The Bible

 

Genesis 26

Study

   

1 γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S δε-X λιμος-N2--NSM επι-P ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF χωρις-P ο- A--GSM λιμος-N2--GSM ο- A--GSM προτερον-D ος- --NSM γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S εν-P ο- A--DSM χρονος-N2--DSM ο- A--DSM *αβρααμ-N---GSM πορευομαι-VCI-API3S δε-X *ισαακ-N---NSM προς-P *αβιμελεχ-N---ASM βασιλευς-N3V-ASM *φυλιστιιμ-N---GPM εις-P *γεραρα-N2--AS

2 οραω-VVI-API3S δε-X αυτος- D--DSM κυριος-N2--NSM και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S μη-D καταβαινω-VZ--AAS2S εις-P *αιγυπτος-N2--ASF καταοικεω-VA--AAD2S δε-X εν-P ο- A--DSF γη-N1--DSF ος- --DSF αν-X συ- P--DS ειπον-VBI-AAS1S

3 και-C παραοικεω-V2--PAD2S εν-P ο- A--DSF γη-N1--DSF ουτος- D--DSF και-C ειμι-VF--FMI1S μετα-P συ- P--GS και-C ευλογεω-VF--FAI1S συ- P--AS συ- P--DS γαρ-X και-C ο- A--DSN σπερμα-N3M-DSN συ- P--GS διδωμι-VF--FAI1S πας-A1S-ASF ο- A--ASF γη-N1--ASF ουτος- D--ASF και-C ιστημι-VF--FAI1S ο- A--ASM ορκος-N2--ASM εγω- P--GS ος- --ASM ομνυμι-VAI-AAI1S *αβρααμ-N---DSM ο- A--DSM πατηρ-N3--DSM συ- P--GS

4 και-C πληθυνω-VF2-FAI1S ο- A--ASN σπερμα-N3M-ASN συ- P--GS ως-C ο- A--APM αστηρ-N3--APM ο- A--GSM ουρανος-N2--GSM και-C διδωμι-VF--FAI1S ο- A--DSN σπερμα-N3M-DSN συ- P--GS πας-A1S-ASF ο- A--ASF γη-N1--ASF ουτος- D--ASF και-C ενευλογεω-VC--FPI3P εν-P ο- A--DSN σπερμα-N3M-DSN συ- P--GS πας-A3--NSN ο- A--NPN εθνος-N3E-NPN ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF

5 αντι-P ος- --GPM υποακουω-VAI-AAI3S *αβρααμ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM πατηρ-N3--NSM συ- P--GS ο- A--GSF εμος-A1--GSF φωνη-N1--GSF και-C φυλασσω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--APN προσταγμα-N3M-APN εγω- P--GS και-C ο- A--APF εντολη-N1A-APF εγω- P--GS και-C ο- A--APN δικαιωμα-N3--APN εγω- P--GS και-C ο- A--APN νομιμος-A1--APN εγω- P--GS

6 και-C καταοικεω-VAI-AAI3S *ισαακ-N---NSM εν-P *γεραρα-N2--DP

7 επιερωταω-VAI-AAI3P δε-X ο- A--NPM ανηρ-N3--NPM ο- A--GSM τοπος-N2--GSM περι-P *ρεβεκκα-N---GSF ο- A--GSF γυνη-N3K-GSF αυτος- D--GSM και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S αδελφη-N1--NSF εγω- P--GS ειμι-V9--PAI3S φοβεω-VCI-API3S γαρ-X ειπον-VBI-AAN οτι-C γυνη-N3K-NSF εγω- P--GS ειμι-V9--PAI3S μηποτε-D αποκτεινω-VA--AAS3P αυτος- D--ASM ο- A--NPM ανηρ-N3--NPM ο- A--GSM τοπος-N2--GSM περι-P *ρεβεκκα-N---GSF οτι-C ωραιος-A1A-NSF ο- A--DSF οψις-N3I-DSF ειμι-V9--IAI3S

8 γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S δε-X πολυχρονιος-A1B-NSM εκει-D παρακυπτω-VA--AAPNSM δε-X *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM βασιλευς-N3V-NSM *γεραρα-N2--NP δια-P ο- A--GSF θυρις-N3D-GSF οραω-VBI-AAI3S ο- A--ASM *ισαακ-N---ASM παιζω-V1--PAPASM μετα-P *ρεβεκκα-N---GSF ο- A--GSF γυνη-N3K-GSF αυτος- D--GSM

