The Bible

 

Amos 2

Study

   

1 säger HERREN: Eftersom Moab har trefalt förbrutit sig, ja, fyrfalt, skall jag icke rygga mitt beslut: eftersom han har förbränt Edoms konungs ben till aska.

2 Därför skall jag sända en eld mot Moab, och den skall förtära Keriots palatser; och Moab skall omkomma under stridslarm, under härskri vid basuners ljud,

3 Och jag skall utrota ur landet den som är domare där, och alla dess furstar skall jag dräpa jämte honom säger HERREN.

4 säger HERREN: Eftersom Juda har trefalt förbrutit sig, ja, fyrfalt, skall jag icke rygga mitt beslut: eftersom de hava förkastat HERRENS lag och icke hållit hans stadgar, utan låtit förleda sig av sina lögngudar, dem som ock deras fäder vandrade efter.

5 Därför skall jag sända en eld mot Juda, och den skall förtära Jerusalems palatser.

6 säger HERREN: Eftersom Israel har trefalt förbrutit sig, ja, fyrfalt, skall jag icke rygga mitt beslut: eftersom de sälja den oskyldige för penningar och den fattige för ett par skor.

7 Ty de längta efter att se stoft på de armas huvuden, och de vränga de ödmjukas sak. Son och fader gå tillsammans till tärnan och ohelga så mitt heliga namn.

8 På pantade kläder sträcker man sig invid vart altare, och bötfälldas vin dricker man i sin Guds hus

9 Och dock var det jag som förgjorde för dem amoréerna, ett folk så högrest som cedrar och så väldigt som ekar; jag förgjorde deras frukt ovantill och deras rötter nedantill.

10 Det var jag som förde eder upp ur Egyptens land, och som ledde eder i öknen i fyrtio år, så att I intogen amoréernas land.

11 Och jag uppväckte somliga bland edra söner till profeter och somliga bland edra unga män till nasirer. Är det icke så, I Israels barn? säger HERREN.

12 Men I gåven nasirerna vin att dricka, och profeterna bjöden I: »Profeteren icke.»

13 Se, därför skall jag låta ett gnissel uppstå i edert land, likt gnisslet av en vagn som är fullastad med kärvar.

14 Då skall ej ens den snabbaste finna någon undflykt, den starkaste har då intet gagn av sin kraft, och hjälten kan icke rädda sitt liv.

15 Bågskytten håller då icke stånd, den snabbfotade kan icke rädda sitt liv, ej heller kan ryttaren rädda sitt.

16 Ja, den som var modigast bland hjältarna skall på den dagen fly undan naken, säger HERREN.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #315

Study this Passage

  
/ 1232  
  

315. As it were slain. That this signifies as yet acknowledged by few, is evident from the signification of being slain, when said of the Lord, as denoting His not being acknowledged; in the present case, its being acknowledged by few that His Human is Divine, for it is said, "A lamb standing as it were slain"; and by the lamb is signified the Lord as to the Divine Human (as was shown just above, n. 314). The case is similar with what was said concerning the Lord (1:18), "and was dead," by which is signified that [He was] rejected (concerning which see above, n. 83). By being slain, in the spiritual or internal sense, is not meant to be slain as to the body but as to the soul; and a man is slain as to the soul when he is no longer in any good of faith, for then he has no spiritual life, but instead thereof death, which is called spiritual death; but when "slain" is mentioned concerning the Lord, it does not signify this, because the Lord is Life itself, and gives to every one spiritual life; but it means either that He is rejected, or that He is not acknowledged; for, with those who do not acknowledge Him, He is as it were no one, and especially with those who deny Him. The Lord Himself is indeed acknowledged in the church, and also His Divine, but, as to the Human, as a man only, and not as God; hence it is that His Divine Human is not acknowledged; this, therefore, is what is meant by a lamb standing, as it were slain. But that the Lord even as to the Human is God, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 280-310), and will be seen at the end of this work, where it will be clearly shown.

