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Deuteronomy 28

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1 καὶ ἔσται ὡς ἂν διαβῆτε τὸν ιορδάνην εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν δίδωσιν ὑμῖν ἐὰν ἀκοῇ εἰσακούσητε τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῖν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ἃς ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον καὶ δώσει σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν τῆς γῆς

2 καὶ ἥξουσιν ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ εὐλογίαι αὗται καὶ εὑρήσουσίν σε ἐὰν ἀκοῇ ἀκούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου

3 εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν πόλει καὶ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν ἀγρῷ

4 εὐλογημένα τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου

5 εὐλογημέναι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου

6 εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαί σε καὶ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε

7 παραδῷ κύριος ὁ θεός σου τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου τοὺς ἀνθεστηκότας σοι συντετριμμένους πρὸ προσώπου σου ὁδῷ μιᾷ ἐξελεύσονται πρὸς σὲ καὶ ἐν ἑπτὰ ὁδοῖς φεύξονται ἀπὸ προσώπου σου

8 ἀποστείλαι κύριος ἐπὶ σὲ τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις σου καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἧς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι

9 ἀναστήσαι σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἑαυτῷ λαὸν ἅγιον ὃν τρόπον ὤμοσεν τοῖς πατράσιν σου ἐὰν εἰσακούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου καὶ πορευθῇς ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ

10 καὶ ὄψονταί σε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς ὅτι τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου ἐπικέκληταί σοι καὶ φοβηθήσονταί σε

11 καὶ πληθυνεῖ σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου εἰς ἀγαθὰ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐκγόνοις τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς γενήμασιν τῆς γῆς σου καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐκγόνοις τῶν κτηνῶν σου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἧς ὤμοσεν κύριος τοῖς πατράσιν σου δοῦναί σοι

12 ἀνοίξαι σοι κύριος τὸν θησαυρὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀγαθόν τὸν οὐρανόν δοῦναι τὸν ὑετὸν τῇ γῇ σου ἐπὶ καιροῦ αὐτοῦ εὐλογῆσαι πάντα τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου καὶ δανιεῖς ἔθνεσιν πολλοῖς σὺ δὲ οὐ δανιῇ καὶ ἄρξεις σὺ ἐθνῶν πολλῶν σοῦ δὲ οὐκ ἄρξουσιν

13 καταστήσαι σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου εἰς κεφαλὴν καὶ μὴ εἰς οὐράν καὶ ἔσῃ τότε ἐπάνω καὶ οὐκ ἔσῃ ὑποκάτω ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς τῶν ἐντολῶν κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῖν

14 οὐ παραβήσῃ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν λόγων ὧν ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον δεξιὰ οὐδὲ ἀριστερὰ πορεύεσθαι ὀπίσω θεῶν ἑτέρων λατρεύειν αὐτοῖς

15 καὶ ἔσται ἐὰν μὴ εἰσακούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῖν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον καὶ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ κατάραι αὗται καὶ καταλήμψονταί σε

16 ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν πόλει καὶ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν ἀγρῷ

17 ἐπικατάρατοι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου

18 ἐπικατάρατα τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου

19 ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε καὶ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαί σε

20 ἐξαποστείλαι κύριός σοι τὴν ἔνδειαν καὶ τὴν ἐκλιμίαν καὶ τὴν ἀνάλωσιν ἐπὶ πάντα οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου ὅσα ἐὰν ποιήσῃς ἕως ἂν ἐξολεθρεύσῃ σε καὶ ἕως ἂν ἀπολέσῃ σε ἐν τάχει διὰ τὰ πονηρὰ ἐπιτηδεύματά σου διότι ἐγκατέλιπές με

21 προσκολλήσαι κύριος εἰς σὲ τὸν θάνατον ἕως ἂν ἐξαναλώσῃ σε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς εἰς ἣν σὺ εἰσπορεύῃ ἐκεῖ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν

