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Ezekiel第40章

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1 In the twenty and fifth year of our removal, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in this self-same day hath a hand of Jehovah been upon me, and He bringeth me in thither;

2 in visions of God He hath brought me in unto the land of Israel, and causeth me to rest on a very high mountain, and upon it [is] as the frame of a city on the south.

3 And He bringeth me in thither, and lo, a man, his appearance as the appearance of brass, and a thread of flax in his hand, and a measuring-reed, and he is standing at the gate,

4 and the man speaketh unto me: `Son of man, see with thine eyes, And with thine ears hear, And set thy heart to all that I am shewing thee, For, in order to shew [it] thee, Thou hast been brought in hither, Declare all that thou art seeing to the house of Israel.'

5 And lo, a wall on the outside of the house all round about, and in the hand of the man a measuring-reed, six cubits by a cubit and a handbreadth, and he measureth the breadth of the building one reed, and the height one reed.

6 And he cometh in unto the gate whose front [is] eastward, and he goeth up by its steps, and he measureth the threshold of the gate one reed broad, even the one threshold one reed broad,

7 and the little chamber one reed long and one reed broad, and between the little chambers five cubits, and the threshold of the gate, from the side of the porch of the gate from within, one reed.

8 And he measureth the porch of the gate from within one reed,

9 and he measureth the porch of the gate eight cubits, and its posts two cubits, and the porch of the gates from within,

10 and the little chambers of the gate eastward, three on this side, and three on that side; one measure [is] to them three, and one measure [is] to the posts, on this side and on that side.

11 And he measureth the breadth of the opening of the gate ten cubits, the length of the gate thirteen cubits;

12 and a border before the little chambers, one cubit, and one cubit [is] the border on this side, and the little chamber [is] six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

13 And he measureth the gate from the roof of the [one] little chamber to the roof of another; the breadth twenty and five cubits, opening over-against opening.

14 And he maketh the posts of sixty cubits, even unto the post of the court, the gate all round about;

15 and by the front of the gate of the entrance, by the front of the porch of the inner gate, fifty cubits;

16 and narrow windows [are] unto the little chambers, and unto their posts at the inside of the gate all round about -- and so to the arches -- and windows all round about [are] at the inside, and at the post [are] palm-trees.

17 And he bringeth me in unto the outer court, and lo, chambers and a pavement made for the court all round about -- thirty chambers on the pavement --

18 and the pavement unto the side of the gates over-against the length of the gates [is] the lower pavement;

19 and he measureth the breadth from before the lower gate, to the front of the inner court, on the outside, a hundred cubits, eastward and northward.

20 As to the gate of the outer court whose front [is] northward, he hath measured its length and its breadth;

21 and its little chambers, three on this side, and three on that side, and its posts and its arches have been according to the measure of the first gate, fifty cubits its length, and the breadth five and twenty by the cubit;

22 and its windows, and its arches, and its palm-trees [are] according to the measure of the gate whose face [is] eastward, and by seven steps they go up on it, and its arches [are] before them.

23 And the gate of the inner court [is] over-against the gate at the north and at the east; and he measureth from gate unto gate, a hundred cubits.

24 And he causeth me to go southward, and lo, a gate southward, and he hath measured its posts and its arches according to these measures;

25 and windows [are] to it and to its arches all round about, like these windows, fifty cubits the length, and the breadth five and twenty cubits;

26 and seven steps [are] its ascent, and its arches [are] before them, and palm-trees [are] to it, one on this side, and one on that side, at its posts;

27 and the gate of the inner court [is] southward, and he measureth from gate unto gate southward, a hundred cubits.

28 And he bringeth me in unto the inner court by the south gate, and he measureth the south gate according to these measures;

29 and its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches [are] according to these measures, and windows [are] to it and to its arches all round about; fifty cubits the length, and the breadth twenty and five cubits.

30 As to the arches all round about, the length [is] five and twenty cubits, and the breadth five cubits;

31 and its arches [are] unto the outer court, and palm-trees [are] unto its posts, and eight steps [are] its ascent.

32 And he bringeth me in unto the inner court eastward, and he measureth the gate according to these measures;

33 and its little chambers, and its posts, and its arches [are] according to these measures: and windows [are] to it and to its arches all round about, the length fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits;

34 and its arches [are] toward the outer court, and palm-trees [are] toward its posts, on this side and on that side, and eight steps [are] its ascent.

