The Bible

 

Jeremija 49

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1 Za sinove Amonove: Ovako veli Gospod: Zar Izrailj nema sinove? Zar nema naslednike? Zašto Malhom nasledi zemlju Gadovu? I zašto se narod njegov naseli u njegovim gradovima?

2 Zato evo idu dani, govori Gospod, kad ću učiniti da se čuje vika ubojna u Ravi sinova Amonovih, i ona da bude gomila razvalina, i sela njena popaljena ognjem; i Izrailj će ovladati onima koji behu njim ovladali, govori Gospod.

3 Ridaj Esevone, jer je Gaj opustošen, vičite sela ravska, pripašite oko sebe kostret, naričite i trčite oko plotova; jer će Malhom otići u ropstvo, sveštenici njegovi i knezovi njegovi skupa.

4 Što se hvališ dolinama? Rastopila se dolina tvoja, kćeri odmetnico! Koja se uzdaš u blago svoje: Ko bi udario na me?

5 Evo ja ću pustiti na te strah od svuda unaokolo, govori Gospod Gospod nad vojskama, i raspršaćete se svi, i neće biti nikoga da skupi bežan.

6 Ali ću posle povratiti roblje sinova Amonovih, govori Gospod.

7 Za Edoma, ovako veli Gospod nad vojskama: Zar nema više mudrosti u Temanu? Nesta li saveta razumnima? Iščile li mudrost njihova?

8 Bežite, obratite pleći, zavrite se duboko, stanovnici dedanski, jer ću pustiti na Isava pogibao njegovu u vreme kad ću ga pohoditi.

9 Da ti dođu berači, ne bi li ti ostavili pabiraka? Da dođu lupeži noću, ne bi li odneli koliko im je dosta?

10 Ali ja ogoluznih Isava, otkrih potaje njegove da se ne može sakriti; propade seme njegovo, braća njegova i susedi njegovi, niko ne osta.

11 Ostavi sirote svoje, ja ću im život sačuvati, i udovice tvoje neka se uzdaju u me.

12 Jer ovako veli Gospod: Evo, koji ne bi trebalo da piju iz čaše, doista će piti; a ti li ćeš ostati bez kara? Nećeš ostati bez kara, nego ćeš zacelo piti.

13 Jer sobom se zaklinjem, govori Gospod, da će Vosora biti pustoš, rug, čudo i prokletstvo, i svi će gradovi njeni biti pustinja večna.

14 Čuh glas od Gospoda, i glasnik bi poslan k narodima da reče: Skupite se i idite na nju, i dignite se u boj.

15 Jer gle, učiniću te da budeš mali među narodima i prezren među ljudima.

16 Obest tvoja i ponositost srca tvog prevari tebe, koji živiš u raselinama kamenim i držiš se visokih humova; da načiniš sebi gnezdo visoko kao orao, i odande ću te svaliti, govori Gospod.

17 I zemlja će edomska biti pustinja, ko prođe mimo nju, svak će se čuditi i zviždati radi svih rana njenih.

18 Kao kad se zatre Sodom i Gomor i susedstvo njihovo, veli Gospod, neće se naseliti onde niko niti će se baviti onde sin čovečji.

19 Gle, kao lav izaći će podižući se više nego Jordan na stan Silnoga; ali ću ga brzo oterati iz te zemlje, i postaviću nad njom onog ko je izabran; jer ko je kao ja? I ko će se preti sa mnom? I koji će mi pastir odoleti?

20 Zato čujte nameru Gospodnju što je naumio za Edomce i misli njegove što je smislio za stanovnike temanske: zaista najmanji iz stada razvlačiće ih, zaista će opusteti stan s njima.

21 Od praske padanja njihovog zemlja će se tresti, i vika će se njihova čuti na crvenom moru.

22 Gle, doći će i doleteće kao orao i raširiće krila svoja nad Vosorom, i biće srce u junaka edomskih kao srce u žene koja se porađa.

23 Za Damask. Posrami se Emat i Arfad, jer ču zle glase; rastopiše se, strah je na moru, ne može se umiriti.

24 Damask klonu, obrati se da beži, drhat ga poduze, tuga i bolovi osvojiše ga kao porodilju.

25 Kako se ne ostavi slavni grad? grad radosti moje?

26 Zato će popadati mladići njegovi na ulicama njegovim, i svi će vojnici njegovi izginuti u onaj dan, govori Gospod nad vojskama.

27 I raspaliću oganj u zidovima damaštanskim, i proždreće dvore Ven-Adadove.

28 Za Kidar i za carstva asorska, koja razbi Navuhodonosor car vavilonski, ovako veli Gospod: Ustanite, idite na Kidar, i zatrite sinove istočne.

29 Uzeće im šatore i stada, zavese njihove i sudove njihove i kamile njihove oteće, i vikaće na njih strašno odsvuda.

30 Bežite, selite se daleko, sakrijte se duboko, stanovnici asorski, govori Gospod, jer je Navuhodonosor car vavilonski namerio nameru protiv vas, i smislio misao protiv vas.

