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Jeremias 50

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1 Ang salita na sinalita ng Panginoon tungkol sa Babilonia, tungkol sa lupain ng mga Caldeo, sa pamamagitan ni Jeremias na propeta.

2 Inyong ipahayag sa gitna ng mga bansa, at inyong itanyag, at mangagtaas kayo ng watawat; inyong itanyag, at huwag ninyong ikubli: inyong sabihin, Ang Babilonia ay nasakop, si Bel ay nalagay sa kahihiyan, si Merodach ay nanglulupaypay; ang kaniyang mga larawan ay nalagay sa kahihiyan, ang kaniyang mga diosdiosan ay nanganglupaypay.

3 Sapagka't mula sa hilagaan ay sumasampa ang isang bansa laban sa kaniya, na sisira ng kaniyang lupain, at walang tatahan doon: sila'y nagsitakas, sila'y nagsiyaon, ang tao at gayon din ang hayop.

4 Sa mga araw na yaon, at sa panahong yaon, sabi ng Panginoon, ang mga anak ni Israel ay magsisidating, sila, at ang mga anak ni Juda na magkakasama: sila'y magsisiyaon ng kanilang lakad na nagsisiiyak, at hahanapin nila ang Panginoon nilang Dios.

5 Kanilang ipagtatanong ang daan ng Sion, na ang kanilang mga mukha ay nakaharap sa dakong yaon, na magsasabi, Magsiparito kayo, at lumakip kayo sa Panginoon sa walang hanggang tipan na hindi malilimutan.

6 Ang aking bayan ay naging gaya ng nawalang tupa: iniligaw sila ng kanilang mga pastor; sila'y inilihis sa mga bundok; sila'y nagsiparoon sa burol mula sa bundok; kanilang nalimutan ang kanilang pahingahang dako.

7 Sinasakmal sila ng lahat na nangakakasumpong sa kanila; at sinabi ng kanilang mga kaaway, Kami ay walang kasalanan, sapagka't sila'y nangagkasala laban sa Panginoon, na tatahanan ng kahatulan, sa makatuwid baga'y sa Panginoon, na pagasa ng kanilang mga magulang.

8 Magsitakas kayo mula sa gitna ng Babilonia, at kayo'y magsilabas mula sa lupain ng mga Caldeo, at kayo'y maging gaya ng mga kambing na lalake sa harap ng mga kawan.

9 Sapagka't, narito, aking patatayuin at pasasampahin laban sa Babilonia ang isang kapulungan ng mga dakilang bansa na mula sa hilagaang lupain; at sila'y magsisihanay laban sa kaniya; mula diya'y sasakupin siya; ang kanilang mga pana ay magiging gaya sa isang magilas na makapangyarihan; walang babalik na di may kabuluhan.

10 At ang Caldea ay magiging samsam: lahat na nagsisisamsam sa kaniya ay mangabubusog, sabi ng Panginoon.

11 Sapagka't kayo ay masasaya, sapagka't kayo'y nangagagalak, Oh kayong nagsisisamsam ng aking mana, sapagka't kayo'y malilikot na parang babaing guyang baka, na yumayapak ng trigo, at humahalinghing na parang mga malakas na kabayo;

12 Ang inyong ina ay mapapahiyang lubha; siyang nanganak sa inyo ay malilito: narito, siya'y magiging pinakahuli sa mga bansa, isang gubatan, isang tuyong lupain, isang ilang.

13 Dahil sa poot ng Panginoon ay hindi tatahanan, kundi magiging lubos na sira: bawa't magdaan sa Babilonia ay matitigilan, at susutsot dahil sa kaniyang lahat na pagkasalot.

14 Magsihanay kayo laban sa Babilonia sa palibot, kayong lahat na nagsisiakma ng busog; hilagpusan ninyo siya, huwag kayong manganghinayang ng mga pana: sapagka't siya'y nagkasala laban sa Panginoon.

