The Bible

 

Ezekiel 22

Study

   

1 Bukod dito'y ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating sa akin, na nagsasabi,

2 At Ikaw, anak ng tao, hahatulan mo baga, hahatulan mo baga ang bayang mabagsik? ipakilala mo nga sa kaniya ang lahat niyang kasuklamsuklam.

3 At iyong sabihin, Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios: Bayang nagbububo ng dugo sa gitna niya, na ang kaniyang panahon ay darating, at gumagawa ng mga diosdiosan laban sa kaniyang sarili, upang mapahamak siya!

4 Ikaw ay naging salarin dahil sa iyong dugo na iyong ibinubo, at ikaw ay napahamak sa iyong mga diosdiosan na iyong ginawa; at iyong pinalapit ang iyong mga kaarawan, at ikaw ay dumating hanggang sa iyong mga taon; kaya't ginawa kitang isang kapulaan sa mga bansa, at isang katuyaan sa lahat na lupain.

5 Yaong mga malapit, at yaong mga malayo, ay magsisituya sa iyo, ikaw na napahamak at puno ng kagulo.

6 Narito, ang mga prinsipe sa Israel, na bawa't isa'y ayon sa kaniyang kapangyarihan, napasa iyo upang magbubo ng dugo.

7 Sa iyo'y kanilang niwalang kabuluhan ang ama't ina; sa gitna mo ay pinahirapan nila ang taga ibang lupa; sa iyo'y kanilang pinighati ang ulila at ang babaing bao.

8 Iyong hinamak ang aking mga banal na bagay, at iyong nilapastangan ang aking mga sabbath.

9 Mga maninirang puri ay napasa iyo upang magbubo ng dugo: at sa iyo'y nagsikain sila sa mga bundok: sa gitna mo ay nagkasala sila ng kahalayan.

10 Sa iyo'y kanilang inilitaw ang kahubaran ng kanilang mga magulang; sa iyo'y pinapakumbaba niya siya na marumi sa kaniyang pagkahiwalay.

11 At ang isa'y gumawa ng kasuklamsuklam sa asawa ng kaniyang kapuwa; at ang isa'y gumawa ng kahalayhalay sa kaniyang manugang na babae; at sa iyo'y sinipingan ng isa ang kaniyang kapatid na babae na anak ng kaniyang ama.

12 Sa iyo ay nagsitanggap sila ng suhol upang magbubo ng dugo; ikaw ay kumuha ng patubo't pakinabang, at ikaw ay nakinabang ng malabis sa iyong kapuwa sa pamamagitan ng pagpighati, at nilimot mo ako, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

13 Narito nga, aking ipinakpak ang aking kamay dahil sa iyong masamang pakinabang na iyong ginawa, at sa iyong dugo na iyong ibinubo sa gitna mo.

14 Makapagmamatigas baga ang iyong puso, o makapagmamalakas baga ang iyong mga kamay sa mga araw na parurusahan kita? Akong Panginoon ang nagsalita, at gagawa niyaon.

15 At aking pangangalatin ka sa gitna ng mga bansa, at pananabugin kita sa mga lupain; at aking papawiin ang iyong karumihan sa gitna mo.

16 At ikaw ay malalapastangan sa iyong sarili, sa paningin ng mga bansa; at iyong malalaman na ako ang Panginoon.

17 At ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating sa akin, na nagsasabi,

18 Anak ng tao, ang sangbahayan ni Israel ay naging dumi ng bakal sa akin: silang lahat ay tanso at lata at bakal at tingga, sa gitna ng hurno; sila ay naging dumi ng pilak.

19 Kaya't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios, Sapagka't kayong lahat ay naging dumi ng bakal, kaya't narito, aking pipisanin kayo sa gitna ng Jerusalem.

20 Kung paanong kanilang pinipisan ang pilak at ang tanso at ang bakal at ang tingga at ang lata sa gitna ng hurno, upang hipan ng apoy, upang tunawin; gayon ko kayo pipisanin sa aking galit at sa aking kapusukan, at aking ilalapag kayo roon, at pupugnawin ko kayo.

21 Oo, aking pipisanin kayo, at hihipan ko kayo sa pamamagitan ng apoy ng aking poot, at kayo'y mangapupugnaw sa gitna niyaon.

22 Kung paanong ang pilak ay natutunaw sa gitna ng hurno, gayon kayo mangatutunaw sa gitna niyaon; at inyong malalaman na akong Panginoon ang nagbububos ng aking kapusukan sa inyo.