9 καλεω-VAI-AAI3S δε-X *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM ο- A--ASM *ισαακ-N---ASM και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DSM αρα-X γε-X γυνη-N3K-NSF συ- P--GS ειμι-V9--PAI3S τις- I--ASN οτι-C ειπον-VAI-AAI2S αδελφη-N1--NSF εγω- P--GS ειμι-V9--PAI3S ειπον-VBI-AAI3S δε-X αυτος- D--DSM *ισαακ-N---NSM ειπον-VAI-AAI1S γαρ-X μηποτε-D αποθνησκω-VB--AAS1S δια-P αυτος- D--ASF

10 ειπον-VBI-AAI3S δε-X αυτος- D--DSM *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM τις- I--ASN ουτος- D--ASN ποιεω-VAI-AAI2S εγω- P--DP μικρος-A1A-GSM κοιμαω-VCI-API3S τις- I--NSM ο- A--GSN γενος-N3E-GSN εγω- P--GS μετα-P ο- A--GSF γυνη-N3K-GSF συ- P--GS και-C επιαγω-VBI-AAI2S επι-P εγω- P--AP αγνοια-N1A-ASF

11 συντασσω-VAI-AAI3S δε-X *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM πας-A3--DSM ο- A--DSM λαος-N2--DSM αυτος- D--GSM λεγω-V1--PAPNSM πας-A3--NSM ο- A--NSM απτομαι-V1--PMPNSM ο- A--GSM ανθρωπος-N2--GSM ουτος- D--GSM η-C ο- A--GSF γυνη-N3K-GSF αυτος- D--GSM θανατος-N2--GSM ενοχος-A1B-NSM ειμι-VF--FMI3S

12 σπειρω-VAI-AAI3S δε-X *ισαακ-N---NSM εν-P ο- A--DSF γη-N1--DSF εκεινος- D--DSF και-C ευρισκω-VB--AAI3S εν-P ο- A--DSM ενιαυτος-N2--DSM εκεινος- D--DSM εκατοστευω-V1--PAPASF κριθη-N1--ASF ευλογεω-VA--AAI3S δε-X αυτος- D--ASM κυριος-N2--NSM

13 και-C υψοω-VCI-API3S ο- A--NSM ανθρωπος-N2--NSM και-C προβαινω-V1--PAPNSM μεγας-A3C-NSMC γιγνομαι-V1I-IMI3S εως-P ος- --GSM μεγας-A1P-NSM γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S σφοδρα-D

14 γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S δε-X αυτος- D--DSM κτηνος-N3E-NPN προβατον-N2N-GPN και-C κτηνος-N3E-NPN βους-N3--GPM και-C γεωργιον-N2N-NPN πολυς-A1--NPN ζηλοω-VAI-AAI3P δε-X αυτος- D--ASM ο- A--NPM *φυλιστιιμ-N---NPM

15 και-C πας-A3--APN ο- A--APN φρεαρ-N3T-APN ος- --APN ορυσσω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--NPM παις-N3D-NPM ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM αυτος- D--GSM εν-P ο- A--DSM χρονος-N2--DSM ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM αυτος- D--GSM ενφρασσω-VAI-AAI3P αυτος- D--APN ο- A--NPM *φυλιστιιμ-N---NPM και-C πιμπλημι-VAI-AAI3P αυτος- D--APN γη-N1--GSF

16 ειπον-VBI-AAI3S δε-X *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM προς-P *ισαακ-N---ASM αποερχομαι-VB--AAD2S απο-P εγω- P--GP οτι-C δυνατος-A1--NSMC εγω- P--GP γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI2S σφοδρα-D

17 και-C αποερχομαι-VBI-AAI3S εκειθεν-D *ισαακ-N---NSM και-C καταλυω-VAI-AAI3S εν-P ο- A--DSF φαραγξ-N3G-DSF *γεραρα-N2--GP και-C καταοικεω-VAI-AAI3S εκει-D

