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Ezekiel 32

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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 δωδέκατος-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 λαμβάνω-VB--AAD2S θρῆνος-N2--ASM ἐπί-P *φαραώ-N---ASM βασιλεύς-N3V-ASM *αἴγυπτος-N2--GSF καί-C εἶπον-VF2-FAI2S αὐτός- D--DSM λέων-N3--DSM ἔθνος-N3E-GPN ὁμοιόω-VCI-API2S καί-C σύ- P--NS ὡς-C δράκων-N3--NSM ὁ- A--NSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF θάλασσα-N1S-DSF καί-C κερατίζω-V1I-IAI2S ὁ- A--DPM ποταμός-N2--DPM σύ- P--GS καί-C ταράσσω-V1I-IAI2S ὕδωρ-N3--ASN ὁ- A--DPM πούς-N3D-DPM σύ- P--GS καί-C καταπατέω-V2I-IAI2S ὁ- A--APM ποταμός-N2--APM σύ- P--GS

3 ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM καί-C περιβάλλω-VF2-FAI1S ἐπί-P σύ- P--AS δίκτυον-N2N-APN λαός-N2--GPM πολύς-A1--GPM καί-C ἀναἄγω-VF--FAI1S σύ- P--AS ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ἄγκιστρον-N2N-DSN ἐγώ- P--GS

4 καί-C ἐκτείνω-VF2-FAI1S σύ- P--AS ἐπί-P ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF πεδίον-N2N-APN πίμπλημι-VS--FPI3S σύ- P--GS καί-C ἐπι καταἵζω-VF2-FAI1S ἐπί-P σύ- P--AS πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN πετεινόν-N2N-APN ὁ- A--GSM οὐρανός-N2--GSM καί-C ἐνπίμπλημι-VF--FAI1S ἐκ-P σύ- P--GS πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN θηρίον-N2N-APN πᾶς-A1S-GSF ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF

5 καί-C δίδωμι-VF--FAI1S ὁ- A--APF σάρξ-N3K-APF σύ- P--GS ἐπί-P ὁ- A--APN ὄρος-N3E-APN καί-C ἐνπίμπλημι-VF--FAI1S ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GSN αἷμα-N3M-GSN σύ- P--GS

6 καί-C ποτίζω-VC--FPI3S ὁ- A--NSF γῆ-N1--NSF ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GPN προχώρημα-N3M-GPN σύ- P--GS ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GSN πλῆθος-N3E-GSN σύ- P--GS ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GPN ὄρος-N3E-GPN φάραγξ-N3G-APF ἐνπίμπλημι-VF--FAI1S ἀπό-P σύ- P--GS

7 καί-C κατακαλύπτω-VF--FAI1S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN σβέννυμι-VC--APN σύ- P--AS οὐρανός-N2--ASM καί-C συνσκοτάζω-VF--FAI1S ὁ- A--APN ἄστρον-N2N-APN αὐτός- D--GSM ἥλιος-N2--ASM ἐν-P νεφέλη-N1--DSF καλύπτω-VF--FAI1S καί-C σελήνη-N1--NSF οὐ-D μή-D φαίνω-VD--APS3S ὁ- A--ASN φῶς-N3T-ASN αὐτός- D--GSF

8 πᾶς-A3--NPN ὁ- A--NPN φαίνω-V1--PAPNPN φῶς-N3T-NSN ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM οὐρανός-N2--DSM συνσκοτάζω-VF--FAI3P ἐπί-P σύ- P--AS καί-C δίδωμι-VF--FAI1S σκότος-N3E-ASN ἐπί-P ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF σύ- P--GS λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM

9 καί-C παραὀργίζω-VF2-FAI1S καρδία-N1A-ASF λαός-N2--GPM πολύς-A1--GPM ἡνίκα-D ἄν-X ἄγω-V1--PAI1S αἰχμαλωσία-N1A-ASF σύ- P--GS εἰς-P ὁ- A--APN ἔθνος-N3E-APN εἰς-P γῆ-N1--ASF ὅς- --ASF οὐ-D γιγνώσκω-VZI-AAI2S