15 Humiyaw ka laban sa kaniya sa palibot: siya'y sumuko sa kaniyang sarili; ang kaniyang mga sanggalangang dako ay nangabuwal, ang kaniyang mga kuta ay nangabagsak: sapagka't siyang kagantihan ng Panginoon: manghiganti kayo sa kaniya; kung ano ang kaniyang ginawa, gawin ninyo sa kaniya.

16 Ihiwalay ninyo ang manghahasik sa Babilonia, at siyang pumipigil ng karit sa panahon ng pagaani: dahil sa takot sa mamimighating tabak ay babalik bawa't isa sa kaniyang bayan, at tatakas bawa't isa sa kaniyang sariling lupain.

17 Ang Israel ay parang nakalat na tupa; itinaboy siya ng mga leon: ang unang sumakmal sa kaniya ay ang hari sa Asiria; at si Nabucodonosor na hari sa Babilonia ay siyang huling bumali ng kaniyang mga buto.

18 Kaya't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo, ng Dios ng Israel, Narito, aking parurusahan ang hari sa Babilonia, at ang kaniyang lupain, gaya ng aking pagkaparusa sa hari sa Asiria.

19 At aking dadalhin uli ang Israel sa kaniyang pastulan, at siya'y sasabsab sa Carmel at sa Basan, at ang kaniyang kalooban ay masisiyahan sa mga burol ng Ephraim at sa Galaad.

20 Sa mga araw na yaon, at sa panahong yaon, sabi ng Panginoon, ang kasamaan ng Israel ay mauusig, at hindi magkakaroon ng anoman; at ang mga kasalanan ng Juda, at hindi sila masusumpungan: sapagka't aking patatawarin sila na aking iniiwan na pinakalabi.

21 Sumampa ka laban sa lupain ng Merathaim, laban doon, at laban sa mga nananahan sa Pekod: pumatay ka at manglipol na lubos na manunod sa kanila, sabi ng Panginoon, at iyong gawin ang ayon sa lahat na iniutos ko sa iyo.

22 Ang hugong ng pagbabaka ay nasa lupain, at ang malaking kapahamakan.

23 Ano't naputol at nabali ang pamukpok ng buong lupa! ano't ang Babilonia ay nasira sa gitna ng mga bansa!

24 Pinaglagyan kita ng silo, at ikaw naman ay nahuli, Oh Babilonia, at hindi mo ginunita: ikaw ay nasumpungan at nahuli rin, sapagka't ikaw ay nakipagtalo laban sa Panginoon.

25 Binuksan ng Panginoon ang kaniyang lalagyan ng almas, at inilabas ang mga almas ng kaniyang pagkagalit; sapagka't ang Panginoon, ang Panginoon ng mga hukbo, ay may gawang gagawin sa lupain ng mga Caldeo.

26 Magsiparoon kayo laban sa kaniya, mula sa kahulihulihang hangganan; inyong buksan ang kaniyang mga kamalig; inyong ihagis na parang mga bunton, at siya'y inyong siraing lubos; huwag maiwanan siya ng anoman.

27 Inyong patayin ang lahat niyang mga toro; pababain sila sa patayan: sa aba nila! sapagka't ang kanilang araw ay dumating, ang araw ng pagdalaw sa kanila.

28 Inyong dinggin ang tinig nila na nagsisitakas at nagsisitahan mula sa lupain ng Babilonia, upang maghayag sa Sion ng kagantihan ng Panginoon nating Dios, ng kagantihan ng kaniyang templo.

29 Inyong pisanin ang mga mamamana laban sa Babilonia, silang lahat na nangagaakma ng busog; magsitayo kayo laban sa kaniya sa palibot; huwag bayaang mangakatanan: inyong gantihin siya ayon sa kaniyang gawa; ayon sa lahat niyang ginawa, gawin ninyo sa kaniya; sapagka't siya'y naging palalo laban sa Panginoon, laban sa Banal ng Israel.

