The Bible

 

Ezekiel 23

Study

   

1 Ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating uli sa akin na nagsasabi:

2 Anak ng tao, may dalawang babae, na mga anak na babae ng isang ina:

3 At sila'y nagpatutot sa Egipto; sila'y nagpatutot sa kanilang kadalagahan: doo'y nangahigpit ang kanilang mga dibdib, at doo'y nangahipo ang mga suso ng kanilang pagkadalaga.

4 At ang mga pangalan nila ay Ohola ang matanda, at Oholiba ang kapatid niya: at sila'y naging akin at nanganak ng mga lalake at babae. At tungkol sa kanilang mga pangalan, Samaria ay Ohola, at Jerusalem ay Oholiba.

5 At si Ohola ay nagpatutot nang siya'y akin; at siya'y suminta sa mga mangingibig sa kaniya, sa mga taga Asiria na kaniyang mga kalapit bayan.

6 Na nananamit ng kulay asul, ang mga tagapamahala at ang mga pinuno, silang lahat na binatang makisig, mga mangangabayo na nangakasakay sa mga kabayo.

7 At ipinagkaloob niya sa kanila ang kaniyang pakikiapid, sa mga pinaka piling lalake sa Asiria sa kanilang lahat; at sa sino man na inibig niya, sa lahat nilang diosdiosan, ay nadumhan siya.

8 Ni hindi man niya iniwan ang kaniyang mga pagpapatutot mula sa mga kaarawan ng Egipto, sapagka't sa kaniyang kadalagahan, sila'y sumisiping sa kaniya, at nangahipo nila ang mga suso ng kaniyang pagkadalaga; at kanilang ibinuhos ang kanilang pagpapatutot sa kaniya.

9 Kaya't ibinigay ko siya sa kamay ng mga mangingibig sa kaniya, sa kamay ng mga taga Asiria, na siya niyang mga inibig.

10 Ang mga ito ang nangaglitaw ng kaniyang kahubaran; kinuha nila ang kaniyang mga anak na lalake at babae; at siya'y pinatay nila ng tabak: at siya'y naging kakutyaan sa mga babae; sapagka't sila'y naglapat ng mga kahatulan sa kaniya.

11 At nakita ito ng kaniyang kapatid na si Oholiba, gayon ma'y siya'y higit na napahamak sa kaniyang pagibig kay sa kaniya, at sa kaniyang mga pagpapatutot na higit kay sa mga pagpapatutot ng kaniyang kapatid.

12 Siya'y umibig sa mga taga Asiria, sa mga tagapamahala at mga pinuno, sa kaniyang mga kalapit bayan, na nararamtan ng mga pinakamahusay, sa mga nangangabayo na nakasakay sa mga kabayo, silang lahat ay mga binatang makisig.

13 At aking nakita na siya'y nadumhan; na sila kapuwa ay nagisang daan.

14 At kaniyang pinalago ang kaniyang mga pagpapatutot; sapagka't siya'y nakakita ng mga lalaking nakalarawan sa mga panig, na mga larawan ng mga Caldeo na nakalarawan ng bermillon,

15 Na nangabibigkisan sa kanilang mga balakang, na mga may lumilipad na turbante sa kanilang mga ulo, silang lahat ay parang mga prinsipe ayon sa wangis ng mga taga Babilonia sa Caldea, na lupain na kanilang kinapanganakan.

16 At pagkakita niya sa kanila ay inibig niya agad sila, at nagsugo ng mga sugo sa kanila sa Caldea.

17 At sinipingan siya ng mga taga Babilonia sa higaan ng pagibig, at kanilang dinumhan siya ng kanilang pagpapatutot, at siya'y nahawa sa kanila, at ang kaniyang kalooban ay tinabangan sa kanila.

18 Sa gayo'y inilitaw niya ang kaniyang mga pagpapatutot, at inilitaw niya ang kaniyang kahubaran: nang magkagayo'y tinabangan ang aking kalooban sa kaniya, na gaya ng pagkatabang ng aking kalooban sa kaniyang kapatid.