18 και-C παλιν-D *ισαακ-N---NSM ορυσσω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--APN φρεαρ-N3T-APN ο- A--GSN υδωρ-N3T-GSN ος- --APN ορυσσω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--NPM παις-N3D-NPM *αβρααμ-N---GSM ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM αυτος- D--GSM και-C ενφρασσω-VAI-AAI3P αυτος- D--APN ο- A--NPM *φυλιστιιμ-N---NPM μετα-P ο- A--ASN αποθνησκω-VB--AAN *αβρααμ-N---ASM ο- A--ASM πατηρ-N3--ASM αυτος- D--GSM και-C επιονομαζω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DPM ονομα-N3M-APN κατα-P ο- A--APN ονομα-N3M-APN ος- --APN επιονομαζω-VAI-AAI3S *αβρααμ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM πατηρ-N3--NSM αυτος- D--GSM

19 και-C ορυσσω-VAI-AAI3P ο- A--NPM παις-N3D-NPM *ισαακ-N---GSM εν-P ο- A--DSF φαραγξ-N3G-DSF *γεραρα-N2--GP και-C ευρισκω-VB--AAI3P εκει-D φρεαρ-N3T-ASN υδωρ-N3T-GSN ζαω-V3--PAPGSN

20 και-C μαχομαι-VAI-AMI3P ο- A--NPM ποιμην-N3--NPM *γεραρα-N2--GP μετα-P ο- A--GPM ποιμην-N3--GPM *ισαακ-N---GSM φασκω-V1--PAPNPM αυτος- D--GPM ειμι-V9--PAN ο- A--ASN υδωρ-N3--ASN και-C καλεω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN ο- A--GSN φρεαρ-N3T-GSN *αδικια-N1A-NSF αδικεω-VAI-AAI3P γαρ-X αυτος- D--ASM

21 αποαιρω-VA--AAPNSM δε-X *ισαακ-N---NSM εκειθεν-D ορυσσω-VAI-AAI3S φρεαρ-N3T-ASN ετερος-A1A-ASN κρινω-V1I-IMI3P δε-X και-C περι-P εκεινος- D--GSM και-C επιονομαζω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN αυτος- D--GSM *εχθρια-N1A-NSF

22 αποαιρω-VA--AAPNSM δε-X εκειθεν-D ορυσσω-VAI-AAI3S φρεαρ-N3T-ASN ετερος-A1A-ASN και-C ου-D μαχομαι-VAI-AMI3P περι-P αυτος- D--GSM και-C επιονομαζω-VAI-AAI3S ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN αυτος- D--GSM *ευρυχωρια-N1A-NSF λεγω-V1--PAPNSM διοτι-C νυν-D πλατυνω-V1I-IAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM εγω- P--DP και-C αυξανω-VAI-AAI3S εγω- P--AP επι-P ο- A--GSF γη-N1--GSF

23 αναβαινω-VZI-AAI3S δε-X εκειθεν-D επι-P ο- A--ASN φρεαρ-N3T-ASN ο- A--GSM ορκος-N2--GSM

24 και-C οραω-VVI-API3S αυτος- D--DSM κυριος-N2--NSM εν-P ο- A--DSF νυξ-N3--DSF εκεινος- D--DSF και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S εγω- P--NS ειμι-V9--PAI1S ο- A--NSM θεος-N2--NSM *αβρααμ-N---GSM ο- A--GSM πατηρ-N3--GSM συ- P--GS μη-D φοβεω-V2--PMD2S μετα-P συ- P--GS γαρ-X ειμι-V9--PAI1S και-C ευλογεω-VX--XAI1S συ- P--AS και-C πληθυνω-VF2-FAI1S ο- A--ASN σπερμα-N3M-ASN συ- P--GS δια-P *αβρααμ-N---ASM ο- A--ASM πατηρ-N3--ASM συ- P--GS

25 και-C οικοδομεω-VAI-AAI3S εκει-D θυσιαστηριον-N2N-ASN και-C επικαλεω-VAI-AMI3S ο- A--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN κυριος-N2--GSM και-C πηγνυμι-VAI-AAI3S εκει-D ο- A--ASF σκηνη-N1--ASF αυτος- D--GSM ορυσσω-VAI-AAI3P δε-X εκει-D ο- A--NPM παις-N3D-NPM *ισαακ-N---GSM φρεαρ-N3T-ASN

