New Christian Bible Study

The Bible

 

Ezekiel 1

Study

1 και-C γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S εν-P ο- A--DSN τριακοστος-A1--DSN ετος-N3E-DSN εν-P ο- A--DSM τεταρτος-A1--DSM μην-N3--DSM πεμπτος-A1--DSF ο- A--GSM μην-N3--GSM και-C εγω- P--NS ειμι-V9I-IAI1S εν-P μεσος-A1--DSN ο- A--GSF αιχμαλωσια-N1A-GSF επι-P ο- A--GSM ποταμος-N2--GSM ο- A--GSM *χοβαρ-N---GS και-C αναοιγω-VQI-API3P ο- A--NPM ουρανος-N2--NPM και-C οραω-VBI-AAI1S ορασις-N3I-APF θεος-N2--GSM

2 πεμπτος-A1--DSF ο- A--GSM μην-N3--GSM ουτος- D--NSN ο- A--NSN ετος-N3E-NSN ο- A--NSN πεμπτος-A1--NSN ο- A--GSF αιχμαλωσια-N1A-GSF ο- A--GSM βασιλευς-N3V-GSM *ιωακιμ-N---GSM

3 και-C γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S λογος-N2--NSM κυριος-N2--GSM προς-P *ιεζεκιηλ-N---ASM υιος-N2--ASM *βουζι-N---GSM ο- A--ASM ιερευς-N3V-ASM εν-P γη-N1--DSF *χαλδαιος-N2--GPM επι-P ο- A--GSM ποταμος-N2--GSM ο- A--GSM *χοβαρ-N---GS και-C γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S επι-P εγω- P--AS χειρ-N3--NSF κυριος-N2--GSM

4 και-C οραω-VBI-AAI1S και-C ιδου-I πνευμα-N3M-NSN εκαιρω-V1--PAPNSN αρχω-V1I-IMI3S απο-P βορεας-N1T-GSM και-C νεφελη-N1--NSF μεγας-A1--NSF εν-P αυτος- D--DSM και-C φεγγος-N3E-NSN κυκλος-N2--DSM αυτος- D--GSM και-C πυρ-N3--NSN εκαστραπτω-V1--PAPNSN και-C εν-P ο- A--DSM μεσος-A1--DSN αυτος- D--GSM ως-C ορασις-N3I-NSF ηλεκτρον-N2N-GSN εν-P μεσος-A1--DSN ο- A--GSN πυρ-N3--GSN και-C φεγγος-N3E-ASN εν-P αυτος- D--DSM

5 και-C εν-P ο- A--DSN μεσος-A1--DSN ως-C ομοιωμα-N3M-NSN τεσσαρες-A3--GPN ζωον-N2N-GPN και-C ουτος- D--NSF ο- A--NSF ορασις-N3I-NSF αυτος- D--GPN ομοιωμα-N3M-NSN ανθρωπος-N2--GSM επι-P αυτος- D--DPN

6 και-C τεσσαρες-A3--NPN προσωπον-N2N-NPN ο- A--DSN εις-A3--DSN και-C τεσσαρες-A3--NPF πτερυξ-N3G-NPF ο- A--DSN εις-A3--DSN

7 και-C ο- A--NPN σκελος-N3E-NPN αυτος- D--GPN ορθος-A1--NPN και-C πτερωτος-A1--NPM ο- A--NPM πους-N3D-NPM αυτος- D--GPN και-C σπινθηρ-N3--NPM ως-C εκαστραπτω-V1--PAPNSM χαλκος-N2--NSM και-C ελαφρος-A1A-NPF ο- A--NPF πτερυξ-N3G-NPF αυτος- D--GPN

8 και-C χειρ-N3--NSF ανθρωπος-N2--GSM υποκατωθεν-D ο- A--GPF πτερυξ-N3G-GPF αυτος- D--GPN επι-P ο- A--APN τεσσαρες-A3--APN μερος-N3E-APN αυτος- D--GPN και-C ο- A--NPN προσωπον-N2N-NPN αυτος- D--GPN ο- A--GPN τεσσαρες-A3--GPN

