THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 28

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)

1. Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of their glorious beauty! to those that are at the bead of the fat valley, that are overcome with wine!

VERSE 1. They are called "drunkards" in the Word, who believe nothing but what they comprehend [by the senses], and in this spirit inquire into the mysteries of faith; the consequence is, that they must needs fall into errors, inasmuch as they are under the guidance only of things sensual, scientific, or philosophical in their inquiries. The thinking principle of man is merely terrestrial, corporeal, and material, inasmuch as it is formed of things terrestrial, corporeal, and material, which continually adhere thereto, and in which the ideas of thought are founded and terminated; therefore to think and reason from those things concerning things divine, is to plunge into errors and perverse opinions, and it is as impossible for a man thence to obtain faith, as it is for "a camel to pass through the eye of a needle." The error and insanity thence derived are called, in the Word, "drunkenness"; nay, even souls or spirits in another life, who reason concerning the truths of faith, and against them, become like drunk persons, and behave in like manner; concerning whom, by the Divine Mercy of the Lord, more will be said hereafter. Spirits are manifestly discerned whether they be principled in a faith grounded in charity or not. They who are principled in faith grounded in charity, do not reason concerning the truths of faith, but say that they are so, and likewise confirm them, so much as they are able, by the things of sense, of science, and of analytical reasoning; but as soon as any thing obscure intervenes, which they do not clearly apprehend, this they lay aside, nor ever suffer such a thing to lead them into doubt, urging that there are very few things which they can comprehend; and, therefore, that it is a great folly to think a thing not to be true because they do not comprehend it; these are they who are principled in charity but they, on the other hand, who are not principled in faith grounded in charity, are disposed only to reason whether a thing be true, and to know how it is true, urging that unless they know how it is so, they cannot possibly believe that it is so.

By this circumstance alone they are instantly discovered to be principled in no faith, and the proof thereof is, because they not only doubt about all things, but even in their hearts deny them; and when they are instructed how the case is, still they continue obstinate and raise fresh scruples and objections, and would do so, if possible, to all eternity; and they who thus remain doubtful heap up errors upon errors. Arcana Coelestia 1072.

Verses 1, 3, 7. Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, etc.

- These things are said of those who are insane in spiritual things, in consequence of believing that they are intelligent from themselves, and therein glorying; the state of such is described in this passage by mere correspondences. They who are insane with respect to things spiritual, or truths, are understood by "drunkards", and they who thence behave themselves intelligent by "Ephraim", and the glorying of their intelligence or erudition by the "crown of pride"; for they who are in falsities of doctrine, and have confirmed themselves therein, when they are enlightened, and see truths in the other life, become as it were "drunkards"; such is the case of the learned who have confirmed themselves in falsities, which is to confirm from self and not from the Lord; hence it is evident what is signified by " Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim." By "the fading flower of glorious beauty, of those that are at the head of the fat valley, that are overcome with wine", is signified the truth of the church perishing in its birth, from the glorying of self-derived intelligence, which is of the natural man separated from the spiritual, in which case man sees "the false in the place of truth; the "fading flower of glorious beauty denotes truth in its birth falling or perishing; the "head of the valley" denotes the intelligence of the natural man; their being "overcome with wine" signifies their seeing the false in the place of truth.

"The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under feet", signifies that that intelligence shall entirely perish.

"These also have erred through wine, and through strong drink they have reeled", signifies falsities and the things thence derived; by "the priest and the prophet who have erred through strong drink, and are swallowed up with wine, and have reeled through strong drink", is signified that they who ought to be in the doctrine of Good and Truth are of such a quality, and, abstractedly from persons, that then doctrine is of such a quality; and by their "erring in vision and stumbling in judgment", is signified their not seeing the truths of intelligence.

That such things are signified by these words, no one can see except from the spiritual sense, without which it could not be known, that the "crown" and the "head" signify intelligence, that "drunkards" signify those who are insane in things spiritual, that Ephraim signifies the understanding, - in the present case, self-derived, or originating in the proprium of man, that "valley" signifies the inferior or lower things of the mind, which are natural and sensual and that a "priest" and "prophet" signify the doctrine of Good and Truth. Apocalypse Explained 370.

