1368、“迦勒底的吾珥”表示包含虚假的外在敬拜，这从圣言中“迦勒底”的含义清楚可知。前面（11:9；1326节）说明，“巴别或巴比伦”表示内在包含邪恶的敬拜，而“迦勒底”表示内在包含虚假的敬拜。因此，巴别或巴比伦表示内在无一丝良善的敬拜，迦勒底表示内在无一丝真理的敬拜。内在无一丝良善，也无一丝真理的敬拜是内在包含亵渎和偶像崇拜的敬拜。在圣言中，这种敬拜由“迦勒底”来表示，这一点从以下经文清楚看出来。以赛亚书：
看哪，迦勒底人的地！这民已不在；亚述在tziim（译注：或tsiyim，其含义不确定，史威登堡认为它们是某种鸟）中间发现这地；他们要筑起他们的瞭望塔，抬高他们的宫殿；他（亚述）必使它成为一片废墟。（以赛亚书23:13）
不是一民的“迦勒底人的地”表示虚假；“发现这地的亚述”表示推理；“瞭望塔”表示幻想。同一先知书：
耶和华你们的救赎主，以色列的圣者如此说，因你们的缘故，我已经打发人到巴比伦去，打断一切门闩，推倒坐欢呼船的迦勒底人。（以赛亚书43:14）
“巴比伦或巴别”表示内在包含邪恶的敬拜；“迦勒底人”表示内在包含虚假的敬拜；“船”表示已经败坏或被歪曲的真理的知识或认知。
又：
迦勒底的女儿啊，你要静静坐下，进入黑暗中，因为你不再称为列国的主母。我向我的百姓发怒，使我的产业被亵渎，将他们交在你手中。丧子、寡居这两件事必在一日忽然临到你；这两件事必全然临到你身上，因你多行邪术、广施符咒。（以赛亚书47:5-6，9）
此处很明显，“迦勒底”是指对真理的亵渎，被称为“邪术”和“符咒”。又：
你们要从巴比伦出来，从迦勒底人中逃脱。（以赛亚书48:20）
这表示逃避敬拜中对良善和真理的亵渎。以西结书：
人子啊，你要使耶路撒冷知道她的可憎之事。你父亲是亚摩利人，你母亲是赫人。你和埃及人行淫。你又与亚述人行淫。因此，你增多你的淫乱，直到迦勒底之地。（以西结书16:2-3，26，28-29）
这尤其论及犹太教会；“埃及人”表示记忆知识或事实；“亚述人”表示推理；“她增多她的淫乱，直到迦勒底之地”表示对真理的亵渎。谁都能看出，埃及、亚述和迦勒底不是指国家，所论及的也不是其它淫乱。
同一先知书：
阿荷拉行邪淫，贪恋所爱的人，就是她的邻舍亚述人。自从在埃及的时候，她就没有放弃淫乱。她又加增淫行，她看见人像画在墙上，就是用丹色所画迦勒底人的像：腰间束着腰带，头上有下垂的染色的裹头巾，都是领袖的样子，巴比伦人、迦勒底人的形像，就在他们的出生地。她一眼看见就贪恋他们，打发使者往迦勒底他们那里去。巴比伦人以他们的淫行玷污了她。（以西结书23:5，8，14-17）
此处“迦勒底人”被称为“巴比伦人”，表示敬拜中被亵渎的真理。“阿荷拉”表示被称为“撒玛利亚”的属灵教会。
哈巴谷书：
我必兴起迦勒底人，就是那苦愤、急促的民族，遍行宽广之地，占据那不属自己的住处。这民族恐怖可怕，判断和势力任从自己发出。它的马比豹更快，它的眼比晚上的豺狼更锐利。它的马兵四散，它的马兵都从远方而来；他们飞跑如鹰急速吞食；整个民族都为行强暴而来，它脸上喘息的欲望朝向东方。（哈巴谷书1:6-9）
经上在此通过许多代表来描述“迦勒底民族”，这些代表表示敬拜中对真理的亵渎。
此外，耶利米书用两个整章（50和51章）来描述巴比伦和迦勒底，从那里明显看出它们各自表示什么，即：巴比伦表示敬拜中对属天事物的亵渎，迦勒底表示敬拜中对属灵事物的亵渎。由此明显可知“迦勒底的吾珥”表示什么，即：它是指内在包含亵渎和偶像崇拜的外在敬拜。我也被允许从这些人自己那里获知，迦勒底人的敬拜实际上就是这个样子。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1368. The symbolism of Ur of the Chaldeans as outward worship that involves falsities can be seen from the symbolism of Chaldeans in the Word.