30 Kaya't mabubuwal ang kaniyang mga binata sa kaniyang mga lansangan, at ang lahat niyang lalaking mangdidigma ay madadala sa katahimikan sa araw na yaon, sabi ng Panginoon.

31 Narito, ako'y laban sa iyo, Oh ikaw na palalo, sabi ng Panginoon, ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo; sapagka't ang iyong kaarawan ay dumating, ang panahon na dadalawin kita.

32 At ang palalo ay matitisod at mabubuwal, at walang magbabangon sa kaniya; at ako'y magpapaningas ng apoy sa kaniyang mga bayan, at pupugnawin niyaon ang lahat na nangasa palibot niya.

33 Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo, Ang mga anak ni Israel at ang mga anak ni Juda ay napipighating magkasama; at lahat na nagsikuhang bihag sa kanila ay hinahawakang mahigpit sila; ayaw pawalan sila.

34 Ang Manunubos sa kanila ay malakas; ang Panginoon ng mga hukbo ay siyang kaniyang pangalan: kaniyang ipakikipaglabang maigi ang kanilang usap, upang mabigyan niya ng kapahingahan ang lupa, at bagabagin ang mga nananahan sa Babilonia.

35 Ang tabak ay nasa mga Caldeo, sabi ng Panginoon, at sa mga nananahan sa Babilonia, at sa kaniyang mga prinsipe, at sa kaniyang mga pantas.

36 Ang tabak ay nasa mga hambog, at sila'y mangahahangal, ang tabak ay nasa kaniyang mga makapangyarihan, at sila'y manganglulupaypay.

37 Ang tabak ay nasa kanilang mga kabayo, at sa kanilang mga karo, at sa buong bayang halohalo na nasa gitna niya; at sila'y magiging parang mga babae; isang tabak ay nasa kaniyang mga kayamanan, at mangananakaw;

38 Ang pagkatuyo ay nasa kaniyang tubig, at mangatutuyo; sapagka't lupain ng mga larawang inanyuan, at sila'y mga ulol dahil sa mga diosdiosan.

39 Kaya't ang mga mabangis na hayop sa ilang sangpu ng mga lobo ay magsisitahan doon, at ang avestruz ay tatahan doon: at hindi na matatahanan kailan pa man; ni matatahanan sa sali't saling lahi.

40 Kung paanong sinira ng Dios ang Sodoma at Gomorra at ang mga kalapit bayan ng mga yaon, sabi ng Panginoon, gayon hindi tatahan doon ang sinoman, o tatahan man doon ang sinomang anak ng tao.

41 Narito, isang bayan ay dumarating na mula sa hilagaan; at isang malaking bansa, at maraming hari ay mangahihikayat mula sa kaduluduluhang bahagi ng lupa.

42 Kanilang iniaakma ang busog at ang sibat; sila'y mababagsik, at walang awa; ang kanilang tinig ay humuhugong na parang dagat, at sila'y nagsisisakay sa mga kabayo, bawa't isa ay humahanay na parang lalake sa pakikipagbaka, laban sa iyo, Oh anak na babae ng Babilonia.

43 Nabalitaan ng hari sa Babilonia ang kabantugan nila, at ang kaniyang mga kamay ay nanghihina: pagdadalamhati ay humawak sa kaniya, at paghihirap na gaya ng sa isang babae sa pagdaramdam.

44 Narito, ang kaaway ay sasampa na parang leon mula sa kapalaluan ng Jordan laban sa matibay na tahanan: nguni't bigla kong palalayasin sila sa kaniya; at ang mapili, siya kong ihahalal sa kaniya: sapagka't sinong gaya ko? at sinong magtatakda sa akin ng panahon? at sino ang pastor na tatayo sa harap ko?