Woe to the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of their glorious beauty! etc.

- "Drunkards" stand for those who reason from falsities. see Arcana Coelestia 1072; "Ephraim" for the intellectual principle of the church, - in this case perverted, Arcana Coelestia 5354, 6222; (see also above, Chapter 7:2, the Exposition.) "glory" signifies Divine Truth, Arcana Coelestia 4809, 9222.

Hence it is evident that a "flower" or "blossom" is the scientific by which Truth [is acquired]. That "flowers" or "blossoms" signify such things, is because blossoms are the germinations which precede, and in their manner produce fruits and seeds. That trees and plants blossom before they bear fruit, is known. The case is similar with man as to intelligence and wisdom. The scientifics of Truth precede, and in their manner produce those things which are of wisdom with man; for they serve his rational mind with objects, and thus with the means of becoming wise. Hence it is that the scientifics of Truth are like blossoms, and the good of life, which is the good of wisdom, is like fruit.

Since all things in the spiritual world relate to such things as are with man, by reason that heaven resembles one man, and corresponds to all things, even to the most minute, which are with man, wherefore all things which are in the natural world, according to their agreement with such things as are with a man, correspond, represent, and signify. (Arcana Coelestia 9496)

Hence now it is evident whence it is that "blossoms" and "flowers" signify the scientifics of Truth, and, in general, truths; and "fruits" and "seeds", goods. Arcana Coelestia 9553.

Woe to the drunkards of Ephraim! they have erred through wine, and through strong drink they have reeled, etc.

- That to the "drunken with wine and with strong drink" signifies to be insane and infatuated in regard to spiritual things, may indeed be seen without being confirmed from other passages in the Word; but inasmuch as many people do not see this, by reason that they do not think spiritually but sensually, and thus materially, of everything in the Word, when they read it, I will adduce some passages from the Word to prove that being made "drunk" signifies to be insane or infatuated in regard to things of a spiritual, that is, of a theological nature, which are the following:

"They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink." (Isaiah 29:9)

"Hear, you afflicted, you drunken, but not with wine." (Isaiah 51:21)

"Babylon is a cup of gold in the hand of Jehovah, making all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of the wine thereof; therefore the nations are mad." (Jeremiah 51:7)

"Babylon shall be an hissing: when they are heated, I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may exult, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not awake", (Jeremiah 51:37, 39)

"Babylon is fallen, is fallen, because she made all nations drunk of the wine of her whoredom." (Revelation 14:8)

"Let every bottle be filled with wine; behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, the priests and the prophets, with drunkenness." (Jeremiah 13:12, 13)

"You shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of devastation and desolation." (Ezekiel 23:32, 33)

"O daughter of Edom, unto you also the cup shall pass; you shalt be drunken, and shalt be uncovered." (Lamentations 4:21)

"You also shalt be made drunken. (Nahum 3:11)

"Drink you, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, to rise no more." (Jeremiah 25:27)

Apocalypse Revealed 721. See also above, Chap, Isaiah 5:11, 12, 21, 22, the Exposition.

As to the enormous sin of drunkenness, in a literal sense, see above Chap, Isaiah 19:14, the Exposition.

2. Behold, a mighty one, a strong one from the Lord! like a storm of hail, like a tempest of slaughter, like ta flood of mighty waters overflowing, He shall cast them to the earth with His hand.

3. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:

4. And the fading flower of their glorious beauty, which is upon the head of the fat valley, shall be as the early fruit before the summer; which one looks at, and while it is yet in his hand, he swallows it.

Verses 2, 22 Speaking of the day of Judgment upon those who are of the said church. The day of Judgment, when the church is at its end, is understood by "I have heard a consummation and decision, from the Lord Jehovih of Hosts, upon the whole earth; "wherefore it is said, that "like a storm of hail, like a tempest of slaughter, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing. He shall cast them to the earth with His hand."

