The Bible

 

Ezekiel 31

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1 καί-C γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ἑνδέκατος-A1--DSN ἔτος-N3E-DSN ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM τρίτος-A1--DSM μήν-N3--DSM εἷς-A1A-DSF ὁ- A--GSM μήν-N3--GSM γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S λόγος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--GSM πρός-P ἐγώ- P--AS λέγω-V1--PAPNSM

2 υἱός-N2--VSM ἄνθρωπος-N2--GSM εἶπον-VB--AAD2S πρός-P *φαραώ-N---ASM βασιλεύς-N3V-ASM *αἴγυπτος-N2--GSF καί-C ὁ- A--DSN πλῆθος-N3E-DSN αὐτός- D--GSM τίς- I--DSM ὁμοιόω-VAI-AAI2S σεαυτοῦ- D--ASM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ὕψος-N3E-DSN σύ- P--GS

3 ἰδού-I *ασσουρ-N---NS κυπάρισσος-N2--NSF ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM *λίβανος-N2--DSM καί-C καλός-A1--NSM ὁ- A--DPF παραφυάς-N3D-DPF καί-C ὑψηλός-A1--NSM ὁ- A--DSN μέγεθος-N3E-DSN εἰς-P μέσος-A1--ASM νεφέλη-N1--GPF γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S ὁ- A--NSF ἀρχή-N1--NSF αὐτός- D--GSM

4 ὕδωρ-N3--NSN ἐκτρέφω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--ASM ὁ- A--NSF ἄβυσσος-N2--NSF ὑψόω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--ASM ὁ- A--APM ποταμός-N2--APM αὐτός- D--GSF ἄγω-VBI-AAI3S κύκλος-N2--DSM ὁ- A--GPN φυτόν-N2N-GPN αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C ὁ- A--APN σύστεμα-N3M-APN αὐτός- D--GSF ἐκ ἀποστέλλω-VAI-AAI3S εἰς-P πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN ξύλον-N2N-APN ὁ- A--GSN πεδίον-N2N-GSN

5 ἕνεκεν-P οὗτος- D--GSM ὑψόω-VCI-API3S ὁ- A--NSN μέγεθος-N3E-NSN αὐτός- D--GSM παρά-P πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN ξύλον-N2N-APN ὁ- A--GSN πεδίον-N2N-GSN καί-C πλατύνω-VCI-API3P ὁ- A--NPM κλάδος-N2--NPM αὐτός- D--GSM ἀπό-P ὕδωρ-N3T-GSN πολύς-A1--GSN

6 ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPF παραφυάς-N3D-DPF αὐτός- D--GSM νοσσεύω-VAI-AAI3P πᾶς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--NPN πετεινόν-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--GSM οὐρανός-N2--GSM καί-C ὑποκάτω-P ὁ- A--GPM κλάδος-N2--GPM αὐτός- D--GSM γεννάω-VAI-AAI3P πᾶς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--NPN θηρίον-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--GSN πεδίον-N2N-GSN ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF σκιά-N1A-DSF αὐτός- D--GSM καταοἰκέω-VAI-AAI3S πᾶς-A3--NSN πλῆθος-N3E-NSN ἔθνος-N3E-GPN

7 καί-C γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S καλός-A1--NSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ὕψος-N3E-DSN αὐτός- D--GSM διά-P ὁ- A--ASN πλῆθος-N3E-ASN ὁ- A--GPM κλάδος-N2--GPM αὐτός- D--GSM ὅτι-C γίγνομαι-VCI-API3P ὁ- A--NPF ῥίζα-N1S-NPF αὐτός- D--GSM εἰς-P ὕδωρ-N3--ASN πολύς-A1P-ASN

8 κυπάρισσος-N2--NPF τοιοῦτος-A1--NPF οὐ-D γίγνομαι-VCI-API3P ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM παράδεισος-N2--DSM ὁ- A--GSM θεός-N2--GSM καί-C πίτυς-N3U-NPF οὐ-D ὅμοιος-A1A-NPF ὁ- A--DPF παραφυάς-N3D-DPF αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C ἐλάτη-N1--NPF οὐ-D γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3P ὅμοιος-A1A-NPF ὁ- A--DPM κλάδος-N2--DPM αὐτός- D--GSM πᾶς-A3--NSN ξύλον-N2N-NSN ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM παράδεισος-N2--DSM ὁ- A--GSM θεός-N2--GSM οὐ-D ὁμοιόω-VCI-API3S αὐτός- D--DSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN κάλλος-N3E-DSN αὐτός- D--GSM