It was shown above at verse 9 that Babel symbolizes worship that has evil inside it [1326]. Chaldea, on the other hand, symbolizes worship that has falsity inside it. Babel, then, symbolizes worship that has nothing good inside it, while Chaldea symbolizes worship that has nothing true inside. Worship that has nothing good and nothing true inside is worship that has a profane, idolatrous quality inside. The fact that Chaldea symbolizes this kind of worship in the Word can be seen from the following places. In Isaiah:
Look: the land of the Chaldeans! This people is not. Assyria founded [the land] among tsiyim. They will erect their spy towers; [the Chaldeans] will raise up their palaces. [Assyria] will make it a ruin. (Isaiah 23:13){*1} The land of Chaldeans who were not a people stands for falsity. "Assyria founded it" stands for the fact that rationalizations laid the foundation. The spy towers stand for delusions. In the same author:
This is what Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, has said: "Because of you I have sent to Babylon and thrown down the bars of the gates, all of them, and the Chaldeans, in whose ships there is shouting." (Isaiah 43:14)
Babylon stands for worship that has evil deep inside. The Chaldeans stand for worship that has falsity deep inside. The ships are a knowledge of truth, but knowledge that has been perverted.
[2] In the same author:
Sit silent and go into the dark, daughter of the Chaldeans, because you will no longer be called an overseer of kingdoms. I was enraged with my people. I profaned my inheritance and gave them into your hand. These two things will come to you suddenly on one day: loss of children and widowhood together. To their full extent they will come over you, because of the abundance of your sorceries and because of the scope of your spells. (Isaiah 47:5-6, 9)
It is evident here that Chaldea is the profanation of truth, which is referred to as sorceries and spells. In the same author:
Leave Babylon; flee from the Chaldeans. (Isaiah 48:20)
This stands for running from the profanation of anything good or true in worship. In Ezekiel:
Make known to Jerusalem its abominations. Your father is an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. You whored with the sons of Egypt. You whored with the sons of Assyria. Therefore you multiplied your whoredom all the way into the land of Chaldea. (Ezekiel 16:2-3, 26, 28-29)
This speaks of the Jewish religion in particular. The sons of Egypt stand for facts. The sons of Assyria stand for rationalizations. The land of Chaldea, to which Jerusalem spread its increasing whoredom, stands for the profanation of truth. Anyone can see that Egypt, Assyria, and Chaldea do not mean different lands and that the passage is not talking about whoredom at all.
[3] In the same author:
Oholah whored and doted on her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians, and her whorings from [her time in] Egypt she did not abandon. She added to her whorings and looked at men, a portrayal on the wall, images of Chaldeans painted in vermilion, sashes girdling their hips, floppy dyed turbans on their heads, all of them appearing to be leaders, looking like the sons of Babylon, Chaldeans, in the land of their birth. She lusted for them at one glance of her eyes and sent messengers for them to Chaldea. The sons of Babylon defiled her through their whorings. (Ezekiel 23:5, 8, 14, 15, 16-17)
The Chaldeans are called sons of Babylon, who stand for the presence of profaned truth in worship. Oholah stands for the spiritual church, which is called Samaria [Ezekiel 23:4].
