New Christian Bible Study

The Bible

 

Ezekiel 40

Study

   

1 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ πέμπτῳ καὶ εἰκοστῷ ἔτει τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ μηνὶ δεκάτῃ τοῦ μηνὸς ἐν τῷ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῳ ἔτει μετὰ τὸ ἁλῶναι τὴν πόλιν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐγένετο ἐπ' ἐμὲ χεὶρ κυρίου καὶ ἤγαγέν με

2 ἐν ὁράσει θεοῦ εἰς τὴν γῆν τοῦ ισραηλ καὶ ἔθηκέν με ἐπ' ὄρους ὑψηλοῦ σφόδρα καὶ ἐπ' αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ οἰκοδομὴ πόλεως ἀπέναντι

3 καὶ εἰσήγαγέν με ἐκεῖ καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνήρ καὶ ἡ ὅρασις αὐτοῦ ἦν ὡσεὶ ὅρασις χαλκοῦ στίλβοντος καὶ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ ἦν σπαρτίον οἰκοδόμων καὶ κάλαμος μέτρου καὶ αὐτὸς εἱστήκει ἐπὶ τῆς πύλης

4 καὶ εἶπεν πρός με ὁ ἀνήρ ἑώρακας υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς σου ἰδὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὠσίν σου ἄκουε καὶ τάξον εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου πάντα ὅσα ἐγὼ δεικνύω σοι διότι ἕνεκα τοῦ δεῖξαί σοι εἰσελήλυθας ὧδε καὶ δείξεις πάντα ὅσα σὺ ὁρᾷς τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ ισραηλ

5 καὶ ἰδοὺ περίβολος ἔξωθεν τοῦ οἴκου κύκλῳ καὶ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς κάλαμος τὸ μέτρον πηχῶν ἓξ ἐν πήχει καὶ παλαιστῆς καὶ διεμέτρησεν τὸ προτείχισμα πλάτος ἴσον τῷ καλάμῳ καὶ τὸ ὕψος αὐτοῦ ἴσον τῷ καλάμῳ

6 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πύλην τὴν βλέπουσαν κατὰ ἀνατολὰς ἐν ἑπτὰ ἀναβαθμοῖς καὶ διεμέτρησεν τὸ αιλαμ τῆς πύλης ἴσον τῷ καλάμῳ

7 καὶ τὸ θεε ἴσον τῷ καλάμῳ τὸ μῆκος καὶ ἴσον τῷ καλάμῳ τὸ πλάτος καὶ τὸ αιλαμ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ θαιηλαθα πηχῶν ἓξ καὶ τὸ θεε τὸ δεύτερον ἴσον τῷ καλάμῳ τὸ πλάτος καὶ ἴσον τῷ καλάμῳ τὸ μῆκος καὶ τὸ αιλαμ πήχεων πέντε

8 καὶ τὸ θεε τὸ τρίτον ἴσον τῷ καλάμῳ τὸ πλάτος καὶ ἴσον τῷ καλάμῳ τὸ μῆκος

9 καὶ τὸ αιλαμ τοῦ πυλῶνος πλησίον τοῦ αιλαμ τῆς πύλης πηχῶν ὀκτὼ καὶ τὰ αιλευ πηχῶν δύο καὶ τὸ αιλαμ τῆς πύλης ἔσωθεν

10 καὶ τὰ θεε τῆς πύλης θεε κατέναντι τρεῖς ἔνθεν καὶ τρεῖς ἔνθεν καὶ μέτρον ἓν τοῖς τρισὶν καὶ μέτρον ἓν τοῖς αιλαμ ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν

11 καὶ διεμέτρησεν τὸ πλάτος τῆς θύρας τοῦ πυλῶνος πηχῶν δέκα καὶ τὸ εὖρος τοῦ πυλῶνος πηχῶν δέκα τριῶν

12 καὶ πῆχυς ἐπισυναγόμενος ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τῶν θεϊμ ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν καὶ τὸ θεε πηχῶν ἓξ ἔνθεν καὶ πηχῶν ἓξ ἔνθεν

