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Jeremia 48

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1 Über Moab. So spricht Jehova der Heerscharen, der Gott Israels: Wehe über Nebo! Denn es ist verwüstet. Zu Schanden geworden, eingenommen ist Kirjathaim; zu Schanden geworden ist die hohe Feste und bestürzt.

2 Moabs Ruhm ist dahin. In Hesbon hat man Böses ersonnen gegen dasselbe: "Kommt und laßt es uns ausrotten, daß es keine Nation mehr sei!" Auch du, Madmen, wirst vernichtet werden; das Schwert zieht hinter dir her.

3 Horch! Ein Geschrei aus Horonaim: Verheerung und große Zertrümmerung!

4 Moab ist zerschmettert, seine Geringen haben ein lautes Geschrei erhoben.

5 Denn die Anhöhe von Luchith steigt man mit Weinen hinauf, mit Weinen; denn am Abhang von Horonaim hat man Angstgeschrei der Zerschmetterung gehört.

6 Fliehet, rettet euer Leben, und seid wie ein Entblößter in der Wüste!

7 Denn weil du auf deine Werke und auf deine Schätze vertrautest, sollst auch du eingenommen werden; und Kamos wird in die Gefangenschaft ziehen, seine Priester und seine Fürsten allzumal.

8 Und der Verwüster wird über jede Stadt kommen, und keine Stadt wird entrinnen; und das Tal wird zu Grunde gehen und die Ebene vernichtet werden, wie Jehova gesprochen hat.

9 Gebet Moab Flügel, denn fliegend wird es wegziehen; und seine Städte werden zur Wüste werden, so daß niemand darin wohnt.

10 Verflucht sei, wer das Werk Jehovas lässig treibt, und verflucht, wer sein Schwert vom Blute zurückhält!

11 Sorglos war Moab von seiner Jugend an, und still lag es auf seinen Hefen und wurde nicht ausgeleert von Faß zu Faß, und in die Gefangenschaft ist es nie gezogen; daher ist sein Geschmack ihm geblieben und sein Geruch nicht verändert.

12 Darum siehe, Tage kommen, spricht Jehova, da ich ihm Schröter senden werde, die es schroten und seine Fässer ausleeren und seine Krüge zerschmeißen werden.

13 Und Moab wird sich über Kamos schämen, gleichwie das Haus Israel sich geschämt hat über Bethel, ihre Zuversicht.

14 Wie sprechet ihr: Wir sind Helden und tapfere Männer zum Streit?

15 Moab ist verwüstet, und seine Städte hat man erstiegen, und die Auswahl seiner Jünglinge ist zur Schlachtung hingestürzt, spricht der König, Jehova der Heerscharen ist sein Name.

16 Moabs Verderben steht nahe bevor, und sein Unglück eilt sehr.

17 Beklaget es, ihr seine Umwohner alle, und alle, die ihr seinen Namen kennet! Sprechet: Wie ist zerbrochen das Zepter der Macht, der Stab der Majestät!

18 Steige herab von der Herrlichkeit und wohne in dürrem Lande, du Bewohnerin, Tochter Dibons; denn Moabs Verwüster ist wider dich heraufgezogen, hat deine Festen zerstört.

19 Tritt an den Weg und schaue, Bewohnerin von Aroer! Frage den Fliehenden und die Entronnenen, sprich: Was ist geschehen?

20 Moab ist zu Schanden geworden, denn es ist bestürzt. Heulet und schreiet, verkündet am Arnon, daß Moab verwüstet ist!

21 Und das Gericht ist gekommen über das Land der Ebene, über Cholon und über Jahza und über Mephaath,

22 und über Dibon und über Nebo und über Beth-Diblathaim,

23 und über Kirjathaim und über Beth-Gamul und über Beth-Meon,

24 und über Kerijoth und über Bozra, und über alle Städte des Landes Moab, die fernen und die nahen.

25 Das Horn Moabs ist abgehauen, und sein Arm ist zerschmettert, spricht Jehova.

26 Berauschet es, denn wider Jehova hat es großgetan, damit Moab sich wälze in seinem Gespei und auch selbst zum Gelächter werde!

