The Bible

 

Ezekiel 27

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1 και-C γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S λογος-N2--NSM κυριος-N2--GSM προς-P εγω- P--AS λεγω-V1--PAPNSM

2 υιος-N2--VSM ανθρωπος-N2--GSM λαμβανω-VB--AAD2S επι-P *σορ-N---ASF θρηνος-N2--ASM

3 και-C ειπον-VF2-FAI2S ο- A--DSF *σορ-N---DSF ο- A--DSF καταοικεω-V2--PAPDSF επι-P ο- A--GSF εισοδος-N2--GSF ο- A--GSF θαλασσα-N1S-GSF ο- A--DSN εμποριον-N2N-DSN ο- A--GPM λαος-N2--GPM απο-P νησος-N2--GPF πολυς-A1--GPF οδε- D--APN λεγω-V1--PAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM ο- A--DSF *σορ-N---DSF συ- P--NS ειπον-VAI-AAI2S εγω- P--NS περιτιθημι-VAI-AAI1S εμαυτου- D--DSF καλλος-N3E-ASN εγω- P--GS

4 εν-P καρδια-N1A-DSF θαλασσα-N1S-GSF ο- A--DSM *βεελιμ-N---DSM υιος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS περιτιθημι-VAI-AAI3P συ- P--DS καλλος-N3E-ASN

5 κεδρος-N2--NSF εκ-P *σανιρ-N---GS οικοδομεω-VCI-API3S συ- P--DS ταινια-N1A-NPF σανιδος-N3D-GPF κυπαρισσος-N2--GSF εκ-P ο- A--GSM *λιβανος-N2--GSM λαμβανω-VVI-API3P ο- A--GSN ποιεω-VA--AAN συ- P--DS ιστος-N2--APM ελατινος-A1--APM

6 εκ-P ο- A--GSF *βασανιτις-N3D-GSF ποιεω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--APF κωπη-N1--APF συ- P--GS ο- A--APN ιερος-A1A-APN συ- P--GS ποιεω-VAI-AAI3P εκ-P ελεφας-N3--GSM οικος-N2--APM αλσωδης-A3H-APM απο-P νησος-N2--GPF ο- A--GPM *χεττιιν-N---GPM

7 βυσσος-N2--NSF μετα-P ποικιλια-N1A-GSF εκ-P *αιγυπτος-N2--GSF γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S συ- P--DS στρωμνη-N1--NSF ο- A--GSN περιτιθημι-VE--AAN συ- P--DS δοξα-N1S-ASF και-C περιβαλλω-VF2-FAN συ- P--AS υακινθος-N2--ASF και-C πορφυρα-N1A-ASF εκ-P ο- A--GPF νησος-N2--GPF *ελισαι-N---GS και-C γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S περιβολαιον-N2N-NPN συ- P--GS

8 και-C ο- A--NPM αρχων-N3--NPM συ- P--GS ο- A--NPM καταοικεω-V2--PAPNPM *σιδων-N---ASF και-C *αραδιος-N2--NPM γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3P κωπηλατης-N1M-NPM συ- P--GS ο- A--NPM σοφος-A1--NPM συ- P--GS *σορ-N---VSF ος- --NPM ειμι-V9--IAI3P εν-P συ- P--DS ουτος- D--NPM κυβερνητης-N1M-NPM συ- P--GS

9 ο- A--NPM πρεσβυτερος-A1A-NPMC *βυβλιοι-N---GP και-C ο- A--NPM σοφος-A1--NPM αυτος- D--GPM ειμι-V9--IAI3P εν-P συ- P--DS ουτος- D--NPM ενισχυω-V1--IAI3P ο- A--ASF βουλη-N1--ASF συ- P--GS και-C πας-A3--NPN ο- A--NPN πλοιον-N2N-NPN ο- A--GSF θαλασσα-N1S-GSF και-C ο- A--NPM κωπηλατης-N1M-NPM αυτος- D--GPM γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3P συ- P--DS επι-P δυσμη-N1--APF δυσμη-N1--GPF