13 καὶ διεμέτρησεν τὴν πύλην ἀπὸ τοῦ τοίχου τοῦ θεε ἐπὶ τὸν τοῖχον τοῦ θεε πλάτος πήχεις εἴκοσι πέντε αὕτη πύλη ἐπὶ πύλην

14 καὶ τὸ αἴθριον τοῦ αιλαμ τῆς πύλης ἑξήκοντα πήχεις εἴκοσι θεϊμ τῆς πύλης κύκλῳ

15 καὶ τὸ αἴθριον τῆς πύλης ἔξωθεν εἰς τὸ αἴθριον αιλαμ τῆς πύλης ἔσωθεν πηχῶν πεντήκοντα

16 καὶ θυρίδες κρυπταὶ ἐπὶ τὰ θεϊμ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ αιλαμ ἔσωθεν τῆς πύλης τῆς αὐλῆς κυκλόθεν καὶ ὡσαύτως τοῖς αιλαμ θυρίδες κύκλῳ ἔσωθεν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ αιλαμ φοίνικες ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν

17 καὶ εἰσήγαγέν με εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἐσωτέραν καὶ ἰδοὺ παστοφόρια καὶ περίστυλα κύκλῳ τῆς αὐλῆς τριάκοντα παστοφόρια ἐν τοῖς περιστύλοις

18 καὶ αἱ στοαὶ κατὰ νώτου τῶν πυλῶν κατὰ τὸ μῆκος τῶν πυλῶν τὸ περίστυλον τὸ ὑποκάτω

19 καὶ διεμέτρησεν τὸ πλάτος τῆς αὐλῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰθρίου τῆς πύλης τῆς ἐξωτέρας ἔσωθεν ἐπὶ τὸ αἴθριον τῆς πύλης τῆς βλεπούσης ἔξω πήχεις ἑκατόν τῆς βλεπούσης κατ' ἀνατολάς καὶ εἰσήγαγέν με ἐπὶ βορρᾶν

20 καὶ ἰδοὺ πύλη βλέπουσα πρὸς βορρᾶν τῇ αὐλῇ τῇ ἐξωτέρᾳ καὶ διεμέτρησεν αὐτήν τό τε μῆκος αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ πλάτος

21 καὶ τὰ θεε τρεῖς ἔνθεν καὶ τρεῖς ἔνθεν καὶ τὰ αιλευ καὶ τὰ αιλαμμω καὶ τοὺς φοίνικας αὐτῆς καὶ ἐγένετο κατὰ τὰ μέτρα τῆς πύλης τῆς βλεπούσης κατὰ ἀνατολὰς πηχῶν πεντήκοντα τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς καὶ πηχῶν εἴκοσι πέντε τὸ εὖρος αὐτῆς

22 καὶ αἱ θυρίδες αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ αιλαμμω καὶ οἱ φοίνικες αὐτῆς καθὼς ἡ πύλη ἡ βλέπουσα κατὰ ἀνατολάς καὶ ἐν ἑπτὰ κλιμακτῆρσιν ἀνέβαινον ἐπ' αὐτήν καὶ τὰ αιλαμμω ἔσωθεν

23 καὶ πύλη τῇ αὐλῇ τῇ ἐσωτέρᾳ βλέπουσα ἐπὶ πύλην τοῦ βορρᾶ ὃν τρόπον τῆς πύλης τῆς βλεπούσης κατὰ ἀνατολάς καὶ διεμέτρησεν τὴν αὐλὴν ἀπὸ πύλης ἐπὶ πύλην πήχεις ἑκατόν

24 καὶ ἤγαγέν με κατὰ νότον καὶ ἰδοὺ πύλη βλέπουσα πρὸς νότον καὶ διεμέτρησεν αὐτὴν καὶ τὰ θεε καὶ τὰ αιλευ καὶ τὰ αιλαμμω κατὰ τὰ μέτρα ταῦτα