10 καί-C στυγνάζω-VF--FAI3P ἐπί-P σύ- P--AS ἔθνος-N3E-NPN πολύς-A1--NPN καί-C ὁ- A--NPM βασιλεύς-N3V-NPM αὐτός- D--GPM ἔκστασις-N3I-DSF ἐκἵστημι-VF--FMI3P ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN πέτομαι-V5--PMN ὁ- A--ASF ῥομφαία-N1A-ASF ἐγώ- P--GS ἐπί-P πρόσωπον-N2N-APN αὐτός- D--GPM προςδέχομαι-V1--PMPNPM ὁ- A--ASF πτῶσις-N3I-ASF αὐτός- D--GPM ἀπό-P ἡμέρα-N1A-GSF πτῶσις-N3I-GSF σύ- P--GS

11 ὅτι-C ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM ῥομφαία-N1A-NSF βασιλεύς-N3V-GSM *βαβυλών-N3W-GSF ἥκω-VF--FAI3S σύ- P--DS

12 ἐν-P μάχαιρα-N1--DPF γίγας-N3--GPM καί-C καταβάλλω-VF2-FAI1S ὁ- A--ASF ἰσχύς-N3--ASF σύ- P--GS λοιμός-N2--NPM ἀπό-P ἔθνος-N3E-GPN πᾶς-A3--NPM καί-C ἀποὀλλύω-VF2-FAI3P ὁ- A--ASF ὕβρις-N3I-ASF *αἴγυπτος-N2--GSF καί-C συντρίβω-VD--FPI3S πᾶς-A1S-NSF ὁ- A--NSF ἰσχύς-N3--NSF αὐτός- D--GSF

13 καί-C ἀποὀλλύω-VF2-FAI1S πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN κτῆνος-N3E-APN αὐτός- D--GSF ἀπό-P ὕδωρ-N3T-GSN πολύς-A1--GSN καί-C οὐ-D μή-D ταράσσω-VA--AAS3S αὐτός- D--ASN ἔτι-D πούς-N3D-NSM ἄνθρωπος-N2--GSM καί-C ἴχνος-N3E-NSN κτῆνος-N3E-GPN οὐ-D μή-D καταπατέω-VA--AAS3S αὐτός- D--ASN

14 οὕτως-D τότε-D ἡσυχάζω-VF--FAI3S ὁ- A--NPN ὕδωρ-N3T-NPN αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ὁ- A--NPM ποταμός-N2--NPM αὐτός- D--GPM ὡς-C ἔλαιον-N2N-NSN πορεύομαι-VF--FMI3P λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM

15 ὅταν-D δίδωμι-VO--AAS1S *αἴγυπτος-N2--ASF εἰς-P ἀπώλεια-N1A-ASF καί-C ἐρημόω-VC--APS3S ὁ- A--NSF γῆ-N1--NSF σύν-P ὁ- A--DSF πλήρωσις-N3I-DSF αὐτός- D--GSF ὅταν-D διασπείρω-VA--AAS1S πᾶς-A3--APM ὁ- A--APM καταοἰκέω-V2--PAPAPM ἐν-P αὐτός- D--DSF καί-C γιγνώσκω-VF--FMI3P ὅτι-C ἐγώ- P--NS εἰμί-V9--PAI1S κύριος-N2--NSM

16 θρῆνος-N2--NSM εἰμί-V9--PAI3S καί-C θρηνέω-VF--FAI2S αὐτός- D--ASM καί-C ὁ- A--NPF θυγάτηρ-N3--NPF ὁ- A--GPN ἔθνος-N3E-GPN θρηνέω-VF--FAI3P αὐτός- D--ASM ἐπί-P *αἴγυπτος-N2--ASF καί-C ἐπί-P πᾶς-A1S-ASF ὁ- A--ASF ἰσχύς-N3--ASF αὐτός- D--GSF θρηνέω-VF--FAI3P αὐτός- D--ASF λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM

17 καί-C γίγνομαι-VCI-API3S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN δωδέκατος-A1--DSN ἔτος-N3E-DSN ὁ- A--GSM πρῶτος-A1--GSMS μήν-N3--GSM πεντεκαιδέκατος-A1--DSF ὁ- A--GSM μήν-N3--GSM γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S λόγος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--GSM πρός-P ἐγώ- P--AS λέγω-V1--PAPNSM