26 και-C *αβιμελεχ-N---NSM πορευομαι-VCI-API3S προς-P αυτος- D--ASM απο-P *γεραρα-N2--GP και-C *οχοζαθ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM νυμφαγωγος-N2--NSM αυτος- D--GSM και-C *φικολ-N---NSM ο- A--NSM αρχιστρατηγος-N2--NSM ο- A--GSF δυναμις-N3I-GSF αυτος- D--GSM

27 και-C ειπον-VBI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DPM *ισαακ-N---NSM ινα-C τις- I--ASN ερχομαι-VAI-AAI2P προς-P εγω- P--AS συ- P--NP δε-X μισεω-VAI-AAI2P εγω- P--AS και-C αποστελλω-VAI-AAI2P εγω- P--AS απο-P συ- P--GP

28 και-C ειπον-VAI-AAI3P οραω-VB--AAPNPM οραω-VX--XAI1P οτι-C ειμι-V9--IAI3S κυριος-N2--NSM μετα-P συ- P--GS και-C ειπον-VAI-AAI1P γιγνομαι-VB--AMD3S αρα-N1A-NSF ανα-P μεσος-A1--ASM εγω- P--GP και-C ανα-P μεσος-A1--ASM συ- P--GS και-C διατιθημι-VF--FMI1P μετα-P συ- P--GS διαθηκη-N1--ASF

29 μη-D ποιεω-VF--FAN μετα-P εγω- P--GP κακος-A1--ASN καθοτι-D εγω- P--NP συ- P--AS ου-D βδελυσσω-VAI-AMI1P και-C ος- --ASM τροπος-N2--ASM χραω-VAI-AMI1P συ- P--DS καλως-D και-C εκ αποστελλω-VAI-AAI1P συ- P--AS μετα-P ειρηνη-N1--GSF και-C νυν-D συ- P--NS ευλογητος-A1--NSM υπο-P κυριος-N2--GSM

30 και-C ποιεω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--DPM δοχη-N1--ASF και-C εσθιω-VBI-AAI3P και-C πινω-VBI-AAI3P

31 και-C αναιστημι-VH--AAPNPM ο- A--ASN πρωι-D ομνυμι-VAI-AAI3P ανθρωπος-N2--NSM ο- A--DSM πλησιον-D αυτος- D--GSM και-C εκ αποστελλω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--APM *ισαακ-N---NSM και-C αποοιχομαι-V1I-IMI3P απο-P αυτος- D--GSM μετα-P σωτηρια-N1A-GSF

32 γιγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S δε-X εν-P ο- A--DSF ημερα-N1A-DSF εκεινος- D--DSF και-C παραγιγνομαι-VB--AMPNPM ο- A--NPM παις-N3D-NPM *ισαακ-N---GSM αποαγγελλω-VAI-AAI3P αυτος- D--DSM περι-P ο- A--GSN φρεαρ-N3T-GSN ος- --GSN ορυσσω-VAI-AAI3P και-C ειπον-VAI-AAI3P ου-D ευρισκω-VB--AAI1P υδωρ-N3--ASN

33 και-C καλεω-VAI-AAI3S αυτος- D--ASN *ορκος-N2--NSM δια-P ουτος- D--ASN ονομα-N3M-ASN ο- A--DSF πολις-N3I-DSF *φρεαρ-N3T-NSN ορκος-N2--GSM εως-P ο- A--GSF σημερον-D ημερα-N1A-GSF

34 ειμι-V9--IAI3S δε-X *ησαυ-N---NSM ετος-N3E-GPN τεσσαρακοντα-M και-C λαμβανω-VBI-AAI3S γυνη-N3K-ASF *ιουδιν-N---ASF ο- A--ASF θυγατηρ-N3--ASF *βεηρ-N---GSM ο- A--GSM *χετταιος-N2--GSM και-C ο- A--ASF *βασεμμαθ-N---ASF θυγατηρ-N3--ASF *αιλων-N---GSM ο- A--GSM *ευαιος-N2--GSM

35 και-C ειμι-V9--IAI3P εριζω-V1--PAPNPF ο- A--DSM *ισαακ-N---DSM και-C ο- A--DSF *ρεβεκκα-N---DSF

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3399

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

3399. The expression 'lying with a wife' means in the internal sense perverting and adulterating truth, here truth that is Divine, because 'a wife' - Rebekah - represents Divine Truth, as shown above. This may be seen from the consideration that instances of lying together, adultery, and prostitution in the Word do not mean anything other than perversions of good and falsifications of truth, as shown in 2466, 2729. The reason why they do so is that all adultery is absolutely contrary to conjugial love, so much so that it is destructive of it; and conjugial love originates in the marriage of good and truth, 2508, 2618, 2727-2759, 3132. Consequently things that are contrary to good and truth, or that destroy them, are in the Word called forms of adultery.