9 ου-D επιστρεφω-V1I-IMI3P εν-P ο- A--DSN βαδιζω-V1--PAN αυτος- D--APN εκαστος-A1--NSN κατεναντι-D ο- A--GSN προσωπον-N2N-GSN αυτος- D--GPN πορευομαι-V1I-IMI3P

10 και-C ομοιωσις-N3I-NSF ο- A--GPN προσωπον-N2N-GPN αυτος- D--GPN προσωπον-N2N-NSN ανθρωπος-N2--GSM και-C προσωπον-N2N-NSN λεων-N3--GSM εκ-P δεξιος-A1A-GPN ο- A--DPN τεσσαρες-A3--DPN και-C προσωπον-N2N-NSN μοσχος-N2--GSM εκ-P αριστερος-A1A-GPN ο- A--DPN τεσσαρες-A3--DPN και-C προσωπον-N2N-NSN αετος-N2--GSM ο- A--DPN τεσσαρες-A3--DPN

11 και-C ο- A--NPF πτερυξ-N3G-NPF αυτος- D--GPN εκτεινω-VM--XMPNPF ανωθεν-D ο- A--DPN τεσσαρες-A3--DPN εκατερος-A1A-DSN δυο-M συνζευγνυμι-VM--XPPNPF προς-P αλληλω- D--APF και-C δυο-M επικαλυπτω-V1I-IAI3P επανω-D ο- A--GSN σωμα-N3M-GSN αυτος- D--GPN

12 και-C εκατερος-A1A-NSN κατα-P προσωπον-N2N-ASN αυτος- D--GSN πορευομαι-V1I-IMI3S ος- --GSN αν-X ειμι-V9--IAI3S ο- A--NSN πνευμα-N3M-NSN πορευομαι-V1--PMPNSN πορευομαι-V1I-IMI3P και-C ου-D επιστρεφω-V1I-IAI3P

13 και-C εν-P μεσος-A1--DSN ο- A--GPN ζωον-N2N-GPN ορασις-N3I-NSF ως-C ανθραξ-N3K-GPM πυρ-N3--GSN καιω-V1--PMPGPM ως-C οψις-N3I-NSF λαμπας-N3D-GPF συνστρεφω-V1--PPPGPF ανα-P μεσος-A1--ASN ο- A--GPN ζωον-N2N-GPN και-C φεγγος-N3E-ASN ο- A--GSN πυρ-N3--GSN και-C εκ-P ο- A--GSN πυρ-N3--GSN εκπορευομαι-V1I-IMI3S αστραπη-N1--NSF

15 και-C οραω-VBI-AAI1S και-C ιδου-I τροχος-N2--NSM εις-A3--NSM επι-P ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF εχω-V1--PMPNSM ο- A--GPN ζωον-N2N-GPN ο- A--DPN τεσσαρες-A3--DPN

16 και-C ο- A--NSN ειδος-N3E-NSN ο- A--GPM τροχος-N2--GPM ως-C ειδος-N3E-NSN θαρσις-N---GS και-C ομοιωμα-N3M-NSN εις-A3--NSN ο- A--DPN τεσσαρες-A3--DPN και-C ο- A--NSN εργον-N2N-NSN αυτος- D--GPM ειμι-V9--IAI3S καθως-D αν-X ειμι-V9--PAO3S τροχος-N2--NSM εν-P τροχος-N2--DSM

17 επι-P ο- A--APN τεσσαρες-A3--APN μερος-N3E-APN αυτος- D--GPM πορευομαι-V1I-IMI3P ου-D επιστρεφω-V1I-IAI3P εν-P ο- A--DSN πορευομαι-V1--PMN αυτος- D--APN

