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Daniel 11

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1 και εν τω ενιαυτω τω πρωτω κυρου του βασιλεως ειπεν μοι ενισχυσαι και ανδριζεσθαι

2 και νυν ηλθον την αληθειαν υποδειξαι σοι ιδου τρεις βασιλεις ανθεστηκασιν εν τη περσιδι και ο τεταρτος πλουτησει πλουτον μεγαν παρα παντας και εν τω κατισχυσαι αυτον εν τω πλουτω αυτου επαναστησεται παντι βασιλει ελληνων

3 και στησεται βασιλευς δυνατος και κυριευσει κυριειας πολλης και ποιησει καθως αν βουληται

4 και εν τω αναστηναι αυτον συντριβησεται η βασιλεια αυτου και μερισθησεται εις τους τεσσαρας ανεμους του ουρανου ου κατα την αλκην αυτου ουδε κατα την κυριειαν αυτου ην εδυναστευσε οτι αποσταθησεται η βασιλεια αυτου και ετερους διδαξει ταυτα

5 και ενισχυσει βασιλειαν αιγυπτου και εις εκ των δυναστων κατισχυσει αυτον και δυναστευσει δυναστεια μεγαλη η δυναστεια αυτου

6 και εις συντελειαν ενιαυτων αξει αυτους και εισελευσεται βασιλευς αιγυπτου εις την βασιλειαν την βορρα ποιησασθαι συνθηκας και ου μη κατισχυση οτι ο βραχιων αυτου ου στησει ισχυν και ο βραχιων αυτου ναρκησει και των συμπορευομενων μετ' αυτου και μενει εις ωρας

7 και αναστησεται φυτον εκ της ριζης αυτου καθ' εαυτον και ηξει επι την δυναμιν αυτου εν ισχυι αυτου βασιλευς βορρα και ποιησει ταραχην και κατισχυσει

8 και τους θεους αυτων καταστρεψει μετα των χωνευτων αυτων και τους οχλους αυτων μετα των σκευων των επιθυμηματων αυτων το αργυριον και το χρυσιον εν αιχμαλωσια αποισουσιν εις αιγυπτον και εσται ετος βασιλει βορρα

9 και εισελευσεται εις βασιλειαν αιγυπτου ημερας και επιστρεψει επι την γην αυτου

10 και ο υιος αυτου και ερεθισθησεται και συναξει συναγωγην οχλου πολλου και εισελευσεται κατ' αυτην κατασυρων παρελευσεται και επιστρεψει και παροξυνθησεται επι πολυ

11 και οργισθησεται βασιλευς αιγυπτου και πολεμησει μετα βασιλεως βορρα και παραδοθησεται η συναγωγη εις τας χειρας αυτου

12 και ληψεται την συναγωγην και υψωθησεται η καρδια αυτου και ταραξει πολλους και ου μη φοβηθη

13 και επιστρεψει βασιλευς βορρα και συναξει πολεως συναγωγην μειζονα παρα την πρωτην κατα συντελειαν καιρου ενιαυτου και εισελευσεται εις αυτην επ' αυτον εν οχλω πολλω και εν χρημασι πολλοις

14 και εν τοις καιροις εκεινοις διανοιαι αναστησονται επι τον βασιλεα αιγυπτου και ανοικοδομησει τα πεπτωκοτα του εθνους σου και αναστησεται εις το αναστησαι την προφητειαν και προσκοψουσι

15 και επελευσεται βασιλευς βορρα και επιστρεψει τα δορατα αυτου και ληψεται την πολιν την οχυραν και οι βραχιονες βασιλεως αιγυπτου στησονται μετα των δυναστων αυτου και ουκ εσται αυτω ισχυς εις το αντιστηναι αυτω

16 και ποιησει ο εισπορευομενος επ' αυτον κατα το θελημα αυτου και ουκ εσται ο ανθεστηκως εναντιον αυτου και στησεται εν τη χωρα και επιτελεσθησεται παντα εν ταις χερσιν αυτου

17 και δωσει το προσωπον αυτου επελθειν βια παν το εργον αυτου και συνθηκας μετ' αυτου ποιησεται και θυγατερα ανθρωπου δωσει αυτω εις το φθειραι αυτην και ου πεισεται και ουκ εσται

18 και δωσει το προσωπον αυτου επι την θαλασσαν και ληψεται πολλους και επιστρεψει οργην ονειδισμου αυτων εν ορκω κατα τον ονειδισμον αυτου

19 επιστρεψει το προσωπον αυτου εις το κατισχυσαι την χωραν αυτου και προσκοψει και πεσειται και ουχ ευρεθησεται