9 διά-P ὁ- A--ASN πλῆθος-N3E-ASN ὁ- A--GPM κλάδος-N2--GPM αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C ζηλόω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--ASM ὁ- A--NPN ξύλον-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--GSM παράδεισος-N2--GSM ὁ- A--GSF τρυφή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSM θεός-N2--GSM

10 διά-P οὗτος- D--ASN ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM ἀντί-P ὅς- --GPM γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI2S μέγας-A1P-NSM ὁ- A--DSN μέγεθος-N3E-DSN καί-C δίδωμι-VAI-AAI2S ὁ- A--ASF ἀρχή-N1--ASF σύ- P--GS εἰς-P μέσος-A1--ASM νεφέλη-N1--GPF καί-C ὁράω-VBI-AAI1S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ὑψόω-VC--APN αὐτός- D--ASM

11 καί-C παραδίδωμι-VAI-AAI1S αὐτός- D--ASM εἰς-P χείρ-N3--APF ἄρχων-N3--GSM ἔθνος-N3E-GPN καί-C ποιέω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--ASF ἀπώλεια-N1A-ASF αὐτός- D--GSM

12 καί-C ἐκὀλεθρεύω-VAI-AAI3P αὐτός- D--ASM ἀλλότριος-A1A-NPM λοιμός-N2--NPM ἀπό-P ἔθνος-N3E-GPN καί-C καταβάλλω-VBI-AAI3P αὐτός- D--ASM ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GPN ὄρος-N3E-GPN ἐν-P πᾶς-A1S-DPF ὁ- A--DPF φάραγξ-N3G-DPF πίπτω-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--NPM κλάδος-N2--NPM αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C συντρίβω-VDI-API3S ὁ- A--NPN στέλεχος-N3E-NPN αὐτός- D--GSM ἐν-P πᾶς-A3--DSN πεδίον-N2N-DSN ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF καί-C καταβαίνω-VZI-AAI3P ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GSF σκέπης-N1--GSF αὐτός- D--GPM πᾶς-A3--NPM ὁ- A--NPM λαός-N2--NPM ὁ- A--GPN ἔθνος-N3E-GPN καί-C ἐδαφίζω-VAI-AAI3P αὐτός- D--ASM

13 ἐπί-P ὁ- A--ASF πτῶσις-N3I-ASF αὐτός- D--GSM ἀναπαύω-VAI-AMI3P πᾶς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--NPN πετεινόν-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--GSM οὐρανός-N2--GSM καί-C ἐπί-P ὁ- A--APN στέλεχος-N3E-APN αὐτός- D--GSM γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3P πᾶς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--NPN θηρίον-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--GSM ἀγρός-N2--GSM

14 ὅπως-C μή-D ὑψόω-VC--APS3P ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN μέγεθος-N3E-DSN αὐτός- D--GPM πᾶς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--NPN ξύλον-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--NPN ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ὕδωρ-N3T-DSN καί-C οὐ-D δίδωμι-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--ASF ἀρχή-N1--ASF αὐτός- D--GPM εἰς-P μέσος-A1--ASM νεφέλη-N1--GPF καί-C οὐ-D ἵστημι-VAI-AAI3P ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ὕψος-N3E-DSN αὐτός- D--GPM πρός-P αὐτός- D--APN πᾶς-A3--NPM ὁ- A--NPM πίνω-V1--PAPNPM ὕδωρ-N3--ASN πᾶς-A3--NPM δίδωμι-VCI-API3P εἰς-P θάνατος-N2--ASM εἰς-P γῆ-N1--GSF βάθος-N3E-ASN ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM υἱός-N2--GPM ἄνθρωπος-N2--GPM πρός-P καταβαίνω-V1--PAPAPM εἰς-P βόθρος-N2--ASM