27 Oder war dir Israel nicht zum Gelächter? Oder war es unter Dieben ertappt worden, daß, sooft du von ihm sprachest, du den Kopf schütteltest?

28 Verlasset die Städte und wohnet in den Felsen, ihr Bewohner von Moab, und seid wie die Taube, welche an den Rändern des Abgrundes nistet!

29 Wir haben vernommen den Hochmut Moabs, des sehr hochmütigen, seinen Stolz und seinen Hochmut und seine Hoffart und die Erhebung seines Herzens.

30 Ich kenne wohl sein Wüten, spricht Jehova, und sein eitles Prahlen; unwahr haben sie gehandelt.

31 Darum jammere ich über Moab, und wegen ganz Moab schreie ich; über die Leute von Kir-Heres seufzt man.

32 Mehr als das Weinen Jasers weine ich über dich, du Weinstock von Sibma; deine Ranken gingen über das Meer, sie reichten bis zum Meere von Jaser. Über deine Obsternte und über deine Weinlese ist der Verwüster hergefallen,

33 und verschwunden sind Freude und Frohlocken aus dem Fruchtgefilde und aus dem Lande Moab. Und dem Weine aus den Kufen habe ich ein Ende gemacht: Man tritt nicht mehr die Kelter unter Jubelruf; der laute Ruf ist kein Jubelruf.

34 Von dem Geschrei Hesbons haben sie bis Elale, bis Jahaz ihre Stimme erschallen lassen, von Zoar bis Horonaim, bis Eglath-Schelischija; denn auch die Wasser von Nimrim sollen zu Wüsten werden.

35 Und ich mache ein Ende in Moab, spricht Jehova, dem, der auf die Höhe steigt und seinen Göttern räuchert.

36 Deshalb klagt gleich Flöten mein Herz um Moab, und klagt gleich Flöten mein Herz um die Leute von Kir-Heres. Deshalb geht, was es erübrigt hat, zu Grunde.

37 Denn jedes Haupt ist kahl und jeder Bart abgeschoren; auf allen Händen sind Ritze, und Sacktuch ist an den Lenden.

38 Auf allen Dächern Moabs und auf seinen Straßen ist lauter Klage; denn ich habe Moab zerbrochen wie ein Gefäß, an dem man kein Gefallen hat, spricht Jehova.

39 Wie ist es bestürzt! Sie heulen. Wie hat Moab den Rücken gewandt vor Scham! Und allen seinen Umwohnern wird Moab zum Gelächter und zur Bestürzung sein.

40 Denn so spricht Jehova: Siehe, wie der Adler fliegt er daher und breitet seine Flügel aus über Moab.

41 Kerijoth ist eingenommen, und die Festen sind erobert. Und das Herz der Helden Moabs wird an selbigem Tage sein wie das Herz eines Weibes in Kindesnöten.

42 Und Moab wird vertilgt werden, daß es kein Volk mehr sei, weil es großgetan hat wider Jehova.

43 Grauen und Grube und Garn über dich, du Bewohner von Moab! spricht Jehova.

44 Wer vor dem Grauen flieht, wird in die Grube fallen, und wer aus der Grube heraufsteigt, wird in dem Garne gefangen werden; denn ich bringe über dasselbe, über Moab, das Jahr seiner Heimsuchung, spricht Jehova.

45 Im Schatten Hesbons bleiben Flüchtlinge kraftlos stehen; denn ein Feuer ist ausgegangen von Hesbon und eine Flamme aus der Mitte Sihons, und hat die Seite Moabs verzehrt und den Scheitel der Söhne des Getümmels.