18 υἱός-N2--VSM ἄνθρωπος-N2--GSM θρηνέω-VA--AAD2S ἐπί-P ὁ- A--ASF ἰσχύς-N3--ASF *αἴγυπτος-N2--GSF καί-C καταβιβάζω-VF--FAI3P αὐτός- D--GSF ὁ- A--APF θυγάτηρ-N3--APF ὁ- A--APN ἔθνος-N3E-APN νεκρός-A1A-APF εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASN βάθος-N3E-ASN ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF πρός-P ὁ- A--APM καταβαίνω-V1--PAPAPM εἰς-P βόθρος-N2--ASM

20 ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM τραυματίας-N1T-GPM μάχαιρα-N1--APF πίπτω-VF2-FMI3P μετά-P αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C κοιμάω-VC--FPI3S πᾶς-A1S-NSF ὁ- A--NSF ἰσχύς-N3--NSF αὐτός- D--GSM

21 καί-C εἶπον-VF2-FAI3P σύ- P--DS ὁ- A--NPM γίγας-N3--NPM ἐν-P βαθύς-A3U-DSM βόθρος-N2--GSM γίγνομαι-V1--PMD2S τίς- I--GSN κρείσσων-A3C-NSM εἰμί-V9--PAI2S καταβαίνω-VC--APD2S καί-C κοιμάω-VC--APD2S μετά-P ἀπερίτμητος-A1B-GPM ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM τραυματίας-N1T-GPM μάχαιρα-N1--APF

22 ἐκεῖ-D *ασσουρ-N---NS καί-C πᾶς-A1S-NSF ὁ- A--NSF συναγωγή-N1--NSF αὐτός- D--GSM πᾶς-A3--NPM τραυματίας-N1T-NPM ἐκεῖ-D δίδωμι-VCI-API3P καί-C ὁ- A--NSF ταφή-N1--NSF αὐτός- D--GPM ἐν-P βαθύς-A3U-DSM βόθρος-N2--GSM καί-C γίγνομαι-VCI-API3S ὁ- A--NSF συναγωγή-N1--NSF αὐτός- D--GSM περικύκλῳ-D ὁ- A--GSN μνῆμα-N3M-GSN αὐτός- D--GSM πᾶς-A3--NPM ὁ- A--NPM τραυματίας-N1T-NPM ὁ- A--NPM πίπτω-VX--XAPNPM μάχαιρα-N1A-DSF

23 ὁ- A--NPM δίδωμι-VO--AAPNPM ὁ- A--ASM φόβος-N2--ASM αὐτός- D--GPM ἐπί-P γῆ-N1--GSF ζωή-N1--GSF

24 ἐκεῖ-D αιλαμ-N---NSN καί-C πᾶς-A1S-NSF ὁ- A--NSF δύναμις-N3I-NSF αὐτός- D--GSM περικύκλῳ-D ὁ- A--GSN μνῆμα-N3M-GSN αὐτός- D--GSM πᾶς-A3--NPM ὁ- A--NPM τραυματίας-N1T-NPM ὁ- A--NPM πίπτω-VX--XAPNPM μάχαιρα-N1A-DSF καί-C ὁ- A--NPM καταβαίνω-V1--PAPNPM ἀπερίτμητος-A1B-NPM εἰς-P γῆ-N1--GSF βάθος-N3E-ASN ὁ- A--NPM δίδωμι-VX--XAPNPM αὐτός- D--GPM φόβος-N2--ASM ἐπί-P γῆ-N1--GSF ζωή-N1--GSF καί-C λαμβάνω-VBI-AAI3P ὁ- A--ASF βάσανος-N2--ASF αὐτός- D--GPM μετά-P ὁ- A--GPM καταβαίνω-V1--PAPGPM εἰς-P βόθρος-N2--ASM

25 ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM τραυματίας-N1T-GPM

26 ἐκεῖ-D δίδωμι-VCI-API3P *μοσοχ-N---NS καί-C *θοβελ-N---NS καί-C πᾶς-A1S-NSF ὁ- A--NSF ἰσχύς-N3--NSF αὐτός- D--GPM περικύκλῳ-D ὁ- A--GSN μνῆμα-N3M-GSN αὐτός- D--GSM πᾶς-A3--NPM τραυματίας-N1T-NPM αὐτός- D--GSM πᾶς-A3--NPM ἀπερίτμητος-A1B-NPM τραυματίας-N1T-NPM ἀπό-P μάχαιρα-N1--APF ὁ- A--NPM δίδωμι-VX--XAPNPM ὁ- A--ASM φόβος-N2--ASM αὐτός- D--GPM ἐπί-P γῆ-N1--GSF ζωή-N1--GSF