[2] Those who think from the sense of the letter of the Word only, and not at the same time from the doctrine of genuine truth, suppose that by being slain in the Word is meant being slain as to the body; but that to be slain as to the soul is meant, will appear from the passages which will be adduced presently. For it is acknowledged that the Word in its bosom is spiritual, although in the sense of the letter it is natural; and to be slain spiritually is to perish as to the soul, as is the case with those who do not receive the life of heaven, which is called life eternal, and also simply life, and who thus have instead thereof death, which is damnation. And because this is confessed, it follows that by being slain in the Word is meant to perish from falsities and evils. But the Lord is said spiritually to be slain, when the truth is denied and the good is rejected, these being from Him; among these also He is not acknowledged; for he who denies and rejects those things that are from Him, also denies and rejects Him, for the Lord is with man in His own truths and goods.

[3] But here His Divine Human is treated of; that it is not as yet acknowledged, is known. I will mention the reasons: One is, that the pontifical nation has transferred to its own Primate all Divine power, which is the Lord's even as to the Human, they being unwilling to hear that it was Divine, because from His Human. The other reason is, that those who are not of that nation have made faith alone the only means of salvation, and not a life of charity; and those who do this, can perceive the Lord's Human only as the human of another man; therefore also they remain blindly in the doctrine of the Trinity from the creed of Athanasius, and cannot be enlightened.

[4] That to be slain in the Word signifies to be spiritually slain, is evident from the following passages:

In Isaiah:

"Thou as an abominable shoot, the raiment of the slain, thrust through with the sword: for thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people. Prepare slaughter for his sons" (14:19-21).

These [things are said] concerning Babel, by which is signified the profanation of good and truth, and thence the destruction of the church. It is compared with the raiment of the slain who are thrust through with the sword, because the raiment of the slain signifies abominable falsity, defiling and destroying the things of the church, which are therefore said to be thrust through with the sword, because a sword signifies falsity destroying truth. Hence it is said, "Thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people." By the land is meant the church, and by the people those therein who are in truths, whom to slay is to destroy by falsities. Prepare slaughter for his sons, signifies that their falsities are to be destroyed, his sons denoting falsities.

[5] In Jeremiah:

"The slain of Jehovah shall be at that day from the end of the earth unto the end of the earth" (25:33).

By the slain of Jehovah being from the end of the earth unto the end of the earth, are signified those with whom all the truths of the church are destroyed by falsities; the slain of Jehovah signify those with whom they are destroyed; and from the end of the earth unto the end of the earth, signifies all things of the church.

[6] In the same:

"Therefore deliver up their sons to the famine, and cause them to flow down upon the hands of the sword, that men may become rare, slain with death, their young men smitten with the sword in war" (18:21).

To give sons to the famine, and to cause them to flow down upon the hands of the sword, signifies to extinguish the truths of the church through a lack of the knowledges of truth, and through falsities; sons denote truths, a famine denotes the lack of knowledges, and the sword denotes falsity destroying truth. "That men may become rare, slain with death," signifies that there is no affection of truth, and hence no wisdom; men signify the affection of truth, and hence wisdom (as may be seen above n. 280). "Their young men smitten with the sword in war," signifies, because truths have been destroyed by the assaults of falsity; young men denote truths, the sword denotes falsity destroying, and war denotes the assault thereof.

[7] In Ezekiel:

"Go ye through" Jerusalem, "and smite, neither let your eye spare, slay ye to perdition the old man, the young man, and the virgin, and the infant; but draw not near against any man upon whom is the sign" (9:5, 6).

These words were spoken by the man clothed in linen garments, or by an angel to other angels, and were heard by the prophet. It is not meant by this that they should pass through Jerusalem, and should smite and slay old men, young men, maidens, and infants unto perdition; but by Jerusalem is meant the church as to doctrine, and that it is altogether vastated as to all the goods and truths which constitute it. By an old man is meant wisdom belonging to good; by a young man, intelligence belonging to truth; by a maiden, the affection thereof; and by an infant, every rising good and truth, specifically the good of innocence, by means of which all things of the church with man are born. By the man (vir) upon whom was the sign, and to whom they should not come near, is signified truth from good.

