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

 

Arcana Coelestia #4728

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4728. 'And let us throw him into one of the pits' means among falsities. This is clear from the meaning of 'pits' as falsities. The reason 'pits' means falsities is that people who are immersed in false assumptions are kept for a considerable time after death beneath the lower earth, until falsities have been removed from them and so to speak cast away to the sidelines. The places situated there are called pits. Those who go there are people who have to undergo vastation, dealt with in 1106-1113, 2699, 2701, 2704. 1 This is why by 'pits' in the abstract sense falsities are meant. The lower earth is directly below the feet, and is a region that does not extend to any great distance all around. There the majority stay after death before being raised up into heaven. Mention is also made of this lower earth in various places in the Word. Below it are places where vastation takes place, and they are called pits. Beneath these places and extending to quite a distance all around are the hells.

[2] From this one may have some idea of what is meant by hell, the lower earth, or the pit, when these are mentioned in the Word, as in Isaiah,

You have been sent down to hell, to the sides of the pit; you are cast out from your sepulchre like an abominable branch, a garment of the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit. Isaiah 14:15, 19.

This refers to the king of Babel, who represents the profanation of truth, for 'a king' represents truth, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, and 'Babel' profanation, 1182, 1326. 'Hell' is the place where the condemned are, and their state of condemnation is compared to 'an abominable branch' and 'a garment of the slain and of those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit'. 'A garment of the slain' means truth that has been made profane; 'those pierced by the sword' means people among whom truth has been annihilated; 'the pit' means falsity that is to be laid waste, 'stones' the limits of that falsity, which are also therefore called 'the sides', for surrounding the pits there are the hells. 'A garment' means truth, 2576, and therefore 'a garment of the slain' means truth that has been made profane, for 'the blood' with which it has been stained means that which has been made profane, 1003. 'Those pierced by the sword' means those among whom truth has been annihilated, 4503. From all this it is also evident that without the internal sense one cannot by any means know what these things mean.

[3] In Ezekiel,

When I cause you to go down with those going down to the pit, to the people of old, and I cause you to dwell in the land of the lower ones, in the desolations from of old, so that you do not dwell with those going down to the pit, I will give beauty in the land of the living. Ezekiel 26:20.

'Those going down to the pit' stands for those who are made to undergo vastation. 'Not dwelling with those who go down to the pit' stands for being delivered from falsities.

[4] In the same prophet,

That none of all the trees by the waters may become arrogant because of their height nor send their trunk up among entangled boughs, and that none of all [the trees] that drink water may reach above them because of their height - all will be given over to death, to the lower earth in the midst of the sons of men, to those going down to the pit. At the sound of its crashing down I will make the nations tremble, when I cause him to go down into hell with those going down to the pit. And all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the most excellent of Lebanon, all those drinking water, will comfort themselves on the lower earth. Ezekiel 31:14, 16.

This refers to Egypt, meaning knowledge, which enters by itself into the mysteries of faith, that is, people who enter into them, 1164, 1165, 1186. What has been stated above makes plain the meaning of hell, the pit, and the lower earth mentioned at this point in the prophet. Nor from anywhere else than the internal sense can anyone see what is meant by 'the trees by the waters', 'the trees of Eden', 'the trunk sent up among entangled boughs', 'the choicest and the most excellent of Lebanon', and 'those drinking water'.

[5] In the same prophet,

Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and cause it and the daughters of magnificent nations to go down to the lower earth. with those going down into the pit. Asshur is there to whom graves have been given in the sides of the pit, all of them slain with the sword. Ezekiel 32:18, 22-23.

What these words mean may be seen from the explanations given above. In David,

Jehovah, You have caused my soul to come up out of hell; You have caused me to live, out of those going down to the pit. Psalms 30:3.

In the same author,

I have been reckoned with them going down to the pit; I have become as a man with no strength. You have put me in the pit of the lower ones, in darkness, in the depths. Psalms 88:4, 6.

In Jonah,

I had gone down to the bottoms of the mountains; the bars of the land were upon me for ever. Nonetheless You brought up my life from the pit. Jonah 2:6.

This refers to the Lord's temptations, and to deliverance from them. 'The bottoms of the mountains' means where the most condemned are, for the gloomy dark clouds which seemingly surround them are mountains.