45 Kaya't inyong dinggin ang payo ng Panginoon, na kaniyang ipinayo laban sa Babilonia; at ang kaniyang mga pasiyang ipinasiya niya, laban sa lupain ng mga Caldeo: Tunay na kanilang itataboy ang mga maliit sa kawan; tunay na kaniyang ipapahamak ang kanilang tahanan pati sila.

46 Sa ingay ng pagsakop sa Babilonia, ay nayayanig ang lupa, at ang hiyaw ay naririnig sa mga bansa.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #8908

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8908. 'You shall not answer as a witness of a lie against your neighbour' means that good must not be called evil, nor truth falsity, and conversely that evil must not be called good, nor falsity truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'witness of a lie' as the confirmation of falsity. For the meaning of 'witness' as confirmation, see 4197; and the meaning of 'a lie' as falsity of faith will be evident from what follows below. 'Answering against the neighbour' is speaking to someone in that manner; for 'neighbour' means any and every person, in particular everyone governed by good, and in the abstract sense good itself, 3419, 5025, 6704, 6706-6711, 6818, 8123, so that in the internal sense 'you shall not answer as the witness of a lie against your neighbour' means not saying what is false to anyone, that is, not saying that good is evil and truth is falsity, or vice versa.

[2] What this implies must be explained briefly. None who are ruled by self-love or by love of the world, that is, whose end in view is either to have high and honoured positions or to possess wealth and gain, care when they tell and persuade others that something just is unjust or something unjust is just, and by doing this behave as 'witnesses of a lie'. The reason why they are like this is that their will is in complete subjection to those loves and accompanying desires; it is completely possessed and dominated by them. At the same time the understanding, which is the other part of the mind, indeed has the ability to see what is just or unjust but has no wish to see it. For the will prevails over the understanding; it flows into and persuades it, and at length also makes it blind. Those same people possess no conscience, nor do they know that conscience consists in saying that something just is just, and for no other reason than because it is so, that is, from a love of what is just. People who are like this in the world are also like it in the next life, except for the difference that they do not then say something just is unjust. Instead they call the good of faith evil, and truth falsity, since what is just in dealings with people in the world corresponds to what is good and true in the spiritual world. This is done by them without conscience and also without any shame because it was something they had learned to do during their lifetime and grown accustomed to.

[3] Many times in the Word the expression 'a lie' is used, and wherever it occurs the falsity and evil of faith is meant in the internal sense. And 'the witness of a lie', who is also called 'the witness of violence', means confirming something false, whether before a judge, or before someone else, or before oneself by convincing oneself in one's inner thinking, as in Exodus 23:1ff; Leviticus 19:11-12ff; Deuteronomy 19:16-20. The fact that 'a lie' in the spiritual sense is the evil and falsity of faith is clear from the following places: In John,

You are from your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the truth because the truth is not in him. When he speaks a lie he speaks from the things that are his own, for he is the teller of a lie and the father of it. John 8:44.

Here 'a lie' stands for falsity of faith, for it refers to the unwillingness of the Jews to acknowledge the Lord. 'The devil' in the spiritual sense here is falsity, and 'the father of it' is evil; for falsity springs from evil like son from father. The falsity that is the devil's is the falsity of faith, the evil that is his is the evil of self-love and love of the world.

[4] In Isaiah,

Moab is exceedingly proud; his haughtiness, and his pride, and his anger - his lies are not firm. Isaiah 16:6.

'Lies' stands for falsities of faith, since 'Moab' is those who, ruled by the evil of self-love, therefore falsify truths, 2468, 8315. In the same prophet,

We have made a covenant with death, and with hell we have shaped a vision. We have put our trust in a lie, and we have hidden in falsity. Isaiah 28:15.

In the same prophet,

They were a rebellious people, lying sons, sons who did not wish to hear the law of Jehovah. Isaiah 30:9.

In Jeremiah,

They deceive one another, 1 and do not speak the truth. They have taught their tongue to speak a lie Jeremiah 9:5.

In the same prophet,

Behold, I am against those that prophesy lying dreams 2 and tell them in order that they may mislead My people by their lies. Jeremiah 23:32.