[8] In the same:

"Hence they shall stone them with stone, they shall cleave them asunder with swords, they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire" (23:47).

These things are said concerning Samaria and Jerusalem, which are there called Aholah and Aholibah; by which are signified the spiritual and the celestial churches, in the present case, those churches devastated by falsities and evils. To stone with stone, and to cleave asunder with swords, signify the destruction of truth by falsities; for stoning signified punishment and death, on account of violence offered to the Divine truth, similarly the cleaving asunder by swords. To slay sons and daughters, signifies to destroy all truths and goods, sons denoting truths, and daughters goods. And to burn houses with fire, signifies to destroy all things of love and charity, by the evils of the love of self and of the world; houses denote the interior [things] of man, thus those of his love; here that [those things are] destroyed, fire denoting love in both senses.

[9] In Jeremiah:

"They lay on the earth, the boy and the old man in the streets; my virgins and my young men have fallen by the sword; Thou hast slain in the day of thine anger, Thou hast not spared" (Lamentations 2:21).

Here also it treats of the church devastated. To lie on the ground and in the streets, signifies, destroyed by evils and falsities. The boy and the old man, the virgins and the young men, have fallen by the sword, signify, here as above, all goods and truths together with intelligence and wisdom. Their extinction is signified by, "Thou hast slain in the day of thine anger, Thou hast not spared"; the day of anger signifies the last state of the church, when judgment takes place. It is ascribed to Jehovah that He slew, that is, extinguished those things; but it is man himself who does this. It is the character of the sense of the letter to ascribe to Jehovah what is of the man himself (as may be seen, n. 2447, 5798, 6071, 6991, 6997, 7533, 7632, 7643, 7677, 7679, 7710, 7926, 8227, 8282, 8483, 8632, 9010, 9128, 9306, 10431).

[10] In Amos:

"I will cut off the judge out of the midst of Moab, and all his princes will I slay with him" (2:2, 3).

By Moab, in the Word, are meant those who adulterate the goods of the church; by the judge who shall be cut off and by the princes who shall be slain, are signified the good that is adulterated, and the truths that are thence falsified, a judge denoting good, and a prince denoting truth.

[11] In Zechariah:

"There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds, that their eminence is devastated. Thus said Jehovah my God, Feed the sheep of the slaughter, which their possessors slay. I have fed the sheep of the slaughter for your sakes, O miserable of the flock" (11:3-5, 7).

By the sheep of the slaughter, which their possessors slay, are signified those who are in good, and are seduced by falsities of doctrine; they are called sheep who are in the good of charity; shepherds denote those who teach truths, and thereby lead to good.

[12] In David:

"We are slain every day; we are reputed as a flock of the slaughter. Awake, O Lord! forsake us not for ever" (Psalms 44:22, 23).

"We are slain every day," signifies, that of ourselves we are perpetually falling into falsities, and are seduced by them, especially in the time when falsities rule; hence it is evident what a flock of the slaughter signifies. That we may be elevated out of them by the Lord is signified by, "Awake, O Lord! forsake us not for ever."

[13] In Ezekiel:

"They shall draw the swords upon the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. They shall bring [thee] down to the pit, and thou shalt die by the death of the slain" (28:7, 8).

These things are spoken of the prince of Tyre, by whom is signified intelligence from the knowledges of truth, here those extinguished by falsities. To draw swords upon the beauty of thy wisdom, signifies its extinction by falsities; to bring down to the pit, signifies immersion in them; and to die by the death of the slain, signifies destruction and damnation; the slain signify those with whom all truth is extinguished (as may be seen, n. 4503, 9262), and death signifies damnation.

[14] In Isaiah:

"Hath he smitten him according to the stroke of him that smiteth him? Is he slain according to the slaughter of his slain? " (27:7).

