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Ezekiel 24

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1 Muli, nang ikasiyam na taon, nang ikasangpung araw ng buwan, ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating sa akin, na nagsasabi,

2 Anak ng tao, isulat mo ang pangalan ng kaarawan, ang kaarawan ding ito: ang hari sa Babilonia ay nagpakalapit sa Jerusalem sa kaarawan ding ito.

3 At ipagsabi mo ng isang talinhaga ang mapanghimagsik na sangbahayan, at sabihin mo sa kanila, Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios, Magsalang ka ng kaldera, isalang mo, at buhusan mo rin naman ng tubig:

4 Pisanin mo ang mga putol niyaon doon, lahat ng mabuting putol, ang hita, at ang balikat; punuin mo ng mga piling buto.

5 Kumuha ka ng pinili sa kawan, at ibunton mo ang mga buto sa ilalim niyaon: pakuluan mong mabuti; oo, lutuin mo ang mga buto sa loob niyaon.

6 Kaya't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios: Sa aba ng mabagsik na bayan, ng kaldera na may kalawang, at ang kalawang ay hindi naalis doon! ilabas mo na putolputol; walang sapalaran na ginawa roon.

7 Sapagka't ang dugo niya ay nasa gitna niya; kaniyang inilagay sa luwal na bato; hindi niya ibinuhos sa lupa, na tabunan ng alabok.

8 Upang pukawin ang kapusukan ng manghihiganti, inilagay ko ang kaniyang dugo sa luwal na bato, upang huwag matakpan.

9 Kaya't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios; Sa aba ng mabagsik na bayan! akin ding palalakihin ang bunton.

10 Ibunton ang kahoy, paningasin ang apoy, pakuluang mabuti ang laman, palaputin ang sabaw, at sunugin ang mga buto.

11 Kung magkagayo'y ipatong mong walang laman sa mga baga niyaon, upang uminit, at ang tanso niyao'y masunog, at ng ang dumi niyaon ay matunaw roon, upang mapugnaw ang kalawang niyaon.

12 Siya'y nagpakapagod sa paggawa; gayon ma'y ang maraming kalawang ay hindi naaalis; ang kalawang niyaon ay hindi naaalis sa pamamagitan ng apoy.

13 Nasa iyong karumihan ang kahalayan: sapagka't ikaw ay aking nilinis at hindi ka nalinis, hindi ka na malilinis pa sa iyong karumihan, hanggang sa aking malubos ang aking kapusukan sa iyo.

14 Akong Panginoon ang nagsalita: mangyayari, at aking gagawin; hindi ako magbabalik-loob, ni magpapatawad man, ni magsisisi man; ayon sa iyong mga lakad, at ayon sa iyong mga gawa, kanilang hahatulan ka, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

15 Ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating din sa akin, na nagsasabi,

16 Anak ng tao, narito, aalisin ko sa iyo sa pamamagitan ng kamatayan ang nasa ng iyong mga mata: gayon ma'y hindi ka tatangis, ni iiyak man, ni aagos man ang iyong mga luha.

17 Magbuntong-hininga ka, nguni't huwag malakas; huwag mong tangisan ang patay; itali mo ang pugong mo sa ulo, at isuot mo ang iyong mga panyapak sa iyong mga paa, at huwag mong takpan ang iyong mga labi, at huwag kang kumain ng tinapay ng mga tao.

18 Sa gayo'y nagsalita ako sa bayan nang kinaumagahan; at sa kinahapunan ay namatay ang aking asawa; at aking ginawa nang kinaumagahan ang gaya ng iniutos sa akin.

19 At sinabi ng bayan sa akin, Hindi mo baga sasaysayin sa amin kung anong mga bagay ito sa amin, na ikaw ay gumagawa ng ganyan?

20 Nang magkagayo'y sinabi ko sa kanila, Ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating sa akin, na nagsasabi:

21 Salitain mo sa sangbahayan ni Israel, Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios: Narito, aking lalapastanganin ang aking santuario, na kapalaluan ng inyong kapangyarihan, na nasa ng inyong mga mata, at kinahihinayangan ng inyong kalooban, at ang inyong mga anak na lalake at babae na inyong iniwan sa hulihan ay mangabubuwal sa pamamagitan ng tabak.

22 At inyong gagawin ang aking ginawa; hindi ninyo tatakpan ang inyong mga labi, o kakain man ng tinapay ng mga tao.

23 At ang inyong turbante ay malalagay sa inyong mga ulo, at ang inyong mga panyapak sa inyong mga paa: kayo'y hindi tatangis o iiyak man; kundi kayo'y manganglulupaypay sa inyong mga kasamaan, at mangagdadaingang isa't isa.

24 Ganito magiging isang tanda sa inyo si Ezekiel; ayon sa lahat niyang ginawa ay inyong gagawin: pagka ito'y nangyari ay inyo ngang malalaman na ako ang Panginoong Dios.