In the same prophet,

O sword, [be] against the liars, that they may become foolish. Jeremiah 50:36.

In Ezekiel,

They have seen vanity and lying divination, 3 saying, Jehovah has said! when Jehovah has not sent them. Therefore thus has the Lord Jehovih said, Because you speak vanity and see a lie, therefore behold, I am against you. Ezekiel 13:6-9.

In Nahum,

Woe to the city of blood! 4 It is all full of lies and plunder. Nahum 3:1.

In Zephaniah,

The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity or speak any lie; nor will a fraudulent tongue be found in their mouth. They will feed and rest. Zephaniah 3:13.

In John,

Outside are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices a lie. Revelation 22:15.

In these as in many other places 'a lie' stands for the falsity and evil of faith.

Footnotes:

1. literally, They deceive, a man his companion

2. literally, dreams of a lie

3. literally, divination of a lie

4. literally, bloods

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2468

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2468. There is no need to confirm these meanings either, for the explanation itself, and what comes before and after, shows that such things are meant. The form and nature of the religion meant by 'Moab and the children of Ammon' however becomes clear from the description that has been given of their origin, and also from many other places in the Word, the historical as well as the prophetical, where they are mentioned. In general they are people whose worship is external and to some extent appears holy, but is not internal. They are also people who take up the things which belong to external worship as goods and truths but reject and regard as worthless those that belong to internal worship.

[2] This type of worship and religion falls to people with whom natural good exists but who regard other people as worthless in comparison with themselves. They are not unlike fruit which is not unattractive on the outside but which within is mouldy or rotten; they are not unlike marble vases whose contents are impure and sometimes foul; or they are not unlike women whose face, figure, and movements are not unbecoming but who inwardly are diseased and full of foul impurities. For with them a general good exists which does not look unattractive; but things of a particular kind which enter into that good are filthy. This is not so to begin with but becomes so gradually, for such people easily allow themselves to be impregnated with whatever go by the name of goods and consequently by whatever falsities which, because they are confirmatory, they imagine to be truths. This happens because they despise the interior things of worship, which things they despise because they are governed by self-love. Such people come from and originate with those whose worship is purely external and who in this chapter are represented by Lot. They do so when the good contained in truth has been desolated. In the Word the nature of such people is described both in the beginning when their good has not as yet been so defiled, and also subsequently when it is being defiled, as well as after that when it has been defiled completely; and their rejection of the interior things of worship and doctrine is described too.

[3] The nature of those people in the beginning when their good has not as yet been so defiled is described in Daniel,

At the time of the end the king of the south will clash with him; therefore the king of the north will rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he will enter into countries, and will overflow, and will pass through, and will come into the glorious land, and many countries will collapse; these will be delivered out of his hand, Edom and Moab, and the firstfruits of the children of Ammon. Daniel 11:40-41.

'The king of the south' stands for people with whom goods and truths are present, 'the king of the north' for those with whom evils and falsities are present. 'The king of the north with chariots, horsemen, and ships, entering countries, overflowing, and passing through' stands for evils and falsities, meant by 'chariots, horsemen, and ships', getting the upper hand; 'the deliverance from his hand of Edom, Moab, and the firstfruits of the children of Ammon' stands for people governed by good which has not yet been defiled so much by falsities. This is why they are called 'the firstfruits of the children of Ammon'.

[4] In Moses,

We passed on by the road of the wilderness, and Jehovah said to Moses, Do not harass Moab, nor engage with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land as an inheritance because I have given Ar to the children of Lot as an inheritance. Deuteronomy 2:8-9.

And regarding the children of Ammon,

Jehovah spoke to Moses, Today you are passing over Ar the boundary of Moab, and when you approach from the region of the children of Ammon, do not harass them nor engage with them, for I will not give you any of the land of the children of Ammon as an inheritance, for I have given it to the children of Lot as an inheritance. Deuteronomy 2:17-19.

