to Jehovah..., a people scattered and shaven..., and a nation marked off and downtrodden... (Isaiah 18:7)

...a strong people will honor You, a city of mighty nations will fear You. (Isaiah 25:3)

(Jehovah) will swallow up... the covering... over all peoples, and the veil... over all nations. (Isaiah 25:7)

Come near, you nations..., and pay heed, you peoples! (Isaiah 34:1)

I... have called You... as a covenant to the peoples, and as a light to the nations. (Isaiah 42:6)

Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples assemble. (Isaiah 43:9)

Behold, I will lift My hand... to the nations, and... My standard to the peoples. (Isaiah 49:22)

...I have given him as a witness to the peoples, a leader and lawgiver to the nations. (Isaiah 55:4)

Behold, a people is coming from the north country, and a great nation... from the edges of the earth. (Jeremiah 6:22)

Many peoples and numerous nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem... (Zechariah 8:22)

Jehovah renders the counsel of the nations of no effect, He overturns the deliberations of the peoples. (Psalms 33:10)

(Jehovah) will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet... (Jehovah) reigned over the nations... The willing of the peoples have gathered together... (Psalms 47:3, 8-9)

The peoples shall confess You... The nations shall be glad... For You shall judge the peoples righteously, and guide the nations on the earth. (Psalms 67:3-4)

Remember me, O Jehovah, with good pleasure toward Your people..., that I may rejoice in the joy of Your nations... (Psalms 106:4-5)

...all peoples, nations, and languages shall worship (the Son of Man). (Daniel 7:14)

And so on elsewhere, as in Psalms 18:43, Isaiah 9:2-3; 11:10, Ezekiel 36:15, Joel 2:17, Zephaniah 2:9, Revelation 5:9, Luke 2:30-32.

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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.