[4] In Habakkuk:
I am rousing the Chaldeans, a nation bitter and hasty, invading the breadth of the land to take possession of dwellings that are not theirs. Terrifying and fearsome [is that nation], and from itself alone do its judgment and its superiority issue. Its horses are nimbler than leopards, and its eyes are [nimbler] than wolves at evening.{*2} And in all directions its riders spread, and its riders approach from a distance; they fly forward like an eagle darting in to eat. The whole [nation] comes intent on violence. Its breathless desire faces eastward.{*3} (Habakkuk 1:6, 7, 8-9)
This passage depicts the nation of Chaldea through many representative images symbolizing the profanation of truth in worship.
[5] Two entire chapters in Jeremiah (chapters 50, 51) also describe Babylon and Chaldea, and they make it quite clear what each symbolizes: Babylon symbolizes the profanation of heavenly qualities in worship and Chaldea the profanation of spiritual qualities in worship.
These quotations show, then, what Ur of the Chaldeans symbolizes: external worship that has something profane and idolatrous deep inside. The worship of the Chaldeans was actually like this too, as I was permitted to learn from the Chaldeans themselves.{*4}
Footnotes:
{*1} For the points of interpretation of this verse, see notes 1 in 1306:2 (on "this people was not"), 2 in 1306:2 (on the meaning of "tsiyim"), and 3 in 1306:2 (on "spy towers"). [LHC]
{*2} Swedenborg quotes this passage in approximately this form — "Its horses are nimbler than leopards, and its eyes are [nimbler] than wolves at evening" — again in 6534:6 below, and later in his unpublished manuscript, Revelation Explained (Swedenborg 1994-1997a), at 281:11. The next and final two times he quotes it, in Revelation Explained 355:24, 780:8, he replaces the word "eyes," oculi, with the word "keen," acuti, producing a sentence that reads, "Its horses are nimbler than leopards and are keener than wolves at evening." This latter version accords with the original Hebrew, which the former does not. The error was probably due in some way to the fact that oculi and acuti look similar in Swedenborg's handwriting. [LHC]
{*3} The meaning of the Latin of the last sentence (desiderium anhelans facierum ejus orientem versus) is unclear. The Hebrew (מְגַמַּת פְּנֵיהֶם קָָדִימָה [mǝḡammaṯ pǝnêhem qāḏîmā]) is generally considered problematic, and the meaning of the first word, rendered by Swedenborg as desiderium anhelans ("breathless desire"), is uncertain. The difficulty presented by the Hebrew can be seen in the variety of ways in which it has been translated. For example, another Latin version, the Clementine Vulgate (Biblia Sacra [1592] 1822-1824), renders this verse Omnes ad praedam venient, facies eorum ventus urens ("They shall all come to the prey, their faces a burning wind"). The New Revised Standard Version translates it: "They all come for violence, with faces pressing forward." [LHC, RS, SS]
{*4} Swedenborg does not elsewhere report actual exchanges with Chaldeans in the spiritual world, though he does describe learning about the meaning of Chaldea through "living experiences" in Spiritual Experiences (Swedenborg 1978) 4842. [LSW]
Potts(1905-1910) 1368
1368. That by "Ur of the Chaldees" is signified external worship in which there are falsities, is evident from the signification in the Word of "the Chaldeans." It has been shown above, at verse 9, that by "Babel" is signified worship in which interiorly there are evils; but by "Chaldea" is signified worship in which interiorly there are falsities. Consequently by "Babel" is signified worship in which there is inwardly nothing of good; and by "Chaldea," worship in which there is inwardly nothing of truth. Worship in which there is inwardly nothing good and nothing true, is a worship wherein there is interiorly what is profane and idolatrous. That such worship is signified in the Word by "Chaldea," may be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people is no more; Asshur founded it in Ziim; they shall set up the watchtowers thereof, they shall raise up her palaces; he shall make it a ruin (Isa. 23:13). "The land of the Chaldeans which is not a people," denotes falsities; "Asshur founded it," denotes reasonings; "the watchtowers," phantasies. Again:
Thus hath said Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have thrown down the bars, all of them, and the Chaldeans in whose ships is a cry (Isa. 43:14). "Babylon" denotes worship in which inwardly there is evil; "the Chaldeans," worship in which inwardly there is falsity; the "ships" are knowledges of truth which are corrupted. [2] Again: Sit thou silent and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for they shall no more call thee the lady of kingdoms. I was wroth with My people, I profaned My inheritance, and gave them into thy hand; these two things shall come to thee suddenly in one day, the loss of children and widowhood together; to the full shall they come upon thee, because of the multitude of thy sorceries, and because of the greatness of thine enchantments (Isa. 47:5-6, 9). Here it is evident that "Chaldea" is the profanation of truth, and is called "sorceries" and "enchantments." Again:
Go ye forth out of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans (Isa. 48:20);
that is, from the profanation of good and of truth in worship. In Ezekiel:
Cause Jerusalem to know her abominations; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite; thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt; thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur; hence thou hast multiplied thy whoredom even into the land of Chaldea (Ezek. 16:2-3, 26, 28-29). This is said specifically of the Jewish Church; "the Sons of Egypt" denote memory-knowledges; "the sons of Assyria," reasonings; "the land of Chaldea into which she multiplied her whoredom," the profanation of truth. That countries are not meant by Egypt, Assyria, and Chaldea, and that no other whoredom is spoken of, may be seen by anyone. [3] Again: Oholah hath committed whoredom, and hath doted on her lovers the Assyrians, her neighbors; and she hath not forsaken her whoredoms from Egypt; she hath added to her whoredoms; and she saw men, it was portrayed upon the wall, images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion, girded with girdles upon their loins, dyed turbans hanging down on their heads, all of them leaders to look upon, the likeness of the sons of Babylon, of the Chaldeans, the land of their nativity. As soon as she saw them she loved them lewdly, and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea; the sons of Babylon polluted her by their whoredoms (Ezek. 23:5, 8, 14-17). Here the Chaldeans are called "sons of Babylon," and denote truths profaned in worship. "Oholah" denotes the spiritual church, which is called Samaria.
[4] In Habakkuk:
I stir up the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadths of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs, a horrible and a terrible one, and from itself doth its judgment and its exaltation go forth; whose horses are swifter than leopards, and keener* than the evening wolves; and the horsemen thereof spread themselves, yea, the horsemen thereof come from afar; they fly as an eagle that hasteth to devour; wholly doth it come for violence; the panting desire of its faces is toward the east (Hab. 1:6-9). The Chaldean nation is here described by many representatives that are significant of the profanations of truth in worship. [5] Moreover, Babylon and Chaldea are described in two entire chapters in Jeremiah (chapters 50 and 51), where what is signified by each is plainly evident, namely, by Babylon the profanation of celestial things, and by Chaldea the profanation of spiritual things, in worship. From all this therefore it is evident what is signified by "Ur of the Chaldees," namely, external worship in which there is inwardly profane idolatry. Moreover it has been permitted that I should be instructed by themselves that such was the character of their worship. * The Latin has oculi, a manifest misprint for acuti Vide Schmidius in loco.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1368
1368. That 'Ur of the Chaldeans' means external worship containing falsities is clear from the meaning of 'the Chaldeans' in the Word. At verse 9 above it has been shown that 'Babel' means worship which interiorly contains evils, whereas 'Chaldea' means worship which interiorly contains falsities. Consequently Babel means worship which inwardly contains no trace of good and Chaldea worship which inwardly contains no trace of truth. Worship which inwardly contains no trace of good and no trace of truth is worship which interiorly contains what is unholy and idolatrous. That such worship is meant in the Word by 'Chaldea' becomes clear from the following places: In Isaiah,
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans! This people is not. Asshur founded her in the tziim. They will erect their watch-towers, they will raise up her palaces; he will make her into a ruin. Isa 23:13.
'The land of the Chaldeans who are not a people' stands for falsities, 'Asshur founded' for reasonings, 'watch-towers' for delusions. In the same prophet,
Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, For your sake I have sent into Babel and have broken down all the bars, and the Chaldeans in whose ships there is shouting. Isa 43:14.
'Babel' stands for worship which interiorly contains evil, 'the Chaldeans' for worship which interiorly contains falsity. 'Ships' means cognitions of truth that have been perverted.
