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Ezekiel 34

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1 καί-C γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S λόγος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--GSM πρός-P ἐγώ- P--AS λέγω-V1--PAPNSM

2 υἱός-N2--VSM ἄνθρωπος-N2--GSM προφητεύω-VA--AAD2S ἐπί-P ὁ- A--APM ποιμήν-N3--APM ὁ- A--GSM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM προφητεύω-VA--AAD2S καί-C εἶπον-VB--AAD2S ὁ- A--DPM ποιμήν-N3--DPM ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM ὦ-I ποιμήν-N3--NPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM μή-D βόσκω-V1--PAI3P ποιμήν-N3--NPM ἑαυτοῦ- D--APM οὐ-D ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN βόσκω-V1--PAI3P ὁ- A--NPM ποιμήν-N3--NPM

3 ἰδού-I ὁ- A--ASN γάλα-N3--ASN καταἐσθίω-V1--PAI2P καί-C ὁ- A--APN ἔριον-N2N-APN περιβάλλω-V1--PMI2P καί-C ὁ- A--ASN παχύς-A3U-ASN σφάζω-V1--PAI2P καί-C ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS οὐ-D βόσκω-V1--PAI2P

4 ὁ- A--ASN ἀσθενέω-VX--XAPASN οὐ-D ἐνἰσχύω-VA--AAI2P καί-C ὁ- A--ASN κακῶς-D ἔχω-V1--PAPASN οὐ-D σωματοποιέω-VAI-AAI2P καί-C ὁ- A--ASN συντρίβω-VP--XPPASN οὐ-D καταδέω-VAI-AAI2P καί-C ὁ- A--ASN πλανάω-V3--PMPASN οὐ-D ἐπιστρέφω-VAI-AAI2P καί-C ὁ- A--ASN ἀποὀλλύω-VX--XAPASN οὐ-D ζητέω-VAI-AAI2P καί-C ὁ- A--ASN ἰσχυρός-A1A-ASN καταἐργάζομαι-VAI-AMI2P μόχθος-N2--DSM

5 καί-C διασπείρω-VDI-API3S ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS διά-P ὁ- A--ASN μή-D εἰμί-V9--PAN ποιμήν-N3--APM καί-C γίγνομαι-VCI-API3S εἰς-P κατάβρωμα-N3M-ASN πᾶς-A3--DPN ὁ- A--DPN θηρίον-N2N-DPN ὁ- A--GSM ἀγρός-N2--GSM

6 καί-C διασπείρω-VDI-API3S ἐγώ- P--GS ὁ- A--NPN πρόβατον-N2N-NPN ἐν-P πᾶς-A3--DSN ὄρος-N3E-DSN καί-C ἐπί-P πᾶς-A3--ASN βουνός-N2--ASM ὑψηλός-A1--ASM καί-C ἐπί-P πρόσωπον-N2N-GSN πᾶς-A1S-GSF ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF διασπείρω-VDI-API3S καί-C οὐ-D εἰμί-V9--IAI3S ὁ- A--NSM ἐκζητέω-V2--PAPNSM οὐδέ-C ὁ- A--NSM ἀποστρέφω-V1--PAPNSM

7 διά-P οὗτος- D--ASN ποιμήν-N3--NPM ἀκούω-VA--AAD2P λόγος-N2--ASM κύριος-N2--GSM

8 ζάω-V3--PAI1S ἐγώ- P--NS λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM εἰ-C μήν-X ἀντί-P ὁ- A--GSN γίγνομαι-VB--AMN ὁ- A--NPN πρόβατον-N2N-NPN ἐγώ- P--GS εἰς-P προνομή-N1--ASF καί-C γίγνομαι-VB--AMN ὁ- A--NPN πρόβατον-N2N-NPN ἐγώ- P--GS εἰς-P κατάβρωμα-N3M-ASN πᾶς-A3--DPN ὁ- A--DPN θηρίον-N2N-DPN ὁ- A--GSN πεδίον-N2N-GSN παρά-P ὁ- A--ASN μή-D εἰμί-V9--PAN ποιμήν-N3--APM καί-C οὐ-D ἐκζητέω-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--NPM ποιμήν-N3--NPM ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C βόσκω-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--NPM ποιμήν-N3--NPM ἑαυτοῦ- D--APM ὁ- A--APN δέ-X πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS οὐ-D βόσκω-VAI-AAI3P