[2] But it should be realized that those who belong to the spiritual Church are not able to adulterate good to such an extent that they profane it, for the reason that they are not able to receive good so far as to perceive it, as those who are celestial do. They are able however to profane truth because they are able to acknowledge it. Yet in the final period of the Church they are not able even to acknowledge truth, because at that time universal disbelief prevails concerning the Lord, concerning life after death, and concerning the internal man. And the disbelief which reigns universally makes it impossible for them to penetrate into the interior truths of faith. That which prevails with everyone universally limits them and keeps them back from entering more deeply into such things, even when the person is unaware of that universal disbelief and also when he supposes that he does believe.

[3] But those who are able to profane good are such as belong to the celestial Church, for they are able to receive it so as to perceive it, as was done by those living before the Flood who have consequently been segregated from everyone else and are kept in a hell separated from the hells of others - regarding which see 1265-1272. The prevention of the occurrence ever again of the profanation of good is meant by the reference to Jehovah expelling man and causing cherubim to dwell away from the east towards the garden of Eden, and the flame of a sword turning this way and that to guard the way of the tree of life, Genesis 3:24. On these matters, see 308, 310.

  
/ 10837  
  

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2466

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

2466. It is certainly possible to confirm that in the internal sense such things are meant as have been set forth in the paragraph above, and indeed to confirm them as to each word. But apart from the fact that they have been confirmed already they are also such as shock people's minds and offend their ears. From the summary explanation given above it may become clear that those things are used to describe how such a religion originated as that meant in the Word by 'Moab' and 'the son of Ammon'. The nature of it will be stated later on where Moab and the son of Ammon are the subject. The fact that adulterated good and falsified truth are meant is clear. Adulterations of good and falsifications of truth are commonly described in the Word as acts of adultery and whoredom, and are actually called such. The reason for this is that good and truth belong together like a married couple, 1904, 2173. Indeed, though scarcely anyone may credit it, it is from this marriage of good and truth as its own true source that the holiness of marriages on earth is derived as well as the marriage laws laid down in the Word.

[2] The truth of the matter is that when celestial things together with spiritual come down from heaven into a lower sphere they are in a most perfect way converted there into the likeness of marriages. They do so on account of the correspondence which exists between spiritual things and natural, a correspondence which in the Lord's Divine mercy will be described elsewhere. But when those same things are perverted in the lower sphere, as happens when evil genii and evil spirits are present there, they are in that case converted into the kind of things that go with acts of adultery and whoredom. This is why in the Word defilements of good and perversions of truth are described as acts of adultery and whoredom and are also called such, as becomes quite clear from the following places: In Ezekiel,

You committed whoredom because of your renown, and poured out your acts of whoredom on every passer-by. You took some of your garments and made for yourself high places variously coloured, and on them committed whoredom. For your adornment you took vessels made of My gold and of My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself figures of the male, and committed whoredom with them. You took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to Me, and sacrificed them to them. Were your acts of whoredom a small matter? You committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt, your neighbours, great in flesh, and multiplied your whoredom to provoke Me to anger. You committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur, and you committed whoredom with them and were not satisfied. And you multiplied your whoredom, even as far as the trading land of Chaldea; and yet you were not satisfied with this. Ezekiel 16:15-17, 20, 26, 28-29, and following verses.

This refers to Jerusalem, which means in this instance the Church perverted as regards truths. Anyone may see that all the things referred to here have entirely different meanings.