20 και αναστησεται εκ της ριζης αυτου φυτον βασιλειας εις αναστασιν ανηρ τυπτων δοξαν βασιλεως και εν ημεραις εσχαταις συντριβησεται και ουκ εν οργη ουδε εν πολεμω

21 και αναστησεται επι τον τοπον αυτου ευκαταφρονητος και ου δοθησεται επ' αυτον δοξα βασιλεως και ηξει εξαπινα κατισχυσει βασιλευς εν κληροδοσια αυτου

22 και τους βραχιονας τους συντριβεντας συντριψει απο προσωπου αυτου

23 και μετα της διαθηκης και δημου συνταγεντος μετ' αυτου ποιησει ψευδος και επι εθνος ισχυρον εν ολιγοστω εθνει

24 εξαπινα ερημωσει πολιν και ποιησει οσα ουκ εποιησαν οι πατερες αυτου ουδε οι πατερες των πατερων αυτου προνομην και σκυλα και χρηματα αυτοις δωσει και επι την πολιν την ισχυραν διανοηθησεται και οι λογισμοι αυτου εις ματην

25 και εγερθησεται η ισχυς αυτου και η καρδια αυτου επι τον βασιλεα αιγυπτου εν οχλω πολλω και ο βασιλευς αιγυπτου ερεθισθησεται εις πολεμον εν οχλω ισχυρω σφοδρα λιαν και ου στησεται οτι διανοηθησεται επ' αυτον διανοια

26 και καταναλωσουσιν αυτον μεριμναι αυτου και αποστρεψουσιν αυτον και παρελευσεται και κατασυριει και πεσουνται τραυματιαι πολλοι

27 και δυο βασιλεις μονοι δειπνησουσιν επι το αυτο και επι μιας τραπεζης φαγονται και ψευδολογησουσι και ουκ ευοδωθησονται ετι γαρ συντελεια εις καιρον

28 και επιστρεψει εις την χωραν αυτου εν χρημασι πολλοις και η καρδια αυτου επι την διαθηκην του αγιου ποιησει και επιστρεψει επι την χωραν αυτου

29 εις καιρον και εισελευσεται εις αιγυπτον και ουκ εσται ως η πρωτη και η εσχατη

30 και ηξουσι ρωμαιοι και εξωσουσιν αυτον και εμβριμησονται αυτω και επιστρεψει και οργισθησεται επι την διαθηκην του αγιου και ποιησει και επιστρεψει και διανοηθησεται επ' αυτους ανθ' ων εγκατελιπον την διαθηκην του αγιου

31 και βραχιονες παρ' αυτου στησονται και μιανουσι το αγιον του φοβου και αποστησουσι την θυσιαν και δωσουσι βδελυγμα ερημωσεως

32 και εν αμαρτιαις διαθηκης μιανουσιν εν σκληρω λαω και ο δημος ο γινωσκων ταυτα κατισχυσουσι και ποιησουσι

33 και εννοουμενοι του εθνους συνησουσιν εις πολλους και προσκοψουσι ρομφαια και παλαιωθησονται εν αυτη και εν αιχμαλωσια και εν προνομη ημερων κηλιδωθησονται

34 και οταν συντριβωνται συναξουσιν ισχυν βραχειαν και επισυναχθησονται επ' αυτους πολλοι επι πολεως και πολλοι ως εν κληροδοσια

35 και εκ των συνιεντων διανοηθησονται εις το καθαρισαι εαυτους και εις το εκλεγηναι και εις το καθαρισθηναι εως καιρου συντελειας ετι γαρ καιρος εις ωρας

36 και ποιησει κατα το θελημα αυτου ο βασιλευς και παροργισθησεται και υψωθησεται επι παντα θεον και επι τον θεον των θεων εξαλλα λαλησει και ευοδωθησεται εως αν συντελεσθη η οργη εις αυτον γαρ συντελεια γινεται

37 και επι τους θεους των πατερων αυτου ου μη προνοηθη και εν επιθυμια γυναικος ου μη προνοηθη οτι εν παντι υψωθησεται και υποταγησεται αυτω εθνη ισχυρα

38 επι τον τοπον αυτου κινησει και θεον ον ουκ εγνωσαν οι πατερες αυτου τιμησει εν χρυσιω και αργυριω και λιθω πολυτελει και εν επιθυμημασι

39 ποιησει πολεων και εις οχυρωμα ισχυρον ηξει μετα θεου αλλοτριου ου εαν επιγνω πληθυνει δοξαν και κατακυριευσει αυτου επι πολυ και χωραν απομεριει εις δωρεαν