31 Ustanite, idite k narodu mirnom, koji živi bez straha, govori Gospod, koji nema vrata ni prevornica, žive sami.

32 I kamile će njihove biti plen, i mnoštvo stoke njihove grabež, i rasejaću ih u sve vetrove, one što se s kraja strižu, i dovešću pogibao na njih sa svih strana, govori Gospod.

33 I Asor će biti stan zmajevski, pustinja do veka: niko se neće onde naseliti, niti će se baviti u njemu sin čovečji.

34 Reč Gospodnja koja dođe Jeremiji proroku za Elam, u početku carovanja Sedekije cara Judinog, govoreći:

35 Ovako veli Gospod nad vojskama: Evo, ja ću slomiti luk Elamu, glavnu silu njegovu;

36 I dovešću na Elam četiri vetra s četiri kraja nebesa, i u sve te vetrove rasejaću ih, tako da neće biti naroda kuda neće otići prognanici elamski.

37 I uplašiću Elamce pred neprijateljima njihovim, i pred onima koji traže dušu njihovu; i pustiću zlo na njih, žestinu gneva svog, govori Gospod, i pustiću za njima mač dokle ih ne zatrem.

38 I namestiću presto svoj u Elamu, i istrebiću odande cara i knezove, govori Gospod.

39 Ali u poslednje vreme povratiću roblje elamsko, govori Gospod.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9595

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9595. 'Ten curtains' means all the truths of which it consists. This is clear from the meaning of 'ten' as all, dealt with in 4638, so that 'a tenth part', which is one curtain, means a sufficient amount, 8468, 8540; and from the meaning of 'curtains' as the interior truths of faith which belong to the new understanding. For 'the dwelling-place' means the middle or second heaven, which is heaven by virtue of its reception of Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good, as shown above in 9594; consequently the curtains of which it was assembled and which enveloped it are the truths of faith belonging to the new understanding. They are interior truths, because exterior truths are meant by the curtains made from [the hair of] goats for the tent going all the way round, which are also dealt with in the present chapter.

[2] The fact that 'curtains' are the truths of faith which those in the Lord's spiritual kingdom possess is clear from places in the Word where they are mentioned, as in Isaiah,

Sing, O barren one that did not bear; for the sons of her that is desolate will be more than the sons of her that is married. Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwelling-places. Lengthen the ropes, because you will break out to the right and to the left, and your seed will inherit the nations. Isaiah 54:1-3.

This refers to the Church to be established among the gentiles, which is called 'a barren one that did not bear' because it lacks truths from the Word, 9325. It says that 'her sons will be more than those of her that is married' because it will have more truths than the devastated former Church had; for 'sons' are truths, 489, 491, 533, 1147, 3373, 3704. 'Enlarging the place of the tent' stands for the holiness of worship springing from the good of love, 3312, 4391, 4599, 'stretching out the curtains of dwelling-places' for the holiness of worship springing from the truths of faith.

[3] In Jeremiah,

The whole land has been laid waste. Suddenly My tents have been laid waste, My curtains in a moment. Jeremiah 4:20.

'A land laid waste' stands for the Church, 9325, 'tents laid waste' for the holiness of worship springing from the good of love, 'curtains laid waste' for holy worship springing from the truths of faith.

[4] In the same prophet,

My tent has been laid waste, and all My ropes torn away. My sons have gone away from Me, and they are not. There is no one stretching out My tent any more, and setting up My curtains. For the shepherds have become stupid. Jeremiah 10:20-21.

Here the meaning is similar. In the same prophet,

Arise and go up against Arabia, and lay waste the sons of the east. They will take their tents and flocks, their curtains and all their vessels, and bear their camels away for themselves. Jeremiah 49:28-29.

'Arabia' and 'the sons of the east' stand for those with cognitions or knowledge of goodness and truth, 3249; 'taking tents and flocks' stands for taking the Church's forms of interior good, 8937, 'taking curtains' for taking the Church's interior truths, 'their vessels' the Church's exterior truths, 3068, 3079, 'camels' general facts, 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145. In Habakkuk,

Below Aven I saw the tents of Cushan; the curtains of Midian shook. Habakkuk 3:7.

'The curtains of Midian' stands for the truths with those governed by simple good, 3242, 4756, 4788, 6773, 6775.

[5] All this shows what is meant by the following in David,

O Jehovah, You have put on glory and honour - He who covers Himself with light, as if with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a curtain. Psalms 104:1-2.

'Covering Himself with light, as if with a garment' stands for Divine Truths. Truth is meant by 'light', see 9548, and also by 'a garment', 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954, 9093, 9212, 9216; therefore 'stretching out the heavens like a curtain' means enlarging the heavens by means of an influx of God's truth, from which come intelligence and wisdom. 'Stretching and spreading out the heavens' has reference to the new or regenerated understanding part of the mind, see at the end of the very next paragraph, 9596.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #4638

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4638. Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins means the final period of the old Church and the first of the new. The Church is the Lord's kingdom on earth; 'the ten virgins' are all who belong to the Church, that is to say, both those who are governed by good and truth, and those who are under the influence of evil and falsity. 'Ten' in the internal sense means remnants, also that which is full and complete, and so means all, while 'virgins' means those who belong to the Church, as in other places in the Word.