46 Wehe dir, Moab! Verloren ist das Volk des Kamos! Denn deine Söhne sind als Gefangene weggeführt, und deine Töchter in die Gefangenschaft. -

47 Aber ich werde die Gefangenschaft Moabs wenden am Ende der Tage, spricht Jehova. Bis hierher das Gericht über Moab.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #9348

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9348. 'For it will be a snare to you' means owing to evils that are enticing and deceptive. This is clear from the meaning of 'a snare', when it has reference to evils, as enticement and deception. The reason why evils are enticing and deceptive is that all evils spring from self-love and love of the world, 9335, and self-love and love of the world are born together within a person. These are the source of what the person feels as the delight of his life right from when he is first born; indeed the life that is his comes from them. Those loves therefore, like the hidden currents in a river, are constantly drawing the person's thought and will away from the Lord to self, and away from heaven to the world, thus away from the truths and forms of the good of faith to falsities and evils. At this time reasonings based on the illusions of the senses are especially predominant, and also the literal sense of the Word wrongly explained and used.

[2] These two things are what 'snares', 'traps', 'pits', 'nets', 'ropes', 'fetters', and also 'pretences' and 'deceits' are used to mean in the spiritual sense of the Word, as in Isaiah,

Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. Consequently it will happen, that he who is fleeing from the sound of terror will fall into the pit, and he who is climbing out of the pit will be caught in the snare, for the floodgates from on high have been opened, and the foundations of the earth have been shaken. Isaiah 24:17-19.

And in Jeremiah,

Fear, the pit, and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of Moab. He who flees from the fear will fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare. Jeremiah 48:43-44.

'Terror' and 'fear' are the disturbance and commotion in the mind when it is held fast between evils and forms of good, and consequently between falsities and truths. 'The pit' is falsity created by reasonings based on the illusions of the senses to lend support to delights that are attributable to self-love and love of the world; 'the snare' is the enticement and deception of evil that results from it.

[3] In Isaiah,

They will go and stumble 1 backwards, and be broken, and snared, and caught. Isaiah 28:13.

'Falling backwards' stands for turning oneself away from goodness and truth; 'being broken' stands for dispensing with truths and forms of good; 'being snared' stands for being enticed by the evils of self-love and love of the world; and 'being caught' stands for being carried away by them.

[4] In Ezekiel,

The mother of the princes of Israel is a lioness. One of her cubs learned to seize prey; he devoured men (homo). The nations heard about him; he was caught in their pit, and they led him away with hooks to the land of Egypt. Later on he ravished widows 2 and devastated cities; the land and its fullness was desolated by the sound of his roaring. Therefore the nations from the provinces round about lay in ambush against him, and spread their net over him; he was caught in their pit. They put him in a cage with hooks, and led him to the king of Babel; [they led him away] in nets, that his voice should no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel. Ezekiel 19:2-4, 7-9.

This describes the profanation of truth in successive stages by the enticements of falsities arising from evils. 'The mother of the princes of Israel' is the Church where primary truths are, 'the mother' being the Church, see 289, 2691, 2717, 4257, 5581, 8897, and 'the princes of Israel' primary truths, 1482, 2089, 5044. 'A lioness' is falsity that arises from evil and that perverts the Church's truths; 'a lion's cub' is evil in its power, 6367. 'Seizing prey' and 'devouring men' mean destroying truths and forms of good, for 'man' is the Church's good, 4287, 7424, 7523. 'The nations' are evils, 1259, 1260, 1849, 2588 (end), 4444, 6306. 'A pit', in which the nations caught him, is falsity arising from evil, 4728, 4744, 5038, 9086. 'The land of Egypt', to which he was led away with hooks, is factual knowledge through which falsity comes, 9340. 'Ravishing widows' means perverting forms of good which have the desire for truth, for 'ravishing' means perverting, 2466, 2729, 4865, 8904, and 'widows' forms of good that have the desire for truth, 9198, 9200. 'Devastating cities' means destroying the Church's teachings that present the truth, 402, 2268, 2449, 2943, 3216, 4478, 4492, 4493. 'Desolating the land and its fullness' means destroying all things of the Church, 9325. 'The sound of the lion's roaring' is falsity. 'Spreading a net over him' means enticing by means of delights belonging to earthly kinds of love and by means of reasonings attributable to them. 'Leading away to the king of Babel' is the profaning of truth, 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1307, 1308, 1321, 1322, 1326.