25 At ikaw, anak ng tao, hindi baga mangyayari sa araw na aking alisin sa kanila ang kanilang lakas, ang kagalakan ng kanilang kaluwalhatian, ang nasa ng kanilang mga mata, at ang kanilang pinaglalagakan ng kanilang puso, ang kanilang mga anak na lalake at babae,

26 Na sa araw na yaon ang makatatanan ay paroroon sa iyo, upang iparinig sa iyo ng iyong mga pakinig?

27 Sa araw na yaon ay mabubuka ang iyong bibig sa kaniya na nakatanan, at ikaw ay magsasalita, at hindi na mapipipi pa: gayon magiging isang tanda ka sa kanila; at kanilang malalaman na ako ang Panginoon.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #4240

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4240. 'To the land of Seir' means celestial-natural good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the land of Seir' in the highest sense as the Lord's celestial-natural good. The reason why 'the land of Seir' has this meaning is that Mount Seir formed a boundary to the land of Canaan on one side, Joshua 11:16-17, and all boundaries such as rivers, mountains, and stretches of land represented the things that came last, 1585, 1866, 4116. Indeed these boundaries acquired their individual representations from the land of Canaan contained within them, which land represented the Lord's heavenly kingdom, and in the highest sense His Divine Human, see 1607, 3038, 3481, 3705. Things that are last, existing as boundaries, are those which are called natural, for natural things are the boundaries holding spiritual and celestial realities within them. This is so in the heavens, for the inmost or third heaven is celestial because it is governed by love to the Lord; the intermediate or second heaven is spiritual because it is governed by love towards the neighbour; and the last or first heaven is celestial-natural and spiritual-natural because it is governed by simple good, which is the last degree of order there. And the same is true with the regenerate person who is a miniature heaven. From all this one may now see the origin of the meaning of 'the land of Seir' as celestial-natural good. 'Esau' too, who dwelt there, represents that good, as has been shown above, and therefore the land where he dwelt has the same meaning. For lands take on the particular representations of their inhabitants, 1675.

[2] From all this one may now see what is meant in the Word by 'Seir', as in Moses,

Jehovah came from Sinai, and dawned from Seir upon them; He shone from Mount Paran, and came out of myriads of holiness. Deuteronomy 33:2-3.

In the Song of Deborah and Barak in the Book of Judges,

O Jehovah, when You went forth from Seir, when You set out from the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, the clouds indeed dropped water, the mountains flowed down, this Sinai before Jehovah God of Israel. Judges 5:4-5.

In Balaam's prophecy,

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star will arise out of Jacob, and a sceptre will rise up out of Israel. And Edom will be an inheritance and Seir will be an inheritance of his enemies; and Israel is gaining strength. Numbers 24:17-18.

Anyone can see that in these places 'Seir' means some aspect of the Lord, since it is said that 'Jehovah dawned from Seir', that 'He went forth from Seir and set out from the field of Edom', and that 'Edom and Seir will be an inheritance'. But what aspect of the Lord is meant no one can know except from the internal sense of the Word. It is the Lord's Divine Human that is meant, and in particular the good of the Divine Natural within that Human, as may be seen from what has been mentioned above. 'Dawning from and going out of Seir' means that He made even the Natural Divine in order that this also might be a source of light, that is, of intelligence and wisdom, and in this way He might become Jehovah not only as regards the Human Rational but also as regards the Human Natural. This is why it is said that 'Jehovah dawned from Seir' and 'Jehovah went out of Seir' - the Lord being Jehovah, see 1343, 1736, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2025, 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023, 3035. Something similar is embodied in the prophetic utterance concerning Dumah,

One is calling to me from Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, Morning comes, and also the night. Isaiah 21:11-12.

[3] In the relative sense 'the land of Seir' strictly speaking means the Lord's kingdom existing with those outside the Church, that is, with gentiles when the Church is being established among them, while the previous or old Church is simultaneously falling away from charity and faith. As is clear from many places in the Word, light comes at that time to those who are in darkness. And this is strictly speaking the meaning of 'dawning from Seir', and of 'going forth from Seir and setting out from the field of Edom'. It is also the meaning of 'Seir will be an inheritance', as well as of the words in Isaiah, 'One is calling to me from Seir, Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, Morning comes, and also the night.' 'Morning comes' means the Lord's advent, 2405, 2780, and as a consequence enlightenment coming to people who are 'in the night', that is, who dwell in ignorance; but that enlightenment is from the Lord's Divine Natural, 4211. Since most things in the Word also have a contrary sense, so too does the name 'Seir', as in Ezekiel 25:8-9; 35:2-15, and in various places in the historical parts of the Word.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1675

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1675. That 'the Horites in their Mount Seir' means false persuasions deriving from self-love is clear from the meaning of 'the Horites' and from the meaning of 'Seir'. As for the Horites, they were the people who dwelt on Mount Seir, as is clear from Genesis 36:8, 20, and following verses, where Esau, who is called Edom, is the subject. Esau or Edom in the genuine sense means the Lord as regards His Human Essence. He is also represented by Esau or Edom, as becomes clear from many places in both the historical and the prophetical sections of the Word, to be dealt with, in the Lord's Divine mercy, later on. Because 'the Horites' represented people who are under the influence of false persuasions, and because representatives at that time occurred within actual events, therefore the expulsion of the Horites from Mount Seir by the descendants of Esau had a similar representation.