Here 'Ar' stands for that kind of good, 'Moab and the children of Ammon' for people who are governed by such good, but at the beginning, which explains why it is commanded that they should not be harassed.

[5] This also is the reason why Moab drove out the Emim, and the Rephaim who were similar to the Anakim, and why the children of Ammon too drove out the Rephaim, whom they called the Zamzummim, Deuteronomy 2:9-11, 18-21. 'Emim, Rephaim, Anakim, and Zamzummim' means people who were impregnated with evil and false persuasions, see 581, 1673. 'Moab and the children of Ammon' in the present context means people who have not yet been impregnated. But when these too had been so impregnated, that is, when their good had been defiled by falsities, they also were driven out, Numbers 21:21-31; Ezekiel 25:8-11.

[6] The nature of those people when their good is being defiled is described in Jeremiah,

To Moab Jehovah spoke thus, Woe to Nebo! for it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and overwhelmed; the praise of Moab is no more. Give wings to Moab, for it will fly away and its cities will become a desolation, with no one to dwell in them. Leave the cities and dwell in the rock, O inhabitants of Moab, and be like the dove that nests in the sides of the mouth of the hole. I know its anger, says Jehovah, and it is not steadfast, and its falsities do not make for right. Therefore I will howl over Moab and will cry out to the whole of Moab. From the weeping of Jazer I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah. Your branches passed over the sea, they reached as far as the sea of Jazer; on your summer fruits and on your vintage the vastator has fallen. Therefore My heart is moved over Moab like pipes. Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished, for your sons have been taken away into captivity, and your daughters into captivity. And I will bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days. Jeremiah 48:1-2, 9, 28, 30-32, 36, 46-47.

[7] The whole chapter refers to Moab, but by means of him to the way in which people with whom such good is present allow themselves to be impregnated with falsities. This is why it is said that 'they should give Moab wings so that he may fly away', and that 'his cities will become a desolation', but that 'they were to leave the cities and dwell in the rock, and like a dove were to nest in the sides of the mouth of the hole', and many other things by which they are persuaded to remain with the general goods and truths they possess. And if at such times they were led astray by falsities due to lack of knowledge they would be brought back from captivity in the latter days. But with those people with whom this does not happen it is said, 'I will howl over Moab and will cry out to the whole of Moab', and 'My heart is moved over Moab'. The falsities with which they are impregnated are meant by Nebo, Kiriathaim, Misgab, Sibmah, Jazer, Chemosh, and other names mentioned in that chapter.

[8] In Isaiah,

Like a scattered nest will the daughters of Moab be. Give counsel, execute judgement. Make your whole shade [as the night] in the middle of the day. Hide the outcasts, do not betray the wanderer; let My outcasts, O Moab, dwell together in you; be a refuge to them in the presence of the vastator. We have heard of the pride of Moab - his great pride, his arrogance, and his insolence, and his anger; not so his lies. Therefore Moab will howl for Moab, everyone will howl. Therefore My bowels are played on like a harp for Moab, and My inward parts for the city of Heres. And when Moab is seen exhausted on the high place and he comes to his sanctuary to pray he will not prevail. In three years, like the years of a hireling, the praise of Moab will be brought into contempt, with all his great multitude, and the survivors will be a very small and feeble number. Isaiah 16:2-4, 6-7, 11-12, 14.

The whole of this chapter as well refers to Moab, and by means of him to people with whom such good is present. They are described in various parts of the chapter in words similar to those used in Jeremiah 48 - people that are in like manner persuaded to remain with the general goods and truths they possess and not allow themselves to be impregnated with falsities. General goods and truths are meant by the demand that they should give counsel, execute judgement, hide the outcasts, not betray the wanderer, be a refuge to outcasts in the presence of the vastator, all of which mean the external features of worship. Yet because they allow themselves to be impregnated with falsities, it is said 'in three years, like the years of a hireling, and the praise of Moab will be brought into contempt, with all his great multitude, and the survivors will be a very small and feeble number'.