22 πατάξαι σε κύριος ἀπορίᾳ καὶ πυρετῷ καὶ ῥίγει καὶ ἐρεθισμῷ καὶ φόνῳ καὶ ἀνεμοφθορίᾳ καὶ τῇ ὤχρᾳ καὶ καταδιώξονταί σε ἕως ἂν ἀπολέσωσίν σε

23 καὶ ἔσται σοι ὁ οὐρανὸς ὁ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς σου χαλκοῦς καὶ ἡ γῆ ἡ ὑποκάτω σου σιδηρᾶ

24 δῴη κύριος τὸν ὑετὸν τῇ γῇ σου κονιορτόν καὶ χοῦς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβήσεται ἐπὶ σέ ἕως ἂν ἐκτρίψῃ σε καὶ ἕως ἂν ἀπολέσῃ σε

25 δῴη σε κύριος ἐπικοπὴν ἐναντίον τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου ἐν ὁδῷ μιᾷ ἐξελεύσῃ πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐν ἑπτὰ ὁδοῖς φεύξῃ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν καὶ ἔσῃ ἐν διασπορᾷ ἐν πάσαις ταῖς βασιλείαις τῆς γῆς

26 καὶ ἔσονται οἱ νεκροὶ ὑμῶν κατάβρωμα τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἀποσοβῶν

27 πατάξαι σε κύριος ἐν ἕλκει αἰγυπτίῳ ἐν ταῖς ἕδραις καὶ ψώρᾳ ἀγρίᾳ καὶ κνήφῃ ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαί σε ἰαθῆναι

28 πατάξαι σε κύριος παραπληξίᾳ καὶ ἀορασίᾳ καὶ ἐκστάσει διανοίας

29 καὶ ἔσῃ ψηλαφῶν μεσημβρίας ὡσεὶ ψηλαφήσαι ὁ τυφλὸς ἐν τῷ σκότει καὶ οὐκ εὐοδώσει τὰς ὁδούς σου καὶ ἔσῃ τότε ἀδικούμενος καὶ διαρπαζόμενος πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας καὶ οὐκ ἔσται σοι ὁ βοηθῶν

30 γυναῖκα λήμψῃ καὶ ἀνὴρ ἕτερος ἕξει αὐτήν οἰκίαν οἰκοδομήσεις καὶ οὐκ οἰκήσεις ἐν αὐτῇ ἀμπελῶνα φυτεύσεις καὶ οὐ τρυγήσεις αὐτόν

31 ὁ μόσχος σου ἐσφαγμένος ἐναντίον σου καὶ οὐ φάγῃ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ὁ ὄνος σου ἡρπασμένος ἀπὸ σοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἀποδοθήσεταί σοι τὰ πρόβατά σου δεδομένα τοῖς ἐχθροῖς σου καὶ οὐκ ἔσται σοι ὁ βοηθῶν

32 οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες σου δεδομέναι ἔθνει ἑτέρῳ καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου βλέψονται σφακελίζοντες εἰς αὐτά καὶ οὐκ ἰσχύσει ἡ χείρ σου

33 τὰ ἐκφόρια τῆς γῆς σου καὶ πάντας τοὺς πόνους σου φάγεται ἔθνος ὃ οὐκ ἐπίστασαι καὶ ἔσῃ ἀδικούμενος καὶ τεθραυσμένος πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας

34 καὶ ἔσῃ παράπληκτος διὰ τὰ ὁράματα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν σου ἃ βλέψῃ

35 πατάξαι σε κύριος ἐν ἕλκει πονηρῷ ἐπὶ τὰ γόνατα καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κνήμας ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαί σε ἰαθῆναι ἀπὸ ἴχνους τῶν ποδῶν σου ἕως τῆς κορυφῆς σου

36 ἀπαγάγοι κύριός σε καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντάς σου οὓς ἐὰν καταστήσῃς ἐπὶ σεαυτόν εἰς ἔθνος ὃ οὐκ ἐπίστασαι σὺ καὶ οἱ πατέρες σου καὶ λατρεύσεις ἐκεῖ θεοῖς ἑτέροις ξύλοις καὶ λίθοις