These things are said concerning Jacob and Israel, by whom the church is signified; by Jacob the external church, and by Israel the internal. The temptations of those who belong to the church are thus described, which are signified by, "Hath he smitten him according to the stroke of him that smiteth him?" And that they should not yield, and thus perish in temptations, is signified by, "Is he slain according to the slaughter of the slain?" the slaughter of the slain signifies perdition by falsities.

[15] Slaughter signifies perdition and damnation also elsewhere in the same:

"In the day of the great slaughter, the towers shall fall" (30:25).

The day of the great slaughter signifies the Last Judgment, when the wicked are condemned and perish; towers signify the doctrines of falsity.

[16] In the same:

"I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant" (14:30).

These things are said respecting Philistea, by which is signified truth without good, or faith without charity. To kill the root with famine, signifies to perish entirely from having no good; the root denotes everything from which a thing lives; therefore it is also said, he shall slay thy remnant; by remnant are signified all the remains of the church.

[17] In Jeremiah:

"I have heard the voice of the daughter of Zion; she sigheth and spreadeth her hands, for my soul is wearied by the slayers" (4:31).

Thus is described the grief of the church falling from truths into falsities. The daughter of Zion denotes the church, "She sigheth and spreadeth the hands," signifies grief; "For my soul is wearied by the slavers," signifies by the falsities which extinguish spiritual life, slayers denoting those falsities.

[18] In Isaiah:

"Behold, Jehovah going forth out of his place to visit the iniquity of the earth; then shall the earth reveal her bloods, and shall no longer hide her slain" (26:21).

This is said of the day of visitation or judgment, when the iniquities of all shall be uncovered, which is meant by, "Then the earth shall reveal her bloods, and shall no longer hide her slain the earth signifies the church, here the evil who are therein bloods denote the evils that have destroyed the goods thereof and the slain denote the falsities that have destroyed the truths thereof; hence, whether it be said that the slain signify falsities, or those who are in falsities, it is the same thing because they are in falsities, and falsities in them, and the falsities in them destroy. The same is signified by the slain elsewhere in Isaiah:

"What will ye do in the day of visitation and of desolation? They shall fall down under the slain" (10:3, 4).

Also in the Apocalypse:

"The blood of the prophets and of saints was found in Babylon, and of all that were slain on the earth" (18:24).

What is signified by these words will be seen in what comes after.

[19] In Isaiah:

"I will visit evil upon the world. Every one found shall be thrust through; and every one gathered together shall fall by the sword" (13:11, 15).

This also is said of Babylon. "Every one found shall be thrust through," signifies that they shall perish by evil; and "Every one gathered together shall fall by the sword," signifies [that they shall perish] by falsity.

[20] In Matthew:

"In the consummation of the age they shall deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you" (24:9).

In John:

"They shall cut you off from the synagogues; yea, the hour cometh that any one who killeth you, will think that he offereth holy worship to God" (16:2, 3).

These things were said to the disciples; and by the disciples, in the spiritual-representative sense, are meant all the truths and goods of the church; hence it is evident, what is meant in that sense by, "they shall kill them," namely, that they shall then destroy the truths and goods of the church.

[21] In Mark:

"In the consummation of the age "the brother shall deliver the brother to death, the father the children; the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall slay them" (13:12).

The consummation of the age is the last time of the church, when falsities shall destroy truths, and evils shall destroy goods. By brother, father, and children are not meant here, a brother, a father, and children, but falsity and truth, also good and evil. That the brother shall deliver the brother to death, signifies that falsity shall destroy good, specifically that faith alone shall destroy charity, for faith in the Word is called the brother of charity. That the father shall deliver the children to death, signifies that the good of the church shall perish by the falsities of evil; father denoting the good of the church, and children denoting the falsities of evil. That the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall slay them, signifies that the falsities of evil shall assault the goods and truths of the church, and destroy them.

