The Bible

 

Ezekiel 40

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1 In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth [day] of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was struck, in the same day, the hand of Yahweh was on me, and he brought me there.

2 In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me down on a very high mountain, whereon was as it were the frame of a city on the south.

3 He brought me there; and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

4 The man said to me, Son of man, see with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart on all that I shall show you; for, to the intent that I may show them to you, you are brought here: declare all that you see to the house of Israel.

5 Behold, a wall on the outside of the house all around, and in the man's hand a measuring reed six cubits long, of a cubit and a handbreadth each: so he measured the thickness of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.

6 Then came he to the gate which looks toward the east, and went up its steps: and he measured the threshold of the gate, one reed broad; and the other threshold, one reed broad.

7 Every lodge was one reed long, and one reed broad; and [the space] between the lodges was five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate toward the house was one reed.

8 He measured also the porch of the gate toward the house, one reed.

9 Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its posts, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was toward the house.

10 The lodges of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side.

11 He measured the breadth of the opening of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits;

12 and a border before the lodges, one cubit [on this side], and a border, one cubit on that side; and the lodges, six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

13 He measured the gate from the roof of the one lodge to the roof of the other, a breadth of twenty-five cubits; door against door.

14 He made also posts, sixty cubits; and the court [reached] to the posts, around the gate.

15 [From] the forefront of the gate at the entrance to the forefront of the inner porch of the gate were fifty cubits.

16 There were closed windows to the lodges, and to their posts within the gate all around, and likewise to the arches; and windows were around inward; and on [each] post were palm trees.

17 Then brought he me into the outer court; and behold, there were rooms and a pavement, made for the court all around: thirty rooms were on the pavement.

18 The pavement was by the side of the gates, answerable to the length of the gates, even the lower pavement.

19 Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate to the forefront of the inner court outside, one hundred cubits, [both] on the east and on the north.

20 The gate of the outer court whose prospect is toward the north, he measured its length and its breadth.

21 The lodges of it were three on this side and three on that side; and its posts and its arches were after the measure of the first gate: its length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits.

22 The windows of it, and its arches, and the palm trees of it, were after the measure of the gate whose prospect is toward the east; and they went up to it by seven steps; and its arches were before them.

23 There was a gate to the inner court over against the [other] gate, [both] on the north and on the east; and he measured from gate to gate one hundred cubits.

24 He led me toward the south; and behold, a gate toward the south: and he measured its posts and its arches according to these measures.

25 There were windows in it and in its arches all around, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits.

26 There were seven steps to go up to it, and its arches were before them; and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, on its posts.

27 There was a gate to the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south a hundred cubits.

28 Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;

29 and its lodges, and its posts, and its arches, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in its arches all around; it was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits broad.

30 There were arches all around, twenty-five cubits long, and five cubits broad.

31 The arches of it were toward the outer court; and palm trees were on its posts: and the ascent to it had eight steps.

32 He brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures;

33 and its lodges, and its posts, and its arches, according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in its arches all around; it was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits broad.

34 The arches of it were toward the outer court; and palm trees were on its posts, on this side, and on that side: and the ascent to it had eight steps.

35 He brought me to the north gate: and he measured [it] according to these measures;

36 its lodges, its posts, and its arches: and there were windows therein all around; the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits.

37 The posts of it were toward the outer court; and palm trees were on its posts, on this side, and on that side: and the ascent to it had eight steps.

38 A room with its door was by the posts at the gates; there they washed the burnt offering.

39 In the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to kill thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering.

40 On the [one] side outside, as one goes up to the entry of the gate toward the north, were two tables; and on the other side, which belonged to the porch of the gate, were two tables.

41 Four tables were on this side, and Four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they killed [the sacrifices].

42 There were four tables for the burnt offering, of cut stone, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high; whereupon they laid the instruments with which they killed the burnt offering and the sacrifice.

43 The hooks, a handbreadth long, were fastened within all around: and on the tables was the flesh of the offering.

44 Outside of the inner gate were rooms for the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south; one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north.

45 He said to me, This room, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the duty of the house;

46 and the room whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the duty of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok, who from among the sons of Levi come near to Yahweh to minister to him.

