Spiritual Meaning of Birth

Spiritual Meaning of

Birth

The signification of bringing forth and of birth. In the internal sense of the Word none but spiritual and celestial things are signified; on which account where mention is made of conception or of conceiving; of bearing or of bringing forth; of birth or of being born; of generation or of generating, as well as of those who beget, as father and mother; and of those who are begotten, as sons and daughters, all these are meant in none but a spiritual sense, for in itself the Word is spiritual and celestial; and such is the case here in regard to bringing forth, by which is signified fruitfulness in respect to the things of doctrine.

[2] That in the Word birth means no other kind of birth than this, is evident from the passages that follow. In Samuel:--

The full have hired out themselves for bread, and the hungry have ceased, until the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children hath languished; Jehovah killeth and maketh alive. He causeth to go down into hell, and bringeth up (1 Sam. 2:5, 6).

In Jeremiah:--

She that hath borne seven languisheth, she breatheth out her soul; her sun is gone down while it is yet day (Jeremiah 15:9).

In Isaiah:--

Sing, O barren, that did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, that did not travail with child; for more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married wife, saith Jehovah (Isaiah 54:1).

In David:--

The voice of Jehovah maketh the hinds to calve, and strippeth the forests and in His temple every one speaketh glory (Ps. 29:9).

In Isaiah:--

Blush O Zidon, for the sea hath spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, nor brought forth, neither have I brought up young men, nor caused maids to grow up as with the report of Egypt, they shall travail according to the report of Tyre (Isaiah 23:4, 5).

In the same:--

Before she travailed she brought forth, and before her pain came she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Does the earth travail in one day, and shall I not cause to bring forth? saith Jehovah shall I cause to bring forth, and close up? said thy God (Isaiah 66:7-9).

In Jeremiah:--

Ask I pray and see whether a man bringeth forth; wherefore have I seen every man with his hands on his loins, as one that bringeth forth (Jeremiah 30:6).

In Ezekiel:--

I will set a fire in Egypt, and Sin travailing shall travail, and No may be... (Ezekiel 30:16).

In Hosea:--

Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from conception (Hosea 9:11).

In the same:--

The pains of one that travaileth came upon Ephraim; he is an unwise son, for at the time he will not stand in the place of the breaking forth of sons (Hosea 13:13).

In John:--

A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars and she being with child cried, travailing, and pained to bring forth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, that when she brought forth her son, he might devour him. And she brought forth a man child, who was to pasture all nations with a rod of iron; but the child was caught up unto God and to His throne (Rev. 12:1-5).

from AC 2583

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Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.