[22] In Luke:

The man who planted a vineyard "sent a servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard; but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant; and beating him also, they sent him away empty. Again he sent a third, and wounding him they cast him forth. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. But they said, This is the heir; come, let us kill him; and casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him" (20:10-16; Mark 12:2-9).

These things are said concerning the church instituted amongst the Jews, and thereby is described the perversion and falsification of every truth they possessed from the Word, by traditions and by applications to themselves. Every particular there contains a spiritual sense; for whatever the Lord spake, He spake also spiritually, because from the Divine. By the vineyard which the man planted, is signified the church which is in truths; by the servants whom he sent thrice, is meant the Word given to them, through Moses and the prophets; "thrice" is mentioned, because three signifies what is full and complete that they beat them, wounded, and sent them away empty from the vineyard, signifies that they falsified and perverted the truths that are there; to send them away empty from the vineyard, signifies that they deprived the Word of its goods and truths. By the beloved son is meant the Lord as to Divine truth, who is also thence called the Word; that they cast Him out of the vineyard and killed Him, signifies not only [that they killed] Him, but also all Divine truth which is from Him (as may be seen also above, n. 83).

[23] In Daniel:

"After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself" (9:26).

By the Messiah also is meant the Lord as to Divine truth (as may be seen in n. 3008, 3009). That He shall be cut off, signifies not only Himself, but also all Divine truth with that people; but not for Himself, signifies that it should revive with those who are in the New Church, in like manner as was said above in the first chapter of the Apocalypse: "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore" (Verse 18).

  
/ 1232  
  

Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #4503

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

4503. 'The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city' means that all his descendants destroyed that doctrine. This is clear from the meaning of 'the sons of Jacob' as descendants from Jacob, dealt with above; from the meaning of 'plundering' as destroying; and from the meaning of 'the city' as the doctrine of the Church, dealt with above in 4500. Simeon and Levi's going away after they had killed every male in the city as well as Hamor and Shechem, and then Jacob's sons' coming upon the slain and plundering the city, involves an arcanum, the meaning of which is not evident except from the internal sense.

[2] That arcanum is this: After the truth and good of the Church which are represented by 'Simeon and Levi' were wiped out and falsity and evil took their place, further falsities and evils were added, which are meant in the contrary sense by the rest of Jacob's sons. Each son of Jacob represented some general aspect of faith and charity, as has been shown in 2129, 3858, 3913, 3926, 3939, 4060.

Which aspect is represented by each, see the following:

Reuben, 3861, 3866, 3870;

Judah, 3881;

Dan, 3921-3923;

Naphtali, 3927, 3928;

Gad, 3934, 3935;

Asher, 3938, 3939;

Issachar, 3956, 3957;

Zebulun, 3960, 3961.

These general aspects of faith and charity which those sons represented become falsities and evils of that kind once the truth and good of the Church have been wiped out and those further falsities and evils have been added to them; for falsities and evils are constantly on the increase within the Church once it has been perverted and wiped out. It is these added falsities and evils that are meant by the reference to Jacob's sons coming upon the slain and plundering the city after Simeon and Levi had killed every male in the city as well as Hamor and Shechem, and had taken Dinah and gone away.

[3] That 'the slain' in the Word means truths and goods which have been wiped out may be seen from the following places: In Isaiah,

You are cast out from your sepulchre like an abominable branch, a garment of the killed - slain with the sword - who go down to the stones of the pit like a dead body trodden underfoot. Isaiah 14:19.

This refers to Babel. 'Those slain with the sword' stands for those who have profaned the truths of the Church. In the same prophet,

So that their slain are cast out and the stench of their dead bodies rises up. Isaiah 34:3.

This refers to the falsities and evils which infest the Church, 'the slain' standing for these.

[4] In Ezekiel,

The violent of the nations will draw the sword against the beauty of your wisdom, and they will profane your loveliness. They will bring you down into the pit and you will die the deaths of those slain in the midst of the seas. Ezekiel 28:7-8.