47 He measured the court, one hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar was before the house.

48 Then he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.

49 The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; even by the steps by which they went up to it: and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9740

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9740. Verses 9-19 And you shall make the court of the dwelling-place on the south side 1 , southwards; the hangings for the court shall be [made] from fine twined linen, a hundred cubits the length to one corner; and its pillars shall be twenty, and their bases twenty, [made] from bronze; the hooks of the pillars and their bands [shall be made] from silver. And [the same shall be] so for the length on the north side 1 ; the hangings shall be a hundred in length, and its pillars twenty, and their bases twenty, [made] from bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands [made] from silver. And the breadth of the court on the side of the sea, 2 the hangings shall be fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and the bases of these, ten. And the breadth of the court on the east side 1 , towards the sunrise, shall be fifty cubits; and hangings of fifteen cubits shall there be for [one] wing, 3 their pillars three, and the bases of these, three; and for the other wing 3 there shall be hangings [of] fifteen [cubits], their pillars three, and the bases of these, three. And for the gate of the court there shall be a screen of twenty cubits, [made] from violet, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer, its pillars four, and the bases of these, four. All the pillars of the court round about shall be banded with bands of silver, and their hooks [made] from silver and their bases from bronze. The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty throughout, 4 and the height five cubits, [with hangings made] from fine twined linen and their bases from bronze. And as for all the vessels of the dwelling-place, in all its service, and all its pins and all the pins of the court, [they shall be made] from bronze.

'And you shall make the court of the dwelling-place' means the lowest heaven. 'On the south side, southwards' means that it dwells in the light of truth. 'The hangings for the court' means the truths of that heaven. 'From fine twined linen' means coming out of the understanding. 'A hundred cubits the length' means complete with good from the Lord. 'To one corner' means where the truths dwell in light. 'And its pillars shall be twenty' means forms of the good of truth which provide complete support. 'And their bases twenty, [made] from bronze' means the truths springing from good which also provide complete support. 'The hooks of the pillars and their bands [shall be made] from silver' means the modes by which they are linked together through truth. 'And [the same shall be] so for the length on the north side' means where the good of truth dwells in obscurity. 'The hangings shall be a hundred in length' means likewise complete with truths that spring from good. 'And its pillars twenty' means forms of the good of truth which provide complete support. 'And their bases twenty, [made] from bronze' means the truths springing from good which also provide complete support. 'The hooks of the pillars and their bands [made] from silver' means the modes by which they are linked together through truth. 'And the breadth of the court on the side of the sea' means the state of that heaven in respect of truths on the level of factual knowledge. 'The hangings shall be fifty cubits' means the quantity of truths needed for the purposes they have to serve. 'Their pillars, and the bases of these, ten' means the quantity also of supporting forms of good, and of truths springing from these, needed for the purposes they have to serve. 'And the breadth of the court on the east side, towards the sunrise' means the state of the truth of that heaven where forms of good reside. 'Fifty cubits' means the quantity needed for the purposes to be served. 'And hangings of fifteen cubits shall there be for [one] wing' means a sufficient quantity of truths dwelling in light. 'Their pillars three, and the bases of these, three' means the forms of good and the truths springing from them which provide complete support. 'And hangings of fifteen cubits for the [other] wing, their pillars three, and the bases of these, three' means the same things as above but where truths dwell in obscurity. 'And for the gate of the court there shall be a screen' means introduction into that heaven, and a guard that prohibits entry into it except by those who have been prepared. 'Of twenty cubits' means to the full. 'From violet, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine twined linen' means forms of the good of charity and faith. 'The work of an embroiderer' means things belonging to factual knowledge. 'Its pillars four, and the bases of these, four' means the forms of good, and the truths springing from them, which support the linking together. 'All the pillars of the court round about' means every form of good supporting heaven. 'Shall be banded with bands of silver, and their hooks [made] from silver' means all the modes of linking together through truth. 'And their bases from bronze' means forms of support received through good. 'The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits' means the good of that heaven, to the full. 'And the breadth fifty throughout' means truth in a sufficient amount. 'And the height five cubits' means the degrees of good and truth, also in a sufficient amount. '[With hangings made] from fine twined linen' means coming out of the understanding. 'And their bases from bronze' means the support they all receive through good. 'And as for all the vessels of the dwelling-place, in all its service' means the truths and the forms of good on the level of factual knowledge which the external man possesses. 'And all its pins and all the pins of the court, [they shall be made] from bronze' means everything that joins together and strengthens the two heavens, the middle and the lowest, through good.

Footnotes:

1. literally, corner or angle

2. literally, the corner (or the angle) of the sea i.e. the west end

3. i.e. section to one side of the gate

4. literally, fifty in fifty

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

The Bible

 

Isaiah 1:4

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4 Ah sinful nation, a people loaded with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Yahweh. They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They are estranged and backward.