[3] That the perversion of some aspect of the Church is called whoredom is quite evident. 'The garments' referred to are truths that are being perverted. Consequent falsities which are worshipped are meant by 'the variously coloured high places' on which whoredom took place - 'garments' meaning truths, see 1073, and 'high places' worship, 796. 'The vessels for adornment made of the gold and the silver which I had given' are cognitions of good and truth drawn from the Word which they use to confirm falsities. And when such falsities are seen as truths they are called 'figures of the male with whom whoredom was committed'. For 'vessels for adornment made of gold and silver' means cognitions of good and truth, as is evident from the meaning of 'gold' as good, 113, 1551, 1552, and of 'silver' as truth, 1551, 2048; 'figures of the mare' means falsities which are seen as truths, 2046. 'The sons and daughters whom they had borne and sacrificed to them' means the goods and truths which they perverted, as is evident from the meaning of 'sons and daughters', 489-491, 533, 2362; 'committing whoredom with the sons of Egypt' means perverting those goods and truths by means of facts, as is evident from the meaning of 'Egypt' as factual knowledge, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462. 'Committing whoredom with the sons of Asshur' means perverting by means of reasonings, as is evident from the meaning of 'Asshur' as reasoning, 119, 1186; 'multiplying whoredom even as far as the land of Chaldea' means even to the profanation of truth, which is Chaldea, 1368. All this makes plain the nature of the internal sense of the Word within the sense of the letter.

[4] A similar passage occurs elsewhere in the same prophet,

Two women, the daughters of one mother, committed whoredom in Egypt. In their youth they committed whoredom. Oholah is Samaria, Oholibah is Jerusalem. Oholah committed whoredom under Me and doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours. She bestowed her acts of whoredom on them, the choicest of all the sons of Asshur. Her acts of whoredom brought from Egypt she did not give up, for they had lain with her in her youth. Oholibah corrupted her love more than she, and her acts of whoredom more than her sister's acts of whoredom; she doted on the sons of Asshur. She added to her acts of whoredom and saw the images of the Chaldeans. As soon as her eyes saw them she desired them. The sons of Babel came to her, into her love-bed. Ezekiel 23:2-5, 7-8, 11-12, 14, 16-17.

'Samaria' is a Church with the affection for truth, 'Jerusalem' a Church with the affection for good. By 'the acts of whoredom' committed by such affections with 'the Egyptians' and with 'the sons of Asshur' are meant the perversions of good and truth by means of facts and reasonings used to confirm falsities, as is evident from the meaning of 'Egypt', 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, and of 'Asshur', 119, 1186. These perversions extended even to profane worship which in respect of truth is 'Chaldea', 1368, and in respect of good is 'the sons of Babel', 1182, 1326.

[5] In Isaiah,

And it will be at the end of seventy years, that Jehovah will visit Tyre, and she will return to hiring herself out as a harlot, and will commit whoredom with all the kingdoms of the earth. Isaiah 23:17.

It is the flaunting of falsity that is meant by Tyre's 'hiring herself out as a harlot and committing whoredom'. 'Tyre' means cognitions of truth, see 1201, 'kingdoms' truths with which whoredom took place, 1672.

[6] In Jeremiah,

You have committed whoredom with many partners; but return to Me. Lift up your eyes to the hills and see - where have you not been ravished? By the waysides you have sat waiting for them, like an Arab in the wilderness, and you have profaned the land with your acts of whoredom and with your wickedness. Jeremiah 3:1-2.

'Committing whoredom' and 'profaning the land with acts of whoredom' is perverting and falsifying the truths of the Church. 'The land' is the Church, see 662, 1066, 1067.

[7] In the same prophet,

With the voice of her whoredom she profaned the land, she committed adultery with stone and wood. Jeremiah 3:9.

'Committing adultery with stone and wood' means perverting truths and goods that are part of external worship - 'stone' meaning that kind of truth, see 643, 1298, 'wood' that kind of good, 643.

[8] In the same prophet,

Because they have committed folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their companions' wives, and have in My name spoken a false word which I did not command. Jeremiah 29:23.

'Committing adultery with companions' wives' is teaching falsity as from them.

[9] In the same prophet,

In the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: in their committing adultery and walking in falsity. Jeremiah 23:14.

Here 'committing adultery' has regard to good which is being defiled, 'walking in falsity' to truth which is being perverted. In the same prophet,

Your adulterous acts and your neighings, the filth of your whoredom committed on the hills, in the field - I have seen your abominations. Woe to you, O Jerusalem; you will not be made clean after this; how long yet? Jeremiah 13:27.