[2] Who took their lamps means spiritual things which have what is celestial within them, or truths that have good within them, or what amounts to the same, faith that has charity towards the neighbour within it, and charity that has love to the Lord within it. For 'oil' means the good of love, dealt with below; but 'lamps that have no oil in them' means those same things when there is no good within them.

[3] They went out to meet the Bridegroom means their reception.

Five of them however were wise, but five were foolish means that one group of them possessed truths which had good within them, and another group possessed truths which did not have good within them. The former are 'the wise', but the latter 'the foolish'. In the internal sense 'five' means some, in this case therefore a group from within the whole.

Taking their lamps the foolish did not take oil with them means that they did not have within their truths the good of charity, 'oil' in the internal sense being the good of charity and love.

Whereas the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps means that they did have within their truths the good of charity and love - 'vessels' being matters of doctrine concerning faith.

[4] While the Bridegroom was tarrying they were all drowsy and went to sleep means delay, and therefore doubt. In the internal sense, 'being drowsy' means becoming, because of the delay, inattentive to things of the Church, while 'going to sleep' means nurturing doubt, in the case of 'the wise' doubt that goes with an affirmative attitude of mind, but in the case of 'the foolish' doubt that goes with a negative one.

At midnight there was a shout means the period of time which is the final one of the old Church and the first of the new. In the Word when the subject is the state of the Church this period is called 'night'. 'A shout' means a change taking place.

Behold, the Bridegroom is coming; go out to meet Him means judgement, that is to say, a time of being accepted or rejected.

[5] Then all those virgins were roused and they trimmed their lamps means the preparation of all, for those whose truths do not have good within them believe themselves to be no less accepted than those whose truths do have good within them. Indeed they imagine that faith alone saves and are unaware of the fact that no faith can exist where no charity does so.

But the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out means their desire for that good to be communicated from others to their own empty truths, that is, to their own hollow faith. For those who are in the next life communicate to one another every spiritual or celestial thing they possess, though only through good.

[6] But the wise replied, saying, Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you means that no communication of it is possible because the small amount of good they have would be taken away from them. For in the next life, when good is communicated to those whose truths are devoid of good, they take away good so to speak from those who do have it and then keep it to themselves. They do not communicate it to others but defile it, which is why no good is communicated to them. My own experience of these people will be seen at the end of Chapter 37 below.

[7] Go rather to those who sell and buy for yourselves means meritorious good. Those who boast of having this kind of good are meant by 'those who sell'. Also, more than all others in the next life, people whose truth has no good within it think that they have earned merit through every deed they have performed which to all outward appearance looked like good, though inwardly it was evil, as the Lord says of them in Matthew, Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by Your name, and by Your name cast out demons, and do many mighty works in Your name? But then I will confess to them, I do not know you; depart from Me, you workers of iniquity! Matthew 7:22-23.

And in Luke,

Once the Householder has risen up and shut the door, then you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He replying will say to you, I do not know where you come from. Then you will begin to say, We ate in your presence and we drank; and You taught in our Streets. But He will say, I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity! Luke 13:25-27.

This describes what those meant here by the foolish virgins are like, and that is why the following words referring to them occur in this parable - they 'came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he replying said, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you'.

[8] While they were going to buy however, the Bridegroom came means their perverse approach.

And those who were ready went in with Him to the wedding feast means that those who were governed by good, and from this by truth, were accepted into heaven. Heaven is likened to a wedding feast by virtue of the heavenly marriage, which is a marriage of good and truth, and the Lord to the Bridegroom because these people are joined to Him, while the Church is therefore called the Bride.

And the door was shut means that no others can enter.

[9] Afterwards the remaining virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us means that they wish to enter on the basis of faith alone without charity, and of works in which the life of the Lord is not present, only selfish life.

But He replying said, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you means rejection. In the internal sense 'not knowing them' means that they lack any charity towards the neighbour, and are not joined through such charity to the Lord. Those who are not so joined to Him are said 'not to be known' by Him.

[10] Watch therefore, for you do not know the day, nor the hour, in which the Son of Man will be coming means an eagerness to live according to the commandments constituting a person's faith, meant by 'watching'. The actual time of acceptance, which is unknown to a person, and his state then, are meant by 'you do not know the day, nor the hour, in which the Son of Man will be coming'. One who is governed by good, that is, whose deeds conform to the commandments, is called 'wise', but one who has a knowledge of the truth, yet does not act in accordance with this, is called 'foolish', as they are elsewhere by the Lord in Matthew,

Everyone who hears My words and does them I will liken to a wise man. But everyone hearing My words and not doing them will be likened to a foolish man. Matthew 7:24, 26.

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