35 And he bringeth me in unto the north gate, and hath measured according to these measures;

36 its little chambers, its posts, and its arches; and windows [are] to it all round about: the length fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits;

37 and its posts [are] to the outer court, and palm-trees [are] unto its posts, on this side and on that side, and eight steps [are] its ascent.

38 And the chamber and its opening [is] by the posts of the gates, there they purge the burnt-offering.

39 And in the porch of the gate [are] two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to slaughter on them the burnt-offering, and the sin-offering, and the guilt-offering;

40 and at the side without, at the going up to the opening of the north gate, [are] two tables; and at the other side that [is] at the porch of the gate, [are] two tables;

41 four tables [are] on this side, and four tables on that side, at the side of the gate, eight tables on which they slaughter.

42 And the four tables for burnt-offering [are] of hewn stone: the length one cubit and a half, and the breadth one cubit and a half, and the height one cubit: on them they place the instruments with which they slaughter the burnt-offering and the sacrifice.

43 And the boundaries [are] one handbreadth, prepared within all round about: and on the tables [is] the flesh of the offering.

44 And on the outside of the inner gate [are] chambers of the singers, in the inner court, that [are] at the side of the north gate, and their fronts [are] southward, one at the side of the east gate [hath] the front northward.

45 And he speaketh unto me: `This chamber, whose front [is] southward, [is] for priests keeping charge of the house;

46 and the chamber, whose front [is] northward, [is] for priests keeping charge of the altar: they [are] sons of Zadok, who are drawing near of the sons of Levi unto Jehovah, to serve Him.'

47 And he measureth the court: the length a hundred cubits, and the breadth a hundred cubits, square, and the altar [is] before the house.

48 And he bringeth me in unto the porch of the house, and he measureth the post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side, and the breadth of the gate, three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side;

49 the length of the porch twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and by the steps whereby they go up unto it: and pillars [are] at the posts, one on this side, and one on that side.

   

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Arcana Coelestia#5291

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5291. 'And let him take up a fifth part of the land [of Egypt]' means which are to be preserved and then stored away. This is clear from the meaning of 'taking up a fifth part' as that which implies something similar to taking tenths. In the Word 'taking tenths' means preserving remnants, and preserving remnants is a gathering together and then storing away of forms of truth and good. For remnants are the forms of good and truth that the Lord has stored away in the interior man, see 468, 530, 560, 561, 661, 1050, 1906, 2284, 5135, and 'tenths' is used in the Word to mean remnants, 576, 1738, 2280, and so also is 'ten', 1906, 2284. And the number five, which is half of ten, is likewise used to mean the same. Half or twice any number when used in the Word holds the same meaning as the number itself. Twenty for example holds the same meaning as ten, four the same as two, six the same as three, twenty-four the same as twelve, and so on. A multiplication of a number also holds the same meaning. A hundred or a thousand for example holds the same as ten; seventy-two and also a hundred and forty-four hold the same as twelve. Therefore what it is that composite numbers hold within them may be seen from the simple numbers of which they are the products. What the more simple numbers hold within them may be seen in a similar way from their integers. Five for example may be seen from ten, two and a half from five, and so on. In general it should be recognized that multiples hold the same meaning as their factors, yet more completely, while quotients hold the same meaning as their dividends, yet less completely.

[2] As regards the number five specifically, this has a dual meaning. First, it means that which is little and consequently something; second, it means remnants. It receives its meaning of that which is little from its relationship with other numbers meaning that which is much, namely a thousand and a hundred, and therefore ten also. For 'a thousand' and 'a hundred' mean that which is much, see 2575, 2636, and so therefore does 'ten', 3107, 4638, as a consequence of which 'five' means that which is little, and also something, 649, 4638. But 'five' means remnants when it has a connection with ten, 'ten' in this case meaning remnants, as stated above. For all numbers used in the Word have spiritual realities as their meaning, see 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265.