By "hail" and the "storm" thereof, are signified falsities which destroy the truths of the church; by "slaughter" and its "tempest", are signified evils which destroy the goods of the church; by "mighty waters" are signified the falsities of evil.

That an "inundation" and a "flood" signify immersions into evils and falsities, and hence the destruction of the church, may be seen in. Arcana Coelestia 660, 705; also above, Chapter 8:7, 8, the Exposition.

The same is signified by "casting down to the earth", or by a violent pouring down of rain. Apocalypse Explained 304.

5. In that day shall Jehovah of Hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the remnant of His people:

Verse 5. A "crown of glory" [or of adornment] signifies wisdom which is of Good from the Divine; a "diadem of beauty" signifies intelligence which is of Truth from that Good. This crown and this diadem are predicated of the divine things which are with "the [residue of]people", or the church. Arcana Coelestia 9930. See also Apocalypse Explained 272.

That "residue" or "remnant" signifies the remains of what is Good and True, or of those who are in what is Good and True at the period of Judgment, see above, Chapter 1:9; 4:2, 3, the Exposition.

6. And for a spirit of judgment to him that sits in judgment; and for strength to them that turn the battle from the gate.

Verse 6. In that day shall Jehovah be for a spirit of judgment to him that sits in judgment; and for strength to them that turn the battle front the gate.

- These things are said concerning those who are not in the conceit of self-derived intelligence, which is treated of in this chapter, and is understood in verse 1 by " the crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim." That they who are not in that conceit shall be in intelligence from the Lord, is signified by "Jehovah shall be for a spirit of judgment to him that sits in judgment"; "judgment" denoting the understanding of Truth, thus intelligence.

"Jehovah shall be for strength to them that turn the battle from the gate" signifies that the Lord gives power to those who defend the Word and doctrine from the Word, and who endeavour to preserve them from being violated; a "city" denoting doctrine, and the "gate", that which gives entrance thereto, denoting natural truths. Hence it was that the elders "sat to judge in the gates of the city." Apocalypse Explained 734.

For strength to them that turn the battle from the gate. - As to the meaning of "gates", see Chapter 60:11, 18, the Exposition.

7. But these also have erred through wine, and through strong drink they have reeled; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink; they are swallowed up with wine; they have reeled through strong drink; they have erred in vision, they have stumbled in judgment:

8. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness; no place [is clean].

Verses 7, 8. "Wine" and "strong drink", by which they err, signify truths mixed with falsities; the "priest" and the "prophet" signify those who teach goods and truths, and, in an abstract sense, the goods and truths of the church; the "seeing", amongst whom they err, signify those who are about to see truths: to "stumble in judgment" signifies insanity.

"Tables" signify all things which should nourish the spiritual life, for by "tables" is understood the food which is upon them, and "food" means all truths and goods, because they are what nourish the spiritual life; here, therefore, by "tables full of vomit", are signified the same things falsified and adulterated. Apocalypse Explained 235.

9. Whom should He teach knowledge? and whom should He make to understand doctrine? Those that are weaned from the milk, that are withdrawn from the breasts.

10. For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

Verses 9, 10. [These words imply, in their literal sense, that children should be taught at the earliest period of life, and that they should be trained for heaven, as the end of their birth into the world. In the spiritual sense, to be "weaned" is to be separated, - in relation to the Lord, from His infirm Human, and in relation to man, from his proprium. (Arcana Coelestia 2647, 2649)

Such as are thus separated from their proprium, are capable of receiving instruction in spiritual and divine things, or in the Truths of the Word. "Precept upon precept, line upon line", etc., implies the successive and gradual process of instruction; as in the building of a house one line or layer of stones is laid upon another, so in the building up of the mind the knowledges of Truth and Good are acquired in successive order.]

11. Therefore with a stammering lip and in another tongue will He speak unto this people.

Verse 11. "Stammerers" signify those who with difficulty can apprehend [and pronounce] the Truth of the church. Arcana Coelestia 4551. See also the Exposition of Isaiah 32:4.

12. To whom He said, This is the rest which you shall give unto the weary; and this is the refreshment: but they would not hear.