19 Gayon ma'y kaniyang pinarami ang kaniyang mga pakikiapid, na inalaala ang mga kaarawan ng kaniyang kadalagahan, na kaniyang ipinagpatutot sa lupain ng Egipto,

20 At siya'y umibig sa mga nagsisiagulo sa kaniya, na ang laman ay parang laman ng mga asno, at ang lumalabas sa kanila ay parang lumalabas sa mga kabayo.

21 Ganito mo inalaala ang kahalayan ng iyong kadalagahan, sa pagkahipo ng iyong mga suso ng mga taga Egipto dahil sa mga suso ng iyong kadalagahan.

22 Kaya, Oh Oholiba, ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios; Narito, aking ibabangon ang mga mangingibig sa iyo laban sa iyo, na siyang pinagsawaan ng iyong kalooban, at aking dadalhin sila laban sa iyo sa lahat ng dako:

23 Ang mga taga Babilonia at lahat ng Caldeo, ang Pekod, at ang Soa, at ang Coa, at lahat ng taga Asiria na kasama nila; na mga binatang makisig, mga tagapamahala at mga pinuno silang lahat, mga prinsipe, at mga lalaking bantog, silang lahat ay nagsisisakay sa mga kabayo.

24 At sila'y magsisiparitong laban sa iyo na ma'y mga almas, mga karo, at mga kariton, at may kapulungan ng mga tao; sila'y magsisilagay laban sa iyo sa palibot na may longki, at kalasag at turbante; at aking ipauubaya ang kahatulan sa kanila, at sila'y magsisihatol sa iyo ayon sa kanilang mga kahatulan.

25 At aking ilalagak ang aking paninibugho laban sa iyo, at sila'y magsisigawa sa iyo sa kapusukan; kanilang pipingusin ang iyong ilong at ang iyong mga tainga; at ang nalabi sa iyo ay mabubuwal sa pamamagitan ng tabak: kanilang kukunin ang iyong mga anak na lalake at babae; at ang nalabi sa iyo ay susupukin sa apoy,

26 Kanila rin namang huhubaran ka ng iyong mga suot, at dadalhin ang iyong mga magandang hiyas.

27 Ganito ko patitigilin sa iyo ang iyong kahalayan, at ang iyong pagpapatutot na dinala mula sa lupain ng Egipto: na anopa't hindi mo ididilat ang iyong mga mata sa kanila, o aalalahanin mo pa man ang Egipto kailan man.

28 Sapagka't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios, Narito, ibibigay kita sa kamay ng mga ipinagtatanim mo, sa kamay ng mga pinagsawaan ng iyong kalooban;

29 At hahatulan ka nila na may pagtatanim, at aalisin ang lahat ng iyong kayamanan, at iiwan kang hubad at hubo: at ang sala mong pagpapatutot ay malilitaw, ang iyong kahalayan at gayon din ang iyong mga pagpapatutot.

30 Ang mga bagay na ito ay gagawin sa iyo, sapagka't ikaw ay nagpatutot sa mga bansa, at sapagka't ikaw ay nadumhan sa kanilang mga diosdiosan.

31 Ikaw ay lumakad sa lakad ng iyong kapatid; kaya't ibibigay ko ang kaniyang saro sa iyong kamay.

32 Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios: Ikaw ay iinom sa saro ng iyong kapatid, na malalim at malaki: ikaw ay tatawanan na pinakatuya at pinaka kadustaan; maraming laman.

33 Ikaw ay lubhang malalasing at mamamanglaw, sa pamamagitan ng sarong katigilan at kapahamakan, sa pamamagitan ng saro ng iyong kapatid na Samaria.

34 Iyo ngang iinumin at tutunggain, at iyong hahaluin ang labo niyaon, at sasaktan ang iyong dibdib; sapagka't aking sinalita, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

35 Kaya't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios: Sapagka't ako'y iyong nilimot, at tinalikdan mo ako, taglayin mo nga rin ang iyong kahalayan at ang iyong mga pakikiapid.

36 Sinabi ng Panginoon sa akin bukod dito: Anak ng tao: hahatulan mo baga si Ohola at si Oholiba? ipakilala mo sa kanila ang kanilang mga kasuklamsuklam.