10 *περσης-N1M-NPM και-C *λυδοι-N2--NPM και-C *λιβυες-N3--NPM ειμι-V9--IAI3P εν-P ο- A--DSF δυναμις-N3I-DSF συ- P--GS ανηρ-N3--NPM πολεμιστης-N1--NPM συ- P--GS πελτη-N1--APF και-C περικεφαλαια-N1A-APF κρεμαζω-VAI-AAI3P εν-P συ- P--DS ουτος- D--NPM διδωμι-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--ASF δοξα-N1S-ASF συ- P--GS

11 υιος-N2--NPM *αραδιος-N2--GPM και-C ο- A--NSF δυναμις-N3I-NSF συ- P--GS επι-P ο- A--GPN τειχος-N3E-GPN συ- P--GS φυλαξ-N3K-NPM εν-P ο- A--DPM πυργος-N2--DPM συ- P--GS ειμι-V9--IAI3P ο- A--APF φαρετρα-N1A-APF αυτος- D--GPM κρεμαζω-VAI-AAI3P επι-P ο- A--GPF ορμη-N1--GPF συ- P--GS κυκλος-N2--DSM ουτος- D--NPM τελειοω-VAI-AAI3P συ- P--GS ο- A--ASN καλλος-N3E-ASN

12 *καρχηδονιοι-N---NPM εμπορος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS απο-P πληθος-N3E-GSN πας-A1S-GSF ισχυς-N3U-GSF συ- P--GS αργυριον-N2N-ASN και-C χρυσιον-N2N-ASN και-C σιδηρος-N2--ASM και-C κασσιτερος-N2--ASM και-C μολιβος-N2--ASM διδωμι-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--ASF αγορα-N1A-ASF συ- P--GS

13 ο- A--NSF *ελλας-N3--NSF και-C ο- A--NSF συμπας-A1S-NSF και-C ο- A--NPN παρατεινω-V1--PAPNPN ουτος- D--NPM ενπορευομαι-V1I-IMI3P συ- P--DS εν-P ψυχη-N1--DPF ανθρωπος-N2--GPM και-C σκευος-N3E-APN χαλκους-A1C-APN διδωμι-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--ASF εμπορια-N1A-ASF συ- P--GS

14 εκ-P οικος-N2--GSM *θεργαμα-N---GS ιππος-N2--APM και-C ιππευς-N3V-APM διδωμι-VAI-AAI3P αγορα-N1A-ASF συ- P--GS

15 υιος-N2--NPM *ροδιοι-N2--GPM εμπορος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS απο-P νησος-N2--GPF πληθυνω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--ASF εμπορια-N1A-ASF συ- P--GS οδους-N3--APM ελεφαντινος-A1--APM και-C ο- A--DPM ειςαγω-V1--PMPDPM αντιδιδωμι-V8I-IAI2S ο- A--APM μισθος-N2--APM συ- P--GS

16 ανθρωπος-N2--APM εμπορια-N1A-ASF συ- P--GS απο-P πληθος-N3E-GSN ο- A--GSM συμμικτος-A1B-GSM συ- P--GS στακτη-N1--ASF και-C ποικιλμα-N3M-APN εκ-P *θαρσις-N---GS και-C *ραμωθ-N---N και-C *χορχορ-N---N διδωμι-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--ASF αγορα-N1A-ASF συ- P--GS

17 *ιουδας-N1T-NSM και-C ο- A--NPM υιος-N2--NPM ο- A--GSM *ισραηλ-N---GSM ουτος- D--NPM εμπορος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS εν-P σιτος-N2--GSM πρασις-N3E-DSF και-C μυρον-N2N-GPN και-C κασια-N1A-GSF και-C πρωτος-A1--ASNS μελι-N3--ASN και-C ελαιον-N2N-ASN και-C ρητινη-N1--ASF διδωμι-VAI-AAI3P εις-P ο- A--ASM συμμικτος-A1B-ASM συ- P--GS

