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Ezekiel 44

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1 καὶ ἐπέστρεψέν με κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς πύλης τῶν ἁγίων τῆς ἐξωτέρας τῆς βλεπούσης κατ' ἀνατολάς καὶ αὕτη ἦν κεκλεισμένη

2 καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρός με ἡ πύλη αὕτη κεκλεισμένη ἔσται οὐκ ἀνοιχθήσεται καὶ οὐδεὶς μὴ διέλθῃ δι' αὐτῆς ὅτι κύριος ὁ θεὸς τοῦ ισραηλ εἰσελεύσεται δι' αὐτῆς καὶ ἔσται κεκλεισμένη

3 διότι ὁ ἡγούμενος οὗτος καθήσεται ἐν αὐτῇ τοῦ φαγεῖν ἄρτον ἐναντίον κυρίου κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν αιλαμ τῆς πύλης εἰσελεύσεται καὶ κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ ἐξελεύσεται

4 καὶ εἰσήγαγέν με κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς πύλης τῆς πρὸς βορρᾶν κατέναντι τοῦ οἴκου καὶ εἶδον καὶ ἰδοὺ πλήρης δόξης ὁ οἶκος κυρίου καὶ πίπτω ἐπὶ πρόσωπόν μου

5 καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρός με υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου τάξον εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου καὶ ἰδὲ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς σου καὶ τοῖς ὠσίν σου ἄκουε πάντα ὅσα ἐγὼ λαλῶ μετὰ σοῦ κατὰ πάντα τὰ προστάγματα οἴκου κυρίου καὶ κατὰ πάντα τὰ νόμιμα αὐτοῦ καὶ τάξεις τὴν καρδίαν σου εἰς τὴν εἴσοδον τοῦ οἴκου κατὰ πάσας τὰς ἐξόδους αὐτοῦ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἁγίοις

6 καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς τὸν οἶκον τὸν παραπικραίνοντα πρὸς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ισραηλ τάδε λέγει κύριος ὁ θεός ἱκανούσθω ὑμῖν ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἀνομιῶν ὑμῶν οἶκος ισραηλ

7 τοῦ εἰσαγαγεῖν ὑμᾶς υἱοὺς ἀλλογενεῖς ἀπεριτμήτους καρδίᾳ καὶ ἀπεριτμήτους σαρκὶ τοῦ γίνεσθαι ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις μου καὶ ἐβεβήλουν αὐτὰ ἐν τῷ προσφέρειν ὑμᾶς ἄρτους στέαρ καὶ αἷμα καὶ παρεβαίνετε τὴν διαθήκην μου ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἀνομίαις ὑμῶν

8 καὶ διετάξατε τοῦ φυλάσσειν φυλακὰς ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις μου

9 διὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει κύριος ὁ θεός πᾶς υἱὸς ἀλλογενὴς ἀπερίτμητος καρδίᾳ καὶ ἀπερίτμητος σαρκὶ οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὰ ἅγιά μου ἐν πᾶσιν υἱοῖς ἀλλογενῶν τῶν ὄντων ἐν μέσῳ οἴκου ισραηλ

10 ἀλλ' ἢ οἱ λευῖται οἵτινες ἀφήλαντο ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ἐν τῷ πλανᾶσθαι τὸν ισραηλ ἀπ' ἐμοῦ κατόπισθεν τῶν ἐνθυμημάτων αὐτῶν καὶ λήμψονται ἀδικίαν αὐτῶν

11 καὶ ἔσονται ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις μου λειτουργοῦντες θυρωροὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πυλῶν τοῦ οἴκου καὶ λειτουργοῦντες τῷ οἴκῳ οὗτοι σφάξουσιν τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ τὰς θυσίας τῷ λαῷ καὶ οὗτοι στήσονται ἐναντίον τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ λειτουργεῖν αὐτοῖς

12 ἀνθ' ὧν ἐλειτούργουν αὐτοῖς πρὸ προσώπου τῶν εἰδώλων αὐτῶν καὶ ἐγένετο τῷ οἴκῳ ισραηλ εἰς κόλασιν ἀδικίας ἕνεκα τούτου ἦρα τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐπ' αὐτούς λέγει κύριος ὁ θεός