37 Sapagka't sila'y nagkasala ng pangangalunya, at dugo ay nasa kanilang mga kamay; at sa kanilang mga diosdiosan ay nagsisamba; at kanila namang pinaraan sa apoy upang masupok ang kanilang mga anak, na kanilang ipinanganak sa akin.

38 Bukod dito'y ginawa nila ito sa akin: kanilang nilapastangan ang aking santuario sa araw ding yaon, at nilapastangan ang aking mga sabbath.

39 Sapagka't nang kanilang patayin ang kanilang mga anak para sa kanilang mga diosdiosan, nagsiparoon nga sila nang araw ding yaon sa aking santuario upang lapastanganin; at, narito, ganito ang kanilang ginawa sa gitna ng aking bahay.

40 At bukod dito ay inyong ipinasundo ang mga taong nangagmumula sa malayo, na siyang mga ipinasundo sa sugo, at, narito, sila'y nagsisidating; na siyang dahil ng iyong ipinaligo, at ipinagkulay mo ng iyong mga mata, at pinaggayakan mo ng mga gayak;

41 At naupo ka sa isang mainam na higaan, na may dulang na nakahanda sa harap niyaon, na siya mong pinaglapagan ng aking kamangyan at aking langis.

42 At ang tinig ng pulutong na tiwasay ay nasa kaniya: at nadala na kasama ng mga lalake sa mga karaniwan ang mga manglalasing na mula sa ilang; at sila'y nangaglagay ng mga pulsera sa mga kamay nila, at mga magandang putong sa kanilang mga ulo.

43 Nang magkagayo'y sinabi ko sa kaniya na tumanda sa mga pangangalunya, Ngayon mangakikiapid pa sila sa kaniya, at siya sa kanila.

44 At sinipingan nila siya, na parang sumiping sa isang patutot: gayon nila sinipingan si Ohola at si Oholiba, na malibog na mga babae.

45 At mga matuwid na tao ang hahatol sa kanila ng kahatulan sa mangangalunya, at ng kahatulan sa mga babae na nagbubo ng dugo; sapagka't sila'y mangangalunya, at dugo ang nasa kanilang mga kamay.

46 Sapagka't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios, Ako'y magsasampa ng isang kapulungan laban sa kanila, at ibibigay ko sila upang ligaliging paroo't parito at samsaman.

47 At babatuhin sila ng kapulungan, ng mga bato, at tatagain sila ng kanilang mga tabak; papatayin nila ang kanilang mga anak na lalake at babae, at susunugin ng apoy ang kanilang mga bahay.

48 Ganito ko patitigilin ang kahalayan sa lupain, upang ang lahat na babae ay maturuan na huwag magsigawa ng ayon sa inyong mga kahalayan.

49 At gagantihin nila ang inyong kahalayan sa inyo, at inyong dadanasin ang mga kasalanan tungkol sa inyong mga diosdiosan, at inyong malalaman na ako ang Panginoong Dios.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #240

Study this Passage

  
/ 1232  
  

240. But that naked signifies those who are without the understanding of truth because without the will of good, is evident also from those passages in the Word where the terms naked and nakedness are mentioned, which shall be adduced below. The reason why these terms have such a signification is that garments signify truths of the understanding. He who is without truths is also without good, for all spiritual good is procured by means of truths, and without them, or except by them, spiritual good cannot exist; spiritual good is charity. Naked and nakedness signify the deprivation of intelligence and love, thus of the understanding of good and of the will thereof; also for the reason that garments cover the body and the flesh, and by body and flesh is signified good, hence by garments are signified those things that cover good.

[2] There is the understanding of truth and the understanding of good; the understanding of truth is the understanding of those things that belong to faith, and the understanding of good is the understanding of those things that belong to love and charity. There is also the will of truth and the will of good; the will of truth pertains to those who, belong to the Lord's spiritual kingdom, but the will of good to those who belong to His celestial kingdom. The latter, because they are in love to the Lord and thence in mutual love, which with them is charity towards the neighbour, have truths inscribed on their hearts, and hence do them; and what proceeds from the heart is from the will of good; for the heart denotes the will of good; but those who are in love towards the neighbour, which love is charity, have not truths inscribed on their hearts, but on the memory, and thence on the intellectual mind, and that which thence proceeds from affection, is the will of truth. It is thus that the spiritual angels are distinguished from the celestial angels; the latter appear naked in heaven, but the former clothed.