18 ουδε-C ο- A--NPM νωτος-N2--NPM αυτος- D--GPM και-C υψος-N3E-NSN ειμι-V9--IAI3S αυτος- D--DPM και-C οραω-VBI-AAI1S αυτος- D--APN και-C ο- A--NPM νωτος-N2--NPM αυτος- D--GPM πληρης-A3H-NPM οφθαλμος-N2--GPM κυκλοθεν-D ο- A--DPM τεσσαρες-A3--DPM

19 και-C εν-P ο- A--DSN πορευομαι-V1--PMN ο- A--APN ζωον-N2N-APN πορευομαι-V1I-IMI3P ο- A--NPM τροχος-N2--NPM εχω-V1--PMPNPM αυτος- D--GPN και-C εν-P ο- A--DSN εκαιρω-V1--PAN ο- A--APN ζωον-N2N-APN απο-P ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF εκαιρω-V1I-IMI3P ο- A--NPM τροχος-N2--NPM

20 ος- --GSM αν-X ειμι-V9--IAI3S ο- A--NSF νεφελη-N1--NSF εκει-D ο- A--NSN πνευμα-N3M-NSN ο- A--GSN πορευομαι-V1--PMN πορευομαι-V1I-IMI3P ο- A--NPN ζωον-N2N-NPN και-C ο- A--NPM τροχος-N2--NPM και-C εκαιρω-V1I-IMI3P συν-P αυτος- D--DPM διοτι-C πνευμα-N3M-NSN ζωη-N1--GSF ειμι-V9--IAI3S εν-P ο- A--DPM τροχος-N2--DPM

21 εν-P ο- A--DSN πορευομαι-V1--PMN αυτος- D--APN πορευομαι-V1I-IMI3P και-C εν-P ο- A--DSN ιστημι-VXI-XAN αυτος- D--APN ιστημι-VXI-YAI3P και-C εν-P ο- A--DSN εκαιρω-V1--PAN αυτος- D--APN απο-P ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF εκαιρω-V1I-IMI3P συν-P αυτος- D--DPN οτι-C πνευμα-N3M-NSN ζωη-N1--GSF ειμι-V9--IAI3S εν-P ο- A--DPM τροχος-N2--DPM

22 και-C ομοιωμα-N3M-NSN υπερ-P κεφαλη-N1--GSF αυτος- D--DPM ο- A--GPN ζωον-N2N-GPN ωσει-C στερεωμα-N3M-NSN ως-C ορασις-N3I-NSF κρυσταλλος-N2--GSM εκτεινω-VM--XPPNSN επι-P ο- A--GPF πτερυξ-N3G-GPF αυτος- D--GPN επανωθεν-D

23 και-C υποκατω-P ο- A--GSN στερεωμα-N3M-GSN ο- A--NPF πτερυξ-N3G-NPF αυτος- D--GPN εκτεινω-VM--XMPNPF πτερυσσομαι-V1--PMPNPF ετερος-A1A-NSF ο- A--DSF ετερος-A1A-DSF εκαστος-A1--DSM δυο-M συνζευγνυμι-VM--XPPNPF επικαλυπτω-V1--PAPNPF ο- A--APN σωμα-N3M-APN αυτος- D--GPN

24 και-C ακουω-V1I-IAI1S ο- A--ASF φωνη-N1--ASF ο- A--GPF πτερυξ-N3G-GPF αυτος- D--GPN εν-P ο- A--DSN πορευομαι-V1--PMN αυτος- D--APN ως-C φωνη-N1--ASF υδωρ-N3T-GSN πολυς-A1--GSN και-C εν-P ο- A--DSN ιστημι-VXI-XAN αυτος- D--APN καταπαυω-V1I-IAI3P ο- A--NPF πτερυξ-N3G-NPF αυτος- D--GPN

25 και-C ιδου-I φωνη-N1--NSF υπερανωθεν-D ο- A--GSN στερεωμα-N3M-GSN ο- A--GSM ειμι-V9--PAPGSM υπερ-P κεφαλη-N1--GSF αυτος- D--GPN