[5] The fact that such things do not happen when a person does not love self and the world above all things is described in the following manner in Amos,

Will a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth if there is no trap for it? Will a snare spring up from the earth if it has certainly not caught [anything]? Amos 3:4-5.

[6] It is evident to anyone that 'a snare' in the spiritual sense means enticement and deception effected by means of the delights of self-love and love of the world, thus the enticement and deception of evils, which operate through reasonings that are based on the illusions of the senses and lend support to those delights. For the ensnarement and capturing of people is brought about by nothing else. When the devil's crew makes its attack on a person it concentrates on his loves, which they charm in every way until they have captivated him; and when he has been captivated that person reasons from falsities against truths, and from evils against forms of good. Yet he does not remain content to do that; he also takes delight in snaring others and enticing them towards falsities and evils. The reason why he also takes delight in doing this is that he too is now one of the devil's crew.

[7] Since 'a snare', 'a trap', and 'a net' mean such things they also mean the destruction and so annihilation of spiritual life; for the delights belonging to those loves are what destroy it and annihilate it, since those loves, as stated above, are the source from which all evils spring. From self-love springs disdain for others in comparison with self, then mockery and denigration of them, followed by enmity if they disagree with oneself, and finally by the delight that goes with hatred, vengeance, and so with inhumanity, indeed barbarity. This love in the next life rises to such a height that unless the Lord shows such people favour and grants them dominion over others, they are not only disdainful of Him but also mock the Word which speaks of Him. At length they are stirred by hatred and vengeance to act against Him; and insofar as they are unable to do so they carry out their hatred and vengeance with inhumanity and barbarity against everyone who confesses Him. All this shows where the essential nature of the devil's crew springs from, namely from self-love. Therefore since 'a snare' means the delight of selfish and worldly love, it means the destruction and annihilation of spiritual life; for the whole of love and faith to the Lord, and the whole of love towards the neighbour are destroyed by the delight of selfish and worldly love where it reigns supreme; see the places referred to in 9335.

[8] The fact that those loves are the origins of all evils, that hell arises from them and lies within them, and that those loves are the fires of hell is not known in the world at the present day. Yet people could have known this from the consideration that those loves are the opposites of love towards the neighbour and love to God, and the opposites of humility of heart, and from the consideration that from those loves alone spring all disdain, all hatred, all vengeance, and all inhumanity and barbarity, as anyone may realize who gives any thought to the matter.

[9] The fact that 'a snare' therefore means the destruction and annihilation of spiritual life is evident from the following places: In David,

Jehovah will rain on the wicked, snares, fire and brimstone. Psalms 11:6.

'Fire and brimstone' are the evils of selfish and worldly love. For this meaning of 'fire', see 1297, 1861, 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7324, 7575, 9144, and for 'brimstone', 2446, from which it is evident what 'snares' mean. In Luke,

... lest that day comes on you suddenly, 3 for it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Luke 21:34-35.

This refers to the last phase of the Church, when there is no faith because there is no charity, since self-love and love of the world will reign. This is followed by annihilation, which is meant by 'a snare'. In Jeremiah,

Among My people are found wicked ones. They keep watch, like fowlers laying [snares]; they set a gin to catch human beings. Jeremiah 5:26.

In David,

Those seeking my life 4 lay snares, and those seeking my hurt speak of ways to annihilate, and contemplate deceits all the day. Psalms 38:12.

In the same author,

Keep me from the hands of the trap they have set for me, and from the snares of the workers of iniquity. Let them fall into their own nets, 5 the wicked together, until I pass by. Psalms 141:9-10.

In Isaiah,

He will be as a sanctuary, though He will be as a stone to strike against and as a rock to stumble over, 6 for both houses of Israel; He will be as a snare and as a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Many among them will trip, and fall, and be broken to pieces, and be snared and caught. Isaiah 8:14-15.