The reason why the celestial angels appear naked is that they have no need of the memory in order to retain truths, nor of the understanding in order to comprehend them, because they have them inscribed on the heart, that is, on the love and will, and thence see them. And the reason why the spiritual angels appear clothed is that they have truths inscribed on the memory, and thence on the understanding, and truths thus inscribed correspond to garments, therefore they all appear clothed according to their intelligence. (That the angels are thus clothed, may be seen in the work, Heaven and Hell 177-182.) From these considerations it is evident that naked signifies in one sense those who are in celestial good, and in the other, those who are not in good because not in truths.

[3] But these things may be better seen from those passages, in the Word where naked and nakedness are mentioned, such as the following. In Isaiah:

Jehovah said to the prophet, "Put off the sackcloth from upon thy loins, and put off thy shoe from upon thy foot. And he did so. Then Jehovah said, Like, as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years; so shall the king of Assyria lead the captivity of Egypt, and the crowd of Cush that is to be carried off, the boys and the old men, naked and unshod, and their buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt" (20:2-4).

No one can see what is stored up in these words concerning the church and heaven, unless he knows their spiritual sense; for in every detail of the Word something pertaining to heaven and the church is contained, because the Word is spiritual: it shall therefore be explained. By the prophet is here meant the doctrine of the church; by putting off sackcloth from upon his loins, or by making the loins naked, is meant to reveal filthy loves. By the usual sackcloth of the prophet are here meant the covering garments, and by the loins are signified those loves. By putting off the shoe from upon his foot, or unshoeing the soles of the foot, is signified to reveal the filthy things of nature. By the king of Assyria leading the captivity of Egypt, and the crowd of Cush that is to be carried off, is meant that the perverted Rational would confirm evils and falsities by scientifics (scientifica) and fallacies. By boys and old men are meant by all things, both in general and in particular. By naked and barefoot is meant that they are deprived of all truth and of all good. By their buttocks uncovered are meant the evils of self-love; by the nakedness of Egypt the falsities therefrom. It is therefore clear what is here treated of concerning the church and heaven, namely, that the perverted Rational, which denies God, and attributes all things to nature, confirms itself by scientifics and by fallacies, until it is deprived of all understanding of truth and will of good. (That by prophet in the Word is meant doctrine, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 2534, 7269; by the loins are signified the loves in each sense, n. 3021, 4280, 5059; by the feet are signified the natural things pertaining to man, and by the soles of the feet those which are in the ultimates, n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952; by shoes are signified the same things as to the covering of them, n. 1748, 2162, 6844; by the king of Assyria is signified the Rational in both senses, n. 119, 1186; by Egypt is signified the Scientific (scientificum) of the natural man, also, in both senses, good and evil, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702, 6015, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 7296, 9340, 9391; by Cush are signified the fallacies of the senses, n. 1163, 1164, 1166.)

[4] In Ezekiel:

"When I passed by thee, and saw thee, I covered thy nakedness, and I washed thee and clothed thee. But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot. Thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare. Thou hast committed fornication with the sons of Egypt and with the sons of Asshur. Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land unto Chaldea; wherefore thy nakedness is revealed by thy whoredoms; therefore they shall stone thee with stones, and shall cut thee in pieces with their swords. And they shall burn thine houses with fire" (16:6, and following verses).