9 ἀντί-P οὗτος- D--GSM ποιμήν-N3--NPM

10 ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM ἰδού-I ἐγώ- P--NS ἐπί-P ὁ- A--APM ποιμήν-N3--APM καί-C ἐκζητέω-VF--FAI1S ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS ἐκ-P ὁ- A--GPF χείρ-N3--GPF αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ἀποστρέφω-VF--FAI1S αὐτός- D--APM ὁ- A--GSN μή-D ποιμαίνω-V1--PAN ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C οὐ-D βόσκω-VF--FAI3P ἔτι-D ὁ- A--NPM ποιμήν-N3--NPM αὐτός- D--APN καί-C ἐκαἱρέω-VF2-FMI1S ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS ἐκ-P ὁ- A--GSN στόμα-N3M-GSN αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C οὐ-D εἰμί-VF--FMI3P αὐτός- D--DPM ἔτι-D εἰς-P κατάβρωμα-N3M-ASN

11 διότι-C ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM ἰδού-I ἐγώ- P--NS ἐκζητέω-VF--FAI1S ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C ἐπισκέπτομαι-VF--FMI1S αὐτός- D--APN

12 ὥσπερ-D ζητέω-V2--PAI3S ὁ- A--NSM ποιμήν-N3--NSM ὁ- A--ASN ποίμνιον-N2N-ASN αὐτός- D--GSM ἐν-P ἡμέρα-N1A-DSF ὅταν-D εἰμί-V9--PAS3S γνόφος-N2--NSM καί-C νεφέλη-N1--NSF ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM πρόβατον-N2N-GPN διαχωρίζω-VT--XPPGPM οὕτως-D ἐκζητέω-VF--FAI1S ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C ἀποἐλαύνω-VF3-FAI1S αὐτός- D--APN ἀπό-P πᾶς-A3--GSM τόπος-N2--GSM ὅς- --GSM διασπείρω-VDI-API3P ἐκεῖ-D ἐν-P ἡμέρα-N1A-DSF νεφέλη-N1--GSF καί-C γνόφος-N2--GSM

13 καί-C ἐκἄγω-VF--FAI1S αὐτός- D--APM ἐκ-P ὁ- A--GPN ἔθνος-N3E-GPN καί-C συνἄγω-VF--FAI1S αὐτός- D--APM ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GPF χώρα-N1A-GPF καί-C εἰςἄγω-VF--FAI1S αὐτός- D--APM εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C βόσκω-VF--FAI1S αὐτός- D--APM ἐπί-P ὁ- A--APN ὄρος-N3E-APN *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM καί-C ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPF φάραγξ-N3G-DPF καί-C ἐν-P πᾶς-A1S-DSF κατοικία-N1A-DSF ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF

14 ἐν-P νομή-N1--DSF ἀγαθός-A1--DSF βόσκω-VF--FAI1S αὐτός- D--APM καί-C ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ὄρος-N3E-DSN ὁ- A--DSN ὑψηλός-A1--DSN *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM εἰμί-VF--FMI3P ὁ- A--NPF μάνδρα-N1A-NPF αὐτός- D--GPM ἐκεῖ-D κοιμάω-VC--FPI3P καί-C ἐκεῖ-D ἀναπαύω-VF--FMI3P ἐν-P τρυφή-N1--DSF ἀγαθός-A1--DSF καί-C ἐν-P νομή-N1--DSF πίων-A3N-DSF βόσκω-VC--FPI3P ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GPN ὄρος-N3E-GPN *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM

15 ἐγώ- P--NS βόσκω-VF--FAI1S ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C ἐγώ- P--NS ἀναπαύω-VF--FAI1S αὐτός- D--APN καί-C γιγνώσκω-VF--FMI3P ὅτι-C ἐγώ- P--NS εἰμί-V9--PAI1S κύριος-N2--NSM ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM

16 ὁ- A--ASN ἀποὀλλύω-VX--XAPASN ζητέω-VF--FAI1S καί-C ὁ- A--ASN πλανάω-V3--PMPASN ἐπιστρέφω-VF--FAI1S καί-C ὁ- A--ASN συντρίβω-VP--XPPASN καταδέω-VF--FAI1S καί-C ὁ- A--ASN ἐκλείπω-V1--PAPASN ἐνἰσχύω-VF--FAI1S καί-C ὁ- A--ASN ἰσχυρός-A1A-ASN φυλάσσω-VF--FAI1S καί-C βόσκω-VF--FAI1S αὐτός- D--APN μετά-P κρίμα-N3M-GSN

17 καί-C σύ- P--NP πρόβατον-N2N-NPN ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM ἰδού-I ἐγώ- P--NS διακρίνω-VF2-FAI1S ἀνά-P μέσος-A1--ASM πρόβατον-N2N-GSN καί-C πρόβατον-N2N-GSN κριός-N2--GPM καί-C τράγος-N2--GPM

18 καί-C οὐ-D ἱκανός-A1--NSN σύ- P--DP ὅτι-C ὁ- A--ASF καλός-A1--ASF νομή-N1--ASF νέμω-V1I-IMI2P καί-C ὁ- A--APN κατάλοιπος-A1B-APN ὁ- A--GSF νομή-N1--GSF σύ- P--GP καταπατέω-V2I-IAI2P ὁ- A--DPM πούς-N3D-DPM σύ- P--GP καί-C ὁ- A--ASN καταἵστημι-VXI-XAPASN ὕδωρ-N3--ASN πίνω-V1I-IAI2P καί-C ὁ- A--ASN λοιπός-A1--ASN ὁ- A--DPM πούς-N3D-DPM σύ- P--GP ταράσσω-V1I-IAI2P

19 καί-C ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS ὁ- A--APN πάτημα-N3M-APN ὁ- A--GPM πούς-N3D-GPM σύ- P--GP νέμω-V1I-IMI3P καί-C ὁ- A--ASN ταράσσω-VK--XPPASN ὕδωρ-N3--ASN ὑπό-P ὁ- A--GPM πούς-N3D-GPM σύ- P--GP πίνω-V1I-IAI3P

20 διά-P οὗτος- D--ASN ὅδε- D--APN λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM ἰδού-I ἐγώ- P--NS διακρίνω-VF2-FAI1S ἀνά-P μέσος-A1--ASM πρόβατον-N2N-GSN ἰσχυρός-A1A-GSN καί-C ἀνά-P μέσος-A1--ASM πρόβατον-N2N-GSN ἀσθενής-A3H-GSN

21 ἐπί-P ὁ- A--DPF πλευρά-N1A-DPF καί-C ὁ- A--DPM ὦμος-N2--DPM σύ- P--GP διαὠθέω-V2--PMI2P καί-C ὁ- A--DPN κέρας-N3T-DPN σύ- P--GP κερατίζω-V1I-IAI2P καί-C πᾶς-A3--ASN ὁ- A--ASN ἐκλείπω-V1--PAPASN ἐκθλίβω-V1I-IAI2P

22 καί-C σώζω-VF--FAI1S ὁ- A--APN πρόβατον-N2N-APN ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C οὐ-D μή-D εἰμί-V9--PAS3P ἔτι-D εἰς-P προνομή-N1--ASF καί-C κρίνω-VF2-FAI1S ἀνά-P μέσος-A1--ASM κριός-N2--GSM πρός-P κριός-N2--ASM