23 At ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating sa akin, na nagsasabi,

24 Anak ng tao, sabihin mo sa kaniya, Ikaw ay isang lupain na hindi nilinis, o naulanan man sa kaarawan ng pagkagalit.

25 May panghihimagsik ng kaniyang mga propeta sa gitna niyaon, gaya ng leong umuungal na umaagaw ng huli: sila'y nanganakmal ng mga tao; sila'y nagsikuha ng kayamanan at ng mga mahalagang bagay; pinarami nila ang kanilang babaing bao sa gitna niyaon,

26 Ang mga saserdote niyaon ay nagsigawa ng pangdadahas sa aking kautusan, at nilapastangan ang aking mga banal na bagay: sila'y hindi nangaglagay ng pagkakaiba sa banal at sa karaniwan, o kanila mang pinapagmunimuni ang mga tao sa marumi at sa malinis, at ikinubli ang kanilang mga mata sa aking mga sabbath, at ako'y nalapastangan sa gitna nila.

27 Ang mga prinsipe sa gitna niyaon ay parang mga lobo na nangangagaw ng huli, upang mangagbubo ng dugo, at upang magpahamak ng mga tao, upang sila'y mangagkaroon ng mahalay na pakinabang.

28 At itinapal ng mga propeta niyaon ang masamang argamasa para sa kanila, na nakakita ng walang kabuluhan, at nanganghuhula ng mga kabulaanan sa kanila, na nangagsabi, Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios, dangang hindi sinalita ng Panginoon.

29 Ang bayan ng lupain ay gumawa ng pagpighati, at nagnakaw; oo, kanilang pinagdalamhati ang dukha at mapagkailangan, at pinighati ng wala sa katuwiran ang taga ibang lupa.

30 At ako'y humanap ng lalake sa gitna nila, na makakagawa ng bakod, at makatatayo sa sira sa harap ko dahil sa lupain, upang huwag kong ipahamak; nguni't wala akong nasumpungan.

31 Kaya't aking ibinuhos ang aking galit sa kanila; aking sinupok sila ng apoy ng aking poot: ang kanilang sariling lakad ay aking pinarating sa kanilang mga ulo, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9959

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

9959. 'And make for them linen undergarments' means an external level of conjugial love. This is clear from the meaning of 'undergarments' as an external level of conjugial love, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'linen' as external truth or natural truth, also dealt with below. The reason why an external level of conjugial love is meant by 'undergarments' is that garments or coverings derive their meaning from the part of the body they cover, 9827, and the loins and genital organs, which the undergarments clothe or cover, mean conjugial love. For 'the loins' and their meaning this love, see 3021, 4280, 4575; and for 'the genital organs' and their meaning it, 4462, 5050-5062. What truly conjugial love is will be stated below in 9960.

[2] The undergarments were made from linen because 'linen' or 'flax' means external truth or natural truth, 7601, and what constitutes the actual external is truth. The reason why truth constitutes the external is that internal things terminate in external ones and rest on them as their underlying supports, and the underlying supports of good are truths. These are like the foundations on which a house is built or on which a house rests, which is why the truths of faith springing from good are meant by the foundations of a house, 9643. Truths furthermore are what protect forms of good from and withstand evils and falsities, all the power that good possesses being exerted by means of truths, 9643. So it is also that the last and lowest part of heaven is inhabited by those who are guided by truths of faith springing from good. So it is also therefore that what is last or most external with a person, namely his external skin, corresponds to those in heaven who are guided by the truths of faith, 5552-5559, 8980, yet not to those who uphold faith separated from good, since they are not in heaven. From all this it may now be recognized why the undergarments were made from linen or flax. Aaron's undergarment however, when he was clothed with the garments which were 'for glorious adornment', and which have been the subject in the present chapter, was made of fine linen together with interwoven fine linen, as is evident from a later chapter where it says,

They made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver, and a turban of fine linen, and attractive headdresses 1 from fine linen, and linen undergarments with fine twined linen. Exodus 39:27-28.

But when he was clothed with the 'holy garments' Aaron's undergarment was made of linen alone, as is clear from the following in Moses,

When Aaron comes into the sanctuary within the veil he shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarment shall be over his flesh, and he shall gird himself with the linen belt, and place the linen turban on himself. These are holy garments. He shall also wash his flesh with water when he puts them on. He shall then first offer burnt offerings and sacrifices, by means of which he will expiate the holy place from uncleannesses. Leviticus 16:1-end.