37 καὶ ἔσῃ ἐκεῖ ἐν αἰνίγματι καὶ παραβολῇ καὶ διηγήματι ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν εἰς οὓς ἂν ἀπαγάγῃ σε κύριος ἐκεῖ

38 σπέρμα πολὺ ἐξοίσεις εἰς τὸ πεδίον καὶ ὀλίγα εἰσοίσεις ὅτι κατέδεται αὐτὰ ἡ ἀκρίς

39 ἀμπελῶνα φυτεύσεις καὶ κατεργᾷ καὶ οἶνον οὐ πίεσαι οὐδὲ εὐφρανθήσῃ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ὅτι καταφάγεται αὐτὰ ὁ σκώληξ

40 ἐλαῖαι ἔσονταί σοι ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις σου καὶ ἔλαιον οὐ χρίσῃ ὅτι ἐκρυήσεται ἡ ἐλαία σου

41 υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας γεννήσεις καὶ οὐκ ἔσονταί σοι ἀπελεύσονται γὰρ ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ

42 πάντα τὰ ξύλινά σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου ἐξαναλώσει ἡ ἐρυσίβη

43 ὁ προσήλυτος ὅς ἐστιν ἐν σοί ἀναβήσεται ἐπὶ σὲ ἄνω ἄνω σὺ δὲ καταβήσῃ κάτω κάτω

44 οὗτος δανιεῖ σοι σὺ δὲ τούτῳ οὐ δανιεῖς οὗτος ἔσται κεφαλή σὺ δὲ ἔσῃ οὐρά

45 καὶ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ κατάραι αὗται καὶ καταδιώξονταί σε καὶ καταλήμψονταί σε ἕως ἂν ἐξολεθρεύσῃ σε καὶ ἕως ἂν ἀπολέσῃ σε ὅτι οὐκ εἰσήκουσας τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου φυλάξαι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ ὅσα ἐνετείλατό σοι

46 καὶ ἔσται ἐν σοὶ σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα καὶ ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος

47 ἀνθ' ὧν οὐκ ἐλάτρευσας κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ σου ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἀγαθῇ καρδίᾳ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος πάντων

48 καὶ λατρεύσεις τοῖς ἐχθροῖς σου οὓς ἐπαποστελεῖ κύριος ἐπὶ σέ ἐν λιμῷ καὶ ἐν δίψει καὶ ἐν γυμνότητι καὶ ἐν ἐκλείψει πάντων καὶ ἐπιθήσει κλοιὸν σιδηροῦν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλόν σου ἕως ἂν ἐξολεθρεύσῃ σε

49 ἐπάξει κύριος ἐπὶ σὲ ἔθνος μακρόθεν ἀπ' ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς ὡσεὶ ὅρμημα ἀετοῦ ἔθνος ὃ οὐκ ἀκούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ

50 ἔθνος ἀναιδὲς προσώπῳ ὅστις οὐ θαυμάσει πρόσωπον πρεσβύτου καὶ νέον οὐκ ἐλεήσει

51 καὶ κατέδεται τὰ ἔκγονα τῶν κτηνῶν σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου ὥστε μὴ καταλιπεῖν σοι σῖτον οἶνον ἔλαιον τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου ἕως ἂν ἀπολέσῃ σε

52 καὶ ἐκτρίψῃ σε ἐν πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσίν σου ἕως ἂν καθαιρεθῶσιν τὰ τείχη σου τὰ ὑψηλὰ καὶ τὰ ὀχυρά ἐφ' οἷς σὺ πέποιθας ἐπ' αὐτοῖς ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ σου καὶ θλίψει σε ἐν πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσίν σου αἷς ἔδωκέν σοι κύριος ὁ θεός σου

53 καὶ φάγῃ τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου κρέα υἱῶν σου καὶ θυγατέρων σου ὅσα ἔδωκέν σοι κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν τῇ στενοχωρίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν τῇ θλίψει σου ᾗ θλίψει σε ὁ ἐχθρός σου

54 ὁ ἁπαλὸς ἐν σοὶ καὶ ὁ τρυφερὸς σφόδρα βασκανεῖ τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τὸν ἀδελφὸν καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ καταλελειμμένα τέκνα ἃ ἂν καταλειφθῇ

