The Bible

 

Jezekilj 26

Study

   

1 A jedanaeste godine prvi dan meseca dođe mi reč Gospodnja govoreći:

2 Sine čovečji, što Tir govori za Jerusalim: Ha, ha! Razbiše se vrata narodima, obratiše se k meni, napuniću se kad opuste;

3 Zato ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Evo mene na te, Tire, i dovešću mnoge narode na te kao da bih doveo more s valima njegovim.

4 I oni će obaliti zidove tirske i kule u njemu raskopati, i omešću prah njegov i pretvoriću ga u go kamen.

5 I postaće mesto da se razastiru mreže usred mora, jer ja govorih, veli Gospod Gospod, i biće grabež narodima.

6 I kćeri njegove po polju izginuće od mača, i poznaće da sam ja Gospod.

7 Jer ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Evo, ja ću dovesti na Tir Navuhodonosora, cara vavilonskog sa severa, cara nad carevima, s konjima i s kolima i s konjicima i s vojskama i mnogim narodom.

8 Kćeri tvoje po polju pobiće mačem, i načiniće prema tebi kule, i iskopaće opkope prema tebi, i podignuće prema tebi štitove.

9 I namestiće ubojne sprave prema zidovima tvojim, i razvaliće kule tvoje oružjem svojim.

10 Od mnoštva konja njegovih pokriće te prah, od praske konjika i točkova i kola zatrešće se zidovi tvoji, kad stane ulaziti na tvoja vrata kao što se ulazi u grad isprovaljivan.

11 Kopitima konja svojih izgaziće sve ulice tvoje, pobiće narod tvoj mačem, i stupovi sile tvoje popadaće na zemlju.

12 I popleniće blago tvoje i razgrabiti trg tvoj, i razvaliće zidove tvoje i lepe kuće tvoje razoriti, i kamenje tvoje i drva tvoja i prah tvoj baciće u vodu.

13 I prekinuću jeku pesama tvojih, i glas kitara tvojih neće se više čuti.

14 I učiniću od tebe go kamen, bićeš mesto gde se razastiru mreže, nećeš se više sazidati; jer ja Gospod govorih, veli Gospod Gospod.

15 Ovako veli Gospod Gospod Tiru: Neće li se zadrmati ostrva od praske padanja tvog, kad zajauču ranjenici, kad pokolj bude u tebi?

16 Svi će knezovi morski sići s prestola svojih i skinuće sa sebe plašte i svući sa sebe vezene haljine, i obući će se u strah; sedeće na zemlji, i drhtaće svaki čas i čuditi se tebi.

17 I naricaće za tobom i govoriće ti: Kako propade, slavni grade! U kome življahu pomorci, koji beše jak na moru, ti i stanovnici tvoji, koji strah zadavahu svima koji življahu u tebi.

18 Sad će se uzdrhtati ostrva kad padneš, i smešće se ostrva po moru od propasti tvoje.

19 Jer ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Kad te učinim pustim gradom, kao što su gradovi u kojima se ne živi, kad pustim na te bezdanu, i velika te voda pokrije,

20 I kad te svalim s onima koji silaze u jamu k starom narodu, i namestim te na najdonjim krajevima zemlje, u pustinji staroj s onima koji silaze u jamu, da se ne živi u tebi, tada ću opet postaviti slavu u zemlji živih.

21 Učiniću da budeš strahota kad te nestane, i tražiće te i nećeš se naći do veka, govori Gospod Gospod.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1306

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

1306. That 'a tower' means worship of self is clear from the meaning of 'a tower'. It is worship of self when a person sets himself up above everybody else even to the point of his being worshipped. Consequently self-love, which is pride and arrogance, is called height, loftiness, and exaltedness, and everything high is used to describe it, as in Isaiah,

The eyes of man's (homo) loftiness will be humbled, and the height of men (vir) brought low, and Jehovah alone will be exalted on that day, for the day of Jehovah Zebaoth will be against everyone that is lofty and high, and against everyone that is lifted up. and he will be humbled, and against all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and against all the oaks of Bashan, and against all high mountains, and against all hills that are lifted up, and against every lofty tower and against every fortified wall. Isaiah 2:11-18.

This refers to self-love, described by the cedars, oaks, mountains, hills, and tower that are high and exalted.

[2] In the same prophet,

There will be brooks, streams of water, on the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. Isaiah 30:25.

Here likewise 'tower' stands for self-love and for exaltedness in worship. In the same prophet,

Behold, the land of the Chaldeans! This people was not. Asshur founded her in tziim. 1 They will erect their watch-towers; they will raise up her palaces, he will make her into a ruin. Isaiah 23:13.

This refers to Tyre and laying it waste. 'Watch-towers', a different expression from 'towers', stands for resulting delusions. In Ezekiel,

I will cause many nations to come up against Tyre, and they will break down the walls of Tyre, and destroy her towers, and I will scrape her dust from her and make her a bare rock. Ezekiel 26:3-4.

Here likewise 'towers' has the same meaning.

[3] The reason why self-love in worship, or worship of self, is called 'a tower' is that 'a city' means doctrine, as shown already in 402, and cities in former times were fortified by towers with watchmen in them. Towers were also placed on their borders, and they were therefore called towers for watchmen, 2 Kings 9:17; 17:9; 18:8, and watchtowers, Isaiah 23:13. In addition, when the Lord's Church is compared to a vineyard, things of worship and also the preservation of it are compared to a winepress and to 'a tower in the vineyard', as is clear in Isaiah 5:1-2; Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1.

Footnotes:

1. A Hebrew word, probably meaning desert creatures

  
/ 10837  
  

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