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Ezekiel 32

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1 At nangyari, nang ikalabing dalawang taon, nang ikalabing dalawang buwan, nang unang araw ng buwan, na ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating sa akin, na nagsasabi:

2 Anak ng tao, panaghuyan mo si Faraong hari sa Egipto, at sabihin mo sa kaniya, Ikaw ay kawangis ng isang batang leon sa mga bansa; gayon man ikaw ay parang malaking hayop sa mga dagat; at ikaw ay sumagupa sa iyong mga ilog, at nilabo mo ng iyong mga paa ang tubig, at dinumhan mo ang kanilang mga ilog.

3 Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios: Aking ilaladlad ang aking lambat sa iyo na kasama ng isang pulutong ng maraming tao; at iaahon ka nila sa aking lambat.

4 At iiwan kita sa lupain, ihahagis kita sa luwal na parang, at aking padadapuin sa iyo ang lahat ng mga ibon sa himpapawid, at aking bubusugin sa iyo ang mga hayop ng buong lupa.

5 At aking ilalagay ang iyong laman sa ibabaw ng mga bundok, at pupunuin ko ang mga libis ng iyong kataasan.

6 Akin namang didiligin ng iyong dugo ang lupain na iyong nilalanguyan, hanggang sa mga bundok; at ang mga daan ng tubig ay mapupuno.

7 At pagka ikaw ay aking nautas, aking tatakpan ang langit, at padidilimin ko ang mga bituin niyaon; aking tatakpan ng alapaap ang araw, at ang buwan ay hindi magbibigay ng kaniyang liwanag.

8 Lahat na maningning na liwanag sa langit ay aking padidilimin sa iyo, at tatakpan ko ng kadiliman ang iyong lupain, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

9 Akin namang papaghihirapin ang puso ng maraming bayan, pagka aking dadalhin ang iyong kagibaan sa gitna ng mga bansa, sa mga lupain na hindi mo nakilala.

10 Oo, aking papanggigilalasin ang maraming bayan sa iyo, at ang kanilang mga hari ay lubhang matatakot sa iyo, pagka aking ikinumpas ang aking tabak sa harap nila; at sila'y manginginig tuwituwina, bawa't tao dahil sa kaniyang sariling buhay sa kaarawan ng iyong pagkabuwal.

11 Sapagka't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoong Dios: Ang tabak ng hari sa Babilonia ay darating sa iyo.

12 Sa pamamagitan ng mga tabak ng makapangyarihan ay aking ipabubuwal ang iyong karamihan; kakilakilabot sa mga bansa silang lahat: at kanilang wawalaing halaga ang kapalaluan ng Egipto, at ang buong karamihan niyao'y malilipol.

13 Akin din namang lilipuling lahat ang mga hayop niyaon mula sa siping ng maraming tubig; at hindi na lalabukawin pa man ng paa ng tao, o ang kuko man ng mga hayop ay magsisilabukaw sa mga yaon.

14 Kung magkagayo'y aking palilinawin ang kanilang tubig, at aking paaagusin ang kanilang mga ilog na parang langis, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

15 Pagka aking gagawin ang lupain ng Egipto na sira at giba, na lupaing iniwan ng lahat na nangandoon, pagka aking sasaktan silang lahat na nagsisitahan doon kung magkagayon ay kanila ngang malalaman na ako ang Panginoon.

16 Ito nga ang panaghoy na kanilang itataghoy; na itataghoy ng mga anak na babae ng mga bansa; sa Egipto, at sa lahat na kaniyang karamihan ay itataghoy nila, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

17 Nangyari rin nang ikalabing dalawang taon, nang ikalabing limang araw ng buwan, na ang salita ng Panginoon ay dumating sa akin na nagsasabi,

18 Anak ng tao, taghuyan mo ang karamihan ng Egipto, at ibaba mo sila, sa makatuwid baga'y siya, at ang mga anak na babae ng mga bantog na bansa, hanggang sa pinakamalalim na bahagi ng lupa, na kasama ng nagsibaba sa hukay.

19 Sinong iyong dinadaig sa kagandahan? bumaba ka, at malagay kang kasama ng mga di tuli.

20 Sila'y mangabubuwal sa gitna nila na nangapatay ng tabak: siya'y nabigay sa tabak: ilabas mo siya at ang lahat niyang karamihan.

21 Ang malakas sa gitna ng makapangyarihan ay magsasalita sa kaniya na mula sa gitna ng Sheol na kasama ng nagsitulong sa kaniya: sila'y nagsibaba, sila'y nangakatigil, sa makatuwid baga'y ang mga hindi tuli, na nangapatay ng tabak.

22 Ang Assur ay nandoon at ang buo niyang pulutong; ang kaniyang mga libingan ay nangasa palibot niya: silang lahat na nangapatay, na nangabuwal sa pamamagitan ng tabak;

23 Na ang mga libingan ay nangalalagay sa pinakamalalim na bahagi ng hukay, at ang kaniyang pulutong ay nasa palibot ng kaniyang libingan; silang lahat na nangapatay, na nangabuwal sa pamamagitan ng tabak, na nakapangingilabot sa lupain ng buhay.