55 ὥστε δοῦναι ἑνὶ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῶν σαρκῶν τῶν τέκνων αὐτοῦ ὧν ἂν κατέσθῃ διὰ τὸ μὴ καταλειφθῆναι αὐτῷ μηθὲν ἐν τῇ στενοχωρίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν τῇ θλίψει σου ᾗ ἂν θλίψωσίν σε οἱ ἐχθροί σου ἐν πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσίν σου

56 καὶ ἡ ἁπαλὴ ἐν ὑμῖν καὶ ἡ τρυφερὰ σφόδρα ἧς οὐχὶ πεῖραν ἔλαβεν ὁ ποὺς αὐτῆς βαίνειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς διὰ τὴν τρυφερότητα καὶ διὰ τὴν ἁπαλότητα βασκανεῖ τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ αὐτῆς τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς τὸν ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ αὐτῆς καὶ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτῆς

57 καὶ τὸ χόριον αὐτῆς τὸ ἐξελθὸν διὰ τῶν μηρῶν αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ τέκνον ὃ ἂν τέκῃ καταφάγεται γὰρ αὐτὰ διὰ τὴν ἔνδειαν πάντων κρυφῇ ἐν τῇ στενοχωρίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν τῇ θλίψει σου ᾗ θλίψει σε ὁ ἐχθρός σου ἐν πάσαις ταῖς πόλεσίν σου

58 ἐὰν μὴ εἰσακούσητε ποιεῖν πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ νόμου τούτου τὰ γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ φοβεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἔντιμον καὶ τὸ θαυμαστὸν τοῦτο κύριον τὸν θεόν σου

59 καὶ παραδοξάσει κύριος τὰς πληγάς σου καὶ τὰς πληγὰς τοῦ σπέρματός σου πληγὰς μεγάλας καὶ θαυμαστάς καὶ νόσους πονηρὰς καὶ πιστὰς

60 καὶ ἐπιστρέψει ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαν τὴν ὀδύνην αἰγύπτου τὴν πονηράν ἣν διευλαβοῦ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν καὶ κολληθήσονται ἐν σοί

61 καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν καὶ πᾶσαν πληγὴν τὴν μὴ γεγραμμένην ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τούτου ἐπάξει κύριος ἐπὶ σέ ἕως ἂν ἐξολεθρεύσῃ σε

62 καὶ καταλειφθήσεσθε ἐν ἀριθμῷ βραχεῖ ἀνθ' ὧν ὅτι ἦτε ὡσεὶ τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ πλήθει ὅτι οὐκ εἰσηκούσατε τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν

63 καὶ ἔσται ὃν τρόπον εὐφράνθη κύριος ἐφ' ὑμῖν εὖ ποιῆσαι ὑμᾶς καὶ πληθῦναι ὑμᾶς οὕτως εὐφρανθήσεται κύριος ἐφ' ὑμῖν ἐξολεθρεῦσαι ὑμᾶς καὶ ἐξαρθήσεσθε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς εἰς ἣν ὑμεῖς εἰσπορεύεσθε ἐκεῖ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν

64 καὶ διασπερεῖ σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἀπ' ἄκρου τῆς γῆς ἕως ἄκρου τῆς γῆς καὶ δουλεύσεις ἐκεῖ θεοῖς ἑτέροις ξύλοις καὶ λίθοις οὓς οὐκ ἠπίστω σὺ καὶ οἱ πατέρες σου

65 ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐκείνοις οὐκ ἀναπαύσει σε οὐδ' οὐ μὴ γένηται στάσις τῷ ἴχνει τοῦ ποδός σου καὶ δώσει σοι κύριος ἐκεῖ καρδίαν ἀθυμοῦσαν καὶ ἐκλείποντας ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ τηκομένην ψυχήν

66 καὶ ἔσται ἡ ζωή σου κρεμαμένη ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν σου καὶ φοβηθήσῃ ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς καὶ οὐ πιστεύσεις τῇ ζωῇ σου