Jerusalem is here treated of, by which is meant the church as to doctrine; and by these and many other expressions in the same chapter, the quality of the church in the beginning, and what it became when it declined from good and truth, is described. Its quality when established by the Lord, thus its quality in the beginning, is described by, "when I passed by thee, and saw thee, I covered thy nakedness, I washed thee and clothed thee." To cover nakedness signifies to remove the evils of the will and the falsities of the understanding; to wash signifies to purify from evils, and to clothe signifies to instruct in truths. But the quality of the church when it declined from good and from truth, is described in what follows. Thou didst trust in thy beauty, signifies intelligence from the proprium, and that the church was delighted with it. By committing whoredom is signified that thus it imbued falsities; by committing fornication with the sons of Egypt and with the sons of Asshur, are signified falsifications confirmed by scientifics and rational things therefrom. By multiplying fornication unto Chaldea, is signified even to the profanation of truth. Hence it is clear what is signified by wherefore thy nakedness is revealed by thy whoredoms; namely, that the church by falsities and falsifications would be deprived of all understanding of truth. By they shall stone thee with stones, is signified that the church would perish by falsities. By they shall cut thee in pieces with their swords, is signified that the church would perish altogether by the falsifications of truth. And by they shall burn thy houses with fire is signified that it would wholly perish by infernal loves: houses denote everything pertaining to man, and fire denotes infernal loves. From these considerations it is clear what pertaining to heaven and the church is contained in those words, and that this appears solely from the spiritual sense. (That washing signifies to purify from evils and falsities, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 3147, 10237, 10240, 10243; that to clothe signifies to instruct in truths, n. 1073, 2576, 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216, 9952, 10536; that beauty signifies intelligence, n. 3080, 4985, 5199, in this case intelligence from the proprium. That to commit whoredom denotes to be imbued with falsities, see above, n. 141: that Egypt denotes the Scientific, and Asshur the Rational, may be seen just above. That Chaldea denotes the profanation of truth, Arcana Coelestia 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306, 1307, 1308, 1321, 1322, 1326: that to stone with stones signifies to perish by falsities, n. 5156, 7456, 8575, 8799: that sword signifies falsity fighting against truth and destroying it, n. 2799, 4499, 7102, hence to cut in pieces with swords denotes to perish altogether by falsifications of truth; that fire signifies infernal love, n. 1861, 5071, 6314, 6832, 7575, 10747; and that a house signifies the whole man, and the things pertaining to him, thus which pertain to his understanding and his will, n. 710, 2231, 2233, 2559, 3128, 3538, 4973, 5023, 6690, 7353, 7848, 7910, 7929, 9150; hence it is evident what is signified by they shall burn thy houses with fire.)

[5] In Hosea:

"Contend with your mother, that she may put away her whoredoms and her adulteries, lest peradventure I strip her naked and make her as a desert, as a land of dryness, and slay her with thirst; and her sons will I not pity, because they are the sons of whoredoms" (2:2-4).

The subject here treated of is also the church fallen into falsities and evils; the mother with whom they would contend signifies the church. Whoredoms and adulteries signify falsities and evils therefrom; to make her as a wilderness and set her as a land of dryness signifies the deprivation of good and of truth. To slay her with thirst signifies a total defect of truth; her sons signify all the falsities thereof, in general, therefore they are called sons of whoredoms. (That mother signifies the church, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 289, 2691, 2717, 3703, 4257, 5581, 8897; that desert signifies where there is no good because no truth, n. 2708, 4736, 7055; that a dry land signifies where there is no truth is, because water signifies the truth of faith, n. 2702, 3058, 5668, 8568, 10238; that to be slain with thirst, signifies to perish from defect of truth, n. 8568 at the end. That sons signify affections of truth, and truths in general, n. 2362, 3963, 6729, 6775, 6778, 9055; thus, in the opposite sense, affections of falsity and falsities in general. Hence it may be evident that by stripping her naked is signified, her being without good and truth.)

[6] In Lamentations:

"Jerusalem hath sinned a sin; therefore all that honoured her, despise her, because they have seen her nakedness" (1:8).

In Ezekiel:

Aholah, which is Samaria, committed whoredom with the Egyptians, and with the sons of Asshur; they uncovered her nakedness, her sons and her daughters have they taken, and at length they have slain her with the sword: "therefore will I give thee into the hand of those whom thou hast hated, that they may deal with thee from hatred, and take away all thy labour, and leave thee naked and bare, that the nakedness of thy whoredoms may be uncovered" (23:4, 8, 9, 10, 18, 28, 29).

The subject treated of in this chapter is Samaria, which is called Aholah, and Jerusalem, which is called Aholibah, the church being signified by both. By Samaria, where the sons of Israel were, is signified the church in which were no truths, but falsities, and by Jerusalem, the church where there were no goods, but evils. What is signified by committing whoredom with the Egyptians and with the sons of Asshur, and what by slaying her sons and daughters with the sword, was explained above; hence it is clear, that by leaving her naked and bare is signified to be without good and truth.