27 καί-C κοιμάω-VCI-API3P μετά-P ὁ- A--GPM γίγας-N3--GPM ὁ- A--GPM πίπτω-VX--XAPGPM ἀπό-P αἰών-N3W-GSM ὅς- --NPM καταβαίνω-VZI-AAI3P εἰς-P ᾅδης-N1M-GSM ἐν-P ὅπλον-N2N-DPN πολεμικός-A1--DPN καί-C τίθημι-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--APF μάχαιρα-N1--APF αὐτός- D--GPM ὑπό-P ὁ- A--APF κεφαλή-N1--APF αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C γίγνομαι-VCI-API3P ὁ- A--NPF ἀνομία-N1A-NPF αὐτός- D--GPM ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GPN ὀστέον-N2N-GPN αὐτός- D--GPM ὅτι-C ἐκφοβέω-VAI-AAI3P γίγας-N3--APM ἐν-P γῆ-N1--DSF ζωή-N1--GSF

28 καί-C σύ- P--NS ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM ἀπερίτμητος-A1B-GPM κοιμάω-VC--FPI2S μετά-P τραυματίζω-VT--XPPGPM μάχαιρα-N1A-DSF

29 ἐκεῖ-D δίδωμι-VCI-API3P ὁ- A--NPM ἄρχων-N3--NPM *ασσουρ-N---GS ὁ- A--NPM δίδωμι-VO--AAPNPM ὁ- A--ASF ἰσχύς-N3--ASF αὐτός- D--GSM εἰς-P τραῦμα-N3M-ASN μάχαιρα-N1--APF οὗτος- D--NPM μετά-P τραυματίας-N1T-GPM κοιμάω-VCI-API3P μετά-P καταβαίνω-V1--PAPGPM εἰς-P βόθρος-N2--ASM

30 ἐκεῖ-D ὁ- A--NPM ἄρχων-N3--NPM ὁ- A--GSM βορέας-N1T-GSM πᾶς-A3--NPM στρατηγός-N2--NPM *ασσουρ-N---GS ὁ- A--NPM καταβαίνω-V1--PAPNPM τραυματίας-N1T-NPM σύν-P ὁ- A--DSM φόβος-N2--DSM αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ὁ- A--DSF ἰσχύς-N3U-DSF αὐτός- D--GPM κοιμάω-VCI-API3P ἀπερίτμητος-A1B-NPM μετά-P τραυματίας-N1T-GPM μάχαιρα-N1--APF καί-C ἀποφέρω-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--ASF βάσανος-N2--ASF αὐτός- D--GPM μετά-P ὁ- A--GPM καταβαίνω-V1--PAPGPM εἰς-P βόθρος-N2--ASM

31 ἐκεῖνος- D--APM ὁράω-VF--FMI3S βασιλεύς-N3V-NSM *φαραώ-N---NSM καί-C παρακαλέω-VC--FPI3S ἐπί-P πᾶς-A1S-ASF ὁ- A--ASF ἰσχύς-N3--ASF αὐτός- D--GPM λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM

32 ὅτι-C δίδωμι-VX--XAI1S ὁ- A--ASM φόβος-N2--ASM αὐτός- D--GSM ἐπί-P γῆ-N1--GSF ζωή-N1--GSF καί-C κοιμάω-VC--FPI3S ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM ἀπερίτμητος-A1B-GPM μετά-P τραυματίας-N1T-GPM μάχαιρα-N1--APF *φαραώ-N---NSM καί-C πᾶς-A3--NSN ὁ- A--NSN πλῆθος-N3E-NSN αὐτός- D--GSM λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #131