Verse 12. To be "weary" denotes a state of temptation-combat. Arcana Coelestia 3318. See also 3321.

13. Therefore shall the Word of Jehovah be indeed unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: but they will go on, and fall backward; and be broken, and ensnared, and caught.

14. Wherefore hear you the word of Jehovah, you scornful men, who rule this people in Jerusalem:

Verse 13. But they will go on, and fall backward; and be broken, and ensnared, and caught. - To "fall backward", is to avert themselves from what is Good and True; to be "broken", signifies to dissipate Truths and Goods; to be "ensnared", is to be allured by the love of self and of the world; to be "caught", is to be carried away by those loves. Arcana Coelestia 9348.

As to the meaning of "going or falling backwards", see Chapter 1:4; of "snares", "nets", and "traps", see Chapter 24:17, the Exposition.

15. Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death; and with hell have we made a vision: the overflowing scourge, when it passes through, shall not reach us; for we have made a lie our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.

Verse 15. In this passage "death" denotes damnation, since death is damnation, it is also hell; wherefore hell, in the Word, is commonly called "death", as in Isaiah:

"Hell will not confess You; nor will death praise You." (Isaiah 38:18, 19) Apocalypse Explained 186.

Verses 15, 18. "make a covenant with death", signifies conjunction with the false from hell, whence man dies spiritually; to "make a vision with hell", signifies divination, as it were, prophetic, from hell. Apocalypse Explained 701. See also Arcana Coelestia 8908.

The overflowing scourge. - As to what may be understood by this term, in a spiritual sense, see Chapter 8:7, 8, the Exposition.

16. Wherefore thus says the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a firm foundation: he that believes [in Him] shall not hasten [to flee].

Verse 16. And in Jeremiah:

"They shall not take of you a stone for a corner, or a stone of foundations"; (Jeremiah 51:26)

So in Zechariah:

"Out of Judah a corner, out of him the nail, out of him the bow of war." (Zechariah 10:4)

Again, in David:

"The stone which they rejected is become the head of the corner." (Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10, 11; Luke 20:17)

The "stone of the corner" signifies all Divine Truth upon which heaven and the church is founded, thus every foundation; and inasmuch as the "foundation" is the ultimate upon which a house or temple rests, therefore it signifies all things. It is on account of this signification of the "corner-stone", as denoting all Divine Truth upon which the church is founded, that it is said - "I will lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a firm foundation"; and it is called " a stone for the corner", and "a stone of foundations"; and inasmuch as the "cornerstone" signifies all Divine Truth upon which the church is founded, therefore it also signifies the Lord as to His Divine Human, because all Divine Truth proceeds from that.

The "builders" or architects who "rejected that stone", as we read in the Evangelists, denote those who are of the church, in this case of the Jewish church, which rejected the Lord, and with Him all Divine Truth; for with them there remained nothing but vain traditions grounded in the literal sense of the Word, by which the essential truths of the Word were falsified and its goods adulterated. That "ultimates" signify all things, and what the ground of this signification is, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 634, 5897, 6239. Apocalypse Explained 417.

He that believes [in Him] shall not hasten [to flee]. - See the note, p. 296.

17. And I will lay judgment to the line, and justice to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of a lie; and the hiding-place the waters shall overwhelm.

18. And your covenant with death shall be abolished; and your vision with hell shall not stand: when the overflowing scourge passes through, by it shall you be trodden down;

19. As soon as it passes through, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night; and it shall be a terror to understand the report [thereof].

Verse 17. [This is another mode of expressing the process of exploration and of judgment which takes place after death, in the world of spirits, when "all refuges of lies shall be swept away", and every "hiding-place" of iniquity will be exposed and condemned.]

20. For the bed is shorter than that [one] can stretch himself [on it]; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself [in it].

