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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

 

Arcana Coelestia #7673

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7673. 'Stretch out your hand' means an exercising of power. This is clear from the meaning of 'stretching out' as that which is connected with the exercising of control, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'hand' as power, dealt with in 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7011, 7188, 7189, 7518. The reason why 'stretching out the hand' means the exercising of power is that there is power in the hand or arm when it is stretched out. When therefore Jehovah is said to stretch out His hand or arm, boundless or infinite power in action is meant. This explains why Jehovah told Moses on so many occasions, when miracles were to be performed, to stretch out his hand or his rod; for example,

Stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, and they will be blood. Exodus 7:19.

Stretch out your hand over the rivers, and cause frogs to rise up. Exodus 8:1-2. 1

Stretch out your rod and strike the dust of the land, and it will then be lice. Exodus 8:11, 12. 2

Stretch out your hand towards heaven, and there will be hail. Exodus 9:22-23.

Such words would never have been used but for the meaning of 'stretching out the hand' in the highest sense as Jehovah's almighty power.

[2] The same thing is meant by Joshua's being told to stretch out his javelin, described in his book as follows,

Jehovah said to Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand towards Ai. When therefore Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand towards Ai, the ambush rose up quickly out of their place and ran, as soon as he stretched out his hand, and came to the city and took it. Joshua did not withdraw his hand which he had stretched out together with the javelin until all the inhabitants of Ai had been utterly destroyed. Joshua 8:18-19, 26.

Being representative of God's almighty power, this too, like all other representative actions when they were commanded in those times, had force.

[3] There are a number of other places in which almighty power is described when it says that Jehovah 'stretches out His hand', or else His 'outstretched hand' or His 'outstretched arm' is spoken of. It is described by Jehovah stretching out His hand in Isaiah,

The anger [of Jehovah] has been roused against His people, and He has stretched out His hand over them and struck them, and the mountains were shaken. Isaiah 5:25.

In Ezekiel,

I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him. Ezekiel 14:9, 13.

In the same prophet,

I will stretch out My hand against you, and give you as plunder to the nations. Ezekiel 25:7.

I will stretch out My hand over Edom, and cut off from it man and beast. I will stretch out My hand over the philistines, and cut off . . . Ezekiel 25:13, 16.

Other places like these are Ezekiel 35:3; Isaiah 31:3; Zephaniah 1:4; 2:13. The use of 'outstretched hand' to describe almighty power occurs in Isaiah,

Jehovah's outstretched hand is over all the nations; who will turn it back? Isaiah 14:26, 27.

In Jeremiah,

I will fight with you with an outstretched hand and a strong arm, and in anger and in fury. Jeremiah 21:5.

In Isaiah,

Still His hand is outstretched. Isaiah 9:12, 17; 10:4.

The use of 'outstretched arm' occurs in Jeremiah,

I have made the earth, man, and beast by My great strength and by My outstretched arm. Jeremiah 27:5.

In the same prophet,

You have made heaven and earth by Your great power and Your outstretched arm; there is no matter 3 that is too impossible for You. Jeremiah 32:17.

Here it is self-evident that 'outstretched arm' means almighty power. The same applies to many other places in which the expression 'by a strong hand and an outstretched arm' is used, such as Deuteronomy 4:34; 5:15; 7:19; 9:29; 11:2; 26:8; 1 Kings 8:42; 2 Kings 17:36; Jeremiah 32:21; Ezekiel 20:33, 34.

[4] There are places too in which Jehovah is said to 'stretch out the heavens', and in these places also 'stretching out' means almighty power; that is to say, He expands the limits of heaven and fills those who are there with life and wisdom, as in Isaiah,

Jehovah is He who stretches out the heavens like a thin veil, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. Isaiah 40:22.

In the same prophet,

Jehovah is He who stretches out the heavens, spreads out the earth, gives breath 4 to His people upon it, and spirit to those who walk on it. Isaiah 42:5.

In Jeremiah,

. . . He who makes the earth by His power, prepares the world by His wisdom, and stretches out the heavens by His intelligence. Jeremiah 51:15.

In Zechariah,

Jehovah is He who stretches out the heavens, and founds the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. Zechariah 12:1.

There are still more places besides these, such as Isaiah 44:24; 45:12; Psalms 104:2.

From all this one may now see why Moses was commanded to stretch out his hand and rod, that miracles were performed when he did so, and that 'stretching out the hand' for that reason means the exercising of power, and in the highest sense almighty power.

Footnotes:

1. Exodus 8:5-6 in English Bibles

2. Exodus 8:16-17 in English Bibles

3. or word

4. literally, soul

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

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