[3] Anyone who does not know that the Word has an internal sense which is not visible in the letter will be utterly astonished by the idea that spiritual realities too are meant by the numbers used in the Word. The specific reason for his astonishment is his inability to use numbers to give shape to any spiritual idea, when yet the spiritual ideas known to angels present themselves as numbers, see 5265. The identity of those ideas or spiritual realities to which numbers correspond can, it is true, be known; but the origin of such correspondence remains hidden, such as the origin of the correspondence of 'twelve' to all aspects of faith, the correspondence of 'seven' to things that are holy, as well as that of 'ten' and also 'five' to forms of good and truth stored up by the Lord within the interior man, and so on. Even so, it is enough if people know simply that such a correspondence does exist and that by virtue of that correspondence each number used in the Word denotes something present in the spiritual world, consequently that what is Divine has been inspired into them and so lies concealed within them.

[4] Examples of this are seen in the following places where 'five' is mentioned, such as the Lord's parable in Matthew 25:14 and following verses about the man who, before going away to a foreign country, placed his resources in the hands of his servants. To the first he gave five talents, to the second two, and to the third one. The servant who received five talents traded with them and earned five talents more. In a similar way the one who received two earned two more; but the servant who received one hid his master's money 1 in the earth. The person whose thought does not extend beyond the literal sense knows no other than this, that the numbers five, two, and one have been adopted merely to make up the story told in the parable and that they entail nothing more, when in fact those actual numbers hold some arcanum within them. The servant who received the five talents means those people who have accepted forms of good and truth from the Lord and so have received remnants. The one who received the two talents means those who at a more advanced stage in life have linked charity to faith, while the servant who received the one means someone who receives faith alone devoid of charity. Regarding this servant it is said that he hid his master's money 1 in the earth - the reason for this description being that the money 1 he is said to have received means in the internal sense truth which is the truth of faith, 1551, 2954; but faith that is devoid of charity cannot earn any interest, that is, it cannot be fruitful. These are the kinds of matters that numbers hold within them.

[5] Much the same is contained in other parables, such as the parable in Luke 19:12 and following verses regarding someone who journeyed to a far country to receive a kingdom. He gave his servants ten minas and told them to trade with these until he came back. When he returned the first said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten minas'. He said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you have been faithful over a very little, be over ten cities'. The second said, 'Sir, your mina has made five minas', and to him too he said, 'You also, be over five cities'. The third had kept his mina stored away in a handkerchief. But the master said, 'Take the mina from him and give it to him who has ten minas'. Here in a similar way 'ten' and 'five' mean remnants, 'ten' rather more, 'five' somewhat less. The one who kept his mina stored away in a handkerchief describes those who acquire the truths of faith but do not join them to the good deeds of charity, so that these truths do not gain interest or become fruitful at all.

[6] The same meaning exists in other places where the Lord uses these numbers, such as the place where He refers to what one of those invited to a supper said,

I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going away to test them. Luke 14:19.

Also in the place where He refers to what the rich man said to Abraham,

I have five brothers; send [Lazarus] to speak to them, lest they come into this place of torment. Luke 16:28.

And in the place where He talks about ten virgins, five of whom were wise and five were foolish, Matthew 25:1-13. The following words spoken by the Lord in a similar way contain such numbers,

Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division; for from now on there will be in one house five divided; three against two, and two against three. Luke 12:51-52.

And the following details given in the historical narrative also contain such numbers - the Lord fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes; He commanded them to sit down in groups of a hundred and groups of fifty; and after they had eaten they collected twelve baskets of broken pieces, Matthew 14:15-21; Mark 6:38 and following verses; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:5-13.

[7] It is hardly credible that the numbers included in such details, since these belong to a historical narrative, have a spiritual meaning. That is, five thousand, the number of people, has a spiritual meaning; so does five, the number of loaves, as well as two, the number of fishes. A hundred, and likewise fifty, the numbers of people sitting down together, each have a spiritual meaning; and so lastly does twelve, the number of baskets containing broken pieces. Though it may seem incredible, every detail holds some arcanum. Every single thing occurred providentially, to the end that Divine realities might be represented by them.

[8] In the following places too 'five' means things of a similar nature in the spiritual world, and it corresponds to such in both senses, the genuine sense and the contrary one: In Isaiah,

Gleanings will be left in it, as in the shaking of an olive tree, 2 two or three berries on the top of the [highest] branch, four or five on the branches of a fruitful tree. Isaiah 17:6-7.