Verse 20. A "bed" signifies doctrine. The ground and reason of this is from correspondences; for, as the body rests on its bed, so does the mind rest in its doctrine, But by a "bed" is signified the doctrine which everyone acquires to himself, either from the Word, or from his proper intelligence, for therein the mind reposes, and, as it were, sleeps. The beds in which they lie in the spiritual world are of no other origin. Everyone's bed there is conformable to the quality of his science and intelligence; - the wise have magnificent beds, the foolish have mean ones, and they who are in falsities have filthy ones. This is the signification of a "bed" in Luke:

"I tell you, in that night there shall be two in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left." (Luke 17:34)

Speaking of the Last Judgment. "Two in one bed" means two in one doctrine, but not in similar life. In John:

"Jesus says unto the sick man, Rise, take up your bed, and walk; and he took up his bed, and walked." (John 5:8, 9)

And in Mark:

"Jesus said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, your sius be forgiven you; and He said unto the Scribes, Whether is it easier to say, Your sins be forgiven you; or to say, Arise, take up your bed, and walk? Then He said, Arise, take up your bed, and walk: and he took up his bed, and went forth from them." (Mark 2:5, 9, 11, 12)

That here something is signified by " bed", is evident, because Jesus said "Whether is it easier to say, Your sins be forgiven you; or to say, Take up your bed, and walk?" By "taking up his bed, and walking", is signified to meditate in doctrine; it is so understood in heaven. Doctrine is also signified by a "bed" in Amos:

"As the shepherd takes out of the mouth of the lion, so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria, in the corner of a bed, and in the extremity of a couch." (Amos 3:12) "In the corner of a bed, and in the extremity of a couch", means what is more remote from the truths and goods of doctrine. "Bed", " couch", and "bedchamber" have a similar signification in other places, as in Isaiah 28:20; 57:2, 7, 8; Ezekiel 23:41; Amos 6:4; Micah 2:1; Psalms 4:4; 36:4; 41:3; Job 17:13; Leviticus 15:4, 5. Apocalypse Revealed 137.

[By "the bed being shorter than that one can stretch himself all it, and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it", is implied that doctrines founded in fallacious reasonings find ill false principles, prevent the growth and extension of the rational mind, and obstruct the process of regeneration; and that they have no power to enlighten the mind with heavenly Truth, or to warm it with heavenly Love.]

21. For as in Mount Perazim, Jehovah will arise; as in the valley of Gibeon, shall He be wroth: that He may do His work, His strange work; and effect His operation, His strange operation.

Verse 21. [These events, representative of Judgment, are recorded in 2 Samuel 5:20, 21, where David defeated the Philistines, and executed, as it were, a judgment upon them. The term "Perazim", in Hebrew, means a tearing or breaking asunder, which involves the idea of Judgment. "As in the valley of Gibeon" refers to Josh. 10:10, when the Amorites were destroyed, which also represented the process of Judgment. The "destruction of the Philistines at Perazim " signifies judgment upon all who are in faith, or in the knowledges of Truth, separate from charity; (see above, Chapter 14:28, 29, the Exposition.) and the "slaughter of the Amorites" represented the judgment upon all who are in evils and falsities, and especially upon those who are in the falsities of evil. See Arcana Coelestia 1857, 6859.] ."

His strange work. - [Judgment is said to be the Lord's" strange work", to indicate that the process of Judgment, in the sense of condemnation, is not effected by the Lord, but by the evils and. falsities which proceed from the wicked themselves. "For the Lord has no pleasure in the death of the wicked." (Ezekiel 18:23, 32) "This is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." ((John 3:19)

See above. Chapter 1:24, the Exposition.)

22. Wherefore, be you not mockers, lest your bonds be strengthened: for a consummation and decision have I heard, from the Lord Jehovih of Hosts, on the whole earth.