[10] In Hosea,

Whoredom, and wine, and new wine have taken possession of the heart. My people inquire of a piece of wood and their staff makes declaration to them, for the spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have committed whoredom beneath their god. They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth. Therefore your daughters commit whoredom and your daughters-in-law commit adultery. Shall I not punish 1 your daughters because they commit whoredom and your daughters-in-law because they commit adultery, for the men themselves divide with harlots and sacrifice with cult-prostitutes? Hosea 4:11-14.

What each of these things means in the internal sense becomes clear from the meaning of 'wine' as falsity, of 'new wine' as evil deriving from this, of 'the piece of wood which they inquire of' as the good belonging to the delight that goes with some evil desire, 'the staff which makes a declaration' as the imaginary power of their own understanding, also of 'mountains and hills' as self-love and love of the world, of 'oak, poplar, and terebinth' as so many dull-witted perceptions in which they trust, of 'daughters and daughters-in-law' as affections that are such. From this it is evident what acts of 'whoredom', 'adultery', and 'cult-prostitution' mean here.

[11] In the same prophet,

O Israel, you have committed whoredom beneath 2 your god; you have taken delight in hiring yourself out as a harlot on every threshing-floor. Hosea 9:1.

'Hiring oneself out as a harlot' stands for a flaunting of falsity. In Moses,

Lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go whoring after their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone calls you and you eat of his sacrifices, and you take his daughters for your sons, and his daughters go whoring after their gods, and they cause your sons to go whoring after their gods. Exodus 34:15-16.

In the same author,

I will cut off from the midst of their people all who go whoring after him, for whoring after Molech. And anyone who looks to those who have familiar spirits and to wizards, and goes whoring after them, I will set My face against that person and will cut him off from the midst of his people. Leviticus 20:5-6.

In the same author,

Your sons will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and will bear your acts of whoredom until your bodies are consumed in the wilderness. Numbers 14:33.

In the same author,

May you remember all the commandments of Jehovah and do them, and may you not seek after your own heart and after your own eyes, which you go whoring after. Numbers 15:39.

[12] An even plainer usage occurs in John,

One angel said, Come, I will show you the judgement of the great harlot who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed whoredom, and with the wine of whose whoredom the inhabitants of the earth have become drunk. Revelation 17:1-2.

'The great harlot' stands for people whose worship is profane. 'The many waters on which she is seated' are cognitions, 28, 739, 'the kings of the earth who committed whoredom with her' are the truths of the Church, 1672, 2015, 2069. 'The wine with which the people became drunk' is falsity, 1071, 1072. It is because wine' and 'drunkenness' have this meaning that Lot's daughters are said to have made their father drink wine, verses 32-33, 35.

[13] In the same book,

Babylon has given all nations drink from the wine of the fury of her whoredom; and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her. Revelation 18:3.

'Babylon' or Babel stands for worship whose external features appear holy but whose interiors are unholy, 1182, 1295, 1326. 'The nations to whom she gives drink' means goods which are rendered profane, 1259, 1260, 1416, 1849, 'the kings who commit whoredom with her' means truths, 1672, 2015, 2069. In the same book,

The judgements of the Lord God are true and right, for He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her whoredom. Revelation 19:2.

'The earth' stands for the Church, 566, 662, 1066, 1067, 2117, 2118.

[14] It was because 'acts of whoredom' had such a meaning, and 'daughters' meant affections, that a priest's daughter was so strictly forbidden to commit whoredom, concerning which the following is said in Moses,

Any priest's daughter, in that she has begun to commit whoredom, is profaning her father; she shall be burnt with fire. Leviticus 21:9.

Also they were forbidden to bring the earnings of a harlot into the house of Jehovah because it was an abomination, Deuteronomy 23:18. And for the same reason a certain procedure had to be followed - given in Numbers 5:12-31 - for investigating the behaviour of a wife whom the husband suspected of adultery; every single detail of that procedure has reference to the adulteration of good. Besides these many more genera and still more species of adultery and whoredom are referred to in the Word. The genus described by means of Lot's daughters lying with their father and called 'Moab' and 'the son of Ammon' is dealt with immediately below.

Footnotes:

1. literally, visit

2. The Latin means above, but the Hebrew means from under or from beneath, which Swedenborg has in other places where he quotes this verse.

  
/ 10837  
  

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