18 *δαμασκος-N2--NS εμπορος-N2--NSM συ- P--GS εκ-P πληθος-N3E-GSN πας-A1S-GSF δυναμις-N3I-GSF συ- P--GS οινος-N2--NSM εκ-P *χελβων-N---G και-C εριον-N2N-APN εκ-P *μιλητος-N2--GS

19 και-C οινος-N2--ASM εις-P ο- A--ASF αγορα-N1A-ASF συ- P--GS διδωμι-VAI-AAI3P εκ-P *ασηλ-N---GS σιδηρος-N2--NSM εργαζομαι-VT--XMPNSM και-C τροχος-N2--NSM εν-P ο- A--DSM συμμικτος-A1B-DSM συ- P--GS ειμι-V9--PAI3S

20 *δαιδαν-N---NS εμπορος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS μετα-P κτηνος-N3E-GPN εκλεκτος-A1--GPN εις-P αρμα-N3M-APN

21 ο- A--NSF *αραβια-N1A-NSF και-C πας-A3--NPM ο- A--NPM αρχων-N3--NPM *κηδαρ-N---GS ουτος- D--NPM εμπορος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS δια-P χειρ-N3--GSF συ- P--GS καμηλος-N2--APM και-C κριος-N2--APM και-C αμνος-N2--APM εν-P ος- --DPM ενπορευομαι-V1--PMI3P συ- P--AS

22 εμπορος-N2--NPM *σαβα-N---GS και-C *ραγμα-N---GS ουτος- D--NPM εμπορος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS μετα-P πρωτος-A1--GPNS ηδυσμα-N3M-GPN και-C λιθος-N2--GPM χρηστος-A1--GPM και-C χρυσιον-N2N-ASN διδωμι-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--ASF αγορα-N1A-ASF συ- P--GS

23 *χαρραν-N---NS και-C *χαννα-N---NS ουτος- D--NPM εμπορος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS *ασσουρ-N---NS και-C *χαρμαν-N---NS εμπορος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS

24 φερω-V1--PAPNPM εμπορια-N1A-ASF υακινθος-N2--ASF και-C θησαυρος-N2--APM εκλεκτος-A1--APM δεω-VM--XMPAPM σχοινιον-N2N-DPN και-C κυπαρισσινος-A1--APN

25 πλοιον-N2N-NPN εν-P αυτος- D--DPM *καρχηδονιοι-N---NPM εμπορος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS εν-P ο- A--DSN πληθος-N3E-DSN εν-P ο- A--DSM συμμικτος-A1B-DSM συ- P--GS και-C ενπιμπλημι-VSI-API2S και-C βαρυνω-VCI-API2S σφοδρα-D εν-P καρδια-N1A-DSF θαλασσα-N1S-GSF

26 εν-P υδωρ-N3T-DSN πολυς-A1--DSN αγω-V1I-IAI3P συ- P--AS ο- A--NPM κωπηλατης-N1M-NPM συ- P--GS ο- A--NSN πνευμα-N3M-NSN ο- A--GSM νοτος-N2--GSM συντριβω-VAI-AAI3S συ- P--AS εν-P καρδια-N1A-DSF θαλασσα-N1S-GSF

27 ειμι-V9--IAI3P δυναμις-N3I-NPF συ- P--GS και-C ο- A--NSM μισθος-N2--NSM συ- P--GS και-C ο- A--GPM συμμικτος-A1B-GPM συ- P--GS και-C ο- A--NPM κωπηλατης-N1M-NPM συ- P--GS και-C ο- A--NPM κυβερνητης-N1M-NPM συ- P--GS και-C ο- A--NPM συμβουλος-N2--NPM συ- P--GS και-C ο- A--NPM συμμικτος-A1B-NPM συ- P--GS εκ-P ο- A--GPM συμμικτος-A1B-GPM συ- P--GS και-C πας-A3--NPM ο- A--NPM ανηρ-N3--NPM ο- A--NPM πολεμιστης-N1--NPM συ- P--GS ο- A--NPM εν-P συ- P--DS και-C πας-A1S-NSF ο- A--NSF συναγωγη-N1--NSF συ- P--GS εν-P μεσος-A1--DSM συ- P--GS πιπτω-VF2-FMI3P εν-P καρδια-N1A-DSF θαλασσα-N1S-GSF εν-P ο- A--DSF ημερα-N1A-DSF ο- A--GSF πτωσις-N3I-GSF συ- P--GS