Verses 22, 24, 25, 26. These words, in their spiritual sense, describe the state of the church with the Jewish and Israelitish nation, that it was altogether destroyed, and that it was to no purpose to learn and to know the Word, but in order to apply the Good and Truth thereof to the use of life, and that by this menus, and no other, could intelligence be communicated from the Lord. That the church with that nation was altogether destroyed, is understood by "the consummation and decision being heard from the Lord Jehovih of Hosts upon the whole earth"; "consummation and decision" denoting plenary destruction, and the "whole earth" the entire church, that is, everything appertaining thereto. It being to no purpose merely to learn and know the Word, is signified by "Doth the ploughman plough the whole day that he may sow ? doth he open and harrow his ground?" to "plough for sowing" denoting to learn, and to "harrow the land" to deposit in the memory. That the Good and Truth of the Word should be applied to the use of life, is signified by "When he has made the face thereof even, doth not he cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and sow the wheat in the principal [place], and the barley in its appointed [place], and the spelt in the border thereof?" The "making even the face of the earth, and scattering the cummin", denotes preparation by the Word; "the wheat in the principal [place], and the barley in its appointed[place], and the spelt in their border", denote the application of the Good and Truth of the Word to the use of life; "wheat" signifying Good, "barley" Truth, and "spelt" kuowledges. That by this means, and no other, can intelligence be communicated from the Lord, is signified by "For his God doth instruct him to judgment, and doth teach him." "Judgment " signifies intelligence; "his God teaching him" denotes that it is from the Lord. Apocalypse Explained 374.

23. Give you ear, and hear My voice; attend, and hearken unto My speech.

24. Doth the ploughman plough the whole day that he may sow? doth he open and harrow his ground?

25. When he has made the face thereof even, doth not he cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and sow the "wheat in the principal [place], and the barley in its appointed [place], and the spelt in the border thereof?

26. For his God doth instruct him to judgment, and doth teach him.

Verses 23-26. These words appear as comparisons, but tbey are real correspondences, by which is described the reformation and regeneration of the man of the church; wherefore also it is said - "For his God doth instruct him to judgment, and doth teach him." To "instruct him to judgment", is to give him intelligence; for by "judgment" is signified the intelligence of Truth, n. 2235; and to "teach him", when from God, is to give him wisdom. Hence it may appear what is meant by "ploughing", "harrowing", "scattering abroad fitches", "sowing cummin", "storing up wheat, barley, and spelt", namely, that" ploughing" denotes implanting Truth in Good; "fitches" and "cummin " denote scientifics, since these are the first things which are learnt that a man may receive intelligence. That "'wheat" signifies the Good of love of the internal man , see n. 7005. That "ploughing" signifies, not from comparison, but from correspondences, the first thing of the church in general, and also in particular, with everyone who is regenerated, or who becomes a church, is evident from these words in Moses:

"You shalt not sow your vineyard intermixedly; you shalt not plough with an ox and an ass together; you shalt not wear a garment mixed with wool and linen together." (Deuteronomy 22:9-11)

These words involve that the states of Good and of Truth ought not to be coufounded: for a "vineyard" denotes: the church as to Truth, but a "field " the church as to Good; to "plough with an ox" denotes to prepare by Good; to "plough with an ass", to prepare by Truth.

"Wool" also denotes Good, but "linen" Truth. The case is this: all they are in a state of Good who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom; but they are in a state of Truth who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom; he who is in the one cannot be in the other.

Who cannot see that the above words in Moses have a deeper signification than they appear to have; for otherwise what of evil could there have been in "sowing a vineyard intermixedly", in "ploughing with an ox and an ass together", and in "wearing a garment mixed with wool and linen together"? Arcana Coelestia 10669.

27. The fitches are not beaten out with the threshing-sledge, nor is the wheel of the cart made to turn about upon the cummin: but the fitches are beaten out with the staff: and the cummin with a rod;

28. Bread [corn] is bruised; but not for ever will he continue to thresh it, nor to break it with the wheel of his cart, nor to bruise it [with] his horsemen.