23 καί-C ἀναἵστημι-VF--FAI1S ἐπί-P αὐτός- D--APM ποιμήν-N3--ASM εἷς-A3--ASM καί-C ποιμαίνω-VF2-FAI3S αὐτός- D--APM ὁ- A--ASM δοῦλος-N2--ASM ἐγώ- P--GS *δαυίδ-N---ASM καί-C εἰμί-VF--FMI3S αὐτός- D--GPM ποιμήν-N3--NSM

24 καί-C ἐγώ- P--NS κύριος-N2--NSM εἰμί-VF--FMI1S αὐτός- D--DPM εἰς-P θεός-N2--ASM καί-C *δαυίδ-N---NSM ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM αὐτός- D--GPM ἄρχων-N3--NSM ἐγώ- P--NS κύριος-N2--NSM λαλέω-VAI-AAI1S

25 καί-C διατίθημι-VF--FMI1S ὁ- A--DSM *δαυίδ-N---DSM διαθήκη-N1--ASF εἰρήνη-N1--GSF καί-C ἀπο ἀναἵζω-VF2-FAI1S θηρίον-N2N-APN πονηρός-A1A-APN ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF καί-C καταοἰκέω-VF--FAI3P ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF ἔρημος-N2--DSF καί-C ὑπνόω-VF--FAI3P ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPM δρυμός-N2--DPM

26 καί-C δίδωμι-VF--FAI1S αὐτός- D--APM περικύκλῳ-D ὁ- A--GSN ὄρος-N3E-GSN ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C δίδωμι-VF--FAI1S ὁ- A--ASM ὑετός-N2--ASM σύ- P--DP ὑετός-N2--ASM εὐλογία-N1A-GSF

27 καί-C ὁ- A--NPN ξύλον-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--NPN ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN πεδίον-N2N-DSN δίδωμι-VF--FAI3S ὁ- A--ASM καρπός-N2--ASM αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ὁ- A--NSF γῆ-N1--NSF δίδωμι-VF--FAI3S ὁ- A--ASF ἰσχύς-N3--ASF αὐτός- D--GSF καί-C καταοἰκέω-VF--FAI3P ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF αὐτός- D--GPM ἐν-P ἐλπίς-N3D-DSF εἰρήνη-N1--GSF καί-C γιγνώσκω-VF--FMI3P ὅτι-C ἐγώ- P--NS εἰμί-V9--PAI1S κύριος-N2--NSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN συντρίβω-VA--AAN ἐγώ- P--AS ὁ- A--ASM ζυγός-N2--ASM αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ἐκαἱρέω-VF2-FMI1S αὐτός- D--APM ἐκ-P χείρ-N3--GSF ὁ- A--GPM καταδουλόω-VA--AMPGPM αὐτός- D--APM

28 καί-C οὐ-D εἰμί-VF--FMI3P ἔτι-D ἐν-P προνομή-N1--DSF ὁ- A--DPN ἔθνος-N3E-DPN καί-C ὁ- A--NPN θηρίον-N2N-NPN ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF οὐκέτι-D μή-D ἐσθίω-VB--AAS3P αὐτός- D--APM καί-C καταοἰκέω-VF--FAI3P ἐν-P ἐλπίς-N3D-DSF καί-C οὐ-D εἰμί-VF--FMI3S ὁ- A--NSM ἐκφοβέω-V2--PAPNSM αὐτός- D--APM

29 καί-C ἀναἵστημι-VF--FAI1S αὐτός- D--DPM φυτόν-N2N-ASN εἰρήνη-N1--GSF καί-C οὐκέτι-D εἰμί-VF--FMI3P ἀποὀλλύω-V5--PMPNPM λιμός-N2--DSM ἐπί-P ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF καί-C οὐ-D μή-D φέρω-VA--AAS3P ἔτι-D ὀνειδισμός-N2--ASM ἔθνος-N3E-GPN

30 καί-C γιγνώσκω-VF--FMI3P ὅτι-C ἐγώ- P--NS εἰμί-V9--PAI1S κύριος-N2--NSM ὁ- A--NSM θεός-N2--NSM αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C αὐτός- D--NPM λαός-N2--NSM ἐγώ- P--GS οἶκος-N2--NSM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM

