Arcana Coelestia # 10614
10614. 'And Jehovah descended in the cloud and stood with him there' means the outward form that the Word takes, in which the Divine is present. This is clear from the meaning of 'the cloud' as the literal and so the outward sense of the Word, dealt with in the Preface to Genesis 18, and 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343(end), 6752, 8106, 8781, 9430, 10574; and from the meaning of 'standing with Moses there', when it refers to what Jehovah did, as the Divine present within it. The reason why Jehovah appeared to Moses in the cloud is that in the present chapter Moses represents the outward form taken by the Word that is receptive of what is inward, see above in 10607; for the Lord appears to everyone in a way suited to the kind of person he is, 6832, 8814, 8819, 9434, 10551.
[2] Something brief must be stated here to explain what an outward form receptive of that which is inward is, and what an outward form unreceptive of that which is inward is. Within the Word there is an outward sense, there is an inward sense, and there is an inmost sense. The nature of the Word in its outward sense is as it is seen to be in the literal statements. This sense is natural because it is suited to what people in the world can grasp, for people here think on a natural level. The Word in its inward sense however is spiritual because it is suited to the understanding of angels in the Lord's spiritual kingdom; for the angels there think on a spiritual level. But the Word in its inmost sense is celestial because it is suited to the perception of angels in the Lord's celestial kingdom; for the angels there think on a level above the spiritual. Since the Word is like this it follows that one exists within another in the same order - the inmost within the inward, and the inward within the outward. As a result of this all things are connected together, and influx takes place in conformity with that connection; and they also derive their ongoing existence one from another. From all this it is evident that the inner things exist in order within what is outward in much the same way as what is prior exists within what is posterior, sequentially, or as the end exists within the cause and the cause within the effect, or - in the case of the human being - as the will exists within thought and thought within speech.
[3] When therefore the character of a person is such that in his own mind he sees the holiness within the external things of the Word, the Church, and worship, then in his case the outward form taken by these contains that which is inward; for that holiness comes from an inward source since it originates in heaven. This outward form is the one that Moses represents. But when the character of a person is such that he sees none of the holiness within the external things of the Word, the Church, and worship, then in his case the outward form is separated from what is inward, as it was with the Israelite nation, see 10396 (end).
Genesis 18
1
Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
2
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
3
and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don't go away from your servant.
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Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5
I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant." They said, "Very well, do as you have said."
6
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly prepare three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes."
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Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
8
He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9
They asked him, "Where is Sarah, your wife?" He said, "See, in the tent."
10
He said, "I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
11
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12
Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"
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Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?'
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Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son."
15
Then Sarah denied, saying, "I didn't laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."
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The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
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Yahweh said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
18
since Abraham has surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
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For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him."
20
Yahweh said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
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I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know."
22
The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh.
23
Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?
24
What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
25
Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn't the Judge of all the earth do right?"
26
Yahweh said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."
27
Abraham answered, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.
28
What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?" He said, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."
29
He spoke to him yet again, and said, "What if there are forty found there?" He said, "I will not do it for the forty's sake."
30
He said, "Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?" He said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."
31
He said, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake."
32
He said, "Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake."
33
Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