[9] Because they are led astray easily, Moab is called 'the sending forth of the hand of the Philistines, and the children of Ammon their obedience' in Isaiah,

The root of Jesse; which is standing as an ensign of the peoples, that will the nations seek, and His rest will be glory. The envy of Ephraim will depart, and the enemies of Judah will be cut off. Ephraim will not envy Judah, and Judah will not harass Ephraim. And they will fly down onto the shoulder of the Philistines towards the sea, together they will plunder the people of the east, Edom, Moab the sending forth of their hand, and the children of Ammon their obedience. Isaiah 11:10, 13-14.

'The root of Jesse' stands for the Lord, 'Judah' for those who are governed by celestial good, 'Ephraim' for those who are governed by spiritual truth, 'the Philistines' for those who possess a knowledge of the cognitions of truth but who have no charity, 'the people of the east' for those who possess a knowledge of the cognitions of what is good but who also have no charity. Moab is called 'the sending forth of their hand', the children of Ammon 'their obedience', because they are impregnated with falsities by them.

[10] The nature however of people called Moab and the children of Ammon and what it becomes when their good has been defiled completely by falsities is described in David,

God has spoken in His holiness, Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; and

Ephraim is the strength of My head, Judah is My lawgiver, Moab is My wash-basin. Psalms 60:6-8; and likewise. Psalms 108:7-9.

'Washbasin' stands for good defiled by falsities.

[11] In Jeremiah,

The praise of Moab is no more. In Heshbon they have thought evil against him: Come, let us cut him off from being a nation. Moab has been at ease from his youth, resting on his lees; he has not been emptied from vessel into vessel, nor has he gone away into exile. Therefore his taste remains in him, and his scent is unchanged. On all the roofs of Moab and in its streets it is all lamentation, for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which no pleasure is taken. Jeremiah 48:2, 11, 38.

The falsities that defile good, which is 'Moab', are here called 'lees'. These are what 'the taste and scent' consists in if no reformation takes place, meant here by being 'emptied from vessel into vessel'. Good itself is called 'a vessel in which no pleasure is taken', as in David where it is called 'a basin for washing in'. In Isaiah,

The hand of Jehovah will rest on this mountain, and Moab will be threshed beneath it, as straw is trodden down in a dung-pit. Isaiah 25:10.

[12] People with whom such good exists are interested solely in the external features of worship and doctrine, and despise, reject, indeed are utterly averse to the internal; and as a consequence they have falsities instead of truths: in Ezekiel,

Son of man, set your face towards the children of Ammon, and prophesy against them, and say to the children of Ammon, Hear the word of the Lord Jehovih: Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Because you say, Aha! against My sanctuary that has been profaned, and against the land of Israel because it has been made desolate, and against the house of Judah because they have gone away into captivity, I will make Rabbah into a dwelling-place for camels, and the children of Ammon into a couching-place for flocks. The Lord Jehovih said, Because you have clapped the hand and stamped with the foot and rejoiced with all the contempt in your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I will stretch out My hand against you and hand you over as spoil to the nations, and I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries. Ezekiel 25:2-7.

'Aha! against the sanctuary that has been profaned, against the land of Israel because it has been made desolate, against the house of Judah because they have gone away into captivity', 'you clapped the hand, stamped with the foot, and rejoiced with all the contempt in your soul against the land of Israel' are words expressing contempt for, mockery, and rejection of the interior features of worship and doctrine. When these have been rejected external things cease to have any value and 'are handed over as spoil to the nations', that is, they are invested by evils, and 'cut off from the peoples', that is, invested by falsities, and 'are made to perish out of the countries', that is, become part of what is not the Church.