[2] In the same prophet,
sit in silence and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans, for no more will they call you the mistress of kingdoms. I was angry with My people, I rendered My heritage unholy, and I gave them into your hand These two things will come to you suddenly in one day - loss of children and widowhood. In full measure they will come upon you on account of the multitude of your sorceries, and on account of the greatness of your enchantments. Isa 47:5, 6, 9.
Here it is evident that 'Chaldea' means profanation of truth and is called 'sorceries and enchantments'. In the same prophet,
Go away out of Babel, flee from the Chaldeans. Isa 48:20.
This stands for flight from profaning good and truth in worship. In Ezekiel,
Make known to Jerusalem her abominations; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. You committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt. You committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur. Hence you multiplied your whoredom even into the land of Chaldea. Ezek 16:2, 3, 26, 28, 29.
This refers to the Jewish Church in particular. 'The sons of Egypt' stands for facts, 'the sons of Asshur' for reasonings, 'the land of Chaldea into which it multiplied its whoredom' for the profanation of truth.
Anyone may see that Egypt, Asshur, and Chaldea are not used to mean countries, and that no other kind of whoredom is being referred to.
[3] In the same prophet,
Oholah committed whoredom and doted on her lovers, the Assyrians her neighbours. And she did not give up her acts of whoredom brought from Egypt. She added to her acts of whoredom. And she saw men; it was portrayed on the wall, images of the Chaldeans painted in vermilion, girded with belts on their loins, with dyed Rowing turbans on their heads, all of them leaders in appearance, the likeness of the sons of Babel, the Chaldeans, the land of their nativity. She loved them passionately as soon as she set eyes on them and she sent messengers to them in Chaldea. The sons of Babel defiled her by means of their acts of whoredom. Ezek 23:5, 8, 14-17.
Here 'the Chaldeans', called 'the sons of Babel', stands for truths that have been profaned in worship. 'Oholah' stands for the spiritual Church which is called 'Samaria'.a
In Habakkuk,
I am rousing the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation, marching into the breadths of the earth, to possess habitations that are not its own. A dreadful and terrible nation; and from itself proceeds its judgement and its pride. Its horses are swifter than leopards, and sharper than the evening wolves. Its horsemen spread out, and its horsemen come from afar They fly in like an eagle hastening to devour. The whole [nation] comes for violence; the panting desire of its faceb is set towards the east. Hab 1:6, 9.
Here the Chaldean nation is described by means of many representatives meaning the circumstances in which truth is profaned in worship.
A further description of Babel and Chaldea is given in two whole chapters - in Jer. 50 and 51 - where it is plainly evident what they both mean. There Babel plainly means in worship the profanation of celestial things and Chaldea the profanation of spiritual things. From these considerations it is now clear what is meant by 'Ur of the Chaldeans', that it is external worship which interiorly contains what is unholy and idolatrous. I have also been allowed to learn from these people themselves that their worship was such.