[3] The reason why Aaron was to go at that time clothed in the linen garments, which were also called 'the holy garments', was that at that time he was performing the duty of expiating the tent, and also the people and himself from uncleannesses. And every expiation, which was accomplished by means of washings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices, represented purification of the heart from evils and falsities, and so represented regeneration; and purification from evils and falsities, or regeneration, is accomplished by means of the truths of faith. This was why Aaron wore the linen garments then, for the truths of faith are meant by 'linen garments', as stated above.

All purification from evils and falsities is accomplished by means of the truths of faith, see 2799, 5954 (end), 7044, 7918, 9089. So therefore is regeneration, 1555, 2046, 2063, 2979, 3332, 3665, 3690, 3786, 3876, 3877, 4096, 4097, 5893, 6247, 8635, 8638-8640, 8772, 9088, 9089, 9103.

[4] It was for the same reason also that the priest was to put on the linen robe and the linen undergarment when he carried the ash away from the altar, Leviticus 6:9-11, and also that 'the priests, the Levites, from the sons of Zadok' were to put it on, when they entered the sanctuary, regarding whom the following is stated in Ezekiel,

The priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall draw near My table to minister to Me. When they enter the gates of the inner court they shall put on the linen garments, and no wool shall come upon them. When they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within, the linen turbans shall be on their heads, and the linen undergarments shall be over their loins. They shall not gird themselves with sweat. 2 Ezekiel 44:15-18.

The subject in this passage is the new temple, by which a new Church is meant. By 'the priests, the Levites' those guided by truths springing from good are meant, and by 'the linen garments' the truths of faith by means of which purification and regeneration are accomplished. 'Not girding themselves with sweat' means that the holy things of worship should not be mingled with the human self; for 'sweat' means the human self or proprium, and the human proprium is nothing but evil and falsity, 210, 215, 694, 874-876, 987, 1047, 3812 (end), 8480, 8941.

[5] The reason why the undergarment Aaron wore when he was clothed with the garments 'for glorious adornment' was made of linen together with fine twined linen, as is evident from Exodus 39:27-28, quoted above, was that Aaron in those garments represented the Lord in respect of Divine Good in the heavens, Aaron himself representing the Lord in respect of the Divine Celestial there, his garments the Lord in respect of the Divine Spiritual there emanating from the Divine Celestial, 9814, and fine linen the Divine Spiritual emanating from the Divine Celestial, 5319, 9469.

Footnotes:

1. literally, adornments of headdresses

2. i.e. They must not wear garments that will make them sweat

  
/ 10837  
  

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #7045

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

7045. 'And cut off the foreskin of her son' means the removal of filthy kinds of love, as a result of which the internal is laid bare. This is clear from the meaning of 'cutting off' as removing; from the meaning of 'the foreskin' as earthly and bodily love which defiles spiritual and celestial love, dealt with in 3412, 4462; and from the meaning of 'son' as the truth which the representative Church possesses. For the meaning of 'son' as truth, see 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3773; and the reason why the truth which that Church possesses is meant here is that 'Zipporah' represents that Church and calls him 'her son'. She also uses him to show the actual nature of that nation and consequently the actual nature of its worship. 'The foreskin' means filthy kinds of love for the following reason: The loins and genital organs correspond to conjugial love, 5050-5062; and since they correspond to conjugial love they also correspond to every kind of celestial and spiritual love, 686, 4277, 4280, 5054. The foreskin therefore corresponds to the kinds of love that are very much external, which are called bodily and earthly loves. If these loves are devoid of the internal kinds of love that are called spiritual and celestial loves, they are filthy, as they were with that nation which had externals without an internal. The words 'without an internal' are used, and by this is meant no acknowledgement of truth and no affection for good, thus no faith and no charity; for these are qualities that belong to the internal man and from them spring ways of exercising charity, which are external forms of good. The Lord speaks of that internal, when it is devoid of faith and charity and yet full of evils and falsities, as that which is 'empty', in Matthew 12:43-45. This is what 'external without an internal' serves to describe. So then 'the foreskin' means the kinds of love that are very much external; therefore when those kinds of love have been removed, meant by Zipporah's cutting off the foreskin, the actual nature of them is seen, and the internal is accordingly laid bare.

  
/ 10837  
  

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