67 τὸ πρωὶ ἐρεῖς πῶς ἂν γένοιτο ἑσπέρα καὶ τὸ ἑσπέρας ἐρεῖς πῶς ἂν γένοιτο πρωί ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου τῆς καρδίας σου ἃ φοβηθήσῃ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ὁραμάτων τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν σου ὧν ὄψῃ

68 καὶ ἀποστρέψει σε κύριος εἰς αἴγυπτον ἐν πλοίοις καὶ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ εἶπα οὐ προσθήσεσθε ἔτι ἰδεῖν αὐτήν καὶ πραθήσεσθε ἐκεῖ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ὑμῶν εἰς παῖδας καὶ παιδίσκας καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ κτώμενος

69 οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι τῆς διαθήκης οὓς ἐνετείλατο κύριος μωυσῇ στῆσαι τοῖς υἱοῖς ισραηλ ἐν γῇ μωαβ πλὴν τῆς διαθήκης ἧς διέθετο αὐτοῖς ἐν χωρηβ

   

Van Swedenborgs Werken

 

Arcana Coelestia #8940

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8940. 'And if you make for Me an altar of stones' means a representative kind of worship in general that is composed of truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'an altar' as a representative of Divine worship in general, dealt with in 921, 2777, 2811, 4489; and from the meaning of 'stones' as truths, dealt with in 643, 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789, 3798, 6426, 8609. There is worship of the Lord that springs from good, and there is worship of Him that springs from truth. Worship of the Lord springing from good was represented by an altar of soil, and worship springing from truth by an altar of stone. Regarding the first and the second kinds of worship, see above in 8935. It was because an altar of stone was a sign of worship springing from truth that they were commanded to set up such an altar as soon as they crossed the Jordan and came into the land of Canaan, and to write on it the Commandments contained in the Law, that is, God's truths from heaven. For by the Ten Commandments are meant all God's truths in summary form. That altar is spoken of in Moses as follows,

When you cross the Jordan you shall set up for yourself large stones, and coat them with lime. Then you shall write on them all the words of the Law. Afterwards, you shall build there an altar to Jehovah your God, an altar of stones, which you shall not hew with any iron tool. 1 With whole stones you shall build the altar of Jehovah your God, and present 2 on it burnt offerings and eucharistic offerings. And you shall write on the stones of the altar the words of the Law, expressing them very plainly. Deuteronomy 27:1-8; Joshua 8:30-32.

[2] The reason why they were to write the words of the Law on stones of the altar was that truths were meant by 'stones', and worship that springs from truths by 'an altar of stones'. This was also the reason why the Ten Commandments, which were a sign of Divine Truths in their entirety, were inscribed on tablets of stone. The reason why it had to be done as soon as they crossed the Jordan was that the Jordan, which was the first and outermost boundary of the land of Canaan on the side where the wilderness lay, meant introduction into the Church or heaven, which is accomplished through cognitions or knowledge of truth and good, thus through truths from the Word, 4255. For all the rivers serving as boundaries of that land meant the first and outermost reaches of the Lord's kingdom, 4116, 4240. By 'the stones of the altar' the truths of faith are also meant in Isaiah,

He will remove sin when He makes all the stones of the altar like chalk-stones scattered about. Isaiah 27:9

This refers to the ruination of the Church. 'The stones of the altar like chalk-stones scattered about' stands for the truths of faith that inspire worship after something similar has happened to them. As regards altars in general, they were made out of soil, stones, bronze, wood, and also gold - out of bronze, wood, and gold because these materials served to mean good. For an altar of bronze, see Ezekiel 9:2; for an altar of wood, Ezekiel 41:22; and for an altar of gold, which was the altar of incense, 1 Kings 6:22; 7:48; Revelation 8:3. That 'bronze' means good, see 425, 1551; that 'wood' does so, 643, 2784, 2812, 3720, 8354; and that 'gold' does so as well, 113, 1551, 1552, 5658.