26 ως-C ορασις-N3I-NSF λιθος-N2--GSM σαπφειρος-N2--GSF ομοιωμα-N3M-NSN θρονος-N2--GSM επι-P αυτος- D--GSM και-C επι-P ο- A--GSN ομοιωμα-N3M-GSN ο- A--GSM θρονος-N2--GSM ομοιωμα-N3M-NSN ως-C ειδος-N3E-NSN ανθρωπος-N2--GSM ανωθεν-D

27 και-C οραω-VBI-AAI1S ως-C οψις-N3I-ASF ηλεκτρον-N2N-GSN απο-P ορασις-N3I-GSF οσφυς-N3U-GSF και-C επανω-D και-C απο-P ορασις-N3I-GSF οσφυς-N3U-GSF και-C εως-D κατω-D οραω-VBI-AAI1S ως-C ορασις-N3I-ASF πυρ-N3--GSN και-C ο- A--ASN φεγγος-N3E-ASN αυτος- D--GSM κυκλος-N2--DSM

28 ως-C ορασις-N3I-NSF τοξον-N2N-GSN οταν-D ειμι-V9--PAS3S εν-P ο- A--DSF νεφελη-N1--DSF εν-P ημερα-N1A-DSF υετος-N2--GSM ουτως-D ο- A--NSF στασις-N3I-NSF ο- A--GSN φεγγος-N3E-GSN κυκλοθεν-D ουτος- D--NSF ο- A--NSF ορασις-N3I-NSF ομοιωμα-N3M-GSN δοξα-N1S-GSF κυριος-N2--GSM και-C οραω-VBI-AAI1S και-C πιπτω-V1--PAI1S επι-P προσωπον-N2N-ASN εγω- P--GS και-C ακουω-VAI-AAI1S φωνη-N1--ASF λαλεω-V2--PAPGSM

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #239

Study this Passage

  
/ 962  
  

239. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures. This symbolizes the Word of the Lord from the firsts of it in its lasts, and its protections.

I know people will be surprised at my saying that the four living creatures symbolize the Word. This is nevertheless their symbolic meaning, as we will later show.

The four living creatures here are the same as the cherubim in Ezekiel. In chapter 1 there they are called likewise living creatures, but cherubim in chapter 10, and they were, as here, a lion, an ox, a human being, and an eagle. 1

In the Hebrew there they are called hayyoth, 2 a word which indeed means creatures, but one derived from hayyoh, 3 meaning life, from which the name of Adam's wife, Hawwah, 4 also was derived (Genesis 3:20). In Ezekiel a creature is also called hayyah, so that these creatures can be called living ones.

It does not matter that the Word is described by creatures, since the Lord Himself is sometimes called in the Word a lion, and often a lamb, and people possessing charity from the Lord are called sheep. Moreover, an understanding of the Word, too, is in subsequent chapters called a horse.

It is apparent that these living creatures or cherubim symbolize the Word from the fact that they were seen in the midst of the throne and around the throne. The Lord was in the midst of the throne, and because the Lord embodies the Word, it could not appear elsewhere. They were also seen around the throne, because they were seen in the angelic heaven, where the Word exists also.

[2] The fact that cherubim symbolize the Word and its protection is something we showed in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Sacred Scripture 97, , where we said the following:

...the literal sense of the Word is a protection for the genuine truths which lie within; and the protection consists in the fact that the literal sense can be turned this way or that, (or) explained in accordance with one's comprehension, and yet without harming or violating the Word's inner meaning. For it does no harm for the literal sense to be interpreted differently by different people. But harm is done if the Divine truths that lie within are distorted, for this does violence to the Word.

The literal sense protects this from happening, and it does so in the case of people caught up in falsities derived from their religion, who do not defend those falsities; for they do not inflict any violence.

This protection is symbolized by the cherubim and also described by them in the Word. The same protection is symbolized by the cherubim which, after Adam and his wife were cast out of the Garden of Eden, were placed at its entrance, regarding which we read the following:

(When) Jehovah God... drove out the man..., He caused cherubim to dwell at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:23-24)

The cherubim symbolize a protection. The way to the tree of life symbolizes an entryway to the Lord, which people have through the Word. The flaming sword which turned every way symbolizes Divine truth in outmost expressions, which is like the Word in its literal sense, which can (as we said) be turned in the way stated.