25 καὶ αἱ θυρίδες αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ αιλαμμω κυκλόθεν καθὼς αἱ θυρίδες τοῦ αιλαμ πηχῶν πεντήκοντα τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς καὶ πηχῶν εἴκοσι πέντε τὸ εὖρος αὐτῆς

26 καὶ ἑπτὰ κλιμακτῆρες αὐτῇ καὶ αιλαμμω ἔσωθεν καὶ φοίνικες αὐτῇ εἷς ἔνθεν καὶ εἷς ἔνθεν ἐπὶ τὰ αιλευ

27 καὶ πύλη κατέναντι πύλης τῆς αὐλῆς τῆς ἐσωτέρας πρὸς νότον καὶ διεμέτρησεν τὴν αὐλὴν ἀπὸ πύλης ἐπὶ πύλην πήχεις ἑκατὸν τὸ εὖρος πρὸς νότον

28 καὶ εἰσήγαγέν με εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἐσωτέραν τῆς πύλης τῆς πρὸς νότον καὶ διεμέτρησεν τὴν πύλην κατὰ τὰ μέτρα ταῦτα

29 καὶ τὰ θεε καὶ τὰ αιλευ καὶ τὰ αιλαμμω κατὰ τὰ μέτρα ταῦτα καὶ θυρίδες αὐτῇ καὶ τῷ αιλαμμω κύκλῳ πήχεις πεντήκοντα τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ εὖρος πήχεις εἴκοσι πέντε

31 καὶ αιλαμμω εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἐξωτέραν καὶ φοίνικες τῷ αιλευ καὶ ὀκτὼ κλιμακτῆρες

32 καὶ εἰσήγαγέν με εἰς τὴν πύλην τὴν βλέπουσαν κατὰ ἀνατολὰς καὶ διεμέτρησεν αὐτὴν κατὰ τὰ μέτρα ταῦτα

33 καὶ τὰ θεε καὶ τὰ αιλευ καὶ τὰ αιλαμμω κατὰ τὰ μέτρα ταῦτα καὶ θυρίδες αὐτῇ καὶ τῷ αιλαμμω κύκλῳ πήχεις πεντήκοντα μῆκος αὐτῆς καὶ εὖρος πήχεις εἴκοσι πέντε

34 καὶ αιλαμμω εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἐσωτέραν καὶ φοίνικες ἐπὶ τοῦ αιλευ ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν καὶ ὀκτὼ κλιμακτῆρες αὐτῇ

35 καὶ εἰσήγαγέν με εἰς τὴν πύλην τὴν πρὸς βορρᾶν καὶ διεμέτρησεν κατὰ τὰ μέτρα ταῦτα

36 καὶ τὰ θεε καὶ τὰ αιλευ καὶ τὰ αιλαμμω καὶ θυρίδες αὐτῇ κύκλῳ καὶ τῷ αιλαμμω αὐτῆς πήχεις πεντήκοντα μῆκος αὐτῆς καὶ εὖρος πήχεις εἴκοσι πέντε

37 καὶ τὰ αιλαμμω εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἐξωτέραν καὶ φοίνικες τῷ αιλευ ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν καὶ ὀκτὼ κλιμακτῆρες αὐτῇ

38 τὰ παστοφόρια αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ θυρώματα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ αιλαμμω αὐτῆς ἐπὶ τῆς πύλης

39 τῆς δευτέρας ἔκρυσις ὅπως σφάζωσιν ἐν αὐτῇ τὰ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας καὶ ὑπὲρ ἀγνοίας

40 καὶ κατὰ νώτου τοῦ ῥόακος τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων τῆς βλεπούσης πρὸς βορρᾶν δύο τράπεζαι πρὸς ἀνατολὰς καὶ κατὰ νώτου τῆς δευτέρας καὶ τοῦ αιλαμ τῆς πύλης δύο τράπεζαι κατὰ ἀνατολάς

