Doctrine of Holy Scripture - Swedenborg Foundation

DOCTRINE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 162horse, chariot, mighty man, and every man of war. So in athousand other passages in the prophets.16. Without the spiritual sense no one would know why theprophet Jeremiah was commandedTo buy himself a girdle, and put it on his loins; and not to draw it throughthe waters, but to hide it in a hole of the rock by Euphrates (Jer. 13:1–7).Or why the prophet Isaiah was commandedTo loose the sackcloth from off his loins, and put the shoe from off hisfoot, and go naked and barefoot three years (Isa. 20:2–3).Or why the prophet Ezekiel was commandedTo pass a razor upon his head and upon his beard, and afterwards to dividethe hairs, and burn a third part in the midst of the city, smite a third partwith the sword, scatter a third part in the wind, and bind a few of them in hisskirts, and at last throw them into the midst of the fire (Ezek. 5:1–4).Or why the same prophet was commandedTo lie upon his left side three hundred and ninety days, and upon his rightside forty days, and to make himself a cake of wheat, and barley, and millet,and spelt, with the dung of an ox, and eat it; and in the meantime to raise arampart and a mound against Jerusalem, and besiege it (Ezek. 4:1–15).Or why the prophet Hosea was twice commandedTo take to himself a harlot to wife (Hos. 1:2–9; 3:2–3).And many like things. Moreover, without the spiritual sense whowould know what is signified by all the things pertaining to thetabernacle, such as the ark, the mercy-seat, cherubim, lampstand,altar of incense, the bread of faces on the table, and its veils andcurtains? Who without the spiritual sense would know what issignified by Aaron’s garments of holiness, by his coat, cloak, ephod,urim and thummim, miter, and other things? Who without the