[7] In Isaiah:

"The Lord will make bald the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and Jehovah will make naked their buttocks" (3:17).

The daughters of Zion signify the celestial church and the things of that church, but, in this case, perverted. By the crown of the head, which shall be made bald, is signified intelligence of which it shall be deprived; and the buttocks, which shall be made naked, signify the love of evil and of falsity.

[8] In Nahum:

"Woe to the city of bloods, wholly in a lie, and full of rapine; because of the multitude of her whoredoms I will uncover thy skirts over thy faces, and will make nations see thy nakedness, and kingdoms thy lightness" (3:1, 4, 5).

The city of bloods signifies the doctrine of falsity which offers violence to the good of charity.

[9] In Habakkuk:

"Woe unto him that maketh his companion to drink, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakednesses. Drink thou also, that thy foreskin may be uncovered" (2:15, 16).

To make a companion drink, and make him drunken, signifies to impart falsities until he does not see truth: to look on their nakednesses, denotes to cause the falsities of the understanding and the evils of the will to appear. The foreskin which would be uncovered, denotes filthy loves. (That to drink denotes to be instructed in truths, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3069, 3772, 4017, 4018, 8562, 9412; hence, in the opposite sense, it denotes to impart falsities; that to be made drunken denotes to become insane from falsities, thus not to see truths, n. 1072; that the foreskin signifies corporeal and terrestrial loves, n. 4462, 7045.) Hence it is evident what is signified by the fact that

Noah drank wine and was drunken, so that he lay naked in the midst of his tent, and that Ham laughed at the nakedness of his father, but that Shem and Japheth covered his nakedness, and turned away their faces that they might not see the nakedness of their father (Genesis 9:21-23).

(But these things may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia where they are treated of.)

[10] In Lamentations:

"The cup also shall pass over unto thee, O daughter of Edom: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt be naked" (4:21).

Here, by being drunken and naked are signified the same things as above. (But who in particular are signified by Edom may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3322, 8314.)

In Isaiah:

Daughter of Babel and Chaldea, "sit upon the earth. Take the millstones, and grind meal; uncover thy hair, uncover thy thigh, pass over the rivers. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, and also thy shame shall be seen" (47:1-3).

By the daughter of Babylon and Chaldea are meant those who profane the goods and truths of the church. To grind meal signifies to falsify truths; to uncover the hair and the thigh signifies to be deprived of the understanding of truth, and the will of good; to pass over the rivers, and to uncover her nakedness have also a similar signification.

[11] Because nakedness signified the deprivation of the understanding of truth and of the will of good, it was therefore commanded that Aaron and his sons should not ascend by steps upon the altar, lest their nakedness should be uncovered thereon (Exodus 20:26). Also that

They should make for them breeches of linen to cover the flesh of their nakedness, and that they should be upon them when they entered the tent of the assembly, and when they came near to the altar, and that otherwise they should bear iniquity and die (Exodus 28:42, 43).

From these considerations it is clear what is signified by the words in the following verse of this chapter: "I counsel thee to buy of me white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear." And also in the following words of this book of the Apocalypse: "Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame" (16:15).

[12] Moreover, by the naked, in the Word, are also meant those who are not in truths and thence not in good, because they are ignorant of truths, but yet desire them. This is the case with those who are within the church where those who teach are in falsities; also those who are out of the church, and have not the Word, and hence neither know truths nor anything concerning the Lord. These are described in the following passages. In Isaiah:

"This is the fast that I have chosen, to break bread with the hungry, and when thou seest the naked that thou cover him" (58:6, 7).

In Ezekiel:

"Let him give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment" (18:7).

And in Matthew:

"I was naked, and ye clothed me" (25:36, 38).

To cover with a garment, and to clothe, signify to instruct in truths. (That garments denote truths, may be seen above, n. 195. That naked also signifies the good of innocence, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 165, 8375, 9960; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 179, 180, 280.)

  
/ 1232  
  

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