28 προς-P ο- A--ASF φωνη-N1--ASF ο- A--GSF κραυγη-N1--GSF συ- P--GS ο- A--NPM κυβερνητης-N1M-NPM συ- P--GS φοβος-N2--DSM φοβεω-VC--FPI3P

29 και-C καταβαινω-VF--FMI3P απο-P ο- A--GPN πλοιον-N2N-GPN πας-A3--NPM ο- A--NPM κωπηλατης-N1M-NPM συ- P--GS και-C ο- A--NPM επιβατης-N1M-NPM και-C ο- A--NPM πρωρευς-N3V-NPM ο- A--GSF θαλασσα-N1S-GSF επι-P ο- A--ASF γη-N1--ASF ιστημι-VF--FMI3P

30 και-C αλαλαζω-VF--FAI3P επι-P συ- P--AS ο- A--DSF φωνη-N1--DSF αυτος- D--GPM και-C κραζω-VFX-FMI3P πικρος-A1A-ASM και-C επιτιθημι-VF--FAI3P επι-P ο- A--ASF κεφαλη-N1--ASF αυτος- D--GPM γη-N1--ASF και-C σποδος-N2--ASF υποστρωννυω-VF--FMI3P

32 και-C λαμβανω-VF--FMI3P ο- A--NPM υιος-N2--NPM αυτος- D--GPM επι-P συ- P--AS θρηνος-N2--ASM και-C θρηνημα-N3M-ASN συ- P--DS

33 ποσος-A1--ASM τις- I--ASM ευρισκω-VB--AAI2S μισθος-N2--ASM απο-P ο- A--GSF θαλασσα-N1S-GSF ενπιμπλημι-VAI-AAI2S εθνος-N3E-APN απο-P ο- A--GSN πληθος-N3E-GSN συ- P--GS και-C απο-P ο- A--GSM συμμικτος-A1B-GSM συ- P--GS πλουτιζω-VAI-AAI2S πας-A3--APM βασιλευς-N3V-APM ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF

34 νυν-D συντριβω-VDI-API2S εν-P θαλασσα-N1S-DSF εν-P βαθυς-A3U-DSM υδωρ-N3T-GSN ο- A--NSM συμμικτος-A1B-NSM συ- P--GS και-C πας-A1S-NSF ο- A--NSF συναγωγη-N1--NSF συ- P--GS εν-P μεσος-A1--DSM συ- P--GS πιπτω-VBI-AAI3P πας-A3--NPM ο- A--NPM κωπηλατης-N1M-NPM συ- P--GS

35 πας-A3--NPM ο- A--NPM καταοικεω-V2--PAPNPM ο- A--APF νησος-N2--APF στυγναζω-VAI-AAI3P επι-P συ- P--AS και-C ο- A--NPM βασιλευς-N3V-NPM αυτος- D--GPM εκστασις-N3I-DSF εκιστημι-VHI-AAI3P και-C δακρυω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN προσωπον-N2N-ASN αυτος- D--GPM

36 εμπορος-N2--NPM απο-P εθνος-N3E-GPN συριζω-VAI-AAI3P συ- P--AS απωλεια-N1A-NSF γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI2S και-C ουκετι-D ειμι-VF--FMI2S εις-P ο- A--ASM αιων-N3W-ASM

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #239

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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

  
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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.

The Bible

 

Psalms 99:1

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1 Yahweh reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim. Let the earth be moved.