[2] These are spoken of in Moses as follows,

This also is considered to be a land of Rephaim; Rephaim dwelt formerly in it, and the Ammonites called them Zamzummim; they were a people great and many and tall like the Anakim. And Jehovah destroyed them from before them; and they dispossessed them, and dwelt in their place. He did the same for the sons of Esau who dwelt in Seir, in that He destroyed the Horites from before them, and they dispossessed them, and dwelt in their place. Deuteronomy 2:20-22.

These things represent and mean the same as what the present verse says about Chedorlaomer, namely that 'Chedorlaomer and the kings with him smote the Horites in Mount Seir'. For, as has been stated, Chedorlaomer represents the Lord's Good and Truth during childhood, and so the Lord's Human Essence at that time as regards Good and Truth, by which He destroyed false persuasions, that is, the hells filled with so devilish a crew, which set out to destroy the world of spirits, and consequently the human race, with its false persuasions.

[3] And because Esau or Edom represented the Lord as regards the Human Essence, Mount Seir also, and Paran as well, represented those things that belonged to His Human Essence, namely the celestial things of love, as is clear from the blessing uttered by Moses,

Jehovah came from Sinai, and dawned from Seir upon them; He shone from Mount Paran, and came out of myriads of holiness. From His right hand came a fiery law for them. He indeed loves the peoples. Deuteronomy 33:2-3.

'Jehovah dawned from Mount Seir and shone from Mount Paran' means nothing else than the Lord's Human Essence. Anyone may see that 'dawning from Mount Seir and shining from Mount Paran' does not mean mountains and their inhabitants but Divine realities, thus the celestial things of the Lord's Human Essence, from which Jehovah is said to have dawned and to have shone.

[4] As for 'Seir', its meaning is clear from the Song of Deborah and Barak in the Book of Judges,

O Jehovah, when You went forth from Seir, when You set out from the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, the clouds indeed dropped water, the mountains flowed down, this Sinai before Jehovah God of Israel. Judges 5:4-5.

Here 'going forth from Seir and setting out from the field of Edom' has no other meaning.

[5] This is plainer still in Moses in the prophetic utterance of Balaam, who was one of the sons of the east, that is, he came from Syria where a residue of the Ancient Church existed,

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star will arise out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise up out of Israel. And Edom will be an inheritance and Seir will be an inheritance of his enemies. Numbers 24:17-18.

Here 'seeing Him, but not now; beholding Him, but not near' is the Lord's Coming into the world - His Human Essence being called 'a star that would arise out of Jacob', and also 'Edom' and 'Seir'. That neither Edom nor Seir were to be the inheritance may become clear to anyone. 'Seir, the inheritance of his enemies' or 'The mountain of his enemies' has the same meaning as in many other places where it is said that enemies were to be driven out and possession was to be taken of their land.

[6] That Mount Paran, or El-paran, mentioned in this verse also has the same meaning is clear from Habakkuk as well,

God will come from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His fame has covered the heavens, and the earth has been filled with His praise. Habakkuk 3:3.

It should be realized however that mountains and lands have and take their meaning from their inhabitants, from the Horites when these dwelt there, and when they had been driven out, from those who drove them out, such as from Esau or Edom, or else from some others. Mount Paran is used therefore in both senses, the genuine and the contrary. In the genuine sense it stands for the Lord's Human Essence, in the contrary sense for self-love. The Lord's Human Essence is celestial love itself, while the contrary to celestial love is self-love. Thus 'the Horites' in this verse means false persuasions deriving from self-love.

[7] There are false persuasions that originate in self-love, and there are false persuasions that originate in love of the world. The former persuasions - those originating in self-love - are the most foul, whereas those originating in love of the world are not so foul. The former, or false persuasions originating in self-love, are the very opposite of the celestial things of love, whereas the latter, or false persuasions originating in love of the world, are the opposite of the spiritual things of love. Persuasions originating in self-love carry with them the desire to rule over all things, and insofar as the restraints placed upon them are loosened they hasten to fulfill that desire, even to the extent of desiring to rule over the entire universe, and, as has been shown, over Jehovah as well. Consequently persuasions of that kind are not tolerated at all in the next life. But persuasions originating in love of the world do not go so far. They do not go beyond the insanity of not being satisfied with their lot. They vainly strive after heavenly joy, and wish to acquire other people's goods, but are not so intent on ruling. But the differences among these persuasions are countless.

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