41 τέσσαρες ἔνθεν καὶ τέσσαρες ἔνθεν κατὰ νώτου τῆς πύλης ἐπ' αὐτὰς σφάξουσι τὰ θύματα κατέναντι τῶν ὀκτὼ τραπεζῶν τῶν θυμάτων

42 καὶ τέσσαρες τράπεζαι τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων λίθιναι λελαξευμέναι πήχεος καὶ ἡμίσους τὸ πλάτος καὶ πήχεων δύο καὶ ἡμίσους τὸ μῆκος καὶ ἐπὶ πῆχυν τὸ ὕψος ἐπ' αὐτὰς ἐπιθήσουσιν τὰ σκεύη ἐν οἷς σφάζουσιν ἐκεῖ τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ τὰ θύματα

43 καὶ παλαιστὴν ἕξουσιν γεῖσος λελαξευμένον ἔσωθεν κύκλῳ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς τραπέζας ἐπάνωθεν στέγας τοῦ καλύπτεσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑετοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ξηρασίας

44 καὶ εἰσήγαγέν με εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἐσωτέραν καὶ ἰδοὺ δύο ἐξέδραι ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ τῇ ἐσωτέρᾳ μία κατὰ νώτου τῆς πύλης τῆς βλεπούσης πρὸς βορρᾶν φέρουσα πρὸς νότον καὶ μία κατὰ νώτου τῆς πύλης τῆς πρὸς νότον βλεπούσης δὲ πρὸς βορρᾶν

45 καὶ εἶπεν πρός με ἡ ἐξέδρα αὕτη ἡ βλέπουσα πρὸς νότον τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τοῖς φυλάσσουσι τὴν φυλακὴν τοῦ οἴκου

46 καὶ ἡ ἐξέδρα ἡ βλέπουσα πρὸς βορρᾶν τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τοῖς φυλάσσουσι τὴν φυλακὴν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἐκεῖνοί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ σαδδουκ οἱ ἐγγίζοντες ἐκ τοῦ λευι πρὸς κύριον λειτουργεῖν αὐτῷ

47 καὶ διεμέτρησεν τὴν αὐλὴν μῆκος πήχεων ἑκατὸν καὶ εὖρος πήχεων ἑκατὸν ἐπὶ τὰ τέσσαρα μέρη αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἀπέναντι τοῦ οἴκου

48 καὶ εἰσήγαγέν με εἰς τὸ αιλαμ τοῦ οἴκου καὶ διεμέτρησεν τὸ αιλ τοῦ αιλαμ πηχῶν πέντε τὸ πλάτος ἔνθεν καὶ πηχῶν πέντε ἔνθεν καὶ τὸ εὖρος τοῦ θυρώματος πηχῶν δέκα τεσσάρων καὶ ἐπωμίδες τῆς θύρας τοῦ αιλαμ πηχῶν τριῶν ἔνθεν καὶ πηχῶν τριῶν ἔνθεν

49 καὶ τὸ μῆκος τοῦ αιλαμ πηχῶν εἴκοσι καὶ τὸ εὖρος πηχῶν δώδεκα καὶ ἐπὶ δέκα ἀναβαθμῶν ἀνέβαινον ἐπ' αὐτό καὶ στῦλοι ἦσαν ἐπὶ τὸ αιλαμ εἷς ἔνθεν καὶ εἷς ἔνθεν