This refers to the Lord. 'A stone to strike against' and 'a rock to stumble over' stand for stumbling blocks that are laid; and 'a snare' and 'a trap' for the annihilation accomplished by those who attack and try to destroy truths and forms of the good of faith in the Lord by means of falsities that lend support to self-love and love of the world. For to all proud people the very fact that the Divine appeared in a human form, and that He did so not in royal majesty but in a guise that was despised, is not only a stumbling block but also a snare.

From all this it is now evident that 'it will be a snare' means the enticement and deception of evils, and consequent annihilation, as in other places in Moses,

... lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land onto which you will come, lest it becomes a snare in your midst. Exodus 34:12.

In the same author,

You shall not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you. Deuteronomy 7:16.

In the same author,

Beware lest perhaps you are ensnared to follow 7 the nations, and lest perhaps you inquire after their gods. Deuteronomy 12:30.

'The nations' are evils and the falsities arising from them.

Voetnoten:

1. literally, trip

2. The Hebrew text here, which means literally And he knows his widows, is thought to be corrupt. As a consequence English versions of the Scriptures are based on textual emendations and therefore read somewhat differently.

3. literally, lest that sudden day stands upon you

4. literally, soul

5. literally, into his nets. The singular is used possibly to imply each one of the wicked. Sebastian Schmidt, in his Latin version of the Bible which Swedenborg draws on here, regarded them as God's nets.

6. literally, as a stone of striking and as a rock of stumbling

7. literally, ensnared after

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

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Arcana Coelestia #9198

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9198. 'Any widow' means those who have good that is without truth, and still have a desire for truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'a widow' as good that is without truth and nevertheless has a desire for truth. The reason why 'a widow' has this meaning is that 'a man' (vir) means truth and his 'wife' (mulier) good, so that when this man's wife has become a widow she means good that is without truth. But in an even more internal sense than this 'a widow' means truth that is without good, the reason being that in that sense 'a husband' (maritus) means good and his 'wife' (uxor) truth, see 3236, 4510, 4823. In this sense the Lord by virtue of His Divine Good is called 'Husband' and 'Bridegroom', while His kingdom and Church by virtue of its acceptance of Divine Truth that emanates from the Lord is called 'wife' and 'bride', 9182. But since the subject now is not the Lord's celestial Church but His spiritual Church, 'a widow' means one who has good but not truth, and still has a desire for truth. It is similar with 'an orphan'. In the inmost or celestial sense 'an orphan' means those who have good and a desire for truth. See what has been introduced and explained in 4844 regarding the meaning of 'a widow' and 'an orphan' in the celestial sense. To this let what the Lord says in Luke about the widow in Zarephath be added,

Truly I say to you that no prophet is accepted in his own country. In truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, while there was a great famine over the whole land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them, except to Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman - a widow. Luke 4:24-26.

[2] Since the Divine was the source of all the things spoken by the Lord they have an inner meaning; and the subject in that inner meaning is the Lord Himself, also His kingdom and the Church. Therefore what the Lord meant on that level of meaning by the things He said about the widow in Zarephath of Sidon may be seen if brought out into the open.

No prophet is accepted in his own country

This means that the Lord and Divine Truth that comes from Him are less well received and loved in people's hearts within the Church than outside it. The Lord spoke these words to the Jews, among whom the Church existed at that time; and as is well known, the Lord was less well received there than by gentiles who were outside the Church. The situation is similar in the Church at the present day, which takes its name Christian from Him. In this Church the Lord is indeed received in what it teaches; yet few accept Him by acknowledging Him in their heart, fewer still doing so with love and affection. The acceptance of Him by gentiles outside the Church who have been converted is different. They worship and adore Him as their one and only God; they declare with their lips and contemplate in their hearts that they acknowledge Him as their God, since He has appeared in human form, 5256. A contrary attitude exists within the Church. Here, because He was born a human being, there is scarcely any acknowledgement of Him as God in people's hearts. They make His Humanity like their own, even though they know that His Father was Jehovah and not a human being. All this shows what 'No prophet is accepted in his own country' has been used to mean in the internal sense. In this sense 'a prophet' means the Lord in respect of Divine Truth, and so in respect of the teachings of the Church. For the meaning of 'a prophet' as one who teaches, and in the abstract sense as doctrinal teachings, and - when it is used in reference to the Lord - as Divine Truth or the Word, see above in 9188 (end).