24 Nandoon ang Elam at ang buo niyang karamihan sa palibot ng kaniyang libingan; silang lahat na nangapatay na nangabuwal sa pamamagitan ng tabak, na nagsibabang hindi mga tuli sa pinakamalalim na bahagi ng lupa, na nakapagpangilabot sila sa lupain ng buhay, at dinala ang kanilang kahihiyan na kasama ng nagsibaba sa hukay.

25 Inilagay nila ang kaniyang higaan sa gitna ng mga patay na kasama ng buong karamihan niya; ang kaniyang mga libingan ay nangasa palibot niya; silang lahat na di tuli na nangapatay sa pamamagitan ng tabak; sapagka't nakapagpangilabot sila sa lupain ng buhay, at dinala nila ang kanilang kahihiyan na kasama ng nagsibaba sa hukay: siya'y nalagay sa gitna niyaong nangapatay.

26 Nandoon ang Mesech, ang Tubal, at ang buo niyang karamihan; ang mga libingan niya ay nangasa palibot niya; silang lahat na hindi tuli, na nangapatay sa pamamagitan ng tabak; sapagka't sila'y nakapagpangilabot sa lupain ng buhay.

27 At sila'y hindi mangahihiga na kasama ng makapangyarihan na nangabuwal sa mga di tuli, na nagsibaba sa Sheol na may kanilang mga almas na pangdigma, at nangaglagay ng kanilang mga tabak sa ilalim ng kanilang mga ulo, at ang kanilang mga kasamaan ay nangasa kanilang mga buto; sapagka't sila ang kakilabutan ng makapangyarihan sa lupain ng buhay.

28 Nguni't ikaw ay mabubuwal sa gitna ng mga di tuli, at ikaw ay mahihiga na kasama nila na nangapatay sa pamamagitan ng tabak.

29 Nandoon ang Edom, ang kaniyang mga hari at lahat niyang prinsipe, na sa kanilang kapangyarihan ay nangahiga na kasama ng nangapatay ng tabak: sila'y mangahihiga na kasama ng mga di tuli, at niyaong nagsibaba sa hukay.

30 Nandoon ang mga prinsipe sa hilagaan, silang lahat, at lahat ng mga taga Sidon, na nagsibabang kasama ng nangapatay; sa kakilabutan na kanilang ipinangilabot ng kanilang kapangyarihan sila'y nangapahiya; at sila'y nangahihigang hindi tuli na kasama ng nangapapatay sa pamamagitan ng tabak, at taglay ang kanilang kahihiyan na kasama ng nagsibaba sa hukay.

31 Makikita sila ni Faraon, at maaaliw sa lahat niyang karamihan, sa makatuwid baga'y ni Faraon at ng buo niyang hukbo, na nangapatay ng tabak, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

32 Sapagka't inilagay ko ang kaniyang kakilabutan sa lupain ng buhay; at siya'y ihihiga sa gitna ng mga di tuli, na kasama ng nangapatay ng tabak, si Faraon at ang buong karamihan niya, sabi ng Panginoong Dios.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #4728

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4728. 'And let us throw him into one of the pits' means among falsities. This is clear from the meaning of 'pits' as falsities. The reason 'pits' means falsities is that people who are immersed in false assumptions are kept for a considerable time after death beneath the lower earth, until falsities have been removed from them and so to speak cast away to the sidelines. The places situated there are called pits. Those who go there are people who have to undergo vastation, dealt with in 1106-1113, 2699, 2701, 2704. 1 This is why by 'pits' in the abstract sense falsities are meant. The lower earth is directly below the feet, and is a region that does not extend to any great distance all around. There the majority stay after death before being raised up into heaven. Mention is also made of this lower earth in various places in the Word. Below it are places where vastation takes place, and they are called pits. Beneath these places and extending to quite a distance all around are the hells.

[2] From this one may have some idea of what is meant by hell, the lower earth, or the pit, when these are mentioned in the Word, as in Isaiah,

You have been sent down to hell, to the sides of the pit; you are cast out from your sepulchre like an abominable branch, a garment of the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit. Isaiah 14:15, 19.

This refers to the king of Babel, who represents the profanation of truth, for 'a king' represents truth, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, and 'Babel' profanation, 1182, 1326. 'Hell' is the place where the condemned are, and their state of condemnation is compared to 'an abominable branch' and 'a garment of the slain and of those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit'. 'A garment of the slain' means truth that has been made profane; 'those pierced by the sword' means people among whom truth has been annihilated; 'the pit' means falsity that is to be laid waste, 'stones' the limits of that falsity, which are also therefore called 'the sides', for surrounding the pits there are the hells. 'A garment' means truth, 2576, and therefore 'a garment of the slain' means truth that has been made profane, for 'the blood' with which it has been stained means that which has been made profane, 1003. 'Those pierced by the sword' means those among whom truth has been annihilated, 4503. From all this it is also evident that without the internal sense one cannot by any means know what these things mean.