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131. These things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword. That this signifies the Lord who alone fights in temptations, is evident from the signification of a sword, as being truth fighting against falsity, and, in an opposite sense, falsity fighting against truth. It is called sharp, and two-edged, because it cuts on both sides. Because this is signified by sword, therefore it also signifies dispersion of falsities, and also temptation. That it signifies dispersion of falsities, may be seen above (n. 73). That it signifies temptation is because, in what is written to the angels of this church, temptations are treated of, and also because temptation is a combat of truth against falsity, and of falsity against truth. (That spiritual temptation is such combat, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 187-201.) The reason why by these things saith he that hath the sharp two-edged sword, is meant the Lord as alone fighting in temptations is, that, in the preceding chapter, ver. 16, it is said that out of the mouth of the Son of man was seen going forth a sharp two-edged sword; and by the Son of man is meant the Lord as to Divine truth, as may be seen above, n. 63. (That the Lord alone fights in temptations, and not man at all, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, 195-200.) The reason why by a sword is signified the combat of truth against falsity, and of falsity against truth, is, that by wars in the Word, are signified spiritual wars; and spiritual wars are those that take place between truths and falsities. And because wars in the Word have such a signification, therefore also all the arms used in war, as a sword, a spear, a bow, darts, a shield, and many others, signify specifically something pertaining to spiritual combat, especially the sword, because in wars they formerly fought with swords. (That wars signify spiritual combats may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 1659, 1664, 8295, 10455; and that hence, particular arms of war signify what belongs to spiritual combat, may be seen, n. 1788, 2686.)

[2] That a sword in the Word signifies truth combating against falsity, and falsity against truth, and hence the dispersion of falsities, and also spiritual temptation, is evident from many passages, of which we will adduce a few only by way of confirmation. Thus in Matthew:

Jesus said, that he was not come to send peace upon earth, but a sword (10:34);

where, by sword is meant the combat of temptation; the reason it is so said, was, that men at that time were immersed in falsities, and the Lord revealed interior truths; and falsities cannot be cast forth except by combats from those truths.

[3] In Luke:

Jesus said to the disciples "Now he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise a scrip; and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one" (22:35-38).

By a purse and scrip are signified spiritual knowledges (cognitiones), thus truths; by garments are signified things proper to themselves; and by a sword is signified combat.

[4] Again in Jeremiah:

"O sword, against the Chaldeans, and against the inhabitants of Babylon, and against her princes, and against her wise men. O sword, against liars that they may become foolish; O sword, against her mighty men that they may be dismayed; O sword, against her horses and against her chariots; O sword, against her treasures that they may be spoiled; a drought upon her waters, that they may be dried up" (50:35-38).

By sword is here signified the dispersion and vastation of truth by each of those against whom it is denounced, as by the Chaldeans, the inhabitants of Babylon, the princes and wise men thereof, liars, mighty men, horses, chariots and treasures, are signified the persons or things that will be vastated; as by horses are signified intellectual things; by chariots, doctrinals; and by treasures, knowledges (cognitiones); hence it is said a drought is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up; for waters signify the truths of the church, and a drought by which they are dried up, signifies vastation. (That drought and drying up denote where there is no truth, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 8185; that waters denote the truths of the church, may be seen above, n. 71; that treasure denotes knowledges, n. 1694, 4508, 10227; that horses denote intellectual things and chariots doctrinals, may be seen in the small work, The White Horse 2-5.)

[5] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah shall contend, and by his sword with all flesh, and the slain of Jehovah shall be multiplied" (66:16).

In Jeremiah:

"Upon all the hills in the desert the spoilers have come, because the sword of Jehovah devoureth from the end of the earth even to the end of the earth" (12:12).

In Ezekiel:

"Prophesy, and say, a sword well sharpened, and also well polished; it is sharpened to slay a slaughter, it is polished to glitter; the sword shall be repeated the third time; the sword of the slain, the sword of great slaughter penetrating into the secret chambers, that the heart may faint, and offences may be multiplied; against all their gates will I set the point of the sword; ah! it has become lightning" (21:9, 10, 14, 15, 28).

In Isaiah:

"Bring waters to meet him that is thirsty, with bread prevent him that wandereth; for before the sword shall they wander, before the drawn sword, and before the bended bow, and for the grievousness of war" (21:14, 15).