31 πρόβατον-N2N-NPN ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C πρόβατον-N2N-NPN ποίμνιον-N2N-GSN ἐγώ- P--GS εἰμί-V9--PAI2P καί-C ἐγώ- P--NS κύριος-N2--NSM ὁ- A--NSM θεός-N2--NSM σύ- P--GP λέγω-V1--PAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM κύριος-N2--NSM

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1038

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1038. That 'this is the sign of the covenant' means a token of the Lord's presence in charity is clear from the meaning of 'a covenant' and of 'the sign of a covenant'. That the covenant means the Lord's presence in charity has been shown already at Chapter 6:18, and above at verse 9 of the present chapter; and that a covenant is the Lord's presence in love and charity is clear from the very nature of a covenant. The purpose of any covenant is conjunction, that is to say, its purpose is that people may live together in friendship or in love. This also is why marriage is called a covenant. The Lord's conjunction with man does not exist except in love and charity, for the Lord is love itself and mercy. He wills to save everyone and by His mighty power to draw them towards heaven, that is, towards Himself. From this anyone may know and conclude that it is impossible for anybody to be joined to the Lord except by means of that which He Himself is, that is, except by acting like Him, or becoming one with Him - that is to say, by loving the Lord in return, and loving the neighbour as oneself. In this way alone is conjunction brought about; this constitutes the very essence of a covenant. When conjunction results from this, it quite plainly follows that the Lord is present. The Lord is indeed present with each individual, but that presence is closer or more remote, all depending on how near the person is to love or distant from it.

[2] Since 'the covenant' is the conjunction of the Lord with man by means of love, or what amounts to the same, the Lord's presence with man in love and charity, the covenant itself is called in the Word 'a covenant of peace', for 'peace' means the Lord's kingdom, and the Lord's kingdom consists in mutual love, in which alone peace resides, as is said in Isaiah,

The mountains will depart and the hills be removed, but My mercy will not depart from you, and the covenant of My peace will not be removed, said Jehovah, the One who takes pity on you. Isaiah 54:10.

Here mercy, which is an attribute of love, is called 'a covenant of peace'.

In Ezekiel,

I will raise up over them one shepherd, and He will pasture them - My servant David. He will pasture them and He will be a shepherd to them. And I will make with them a covenant of peace. Ezekiel 34:23, 25.

Here 'David' is plainly used to mean the Lord, and His presence with a regenerate person is described by the words 'He will pasture them'.

[3] In the same prophet,

My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. And I will make with them a covenant of peace; it will be an eternal covenant with them. And I will bless 1 them and cause them to multiply, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst for evermore. And I will be their God and they will be My people. Ezekiel 37:14, 16-17.

Here similarly the Lord is meant by David. Love is meant by the 'sanctuary in their midst', the Lord's presence and conjunction in love by the promise that 'He will be their God, and they will be His people', which is called 'a covenant of peace' and 'an eternal covenant'.

In Malachi,

You will know that I have sent this command to you, that it may be My covenant with Levi, said Jehovah Zebaoth. My covenant was with him, [a covenant] of life 2 and peace, and I have given them to him in fear, and he will fear Me. Malachi 2:4-5.

In the highest sense 'Levi' means the Lord, and from this the person who has love and charity; and this being so 'a covenant of life' and peace with Levi' means in love and charity.

[4] In Moses, in reference to Phinehas,

Behold, I am giving to him My covenant of peace, and it will be to him and his seed after him a covenant of eternal priesthood. Numbers 25:12-13.

Here 'Phinehas' is not used to mean Phinehas but the priesthood which he represented and which means love and what belongs to love, as does the entire priesthood of that Church. Everyone knows that the priesthood did not remain with Phinehas for ever.

In the same author,

Jehovah your God is God Himself, a faithful God who keeps a covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and who keep His commandments, to the thousandth generation. Deuteronomy 7:9, 12.