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1458

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

1458. 'Towards the south' means into goods and truths, thus into a state that is bright as regards interior things. This is clear from the meaning of 'the south'. That 'the south' means a state that is bright arises from the fact that the four quarters, as with periods of time, do not actually exist in the next life, only the states meant by the four quarters and periods of time. The successive states of ideas in the understanding are like the states that belong to the times of the day and to the seasons of the year, and also to those of the four quarters. The successive states of a day are evening, night, morning, and midday; the states of the year are autumn, winter, spring, and summer; and the states of the four quarters are those of the sun in relation to west, north, east, and south. Similar to these are the successive states of ideas in the understanding. And what is remarkable, in heaven those whose state is one of wisdom and intelligence are in light. The intensity of that light is in exact proportion to their state, with those in the greatest light whose state is one of highest wisdom and intelligence; but the wisdom there is that which goes with love and charity, and the intelligence that which goes with faith in the Lord. That there is light in the next life to which the light of the world scarcely stands comparison is to me evident from much experience, and this will in the Lord's Divine mercy be presented later on. And because there exists in heaven such a correspondence between light and things of the understanding, nothing else is meant in the internal sense here and elsewhere in the Word by 'the south'. Here 'the south' means intelligence acquired through cognitions. Cognitions are celestial and spiritual truths, which are just so many radiations of light in heaven and which present themselves visibly by means of the light, as has been stated. Because the Lord was now to be endowed with cognitions so that He might become the Light itself of heaven as regards His Human Essence as well, it is here said that 'he travelled, going on and travelling, towards the south'.

[2] That 'the south' means those things becomes clear from similar examples in the Word, as in Isaiah,

I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not withhold. Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the end of the earth. Isaiah 43:6.

'The north' stands for those without knowledge, 'the south' for those who possess cognitions, 'sons' stands for truths, and 'daughters' for goods. In the same prophet,

If you bring food out of store for the hungry 1 and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your thick darkness will be as the noonday. 2 Isaiah 58:10.

'Bringing food out of store for the hungry and satisfying the afflicted soul' stands for good deeds of charity in general. 'Your light will rise in the darkness' stands for the fact that truth has made them intelligent, and 'your thick darkness will be as the noonday' 2 that good has made them wise. 'The south' means good by virtue of its warmth, and truth by virtue of its light.

[3] In Ezekiel,

In the visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain, on which there was so to speak the structure of a city on the south. Ezekiel 40:2.

This refers to the new Jerusalem or the Lord's kingdom, which because it is bathed in the light of wisdom and intelligence is 'on the south'. In David,

Jehovah will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgement as the noonday. 2 Psalms 37:6.

In the same author,

You will not be afraid of the terror of the night, of the arrow that flies by day, of the pestilence that walks in thick darkness, of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. 2 Psalms 91:5-6

'Not being afraid of the destruction that lays waste at noonday' 2 stands for not fearing the condemnation which comes upon those who possess cognitions but pervert them. In Ezekiel,

Son of man, set your face 3 towards the south and drop [your words] to the south and prophesy towards the forest of the field in the south; and you shall say to the forest of the south, All faces in it from south to north will be scorched in it. Ezekiel 20:46-47

'The forest of the south' stands for those who possess the light of truths but extinguish it, and so stands for those within the Church who are such as these.

[4] In Daniel,

Out of one of them there came forth a little horn, and it grew much towards the south, and towards the east, and towards the glorious [land]. And it grew even towards the host of heaven. Daniel 8:9-10.

This stands for people who assail goods and truths. In Jeremiah,

Give glory to Jehovah your God before He causes darkness and before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and you look for light and He turns it into the shadow of death and places it in thick darkness. The cities of the south will be shut up, with none opening them. Jeremiah 13:16, 19.

'Cities of the south' stands for cognitions of truth and good. In Obadiah,

Those carried away from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will inherit the cities of the south. Obad. verse 20.

Here similarly 'the cities of the south' stands for truths and goods, and so for the truths and goods themselves to which they are heirs. The subject here is the Lord's kingdom.

[5] As regards 'Abram travelled, going on and travelling, towards the south' meaning, as has been stated, the Lord's advance into goods and truths, thus into a state that is bright as regards interiors, cognitions are what open up the path to seeing celestial and spiritual things. By means of cognitions a path is opened up from the internal man to the external man in which recipient vessels reside, as many as there are cognitions of good and truth. It is into the latter as their own particular vessels that celestial things flow.

Footnotes:

1. literally, bring out for the hungry your soul

2. literally, the south

3. literally, faces

  
/ 10837  
  

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

©2024 New Christian Bible Study Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed from newchristianbiblestudy.org