In Ezekiel:

"They shall quake with fear when I shall brandish my sword before their faces, that they may tremble every moment, a man for his own soul; by the swords of the mighty casting down the multitude of them" (32:10-12).

In David:

"The saints will be joyful in glory; they will sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand" (Psalms 149:5, 6).

In the same:

"Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty. In thy honour ascend thy chariot, ride on the Word of truth; thy right hand shall teach thee wonderful things. Thine arrows are sharp" (Psalms 45:3-5).

And in the Apocalypse:

"And there was given to him sitting on the red horse a great sword" (6:4).

And in another place:

"And out of the mouth of him sitting upon the white horse goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse" (19:15, 21).

By sword in the above passages is signified truth combating and destroying; this destruction is especially evident in the spiritual world, where those who are in falsities cannot sustain the truth. They are in a state of anguish, as if struggling with death when they come into the sphere of light, that is, where Divine truth is, and also they are thus deprived of truths, and vastated.

[6] As most expressions in the Word have also an opposite sense, so also has sword, and in that sense it signifies falsity combating against truth and destroying it. The vastations of the church, which take place when there are no longer any truths, but only falsities, are described in the Word by a sword, as in the following passages:

"They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive among all nations; at length Jerusalem shall be trodden down of" all "nations, until the times of the nations shall be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24).

The consummation of the age, here treated of, is the last time of the church, when falsities shall prevail. To fall by the edge of the sword, denotes that truths would be destroyed by falsity; nations denote evils; by Jerusalem is signified the church.

[7] In Isaiah:

"I will make a man more rare than fine gold. Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is gathered together shall fall by the sword" (13:12, 15).

By the man who is rare, is denoted those who are in truths; to be thrust through and to fall by the sword, denotes to be consumed by falsities.

[8] In the same:

"In that day they shall cast away every man the idols of his silver, and the idols of his gold, which your own hands have made unto you. Then shall Asshur fall by the sword, not of a man (vir) and the sword, not of a man (homo), shall devour him; but he who fleeth before the sword, his young men shall be for tribute" (31:7, 8).

The idols which their hands have made denote falsities from their own intelligence; by Asshur is denoted the Rational by which this is effected. To fall by the sword, not of a man (vir), and not of a man (homo), denotes not to be destroyed by any combat of truth against falsity. By he who fleeth before the sword, his young men shall be for tribute, is denoted, that the truth which is not destroyed shall be made subservient to falsities. That this is the meaning of those words is not evident in the sense of the letter; it is therefore evident how far removed is the spiritual sense from the sense of the letter.

[9] In Jeremiah:

"I have smitten your sons in vain; and they received not correction; your own sword hath devoured your prophets" (2:30).

In the same:

"Behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine. By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword; and if I enter into the city, then behold the sicknesses of famine" (14:13-18).

Both these passages treat of the vastation of the church as to truth: by prophets are meant those who teach truths, and by the sword which consumes them, falsity combating and destroying. By field is signified the church; by city doctrine; the slain with the sword in the field, denote those in the church with whom truths are destroyed; by the sicknesses of famine in the city is signified a defect of all truth in doctrine.

[10] In the same:

"They have denied Jehovah, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us: neither shall we see sword and famine" (5:12).

In the same:

"The young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine" (11:22).

By young men are signified those who are in truths, and, in the abstract, truths themselves; to die by the sword is to be destroyed by falsities; sons and daughters signify the knowledges of truth and good; by famine is meant a defect of them.

[11] In Lamentations:

"We get our bread with the peril of our souls, because of the sword of the wilderness" (5:9).

By wilderness is meant where there is no good because no truth; by the sword thereof, the destruction of truth; bread denotes good, which is obtained with the peril of the soul because all good is implanted in man by truth.

[12] In Ezekiel:

"The sword without, and the pestilence and famine within; he that is in the field shall die by the sword, and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him" (7:15).

By sword is here meant the destruction of truth; by pestilence, consequent extinction; and famine signifies a complete defect. The signification is similar in other places; as in Jeremiah (21:7; 29:17, 18; 34:17).

[13] In Zechariah:

"Woe to the shepherd of nought deserting the flock, a sword upon his arm, and upon his right eye; his arm in drying up shall dry up, and his right eye in darkening shall be darkened" (11:17).