Here the Lord's presence with man in love is clearly meant by 'the covenant', for it is said to be 'with those who love Him and keep His commandments'.

[5] Because the covenant is the conjunction of the Lord with man by means of love, it follows that it is also achieved by means of all the things allied to love, which are the truths of faith and are called commandments. For all the commandments, indeed the Law and the Prophets, are based on that single law that men ought to love the Lord above all things and the neighbour as themselves. This is clear from the Lord's words in Matthew 22:35-40; Mark 12:28-34. This is also why the tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written are called 'the tablets of the covenant'. Since a covenant or conjunction is achieved by means of the laws or commandments of love it was also achieved by means of the social laws introduced by the Lord into the Jewish Church, which are called 'testimonies', as well as by the religious observances commanded by the Lord, which are called 'statutes'. All of these are called [laws] of the covenant because they have regard to love and charity.

As is said of King Josiah,

The king stood upon the pillar, and made a covenant before Jehovah, to walk after Jehovah, and to keep His commandments, and His testimonies, and His statutes, with all his heart, and all his soul, to establish the words of the covenant. 2 Kings 23:3.

[6] From these references it is now clear what a covenant is, and that the covenant is internal, for the conjunction of the Lord with man is achieved by means of internal things, and never by means of external things separated from internal. External things are merely images and representatives of those that are internal, as the action of a person is an image representative of his thought and will, and as a charitable act is an image representative of charity present within, in intention and mind. Thus all the religious observances of the Jewish Church were images representative of the Lord, and so of love and charity, and of all things deriving from these. It is by means of the internal things of a person therefore that the covenant or conjunction is achieved. External things are no more than signs of the covenant, which also is what they are called. That internal things are the means by which the covenant or conjunction is achieved is quite clear, as in Jeremiah,

Behold, the days are coming, says Jehovah, when I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers, for they rendered My covenant invalid. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days: I will put My law in the midst of them and will write it on their hearts. Jeremiah 31:31-33.

This refers to a new Church. It is plainly stated that the covenant itself is achieved by means of internal things, and indeed within conscience on which the Law is written, the whole of which Law, as stated, is that of love.

[7] That external things do not constitute the covenant unless internal things are joined to them and so through that union act as one and the same cause, but are merely 'signs of the covenant' by means of which, as by representative images, the Lord might be called to mind, is clear from the fact that the sabbath and circumcision are called 'signs' of the covenant. That the sabbath is so called is clear in Moses,

The children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout their generations, an eternal covenant. Between Me and the children of Israel this is a sign eternally. Exodus 31:16-17.

And that circumcision is called 'a sign of the covenant' is clear in the same author,

This is My covenant which you shall keep between Me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you is to be circumcised. And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. Genesis 17:10-11.

For the same reason also blood is called 'the blood of the covenant', Exodus 24:7-8.

[8] The chief reason why external religious ceremonies were called signs of the covenant was so that from them people might call interior things to mind, that is, the things meant by them. All the religious observances of the Jewish Church were nothing else. For this reason they were also called signs that would serve to remind the people of interior things - for example, the practice of binding the chief commandment on the hand and of wearing frontlets, as stated in Moses,

You shall love Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. And you shall bind these words as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. Deuteronomy 6:5, 8; 11:13, 18.

Because it means power 'the hand' here means the will, for power is an attribute of the will; while 'frontlets between the eyes' means the understanding. Thus 'a sign' means calling to mind the chief commandment, or epitome of the Law, that it may be constantly in the will and constantly in the thought, that is, that the Lord and love may be present within the whole will and the whole thought. Such is the presence of the Lord and from Him of mutual love existing with angels. That constant presence and the nature of it will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed later on. And in like manner here the statement, 'This is the sign of the covenant which I give between Me and you; I have given My bow in the cloud, and it will be for a sign of the covenant', means no other sign than a token of the Lord's presence in charity, and so man's remembrance of Him. But in what way the bow in the cloud provides that token and so remembrance will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed later on.

Footnotes:

1. literally, give

2. literally, of lives

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

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