[3] There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah

In the internal sense this means the situation at that time, when God's truth coming from the Word was acknowledged in the Church. 'Widows' are those who have good that is without truth, as stated above; 'Elijah' is the Lord in respect of the Word, 'the days of Elijah' being the situation or state at that time, when God's truth coming from the Word was received; and 'Israel' is the Church.

'Elijah' represented the Lord in respect of the Word, see Preface to Genesis 18, and 2762, 5247 (end), 8029. 'Days' are states, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850, 6110, 8426. 'Israel' is the Church, 4286, 6426, 6637, 8805.

[4] When the heaven was closed for three years and six months

This means the internal Church completely laid waste, 'the heaven' meaning the internal aspect of the Church, and 'three years and six months' meaning to completeness. For the meaning of 'the heaven' as the internal aspect of the Church, see 1733, 1850, 3355, 4535. It is said to be 'closed' when it has been laid waste and exists no longer. As regards the meaning of 'three years and six months' as to completeness, this is clear from the meaning of '1260 days' in Revelation 11:3; 12:6 - this number of days making up three years and six months - as to completeness or right to the end. It is clear likewise from the meaning of 'three days and a half', Revelation 11:9-11, and also of 'a time and times and half a time' in Revelation 12:14, and in Daniel 12:7 too, as to completeness or right to the end.

[5] While there was a great famine over the whole land

This means the external Church also laid waste, for 'a famine' is an absence and want of truth and good, 3364, 5277, 5279, 5281, 5300, 5360, 5376, 5415, 5576, 6110, 7102, and 'the land' or 'the earth' is the external Church, 1262, 1413, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end), 3355, 4535, 5577, 8011, 8732.

Yet Elijah was sent to none of them

This means the Lord in respect of the Word, thus the Lord's Word, not sent to others, because it would not have been received elsewhere, 'Elijah' being, as stated above, the Lord in respect of the Word.

[6] Except to Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman - a widow

This means sent only to those who have good and a desire for truth. The description 'Zarephath of Sidon' is used because 'Sidon' means cognitions or knowledge of goodness and truth, 1201. The fact that 'a woman - a widow' means one who has good and a desire for truth is evident from this, and especially from what is recorded about her in the first Book of Kings,

Elijah came to Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman - a widow - to sustain him. He told her to bring him a little water to drink, and then to bring him a small piece of bread in her hand. She said that she had a tiny amount of flour in a jar, and a tiny amount of oil in a flask, to make just a cake for herself and her son. Elijah said, Make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and make one for yourself and your son after that. She did so; and the jar of flour was not used up, and the flask of oil did not fail. 1 Kings 17:9-15.

[7] Obedience, and the desire that good has for truth, is described by her giving the prophet water, as she had been commanded to do, and then by her making a cake for him first from the little she had, and for herself and her son after that. Consequent enrichment in the good of truth is meant when it says that the pot of flour was not used up and the flask of oil did not fail.

'Water' in the internal sense is truth, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568. 'Flour' is truth derived from good, 2177. 'Oil is the good of love, 886, 4582, 4638. 'A cake' made from these ingredients is truth joined to its own good, 7978.

From all this it is plain that 'a widow' means one who has good and a desire for truth. Good and its desire for truth is described by her charity towards the prophet, greater than towards herself and her son, 'a prophet' being teachings that present truth, as has been shown above.

[8] All that has been said here shows what the Word is like, that it conceals within itself the arcana of heaven, which are not visible in the letter. But every detail of what the Lord spoke when He was in the world, and of what He spoke before that through prophets, contains heavenly and Divine matters on a level altogether above the sense of the letter. And not only individual words contain those matters, but even the individual letters of words, indeed the individual parts of each letter. But is there anyone who believes this to be so? Yet it is most certainly so; it has been proved to me beyond all doubt, as in the Lord's Divine mercy will be shown elsewhere.

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