The Bible

 

Jezekilj 29

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1 Godine desete, desetog meseca, dvanaestog dana, dođe mi reč Gospodnja govoreći:

2 Sine čovečji, okreni lice svoje prema Faraonu caru misirskom, i prorokuj protiv njega i protiv svega Misira.

3 Govori i reci: Ovako veli Gospod Gospod: evo me na te, Faraone care misirski, zmaju veliki što ležiš usred reka svojih, koji reče: Moja je reka; ja sam je načinio sebi.

4 Zato ću ti metnuti u čeljusti udicu, i učiniću da se ribe u rekama tvojim nahvataju na krljušti tvoje; i izvući ću te iz reka tvojih i sve ribe iz reka tvojih nahvatane na krljušti tvoje.

5 I ostaviću u pustinji tebe i sve ribe iz tvojih reka, i pašćeš na zemlju i nećeš se pokupiti ni sabrati, zverima zemaljskim i pticama nebeskim daću te da te jedu.

6 I svi će stanovnici misirski poznati da sam ja Gospod; jer su štap od trske domu Izrailjevom.

7 Kad te uhvatiše u ruku, ti se slomi i raseče im sve rame; a kad se nasloniše na te, ti se prebi i probode im sva bedra.

8 Zato ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Evo, ja ću pustiti na te mač, i istrebiću iz tebe ljude i stoku.

9 I zemlja će se misirska opustošiti i biti pusta, i poznaće se da sam ja Gospod, jer reče: Moja je reka, i ja sam je načinio.

10 Zato evo me na tebe i na reke tvoje, i obratiću zemlju misirsku u pustoš i samu pustinju, od kule sinske do međe etiopske.

11 Neće prelaziti preko nje nogom svojom čovek, niti će živinče nogom svojom prelaziti preko nje, i neće se živeti u njoj četrdeset godina.

12 I učiniću od zemlje misirske pustoš među zemljama opustošenim, i gradovi će njeni među pustim gradovima biti pustoš četrdeset godina, i rasejaću Misirce među narode i razasuću ih po zemljama.

13 Jer ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Posle četrdeset godina skupiću Misirce iz naroda u koje budu rasejani.

14 I povratiću roblje misirsko, i dovešću ih opet u zemlju Patros, na postojbinu njihovu, i onde će biti malo carstvo.

15 Malo će biti mimo ostalih carstava, niti će se više uzdignuti nad narode, jer ću ih smanjiti da ne vladaju narodima.

16 I neće više biti domu Izrailjevom uzdanica da napominje bezakonje kad bi gledali za njima; i poznaće da sam ja Gospod Gospod.

17 A dvadeset sedme godine, prvog meseca, prvog dana, dođe mi reč Gospodnja govoreći:

18 Sine čovečji, Navuhodonosor car vavilonski zadade vojsci svojoj tešku službu protiv Tira; svaka glava oćelavi i svako se rame odre, a plate ne bi ni njemu ni vojsci njegovoj od Tira za službu kojom služiše protiv njega.

19 Zato ovako veli Gospod Gospod: Evo ja dajem Navuhodonosoru caru vavilonskom zemlju misirsku, i on će odvesti narod i odneti plen i pograbiti grabež, i to će biti plata njegovoj vojsci.

20 Za trud kojim se trudio oko toga dadoh mu zemlju misirsku, jer se za me trudiše, govori Gospod Gospod.

21 U onaj ću dan učiniti da naraste rog domu Izrailjevom, i tebi ću otvoriti usta među njima, i znaće da sam ja Gospod.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #557

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557. Verse 9. (Revelation 9:9) And they had breastplates as iron breastplates, signifies the persuasions with which they gird themselves for combats, against which the truths of the rational-spiritual man prevail not. This is evident from the signification of "breastplates" (or coats of mail), as being defenses against evils and falsities in combats, but here defenses of evils and falsities against goods and truths, because this treats of those who are in the falsities of evil in opposition to truths. Here "breastplates" signify persuasions, because sensual men who are in the falsities of evil, who are here described, do not fight against truths from reason, for they do not see truths, but falsities only, and are therefore in the persuasion that falsities are truths, consequently they fight solely from the persuasion of falsity, and with them this persuasion is such that the truths brought forth by the spiritual-rational man are of no avail, for they are repelled as a sword is from a breastplate or coat of mail. So "breastplates as iron breastplates" signify persuasions against which truths are of no avail. That the persuasiveness with such is so infatuating and suffocating that the spiritual-rational is of no avail against it may be seen above (n. 544, 549, 556). Moreover, breastplates or coats of mail, cover that part of the body called the breast or thorax, and this signifies the spiritual affection of truth; also all affection is contained in the sound which comes forth from the breast with the speech. But those who are here signified by "locusts," who are such sensual men as are in falsities, have no other affection than that of the love of self, and because that affection is full of self-confidence and full of the persuasion that their falsity is truth, and because that affection is in the sound which comes forth from the breast with the speech, so the locusts appeared in "breastplates which were as iron breastplates." Moreover, "iron" signifies truth in ultimates, and likewise falsity there, and at the same time what is hard; and the persuasiveness that they have causes the falsity to be so hard that the truths opposed to it rebound, as if they were of no account or avail. Because the persuasion of sensual men who are in falsities from self-confidence is such, and with spirits is so powerful that it suffocates and extinguishes the rational of other spirits with whom they converse in the world of spirits, it is severely prohibited, and those who make use of it are sent among spirits where they are distressed even to swooning by other spirits by means of still stronger persuasions, and this until they desist.

[2] Because breastplates or coats of mail were in use in wars, and to put them on signified to gird oneself for war and thus to fight, therefore in the Word those who were girt for fighting are said to have put on coats of mail. Thus in Jeremiah:

Harness the horses, and go up, ye horsemen; and stand ye forth in helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the coats of mail (46 Jeremiah 46:4).

These words do not mean the combat of one army against another, but the combat of the spiritual-rational man against the natural man who, from knowledges [scientifica] falsely applied, fights against truths and goods. For this is said of the army of Pharaoh king of Egypt, whom the king of Babylon smote, and "Pharaoh king of Egypt" means such a natural man, and "the king of Babylon," near the Euphrates, means the spiritual-rational man, therefore "Harness the horses, go up, ye horsemen, and stand ye forth in helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the coats of mail," signifies such things as relate to the combat of the spiritual-rational man against the natural man who is in falsities; "horses" mean the things of the understanding, "chariots to which they were harnessed" the things of doctrine, "horsemen" the intelligent, "helmets" the things of reason, "spears" truths combating, and "coats of mail" force and strength in fighting and resisting. A "coat of mail" has this meaning because it girds the breast, and from the breast through the arms is all the strength in fighting and resisting.

[3] In the same:

Against Babylon let him bend, let him that bendeth bend his bow; against her he shall lift himself up in his coat of mail (Jeremiah 51:3).

Here, too, "coat of mail" stands for the power to fight and resist. In Isaiah:

He put on righteousness as a coat of mail, and the helmet of salvation upon His head (Isaiah 59:17).

This treats of the Lord, and of the subjugation of the hells by Him; and "righteousness as a coat of mail" signifies the zeal for rescuing the faithful from hell and the Divine love of saving the human race; and as it was from the zeal of Divine love and power therefrom that the Lord fought and conquered, so righteousness is called a "coat of mail;" while the "helmet of salvation" signifies Divine truth from Divine good, by means of which is salvation, for a "helmet" has a similar signification as the head, because it is worn on the head; that the "head" in reference to the Lord signifies Divine truth and Divine wisdom will be seen in what follows.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.