Voetnoten:

1. literally, upon which you shall not strike iron

2. literally, cause to come up

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

Van Swedenborgs Werken

 

Arcana Coelestia #643

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643. As for the meaning itself of these expressions - that 'planks of gopher' means lusts and 'rooms' the two parts of this man - this becomes clear from the Word. Gopher is a wood full of sulphur, as is the fir and others of that group. It is on account of the sulphur in it that it is said to mean lusts, for it catches fire easily. The most ancient people compared and likened those elements that exist with man to gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, his inmost celestial to gold, the lower celestial to bronze, and the lowest or bodily descending from this to wood, while the inmost spiritual they compared and likened to silver, the lower spiritual to iron, and the lowest degree of it to stone. When those objects are mentioned in the Word these are the things meant by them in the internal sense, as in Isaiah,

Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver, and instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. And I will make peace your assessment and righteousness your tax-collectors. Isaiah 60:17.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom in which no such metals exist, but instead celestial and spiritual elements. It is quite clear that the latter are meant because of the reference to peace' and 'righteousness'. Here, gold, bronze, and wood correspond to one another and mean celestial elements or those belonging to the will, as has been stated. Silver, iron, and stone also correspond to one another, and mean spiritual elements or those belonging to the understanding.

[2] In Ezekiel,

They will spoil your riches, they will despoil your merchandise, your stones and your timbers. Ezekiel 26:12.

It is quite clear that 'riches' and 'merchandise' do not mean material riches and merchandise, but celestial and spiritual ones. So also 'stones' and 'timbers' - 'stones' being things of the understanding and 'timbers' those of the will. In Habakkuk,

The stone cries out from the wall, and the beam out of the woodwork answers back. Habakkuk 2:11.

'Stone' stands for the lowest degree of the understanding, and 'wood' for the lowest degree of the will, which answers back when anything is drawn from sensory knowledge. In the same prophet,

Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, Awake! or to a dumb stone, Arise, this will teach! Behold, this is bound in gold and silver, and there is no spirit 1 at all in the midst of it. But Jehovah is in His holy temple. Habakkuk 2:19-20.

Here also 'wood' stands for evil desire, 'stone' for the lowest degree of the understanding, and therefore 'being dumb' and 'teaching' are used in reference to that stone. 'No spirit in the midst of it' means that it represents nothing celestial or spiritual, like a temple in which there is stone and wood, overlaid with gold and silver, existing with people who give no thought to what those things represent.

[3] In Jeremiah,

Our waters we drink for silver, our timbers come for a price. Lamentations 5:4.

Here 'waters' and 'silver' mean things of the understanding, 'timbers' those of the will. In the same prophet,

Who say to wood, You are my father; and to a stone, You gave birth to us. Jeremiah 2:27.

Here 'wood' stands for desire which belongs to the will, from which there is conception, and 'stone' for sensory knowledge, from which there is birth. All through the Prophets therefore 'serving wood and stone' stands for images carved out of wood or stone, which means that people were slaves to evil desires and to delusions. The Prophets also speak of 'committing adultery with wood and stone', as in Jeremiah 3:9. In Hosea,

The people inquire of their piece of wood, and their staff makes declaration to them, for the spirit of whoredom has led them astray. Hosea 4:12.

This stands for their inquiring of a wooden image, or evil desires. In Isaiah,

The tophet has been prepared since yesterday. Its pyre is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah is like a stream of burning brimstone. Isaiah 30:33.

Here 'fire', brimstone', and 'wood' stand for filthy desires.

[4] In general 'wood' means those elements which constitute the lowest parts of the will. Precious kinds of wood, such as cedar and so on, mean elements that are good - for example, the cedar timbers in the Temple, or the cedarwood used in cleansing leprosy, Leviticus 14:4, 6-7, or the wood cast into the bitter waters at Marah, by which the waters were made sweet, Exodus 15:25. These in the Lord's Divine mercy will be dealt with in their proper places. Non-precious kinds of wood however, also those which were made into images, and those that were used for a pyre as well, and the like, mean evil desires, as do planks of gopher here on account of the brimstone or sulphur in them. As in Isaiah,

The day of Jehovah's vengeance - her streams will be turned into pitch, and her dust into brimstone, and her land will become burning pitch. Isaiah 34:8-9.

'Pitch' stands for dreadful delusions, 'brimstone' for filthy desires.

Voetnoten:

1. or breath

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

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