15 ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM ἐν-P ὅς- --DSF ἡμέρα-N1A-DSF καταβαίνω-VZI-AAI3S εἰς-P ᾅδης-N1M-GSM πενθέω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--ASM ὁ- A--NSF ἄβυσσος-N2--NSF καί-C ἐπιἵστημι-VAI-AAI1S ὁ- A--APM ποταμός-N2--APM αὐτός- D--GSF καί-C κωλύω-VAI-AAI1S πλῆθος-N3E-ASN ὕδωρ-N3T-GSN καί-C σκοτάζω-VAI-AAI3S ἐπί-P αὐτός- D--ASM ὁ- A--NSM *λίβανος-N2--NSM πᾶς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--NPN ξύλον-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--GSN πεδίον-N2N-GSN ἐπί-P αὐτός- D--DSM ἐκλύω-VCI-API3P

16 ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GSF φωνή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSF πτῶσις-N3I-GSF αὐτός- D--GSM σείω-VCI-API3P ὁ- A--NPN ἔθνος-N3E-NPN ὅτε-D καταβιβάζω-V1I-IAI1S αὐτός- D--ASM εἰς-P ᾅδης-N1M-GSM μετά-P ὁ- A--GPM καταβαίνω-V1--PAPGPM εἰς-P λάκκος-N2--ASM καί-C παρακαλέω-V2I-IAI3P αὐτός- D--ASM ἐν-P γῆ-N1--DSF πᾶς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--NPN ξύλον-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--GSF τρυφή-N1--GSF καί-C ὁ- A--NPN ἐκλεκτός-A1--NPN ὁ- A--GSM *λίβανος-N2--GSM πᾶς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--NPN πίνω-V1--PAPNPN ὕδωρ-N3--ASN

17 καί-C γάρ-X αὐτός- D--NPM καταβαίνω-VZI-AAI3P μετά-P αὐτός- D--GSM εἰς-P ᾅδης-N1M-GSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPM τραυματίας-N1T-DPM ἀπό-P μάχαιρα-N1--APF καί-C ὁ- A--NSN σπέρμα-N3M-NSN αὐτός- D--GSM ὁ- A--NPM καταοἰκέω-V2--PAPNPM ὑπό-P ὁ- A--ASF σκέπης-N1--ASF αὐτός- D--GSM ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM ὁ- A--GSF ζωή-N1--GSF αὐτός- D--GPM ἀποὀλλύω-VBI-AMI3P

18 τίς- I--DSN ὁμοιόω-VCI-API2S καταβαίνω-VC--APD2S καί-C καταβιβάζω-VS--APD2S μετά-P ὁ- A--GPN ξύλον-N2N-GPN ὁ- A--GSF τρυφή-N1--GSF εἰς-P γῆ-N1--GSF βάθος-N3E-ASN ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM ἀπερίτμητος-A1B-GPM κοιμάω-VC--FPI2S μετά-P τραυματίας-N1T-GPM μάχαιρα-N1--APF οὕτως-D *φαραώ-N---NSM καί-C ὁ- A--NSN πλῆθος-N3E-NSN ὁ- A--GSF ἰσχύς-N3U-GSF αὐτός- D--GSM λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #757

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757. "A prison for every foul spirit, and a prison for every unclean and loathsome bird!" This symbolically means that the evils willed and so done by the people in those hells, and the falsities entertained in thought and in consequent intention, are diabolical, because the people have turned away from the Lord to themselves.

A prison symbolizes a hell, because these Roman Catholics were imprisoned there. A spirit symbolizes everything pertaining to their affection or will and of the consequent action, and a bird symbolizes everything pertaining to the thought or intellect and consequent intention. A foul spirit and an unclean bird accordingly symbolize all the evils willed and so done, and all the falsities entertained in thought and consequent intention. Moreover, since the evils and falsities entertained by these people are found in the hells, therefore the symbolical meaning is that their evils and falsities are diabolical. In addition, because these people have turned away from the Lord to themselves, every unclean bird is also called loathsome.