[13] In Zephaniah,

I have heard the taunt of Moab and the blasphemies of the children of Ammon, who have taunted My people and magnified themselves against their border. Therefore as I live, Moab will become like Sodom, and the children of Ammon like Gomorrah, a place abandoned to the nettle and a saltpit, and they will be a desolation for ever. This will be theirs for their arrogance because they taunted and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah Zebaoth. Zephaniah 2:8-10.

'Taunting the people, and magnifying themselves against their border, and against the people of Jehovah Zebaoth' is scorning and rejecting interior truths, meant by 'the people of Jehovah Zebaoth'. Goods as a consequence become evils derived from falsity, which are 'Sodom' and 'a place abandoned to the nettle', while truths become falsities, which are 'Gomorrah' and 'a saltpit'. For it is from internal things that external are enabled to be good and true.

[14] In David,

[Your] enemies craftily take secret counsel against Your people, they consult together against Your hidden ones, [saying,] Come, let us cut them off from being a nation, and let not the name of Israel be remembered any more, for they consult together with one accord; against You they make a covenant the tents of Edom, and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal and Ammon, and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre: Asshur also is joined with them; they are an arm to the children of Lot. Psalms 83:2-8.

'Consulting against the hidden ones', 'cutting them off from being a nation so that the name of Israel is remembered no more' means being totally averse to interior things. 'The tents of Edom, the Ishmaelites, Moab, the Hagrites, Gebal, and Ammon' means people whose worship and doctrine are external, 'Philistia with Tyre' people who talk about internal things but do not have them, 'Asshur who is an arm to the children of Lot' reasoning with which they fight on behalf of external things and attack internal.

[15] In Moses,

A man shall not take his father's wife nor violate his father's skirt. He who has been severely bruised or crushed in the testicles shall not enter the assembly of Jehovah. The Ammonite and the Moabite shall not enter the assembly of Jehovah; even to the tenth generation they shall not ever enter the assembly of Jehovah. Deuteronomy 22:30-23:7.

This shows what Moab and Ammon were at the end, that is, when they were impregnated completely with falsities. That is to say, they were people with whom good was adulterated and truth falsified through their contempt for, rejection of, and at length total aversion to all interior things. This also is why these two names are mentioned in this quotation after reference has been made to the foul kinds of adultery meant by 'taking one's father's wife' and 'violating one's father's skirt - almost as with the mention made here to Lot's daughters from whom Moab and Ammon were born; and also after reference to those who are 'severely bruised or crushed in the testicles', by whom those who are totally averse to everything that has to do with love and charity are meant. 'The assembly of Jehovah' means heaven, which they are unable to enter because they possess no remnants, which are obtained solely from interior goods and interior truths and which are meant by 'the tenth generation', 576, 1738, 2280.

[16] They also belonged to those nations who used to sacrifice sons and daughters to Molech, by which in the internal sense is meant that they annihilated truths and goods. Actually Moab's god was Chemosh, and the children of Ammon's was Molech or Milcom, 1 Kings 11:7, 33; 2 Kings 23:13, to whom they sacrificed, 2 Kings 3:27. As regards 'sons and daughters' meaning truths and goods, see 489-491, 533, 1147.

[17] Such then is the meaning of Moab and Ammon; but the kinds of falsity by which they adulterate goods and annihilate truths are many. These are listed in Jeremiah, but merely by their names -

Judgement has come to the land of the plain, to Holon, and to Jahzah, and to Mephaath, and on Dibon, and on Nebo, and on Bethdiblathaim, and on Kiriathaim, and on Bethgamul, and on Bethmeon, and on Kirioth, and on Bozrah, and on all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. The horn of Moab has been cut off and his arm broken. Make him drunk, because he magnified himself over Jehovah, and let Moab applaud in his vomit. Jeremiah 48:21-26.

These are the kinds of falsity which come together in those who are called Moab and Ammon. Which particular falsities however, and the nature of them, becomes clear from the meaning of each name in the internal sense; for names in the Word mean nothing other than real things, as has been shown many times.

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