40 και καθ' ωραν συντελειας συγκερατισθησεται αυτω ο βασιλευς αιγυπτου και εποργισθησεται αυτω βασιλευς βορρα εν αρμασι και εν ιπποις πολλοις και εν πλοιοις πολλοις και εισελευσεται εις χωραν αιγυπτου

41 και επελευσεται εις την χωραν μου

42 και εν χωρα αιγυπτου ουκ εσται εν αυτη διασωζομενος

43 και κρατησει του τοπου του χρυσιου και του τοπου του αργυριου και πασης της επιθυμιας αιγυπτου και λιβυες και αιθιοπες εσονται εν τω οχλω αυτου

44 και ακοη ταραξει αυτον απο ανατολων και βορρα και εξελευσεται εν θυμω ισχυρω και ρομφαια αφανισαι και αποκτειναι πολλους

45 και στησει αυτου την σκηνην τοτε ανα μεσον των θαλασσων και του ορους της θελησεως του αγιου και ηξει ωρα της συντελειας αυτου και ουκ εσται ο βοηθων αυτω

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #503

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503. We will now say what Egypt symbolizes in the Word: Egypt symbolizes the natural self joined to the spiritual self, and its affection for truth then and consequent knowledge and intelligence. And in an opposite sense it symbolizes the natural self divorced from the spiritual self, and its conceit in its own intelligence then and consequent irrationality in spiritual matters.

Egypt symbolizes the natural self joined to the spiritual self, and its affection for truth then and consequent knowledge and intelligence, in the following passages:

In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt... swearing an oath to Jehovah of Hosts... In that day there will be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt... Then Jehovah will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day... (Isaiah 19:18-21)

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, so that the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria - a blessing in the midst of the land, whom Jehovah of Hosts shall bless, saying, "Blessed is My people Egypt, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance." (Isaiah 19:23-25)

Egypt there is the natural component, Assyria the rational one, and Israel the spiritual one. These three form a person of the church.

That is why the king of Egypt is called "the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings," and Egypt is called "the cornerstone of (the) tribes." (Isaiah 19:11, 13) And regarding Solomon we are told that his wisdom excelled the wisdom of the Egyptians (1 Kings 4:30). We are also told that he "took Pharaoh's daughter as a wife, and brought her into the city of David" (1 Kings 3:1), and that he "built a house for Pharaoh's daughter next to the porch" (1 Kings 7:8).

[2] For this reason Joseph was carried down into Egypt and there became the ruler of the whole land (Genesis 41).

Since Egypt symbolized the natural self in respect to its affection for truth and consequent knowledge and intelligence, therefore Joseph, the husband of Mary, having been warned by an angel, went with the infant Lord into Egypt (Matthew 2:14-15), in fulfillment of the prophecy,

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. (Hosea 11:1)

You caused a vine to come out of Egypt; You... planted it... and caused it to send forth its roots... (Psalms 80:8-9)

For a person is born natural, becomes rational, and later spiritual. Thus is a vine from Egypt planted and caused to take root.

For the sake of this representation, moreover, Abraham sojourned in Egypt (Genesis 12:10ff.). And Jacob was commanded to go with his sons into Egypt, and they also abode there (Genesis 46ff.).

So, too, the land of Canaan, which symbolizes the church, is described to extend "even to the river of Egypt" (Genesis 15:18, 1 Kings 4:21, Micah 7:12). And Egypt is compared to the Garden of Eden, the garden of God (Ezekiel 31:2, 8, Genesis 13:10).

The knowledge of the natural self is also called "the precious things of Egypt" (Daniel 11:43), and "fine embroidered linen from Egypt" (Ezekiel 27:7).

And so on elsewhere where Egypt is spoken of affirmatively, as in Isaiah 27:12-13.

[3] On the other hand, in an opposite sense Egypt symbolizes the natural self divorced from the spiritual self, and its conceit in its own intelligence then and consequent irrationality in spiritual matters, in the following places:

Because...(Pharaoh's) heart was lifted up in its height, and it set its top among the thick boughs..., aliens... will cut him off and cast him down... In the day when he went down to hell..., I covered the deep over him...(and) you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised... (Ezekiel 31:10-18)

...the foundations (of Egypt) shall be overthrown... ...the pride of her power shall come down... ...and shall be laid waste... her cities... in the midst of the desolate cities... I will set fire to Egypt..., and I will disperse Egypt among the nations, and scatter them throughout the lands. (Ezekiel 30:1ff.)