Similar symbolism is used to describe Babylon in the Prophets, as in Isaiah:

Babylon... will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never be inhabited..., so that Arabs will not tarry there... But ziyyim 1 will lie there, their houses will be full of 'ochim, 2 the offspring of owls will dwell there, and satyrs will caper there. 'Iyyim 3 also will reply in its palaces, and dragons in its pleasant palaces. (Isaiah 13:19-22)

I will... cut off from Babylon the name and remnant... I will make it a possession of the bittern... (Isaiah 14:22-23)

And in Jeremiah:

...in Babylon shall dwell ziyyim 1 and 'iyyim 3 and the offspring of owls... As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors..., no son of man shall dwell in it. (Jeremiah 50:39-40)

It is apparent from this that a prison for every foul spirit, and a prison for every unclean and loathsome bird, means symbolically that the evils willed and so done by the people in those hells, and the falsities entertained in thought and consequent intention, are diabolical, because the people have turned away from the Lord to themselves.

[2] It is apparent from the Word that birds symbolize such things as have to do with the intellect and thought and consequent intention, and this in both senses, bad and good. They are found in a bad sense in the following passages there:

In the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice... (At length) on the bird of abominations shall be desolation. Even until the consummation... there shall rain down devastation. (Daniel 9:27)

The pelican and the bittern shall possess (the land). The screech owl and the raven shall dwell in it. (Isaiah 34:11)

Nothing else than hellish falsities are symbolized by 'ochim, 2 ziyyim, 1 the offspring of owls, and dragons in the passages cited above, as also by the birds that came down on the carcasses which Abram drove away (Genesis 15:11), by the birds which were given human corpses for food (Jeremiah 7:33; 15:3; 16:4; 19:7; 34:20; Ezekiel 29:5; Psalms 79:1-2).

[3] Birds are found in a good sense in the following passages:

Creeping thing and bird... shall praise the name of Jehovah. (Psalms 148:10, 13)

In that day I will make a covenant for them... with the birds of the sky, and the creeping things of the ground. (Hosea 2:18)

...ask the beasts, and they will teach you, and the birds of the sky, and they will tell you... Who among all these does not know that the hand of Jehovah does this? (Job 12:7-9)

I looked, when behold, there was no man; all the birds of the sky had flown away. (Jeremiah 4:24-26)

Both the birds of the sky and the beasts have fled away..., (because) I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a den of dragons. (Jeremiah 9:10-11)

There is no truth, no mercy, no knowledge of God... Therefore the land will mourn... as regards the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky. (Hosea 4:1, 3)

I am God... calling a bird from the east, a man of My counsel from a far country. (Isaiah 46:9, 11)

Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon... In its branches all the birds of the sky made their nests..., and in its shade all great nations dwelled. (Ezekiel 31:3, 6)

[4] Similar statements to that made of Assyria as a cedar here are found elsewhere, as in Ezekiel 17:23, Daniel 4:10-14, 20-21, Mark 4:32, Luke 13:19.

Speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field: ."..come... to... a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel...." (Thus) I will set My glory among the nations. (Ezekiel 39:17, 21, cf. Revelation 19:17)

And so on regarding birds elsewhere, as in Isaiah 18:1, 6; Ezekiel 38:20; Hosea 9:11; 11:10-11.

That birds symbolize such things as have to do with the intellect and its consequent thought and intention is clearly apparent from birds in the spiritual world. There, too, one sees birds of every kind and every species - in heaven very beautiful ones, birds of paradise, turtle doves, and doves - in hell dragons, screech owls, eagle owls, and others of that kind - all of which are objective representations of thoughts springing from good affections in heaven, and of thoughts springing from evil affections in hell.

Footnotes:

1. A Hebrew word (צִיִּים), appearing six times in the Old Testament (Psalms 72:9; 74:14). It seems to refer to desert dwellers, and in contexts suggesting animals, to desert creatures, but the actual identity is unknown. It may not be a precise term.

2. Another Hebrew word (אֹחִים), appearing only once in the Old Testament (Isaiah 13:21:4 identifies them as birds of the night.

3. Another Hebrew word (אִיִּים), appearing only three times in the Old Testament (Isaiah 13:22; 34:14

  
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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.