13 καὶ οὐκ ἐγγιοῦσι πρός με τοῦ ἱερατεύειν μοι οὐδὲ τοῦ προσάγειν πρὸς τὰ ἅγια υἱῶν τοῦ ισραηλ οὐδὲ πρὸς τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων μου καὶ λήμψονται ἀτιμίαν αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ πλανήσει ᾗ ἐπλανήθησαν

14 καὶ κατατάξουσιν αὐτοὺς φυλάσσειν φυλακὰς τοῦ οἴκου εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς πάντα ὅσα ἂν ποιήσωσιν

15 οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ λευῖται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ σαδδουκ οἵτινες ἐφυλάξαντο τὰς φυλακὰς τῶν ἁγίων μου ἐν τῷ πλανᾶσθαι οἶκον ισραηλ ἀπ' ἐμοῦ οὗτοι προσάξουσιν πρός με τοῦ λειτουργεῖν μοι καὶ στήσονται πρὸ προσώπου μου τοῦ προσφέρειν μοι θυσίαν στέαρ καὶ αἷμα λέγει κύριος ὁ θεός

16 οὗτοι εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὰ ἅγιά μου καὶ οὗτοι προσελεύσονται πρὸς τὴν τράπεζάν μου τοῦ λειτουργεῖν μοι καὶ φυλάξουσιν τὰς φυλακάς μου

17 καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαι αὐτοὺς τὰς πύλας τῆς αὐλῆς τῆς ἐσωτέρας στολὰς λινᾶς ἐνδύσονται καὶ οὐκ ἐνδύσονται ἐρεᾶ ἐν τῷ λειτουργεῖν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς πύλης τῆς ἐσωτέρας αὐλῆς

18 καὶ κιδάρεις λινᾶς ἕξουσιν ἐπὶ ταῖς κεφαλαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ περισκελῆ λινᾶ ἕξουσιν ἐπὶ τὰς ὀσφύας αὐτῶν καὶ οὐ περιζώσονται βίᾳ

19 καὶ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἐξωτέραν πρὸς τὸν λαὸν ἐκδύσονται τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν ἐν αἷς αὐτοὶ λειτουργοῦσιν ἐν αὐταῖς καὶ θήσουσιν αὐτὰς ἐν ταῖς ἐξέδραις τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ἐνδύσονται στολὰς ἑτέρας καὶ οὐ μὴ ἁγιάσωσιν τὸν λαὸν ἐν ταῖς στολαῖς αὐτῶν

20 καὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν οὐ ξυρήσονται καὶ τὰς κόμας αὐτῶν οὐ ψιλώσουσιν καλύπτοντες καλύψουσιν τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν

21 καὶ οἶνον οὐ μὴ πίωσιν πᾶς ἱερεὺς ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἐσωτέραν

22 καὶ χήραν καὶ ἐκβεβλημένην οὐ λήμψονται ἑαυτοῖς εἰς γυναῖκα ἀλλ' ἢ παρθένον ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος ισραηλ καὶ χήρα ἐὰν γένηται ἐξ ἱερέως λήμψονται

23 καὶ τὸν λαόν μου διδάξουσιν ἀνὰ μέσον ἁγίου καὶ βεβήλου καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον ἀκαθάρτου καὶ καθαροῦ γνωριοῦσιν αὐτοῖς

24 καὶ ἐπὶ κρίσιν αἵματος οὗτοι ἐπιστήσονται τοῦ διακρίνειν τὰ δικαιώματά μου δικαιώσουσιν καὶ τὰ κρίματά μου κρινοῦσιν καὶ τὰ νόμιμά μου καὶ τὰ προστάγματά μου ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἑορταῖς μου φυλάξονται καὶ τὰ σάββατά μου ἁγιάσουσιν

25 καὶ ἐπὶ ψυχὴν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται τοῦ μιανθῆναι ἀλλ' ἢ ἐπὶ πατρὶ καὶ ἐπὶ μητρὶ καὶ ἐπὶ υἱῷ καὶ ἐπὶ θυγατρὶ καὶ ἐπὶ ἀδελφῷ καὶ ἐπὶ ἀδελφῇ αὐτοῦ ἣ οὐ γέγονεν ἀνδρί μιανθήσεται