[6] As regards 'the pit' meaning falsity laid waste, and in the abstract sense falsity itself, this is clear in addition in Isaiah,

They will be gathered together, in a gathering as the bound for the pit, and they will be shut up in the dungeon; but after a multitude of days they will be visited. Isaiah 24:22.

In the same prophet,

Where is the anger of the oppressor? He that leads out will hasten to open, and he will not die at the pit; nor will bread fail. Isaiah 51:13-14.

In Ezekiel,

Behold, I am bringing strangers upon you, the violent of the nations, who will draw their swords against the loveliness of your wisdom, and they will profane your splendour. They will bring you down into the pit, and you will die the deaths of those slain in the heart of the seas. Ezekiel 28:7-8.

This refers to the prince of Tyre, who means people under the influence of false assumptions.

[7] In Zechariah,

Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion! Make a noise, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you, just, meek, and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the young of she-asses. Through the blood of the covenant I will let out your bound ones from the pit in which there is no water. Zechariah 9:9, 11.

'The pit in which there is no water' stands for falsity that has no truth at all within it, as also in verse 24 below where it is said that they cast Joseph into the pit and the pit was empty, having no water in it. In David,

To You, O Jehovah, do I call; my rock, do not be silent to me, lest if You are silent to me I seem like those going down into the pit. Psalms 28:1.

In the same author,

Jehovah caused me to come up out of the pit of VASTATION, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock. Psalms 40:2.

[8] In the same author,

Do not let the flow of waters rush over me, nor the deep swallow me up, nor the pit close its mouth over me. Psalms 69:15.

In the same author,

He sent His word and healed them, and rescued them from their pits. Psalms 107:20.

'From pits' stands for from falsities. In the same author,

Make haste, answer me, O Jehovah. My spirit is consumed. Do not hide Your face from me, lest I become like those going down into the pit. Psalms 143:7.

Because 'a pit' means falsity, and 'the blind' those who are immersed in falsities, 2383, the Lord therefore says,

Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind. For if the blind leads the blind both will fall into a pit. Matthew 15:13, 14; Luke 6:39.

Something similar to what was represented by Joseph was also represented by the prophet Jeremiah, who describes what happened to him as follows,

They took Jeremiah and cast him into the pit which was in the court of the guard, and let Jeremiah down by ropes into the pit where there was no water. Jeremiah 38:6.

That is, they cast Divine Truths away among falsities that had no truth at all within them.

Footnotes:

1. The Latin has 2711, 2714, but 2701, 2704 seem to be intended

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2699

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2699. 'For I will make him into a great nation' means the spiritual Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'a great nation' as the spiritual Church which was to receive the good of faith, dealt with above in 2669. The expression 'a great nation' is used because the spiritual kingdom is the Lord's second kingdom, also dealt with in that same paragraph. As the member of the spiritual Church is represented by Ishmael, so also is the spiritual Church itself represented by him, as well as the Lord's spiritual kingdom in heaven; for the image and likeness of the one exists in the other. The first state following desolation was described in the previous verse, which was a state of comfort and of the hope of help. Their second state following desolation is described in the present verse, which is a state of enlightenment and of renewal resulting from this enlightenment.

[2] Since these states are unknown in the world, for the reason mentioned previously that few at the present day are being regenerated, let the nature of this state be described as it is experienced by those who are being regenerated in the next life, where that state is very well known. After being comforted with the hope of help, those in the next life who have experienced vastation or desolation are raised up by the Lord into heaven, thus from a state of shade, which is a state of ignorance, into a state of light, which is a state of enlightenment and of resulting renewal, and so into joy which stirs their inmost feelings. It is indeed light into which they enter, of such a nature that it enables them to see not only with their eyes but also at the same time with their understanding. How much this light renews them may become clear from the contrary state from which they have been released. At that time some who have had a childlike disposition and whose faith has been simple appear to themselves in dazzling white garments. Some appear wearing crowns. Some are taken round to many angelic communities and are everywhere received charitably as brothers; and therefore all good that is gratifying to their new life is offered to them. Some are allowed to observe the vastness of heaven, that is, of the Lord's kingdom, and at the same time to discern the blessedness of those who are there, in addition to countless other things there which defy description. Such is the state of initial enlightenment, and of the feeling of renewal resulting from this, of all who come out of desolation.

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