In the same prophet,

On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt which speak in the lips of Canaan and swear to Jehovah Zebaoth. Isaiah 19:18.

In the same prophet,

One thousand at the rebuke of one, at the rebuke of five you are fleeing, until you remain like a flagstaff on top of a mountain, like a signal upon a hill. Isaiah 30:17.

In John,

The fifth angel sounded, at which point I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key of the pit of the abyss. It was given the locusts which were coming out from there, that they should not kill the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads, but that they should torment them five months. Revelation 9:1, 3, 5, 10.

In the same book,

Here is intelligence, if anyone has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits; and there are seven kings. Five have fallen; and one is, the other has not yet come. And when he comes he must remain a short time. Revelation 17:9-10.

[9] The number five holds a similar representative meaning in the following places,

The valuation for a man or for a woman was determined by their ages - between one month and five years, and between five years and twenty years. Leviticus 27:1-9.

If a field was redeemed, one-fifth was to be added. Leviticus 27:19.

If tithes were redeemed, again one fifth was to be added. Leviticus 27:31.

The firstborn who were in excess [of the Levites] were to be redeemed for five shekels [each]. Numbers 3:46-end.

The firstborn of an unclean beast was to be redeemed with the addition of one-fifth. Leviticus 27:27.

In the case of any wrongs that were done one-fifth was to be added as a penalty. Leviticus 22:14; 17:13, 15; Numbers 5:6-8.

Anyone who stole an ox or one of the flock, and who slaughtered it or sold it, had to restore five oxen for an ox, and four of the flock for one of the flock. Exodus 11:1.

[10] The fact that the number five contains some heavenly arcanum, as does ten also, is evident from the cherubs referred to in the first Book of Kings,

In the sanctuary Solomon made two cherubs of olive wood, each ten cubits high. The wing of one cherub was five cubits, and the wing of the other cherub five cubits; ten cubits from the tips of the wings of one to the tips of the wings of the other. Thus a cherub was ten cubits; both cherubs were the same size and same shape. 1 Kings 6:23-25.

The same fact is evident from the lavers around the temple, and also from the lampstands, described in the same book,

Five bases for the lavers were placed on the right side of the house, 3 and five on the left side of the house. 3 Also, five lampstands were placed on the right, and five on the left in front of the sanctuary. 1 Kings 7:39, 49.

The bronze sea was ten cubits from one brim to the other, and five cubits high, and thirty cubits in circumference. 1 Kings 7:13.

All this was prescribed so that holy things might be meant spiritually not only by the numbers ten and five but also by thirty, for although geometrically this number giving the circumference is not right for the stated diameter, it nevertheless implies spiritually what is meant by the rim of a vessel.

[11] All numbers mentioned in the Word mean things existing in the spiritual world, as is clearly evident from the numbers used in Ezekiel, where a new land, a new city, a new temple, and a detailed measuring of these by the angel are described; see Chapters 40-43, 45-49 [sic.]. Numbers are used in these chapters to describe practically every sacred object, and therefore anyone unacquainted with what those numbers hold within them can know scarcely anything about the arcana present there. The number ten and the number five occur there in Ezekiel 40:7, 11, 48; 41:2, 9, 11-12; 42:4; 45:11, 14, in addition to the multiplications of such numbers, namely twenty-five, fifty, five hundred, and five thousand. As regards the new land, the new city, and the new temple mentioned in those chapters, these mean the Lord's kingdom in heaven, and therefore His Church on earth, as is clear from every detail mentioned there.

[12] All the references above to 'five' have been gathered together for the reason that here and in what follows the subject is the land of Egypt, where, in the seven years of abundance, a fifth part of the corn was to be gathered and preserved for use in the succeeding years of famine. This demonstrates that 'the fifth part' means the forms of good and truth which a person has received from the Lord, who has stored them away and preserved them in that person for future use when there is a famine, that is, when there is an absence and deprivation of goodness and truth. For unless the Lord stored away in a person such forms of good and truth, there would be nothing to raise him up in a state of temptation and vastation and consequently to make it possible for him to be regenerated, so that he would be left without any means of salvation in the next life.

脚注:

1. or silver

2. The Latin means fig tree, but the Hebrew means olive tree, which Swedenborg has in other places where he quotes this verse.

3. literally, beside the shoulder of the house towards the right/left

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