A sword upon the arm denotes the destruction of the Voluntary as to good; by a sword upon the right eye is signified the destruction of the Intellectual as to truth; that all good and all truth would perish, is signified by its being said, that the arm in drying up shall dry up, and the right eye in darkening shall be darkened.

[14] In Isaiah:

"Thus shall ye say unto your master, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard, wherewith the servants of the king of Asshur have blasphemed Jehovah. Behold, I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. And Sennacherib the king of Asshur returned; and it came to pass, when he bowed himself in the house of Nisroch his god, his two sons smote him with the sword" (37:6, 7, 37, 38).

Because it is the Rational that acknowledges and that denies the Divine, and when it denies it seizes eagerly on every falsity instead of truth, and thus perishes, therefore this representative came to pass, that is, that the king of Asshur, because he blasphemed Jehovah, was smitten with the sword by his sons, in the house of Nisroch his god. Asshur signifies the Rational in both senses (see Arcana Coelestia 119, 1186); the sons of that king signify falsities, and the sword signifies destruction by them. So also, in Moses, it was commanded that the city which worshipped other gods should be smitten with the sword, and burned with fire (Deuteronomy 13:12, 13, 15, 16).

[15] This statute was made, because at that time all things were representative; to worship other gods is to worship from falsities; to be smitten with the sword is to perish by falsity; and to be burned with fire is to perish by the evil of falsity.

[16] In the same:

"Whosoever toucheth one that is slain with the sword in the field shall be unclean" (Numbers 19:16, 18, 19).

The slain in the field with the sword, represented those within the church who destroyed the truths which they had; by field is meant the church.

[17] That sword signifies falsities destroying truth is clear in David:

"The sons of men are inflamed; their teeth are as spears and darts, and their tongue a sharp sword" (Psalms 57:4).

"Behold, they belch out with their mouth, swords are in their lips" (Psalms 59:7).

Working iniquity "they whet their tongue like a sword; they make ready their bow with bitter words" (Psalms 64:3).

From these considerations it is clear what is signified by the words of the Lord to Peter:

"All they that take the sword shall perish by the sword" (Matthew 26:51, 52);

that is, those who believe falsities will perish by them.

[18] From these things it is now clear what is signified in the Word by sword in both senses. The reason why such things are signified by it, is also from appearances in the spiritual world. When spiritual combats take place there, which are combats of truth against falsity, and of falsity against truth, various weapons of war are seen there, as swords, spears, shields, and similar things; not that these combats are carried on by such things, for they are appearances only, representative of spiritual combats. When falsities fight keenly against truths, sometimes the glitter or sheen of a sword waving itself on both sides, and striking with great terror, is seen, by which those are dispersed who fight from falsities.

[19] From this it is clear what is meant by these words in Ezekiel:

"They shall be horribly afraid when I shall brandish my sword before their faces, that they may tremble at every moment for their own soul" (Ezekiel 32:10, 11, 12).

In the same:

"Prophesy, and say, a sword has been sharpened, and also well polished, that it may shine, that the heart may faint, ah! it has become lightning" (Ezekiel 21:9, 10, 15).

The reason why a sword causes such great terror is that iron, of which it is made, signifies truth in ultimates, and glitter and sheen are from the light of heaven, and its shining upon it; the light of heaven is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; Divine truth, thus falling into those who are filled with falsity, strikes terror.

[20] It is therefore clear what is signified when Adam was cast out

By cherubim being placed at the east of Eden, and the flame of a sword turning every way, and brandishing itself to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24).

By the tree of life is signified celestial love, which is love to the Lord; by cherubim a guard; by the flame of a sword turning itself every way, the terrible driving away and rejection of all who are in falsities; the east of Eden denotes where the presence of the Lord is in that celestial love. By those words therefore is signified that all approach to the acknowledgment of the Lord alone is closed to those who do not live a life of love. That by sword is signified falsity is quite clear in Ezekiel, where is thus said of the prince of Tyre:

"They shall unsheath swords upon the beauty of thy wisdom" (28:7).

By the prince of Tyre is here signified intelligence derived from the knowledges (cognitiones) of truth; and because this is extinguished by falsities it is therefore said that they should unsheathe their swords upon wisdom, which could not have been said unless by swords were meant falsities.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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