[3] In Ezekiel,

When I cause you to go down with those going down to the pit, to the people of old, and I cause you to dwell in the land of the lower ones, in the desolations from of old, so that you do not dwell with those going down to the pit, I will give beauty in the land of the living. Ezekiel 26:20.

'Those going down to the pit' stands for those who are made to undergo vastation. 'Not dwelling with those who go down to the pit' stands for being delivered from falsities.

[4] In the same prophet,

That none of all the trees by the waters may become arrogant because of their height nor send their trunk up among entangled boughs, and that none of all [the trees] that drink water may reach above them because of their height - all will be given over to death, to the lower earth in the midst of the sons of men, to those going down to the pit. At the sound of its crashing down I will make the nations tremble, when I cause him to go down into hell with those going down to the pit. And all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the most excellent of Lebanon, all those drinking water, will comfort themselves on the lower earth. Ezekiel 31:14, 16.

This refers to Egypt, meaning knowledge, which enters by itself into the mysteries of faith, that is, people who enter into them, 1164, 1165, 1186. What has been stated above makes plain the meaning of hell, the pit, and the lower earth mentioned at this point in the prophet. Nor from anywhere else than the internal sense can anyone see what is meant by 'the trees by the waters', 'the trees of Eden', 'the trunk sent up among entangled boughs', 'the choicest and the most excellent of Lebanon', and 'those drinking water'.

[5] In the same prophet,

Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and cause it and the daughters of magnificent nations to go down to the lower earth. with those going down into the pit. Asshur is there to whom graves have been given in the sides of the pit, all of them slain with the sword. Ezekiel 32:18, 22-23.

What these words mean may be seen from the explanations given above. In David,

Jehovah, You have caused my soul to come up out of hell; You have caused me to live, out of those going down to the pit. Psalms 30:3.

In the same author,

I have been reckoned with them going down to the pit; I have become as a man with no strength. You have put me in the pit of the lower ones, in darkness, in the depths. Psalms 88:4, 6.

In Jonah,

I had gone down to the bottoms of the mountains; the bars of the land were upon me for ever. Nonetheless You brought up my life from the pit. Jonah 2:6.

This refers to the Lord's temptations, and to deliverance from them. 'The bottoms of the mountains' means where the most condemned are, for the gloomy dark clouds which seemingly surround them are mountains.

[6] As regards 'the pit' meaning falsity laid waste, and in the abstract sense falsity itself, this is clear in addition in Isaiah,

They will be gathered together, in a gathering as the bound for the pit, and they will be shut up in the dungeon; but after a multitude of days they will be visited. Isaiah 24:22.

In the same prophet,

Where is the anger of the oppressor? He that leads out will hasten to open, and he will not die at the pit; nor will bread fail. Isaiah 51:13-14.

In Ezekiel,

Behold, I am bringing strangers upon you, the violent of the nations, who will draw their swords against the loveliness of your wisdom, and they will profane your splendour. They will bring you down into the pit, and you will die the deaths of those slain in the heart of the seas. Ezekiel 28:7-8.

This refers to the prince of Tyre, who means people under the influence of false assumptions.

[7] In Zechariah,

Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion! Make a noise, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you, just, meek, and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the young of she-asses. Through the blood of the covenant I will let out your bound ones from the pit in which there is no water. Zechariah 9:9, 11.

'The pit in which there is no water' stands for falsity that has no truth at all within it, as also in verse 24 below where it is said that they cast Joseph into the pit and the pit was empty, having no water in it. In David,

To You, O Jehovah, do I call; my rock, do not be silent to me, lest if You are silent to me I seem like those going down into the pit. Psalms 28:1.

In the same author,

Jehovah caused me to come up out of the pit of VASTATION, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock. Psalms 40:2.

[8] In the same author,

Do not let the flow of waters rush over me, nor the deep swallow me up, nor the pit close its mouth over me. Psalms 69:15.

In the same author,

He sent His word and healed them, and rescued them from their pits. Psalms 107:20.

'From pits' stands for from falsities. In the same author,

Make haste, answer me, O Jehovah. My spirit is consumed. Do not hide Your face from me, lest I become like those going down into the pit. Psalms 143:7.

Because 'a pit' means falsity, and 'the blind' those who are immersed in falsities, 2383, the Lord therefore says,

Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind. For if the blind leads the blind both will fall into a pit. Matthew 15:13, 14; Luke 6:39.

Something similar to what was represented by Joseph was also represented by the prophet Jeremiah, who describes what happened to him as follows,

They took Jeremiah and cast him into the pit which was in the court of the guard, and let Jeremiah down by ropes into the pit where there was no water. Jeremiah 38:6.

That is, they cast Divine Truths away among falsities that had no truth at all within them.

Footnotes:

1. The Latin has 2711, 2714, but 2701, 2704 seem to be intended

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