This refers to the prince of Tyre who means the leading cognitions of truth and good. 'Dying the deaths of those slain in the midst of the seas' stands for those who use facts to hatch falsities and in consequence defile the truths of the Church.

[5] In the same prophet,

They also will go down with them into hell, to those slain with the sword. You will be made to go down with the trees of Eden into the nether world, in the midst of the uncircumcised you will lie with those slain with the sword. Ezekiel 31:17-18.

In the same prophet,

Go down and lie with the uncircumcised; they will fall in the midst of those slain with the sword; the chief of the powerful ones will speak to him in the midst of hell. Ezekiel 32:19-21.

This refers to Pharaoh and Egypt. 'Those slain with the sword' stands for those who by their use of knowledge become insane; by their use of it they destroy all belief in the truth known to the Church.

[6] In David,

I have been reckoned with them going down to the pit; I have become as a man with no strength, neglected among the dead, like the slain lying in the sepulchre whom you remember no more and who have been cut off by your hand.

'The slain' in hell - those in the pit and 'in the sepulchre' - stands for those who have destroyed the truths and goods residing with them by means of falsities and evils. Anyone can recognize that these are not in hell merely because they have been slain with the sword.

[7] In Isaiah,

A city of tumults, an exultant city, [your slain] have not been slain with the sword, and they have not been killed in war. All who have been found in you have been bound together in chains. They have fled from far away. Isaiah 22:2-3.

This refers to the illusions resulting from the evidence of the senses which do not enable the truths of the Church to be seen. It refers therefore to people subject to negative doubt, and these are called 'slain but not with the sword'.

[8] In Ezekiel,

I am bringing a sword upon you and destroying your high places; and your altars will be destroyed, and your statues will be broken; and I will cause your slain to lie before your idols. When the slain have fallen in the midst of you, you will know that I am Jehovah. Then you will acknowledge, when the slain are in the midst of their idols, around their altar. Ezekiel 6:3-4, 7, 13.

'The slain' stands for those who are governed by falsities of doctrine.

[9] In the same prophet,

Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. They went forth and smote in the city. Ezekiel 9:7.

This is a prophetic vision. 'Defiling the house and filling the courts with the slain' stands for profaning goods and truths. In the same prophet,

You have multiplied your slain in this city, and have filled its streets with the slain. Therefore said the Lord Jehovih, Your slain whom you have placed in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and that is the pot; and he will lead you out from the midst of it. Ezekiel 11:6-7.

[10] Because 'the slain' meant those who have annihilated the truths of the Church by means of falsities and evils, therefore also in the representative Church those who touched one who had been slain were unclean. Such persons are referred to in Moses as follows,

Everyone who has touched on the surface of the field one slain with the sword, or one dead, or a human bone, or a sepulchre will be unclean for seven days. Numbers 19:16, 18.

Inquiry was therefore made and atonement effected by means of a heifer. In the same author,

If one is found slain, lying in the field, and it is not known who smote him, then the elders of the city and the judges shall come out and they shall measure [the distance] to the cities which are around the one slain. It shall be, that in the city nearest to the one slain the elders of that city shall take a heifer by means of which no work has been done, which has not pulled in the yoke, and they shall bring it down to the river or valley, and there they shall break the heifer's neck. And they shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck has been broken and shall say, Our hands have not shed blood, and our eyes have not seen it. Expiate Your people Israel, O Jehovah, and do not set innocent blood in the midst of Your people; and the blood shall be expiated for them. Deuteronomy 21:1-8.

[11] These laws were laid down because one who has been slain means the perversion, destruction, and profanation of the truth of the Church by means of falsity and evil, as is evident from each detail in the internal sense. The expression 'one slain, lying in the field' is used because 'the field' means the Church, see 2971, 3310, 3766. 'A heifer by means of which no work has been done' means the innocence of the external man which is present within ignorance. Without a clear knowledge of these things meant in the internal sense everyone will be surprised that a procedure such as this for making expiation should ever have been ordained.

  
/ 10837  
  

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