[3] The cherubim of gold positioned on either end of the mercy seat which was on top of the ark (Exodus 25:18-21) have the same meaning. Because this is what the cherubim symbolized, therefore Jehovah spoke with Moses from between them (Exodus 25:22; 30:6, 36, Numbers 7:89)....

This, too, was what the cherubim on the curtains of the Tabernacle and on the veil in it symbolized (Exodus 26:1, 31). For the curtains and veils of the Tabernacle represented the outmost elements of heaven and the church, thus also the outmost expressions of the Word.

This was also what the cherubim inside the temple at Jerusalem symbolized (1 Kings 6:23-28), and what the cherubim carved on the walls and doors of the temple symbolized (1 Kings 6:29, 32, 35). Likewise the cherubim in the new temple (Ezekiel 41:18-20)....

[4] Since cherubim symbolized a protection to prevent a direct approach to the Lord and heaven and to Divine truth such as it is inwardly in the Word, so that people must approach indirectly through its outward expressions, therefore the following is said of the king of Tyre:

You, the seal of the measure, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, were in Eden, the garden...; every precious stone was your covering... You were the cherub, the spreader of a covering... I destroyed you, O covering cherub, in the midst of fiery stones. (Ezekiel 28:12-14, 16)

Tyre symbolizes the church in respect to its concepts of truth and goodness, and therefore its king symbolizes the Word where those concepts are found and from which they are drawn. It is apparent that here he symbolizes the Word in its outmost expression, which is its literal meaning, and the cherub, its protection, for the passage says, "You, the seal of the measure," "every precious stone was your covering," "You were the cherub, the spreader of a covering." The precious stones mentioned here as well symbolize the truths in the Word's literal sense (no. 231).

[5] Since cherubim symbolize Divine truth in outmost expressions as a protection, therefore we are told in the book of Psalms:

...O Shepherd of Israel..., You who sit upon the cherubim, shine forth! (Psalms 80:1)

Jehovah..., sitting upon the cherubim. (Psalms 99:1)

(Jehovah) bowed the heavens and came down... And He rode upon cherubim... (Psalms 18:9-10)

To ride upon cherubim, to sit on them and be seated on them is to do so upon the outmost meaning of the Word.

The Divine truth in the Word and its character is described by cherubim in the first, ninth and tenth chapters in Ezekiel. But inasmuch as no one can know what the particulars of their description symbolize except one to whom the spiritual meaning has been disclosed, and inasmuch as this meaning has been disclosed to me, we will relate briefly what is symbolized by each of the particulars mentioned regarding the four creatures or cherubim in the first chapter in Ezekiel. They are as follows:

[6] The outward Divine atmosphere of the Word is described in verse 4.

It is represented as human in verse 5; as conjoined with spiritual and celestial qualities in verse 6.

The character of the natural component of the Word is described in verse 7.

The character of the spiritual and celestial components of the Word conjoined with the natural one, in verses 8-9.

The Divine love of the celestial, spiritual and natural goodness and truth present in it, separately and together, in verses 10-11.

Their looking to a single end, in verse 12.

The atmosphere of the Word emanating from the Lord's Divine goodness and truth, which give the Word life, in verses 13-14.

The doctrine of goodness and truth present in the Word and emanating from the Word, in verses 15-21.

The Lord's Divinity transcending it and present in it, in verses 22-23; and emanating from it, in verses 24-25.

The Lord's transcending the heavens, in verse 26.

His possessing Divine love and wisdom, in verses 27-28.

These are the symbolic meanings in summary form.

Footnotes:

1. See Ezekiel 1:10; 10:14, 22.

2. חַיּוֹת

3. חָיָה

4. חַוָּה

  
/ 962  
  

Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

©2024 New Christian Bible Study Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed from newchristianbiblestudy.org