29. This also proceeds from Jehovah of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and great in wisdom.

Verses 27-29. [It does not appear that Swedenborg has quoted these verses, but it is not difficult, from the doctrine of correspondences, to see the spiritual meaning of them. A "threshing-floor" denotes, as is evident from the passages in the Word where it is mentioned, something in relation to the church, and specifically the Good of Truth, and also the Truth of Good; (Arcana Coelestia 6537) and the mind where these things are prepared for the nourishment of the soul, is, as it were, a "threshing-floor." For, on a threshing-floor, wheat is in a state of preparation to become bread for the nourishment of the body. The various kinds of implements here mentioned were all used for threshing by the Jews, each implement being adapted to its specific purpose. The process of the understanding whilst meditating on the various scientifics and knowledges of what is Good and True from the Word, is here depicted. The various kinds of knowledge represented by the "fitches", "cummin", etc., require a specific process of the understanding to convert them into spiritual food, as the various kinds of grain require to be threshed by different implements. But this process of threshing is only a means to an end. It is not sufficient fully to understand the knowledge of what is True and Good; it must be loved and practised also; and the object of the divine Text is to teach the necessity of this in order to salvation, and in order to show that it is man's duty to acknowledge that the entire work is the Lord's. (Verse 29.) That "horsemen", in verse 28, have relation, by correspondence, to the understanding, see Chapter 31:1, the Exposition.]

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Isaiah Chapter 28

1. Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of their glorious beauty! to those that are at the bead of the fat valley, that are overcome with wine!

2. Behold, a mighty one, a strong one from the Lord! like a storm of hail, like a tempest of slaughter, like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, He shall cast them to the earth with His hand.

3. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:

4. And the fading flower of their glorious beauty, which is upon the head of the fat valley, shall be as the early fruit before the summer; which one looks at, and while it is yet in his hand, he swallows it.

5. In that day shall Jehovah of Hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the remnant of His people:

6. And for a spirit of judgment to him that sits in judgment; and for strength to them that turn the battle from the gate.

7. But these also have erred through wine, and through strong drink they have reeled; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink; they are swallowed up with wine; they have reeled through strong drink; they have erred in vision, they have stumbled in judgment:

8. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness; no place [is clean].

9. Whom should He teach knowledge? and whom should He make to understand doctrine? Those that are weaned from the milk, that are withdrawn from the breasts.

10. For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

11. Therefore with a stammering lip and in another tongue will He speak unto this people.

12. To whom He said, This is the rest which you shall give unto the weary; and this is the refreshment: but they would not hear.

13. Therefore shall the Word of Jehovah be indeed unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: but they will go on, and fall backward; and be broken, and ensnared, and caught.

14. Wherefore hear you the word of Jehovah, you scornful men, who rule this people in Jerusalem:

15. Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death; and with hell have we made a vision: the overflowing scourge, when it passes through, shall not reach us; for we have made a lie our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.

16. Wherefore thus says the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a firm foundation: he that believes [in Him] shall not hasten [to flee].

17. And I will lay judgment to the line, and justice to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of a lie; and the hiding-place the waters shall overwhelm.

18. And your covenant with death shall be abolished; and your vision with hell shall not stand: when the overflowing scourge passes through, by it shall you be trodden down;

19. As soon as it passes through, it shall take you; for morning by morning shall it pass through, by day and by night; and it shall be a terror to understand the report [thereof].

20. For the bed is shorter than that [one] can stretch himself [on it]; and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself [in it].

21. For as in Mount Perazim, Jehovah will arise; as in the valley of Gibeon, shall He be wroth: that He may do His work, His strange work; and effect His operation, His strange operation.

22. Wherefore, be you not mockers, lest your bonds be strengthened: for a consummation and decision have I heard, from the Lord Jehovih of Hosts, on the whole earth.

23. Give you ear, and hear My voice; attend, and hearken unto My speech.

24. Doth the ploughman plough the whole day that he may sow? doth he open and harrow his ground?

25. When he has made the face thereof even, doth not he cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and sow the "wheat in the principal [place], and the barley in its appointed [place], and the spelt in the border thereof?

26. For his God doth instruct him to judgment, and doth teach him.

27. The fitches are not beaten out with the threshing-sledge, nor is the wheel of the cart made to turn about upon the cummin: but the fitches are beaten out with the staff: and the cummin with a rod;

28. Bread [corn] is bruised; but not for ever will he continue to thresh it, nor to break it with the wheel of his cart, nor to bruise it [with] his horsemen.

29. This also proceeds from Jehovah of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and great in wisdom.

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.

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