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help..., and do not look to the Holy One of Israel... For the Egyptians are men, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. (Isaiah 31:1, 3)

Egypt rises up like a flood... He says, "I will go up, I will cover the earth, (and) I will destroy... Come up, O horses, and rage, O chariots! ...The sword shall devour (you), and be... made drunk with blood...; there is no healing for you. (Jeremiah 46:2, 8-11)

How do you say to Pharaoh, "I am the son of the wise, and the son of ancient kings?" Where are your wise men now? ...let them know... The princes of Zoan have become fools...; they have led Egypt astray..., the cornerstone of (the) tribes... Neither will there be any work for Egypt, which may form the head or the tail... (Isaiah 19:1-17)

...prophesy against... Egypt..., O great whale who lie in the midst of your rivers. Because he said, "My river, and I have made myself," (therefore) I will put hooks in your jaws, and cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales... And I will leave you in the wilderness... Therefore... the land of Egypt shall become desolate and waste. (Ezekiel 29:1-12)

And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 30:1, 2, 7; 2 Kings 18:21.

[4] Since the Egyptians became of such a character, therefore they were rendered desolate as regards all the goods and truths of the church. Their desolations are described by the miracles done there, which were plagues, and these symbolized the many lusts of the natural self divorced from the spiritual self, a natural self which acts only in accordance with its own intelligence and its conceit. The plagues symbolic of its lusts were these:

That the water in the river turned to blood so that the fish died and the river stank. (Exodus 7)

That the streams and ponds brought forth frogs upon the land of Egypt. That the dust of the ground turned into lice. That a swarm of noxious flying insects was sent. (Exodus 8)

[That a pestilence occurred so that the livestock of Egypt died.] That sores were caused to break out with pustules on man and beast. That a downpour of hail mixed with fire rained down. (Exodus 9)

That locusts were sent. That darkness occurred through all the land of Egypt. (Exodus 10).

That all the firstborn in the land of Egypt died. (Exodus 11,12)

And finally, that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea (Exodus 14), which symbolizes hell.

To find what all these things symbolize specifically, see Arcana Coelestia (The Secrets of Heaven), published in London, where they are explained.

It is apparent from this what is symbolically meant by the plagues and diseases of Egypt in Deuteronomy 7:15; 28:60; what is symbolically meant by drowning in the river of Egypt in Amos 8:8; 9:5; and why it is that Egypt is called a land of bondage in Micah 6:4, the land of Ham in Psalms 106:22, and an iron furnace in Deuteronomy 4:20, 1 Kings 8:51.

[5] The reason Egypt symbolizes both intelligence and irrationality in spiritual matters was that the Ancient Church, which extended through many kingdoms in Asia, existed also in Egypt, and at that time the Egyptians, more than any others, cultivated a study of the correspondences between spiritual and natural things, as is apparent from the hieroglyphs there. But when that study among them was turned into magic and became idolatrous, then their intelligence in spiritual matters became irrational. Egypt symbolizes this, therefore, in an opposite sense.

It can be seen from this what the great city means, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt.

  
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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

 

Genesis 47

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1 Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, "My father and my brothers, with their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen."

2 From among his brothers he took five men, and presented them to Pharaoh.

3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" They said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers."

4 They said to Pharaoh, "We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants' flocks. For the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen."

5 Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, "Your father and your brothers have come to you.

6 The land of Egypt is before you. Make your father and your brothers dwell in the best of the land. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen. If you know any able men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock."

7 Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many are the days of the years of your life?"

9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage."

10 Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.

11 Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

12 Joseph nourished his father, his brothers, and all of his father's household, with bread, according to their families.

13 There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.

14 Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.

15 When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, "Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For our money fails."

16 Joseph said, "Give me your livestock; and I will Give you food for your livestock, if your money is gone."

17 They brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and for the donkeys: and he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock for that year.

18 When that year was ended, they came to him the second year, and said to him, "We will not hide from my lord how our money is all spent, and the herds of livestock are my lord's. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands.

19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. Give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land won't be desolate."

20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe on them, and the land became Pharaoh's.

21 As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end of it.

22 Only he didn't buy the land of the priests, for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and ate their portion which Pharaoh gave them. That is why they didn't sell their land.

23 Then Joseph said to the people, "Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land.

24 It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field, for your food, for them of your households, and for food for your little ones."

25 They said, "You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants."

26 Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of the priests alone didn't become Pharaoh's.

27 Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly.

28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years.

29 The time drew near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, "If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please don't bury me in Egypt,

30 but when I sleep with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place." He said, "I will do as you have said."

31 He said, "Swear to me," and he swore to him. Israel bowed himself on the bed's head.

   

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