26 καὶ μετὰ τὸ καθαρισθῆναι αὐτὸν ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ἐξαριθμήσει αὐτῷ

27 καὶ ᾗ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ εἰσπορεύωνται εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τὴν ἐσωτέραν τοῦ λειτουργεῖν ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ προσοίσουσιν ἱλασμόν λέγει κύριος ὁ θεός

28 καὶ ἔσται αὐτοῖς εἰς κληρονομίαν ἐγὼ κληρονομία αὐτοῖς καὶ κατάσχεσις αὐτοῖς οὐ δοθήσεται ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς ισραηλ ὅτι ἐγὼ κατάσχεσις αὐτῶν

29 καὶ τὰς θυσίας καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ ἀγνοίας οὗτοι φάγονται καὶ πᾶν ἀφόρισμα ἐν τῷ ισραηλ αὐτοῖς ἔσται

30 ἀπαρχαὶ πάντων καὶ τὰ πρωτότοκα πάντων καὶ τὰ ἀφαιρέματα πάντα ἐκ πάντων τῶν ἀπαρχῶν ὑμῶν τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἔσται καὶ τὰ πρωτογενήματα ὑμῶν δώσετε τῷ ἱερεῖ τοῦ θεῖναι εὐλογίας ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τοὺς οἴκους ὑμῶν

31 καὶ πᾶν θνησιμαῖον καὶ θηριάλωτον ἐκ τῶν πετεινῶν καὶ ἐκ τῶν κτηνῶν οὐ φάγονται οἱ ἱερεῖς

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9487

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9487. 'Two cubits and a half shall be its length' means all so far as good is concerned. This is clear from the meaning of 'two and a half' as much and as what is complete, and as all when this number has reference to something Divine (the reason why 'two and a half' means much and what is complete is that this number is similar in meaning to five, ten, a hundred, and a thousand, since twice two and a half makes five, twice five makes ten, and ten times ten makes a hundred; for doubles and multiples have a similar meaning to the simple numbers of which they are the products, 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973. For the meaning of 'five' as much and completeness, see 5708, 5956, 9102; likewise 'ten', 3107, 4638; also 'a hundred', 2636, 4400; and a thousand, 2575, 8715. So it is that when these numbers are used in reference to something Divine they mean all); and from the meaning of 'length' as good, dealt with in 1613, 8898.

[2] To say that 'length' in the Word means good and 'breadth' truth may seem to be like nonsense; nevertheless this is indeed what they mean. The reason why they do so is that all things without exception in the Word mean realities such as belong to heaven and to the Church, and so such as are connected with the good of love and with the truth of faith. No spatial dimensions such as 'length' and 'breadth' imply can be attributed to these; but instead of spatial dimensions the state of their essential being (esse), which is a state of good, and the resulting state of manifestation (existere), which is a state of truth, can be attributed to them. Furthermore in heaven spatial dimensions are appearances produced by those states, 4882, 9440. From all this it becomes clear that spiritual realities are meant by the measurements and dimensions given in Chapters 40-48 of Ezekiel, where a new temple and a new land are the subject. They are consequently meant here in Exodus, where the ark, the dwelling-place, the court, the tables there, and the altars are the subject. Such realities are in a similar way meant where the temple in Jerusalem is the subject, also when it says that the holy Jerusalem coming down from heaven was square, its breadth being as great as its length, Revelation 21:16; Zechariah 2:1-2. For 'Jerusalem' means a new Church, the character of its good being meant by the measurement of its length, and the character of its truth by that of its breadth.

[3] The fact that 'breadth' or 'broad place' means truth is plainly evident in David,

In distress I called on Jah; He answered me in a broad place. Psalms 118:5.

In the same author,

You have made my feet stand in a broad place. Psalms 31:8.

In Isaiah,

The outstretchings of Asshur's wings will fill the breadth of the land. Isaiah 8:8.

In Habakkuk,

I am rousing the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation, marching 1 into the breadths of the earth. Habakkuk 1:6.

'Marching into the breadths of the earth', when said of the Chaldeans, means destroying the truths of faith.

Footnotes:

1. literally, walking

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