Latin(1748-1756) 1368
1368. Quod per 'Ur Chaldaeorum' significetur cultus externus in quo falsa, constat ex significatione 'Chaldaeorum' in Verbo: ostensum est supra ad vers. 9 quod per 'Babelem' significetur cultus in quo interius sunt mala, per 'Chaldaeam' autem significatur cultus in quo interius sunt falsa; proinde per Babelem significatur cultus in quo intus nihil boni et per Chaldaeam cultus in quo intus nihil veri; cultus in quo intus nihil bonum et nihil verum, est cultus in quo interius est profanum et idololatricum; quod talis cultus in Verbo per 'Chaldaem significetur, constare potest ab his locis; apud Esaiam, En terra Chaldaeorum, is populus non est, Asshur fundavit eam in {1}ziim; erigent speculatorias turres suas, excitabunt palatia sua; ponet eam in ruinam, xxiii 13;'terra Chaldaeorum qui non populus' pro falsis, 'Asshur fundavit' pro quod ratiocinia, 'speculatoriae turres' pro phantasiis: apud eundem, Sic dixit Jehovah, Redemptor vester, Sanctus Israeli Propter vos misi in Babelem, et dejecti vectes omnes eos, et Chaldaeos, quorum in navibus clamor, xliii (x)14;
'Babel' pro cultu in quo interius malum, 'Chaldaei' pro cultu in quia interius falsum, 'naves' sunt cognitiones veri quae corruptae: [2] apud eundem, Sede tacita, et intra in tenebras, filia Chaldaeorum; quia non addes, vocent te dominam regnorum; succensui populo Meo, profanavi hereditatem Meam, et dedi eos in manum tuam; venient tibi duo ista subito in die uno, {2}una orbitas et viduitas; ad plenum venient super te propter multitudinem praestigiarum tuarum, et propter magnitudinem incantationum tuarum, xlvii 5, 6, 9;
hic patet quod 'Chaldaea' sit profanatio veri, et vocatur 'praestigiae et incantationes: apud eundem, Exite e Babele, fugite e Chaldaeis, xlviii 20;
pro e profanatione boni et veri in cultu: apud Ezechielem, Notas fac Hierosolymae abominationes ejus;...pater tuus Emoraeus, et mater tua Hittaea;...scortata es cum filiis Aegypti;...scortata es cum filiis Asshuris;...hinc multi- plicasti scortationem tuam...usque in terram Chaldaeam, xvi 2, 3, 26, 28, 29;
de Ecclesia Judaica in specie; 'filii Aegypti' pro scientificis, 'filii Asshuris' pro ratiociniis, 'terra Chaldaea, ad quam multiplicavit scortationem' pro profanatione veri; quod per 'Aegyptum, Asshurem et Chaldaeam' non intelligantur terrae et quod non de alia scortatione, quisque videre potest: [3] apud eundem, Scortata est Oholah, et dilexit super amasios, Assyrios propinquos, et scortationes suas ex Aegypto non deseruit, ...addidit ad scortationes suas; et vidit viros, depictum super pariete, imagines Chaldaeorum, pictas minio, cinctas cingulis in lumbis suis, tiaras pendulas tinctas in capitibus suis, aspectus ducum omnes, similitudo filiorum Babelis, Chaldaeorum, terra nativitatis eorum, libidinose amavit eos ad aspectum oculorum suorum, et misit nuntios ad eos in Chaldaeam;...filii Babelis polluerunt eam per scortationes suas, xxiii 5, 8, 14-17;
ubi 'Chaldaei vocantur filii Babelis' pro veris profanatis in cultu; 'Oholah' pro Ecclesia spirituali quae vocatur {3}Samaria: [4] apud Habakkuk, Ego excitans Chaldaeos, gentem amaram et festinam, pergentem in latitudines terrae, ad possidendum habitacula non sibi; horribilis et terribilis, et ex seipsa judicium ejus et exaltatio ejus exit; cujus leves sunt prae pardis equi, et {4}acuti sunt prae lupis vesperae; et diffundunt se equites ejus, et equites ejus e longinquo adveniunt; advolant sicut aquila festinans ad comedendum; tota ad violentiam venit; desiderium anhelans facierum ejus orientem versus, i 6, [7,] 8, 9;
describitur hic gens Chaldaea per repraesentativa multa significantia profanationes veri in cultu. [5] Praeterea describitur Babel et Chaldaea in binis capitibus integris apud Jer. cap. 1 et cap. li; ubi patet manifeste quid per utramque significetur, quod nempe per 'Babelem' profanatio caelestium et per 'Chaldaeam' profanatio spiritualium, in cultu. Ex his nunc constat quia per 'Ur Chaldaeorum' significatur, quod cultus externus in quo interius profanum idololatricum: quod talis eorum cultus fuerit, etiam datum est instrui ab ipsis. @1 See footnote, page 546.$ @2 una is possibly a printer's mistaken interpolation, Heb. has no equivalent.$ @3 See v. 4, Samaria est Oholah.$ @4 As A.E. 281,355,780. I has oculi.$