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創世記 24

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1 亞伯拉罕年紀老邁,向在一切事上耶和華都賜福給他。

2 亞伯拉罕對管理他全業最老的僕人:請你把放在我大腿

3 我要叫你指著耶和華起誓,不要為我兒子娶這迦南中的女子為妻。

4 你要往我本本族去,為我的兒子以撒娶一個妻子

5 僕人對他:倘若女子不肯跟我到這方來,我必須將你的兒子帶回你原出之麼?

6 亞伯拉罕對他:你要謹慎,不要帶我的兒子回那裡去。

7 耶和華上的曾帶領我離開父家和本族的,對我說話,向我起誓:我要將這你的後裔。他必差遣使者在你面前,你就可以從那裡為我兒子娶一個妻子

8 倘若女子不肯跟你來,我使你起的誓就與你無干了,只是不可帶我的兒子回那裡去。

9 僕人就把放在他亞伯拉罕的大腿,為這事向他起誓。

10 僕人從他人的駱駝裡取了駱駝,並帶些他人各樣的財物,起身往米所波大米去,到了拿鶴的城。

11 天將晚,眾女子出來打的時候,他便叫駱駝跪在城外的那裡。

12 耶和華─我亞伯拉罕的阿,求你施恩給我亞伯拉罕,使我今日遇見好機會。

13 我現今站在井旁,城內居民的女子們正出來打

14 我向那一個女子:請你拿下水瓶來,給我水,他若:請!我也給你的駱駝,願那女子就作你所預定給你僕人以撒的妻。這樣,我便知道你施恩給我人了。

15 話還沒有說完,不料,利百加肩頭上扛著水瓶出來。利百加是彼土利所生的;彼土利是亞伯拉罕兄弟拿鶴妻子密迦的兒子

16 那女子容貌極其俊美,還是處女,也未曾有親近他。他到井旁,打滿了瓶,又上來。

17 僕人跑上前去迎著他,:求你將瓶裡的給我一點喝。

18 女子:我!就急忙拿瓶來,托在上給他

19 女子給他了,就:我再為你的駱駝打水,叫駱駝足。

20 他就急忙把瓶裡的水倒在裡,又跑到旁打水,就為所有的駱駝打上水來。

21 定睛看他,一句話也不,要曉得耶和華賜他通達的道路沒有。

22 駱駝足了,那就拿一個環,重半舍客勒,兩個鐲,重舍客勒,給了那女子,

23 :請告訴我,你是誰的女兒?你父親家裡有我們住宿的地方沒有?

24 女子:我是密迦與拿鶴之子彼土利的女兒;

25 我們家裡足有糧,也有住宿的地方

26 就低頭向耶和華下拜,

27 耶和華─我亞伯拉罕的是應當稱頌的,因他不斷地以慈愛誠實待我人。至於我,耶和華上引領我,直走到我人的兄弟家裡。

28 女子跑回去,照著這些告訴他母親和他家裡的人。

29 利百加有一個哥哥,名叫拉班,看見金環,又看見金鐲在他妹子的手上,並聽見他妹子利百加的話,說那對我如此如此說。拉班就跑出來往井旁去,到那跟前,見他仍站在駱駝旁邊的井旁那裡,

30 a

31 便對他:你這蒙耶和華賜福的,請進,為甚麼站在外邊?我已經收拾了房屋,也為駱駝預備了地方

32 就進了拉班的家。拉班卸了駱駝,用料餵上,拿和跟隨的

33 把飯擺在他面前,叫他,他卻:我不,等我明白我的事情再。拉班:請

34 :我是亞伯拉罕的僕人

35 耶和華大大地賜福人,使他昌大,又賜羊群牛群、僕婢、駱駝,和

36 人的妻子撒拉年老的時候人生了一個兒子;我人也將一切所有的都了這個兒子

37 人叫我起誓說:你不要為我兒子娶迦南的女子為妻。

38 你要往我父家、我本族那裡去,為我的兒子娶一個妻子

39 我對我:恐怕女子不肯跟我來。

40 他就:我所事奉的耶和華必要差遣他的使者與你同去,叫你的道路通達,你就得以在我父家、我本族那裡,給我的兒子娶一個妻子

41 只要你到了我本族那裡,我使你起的誓就與你無干。他們若不把女子交你,我使你起的誓也與你無干。

42 我今日到了井旁,便耶和華─我亞伯拉罕的阿,願你叫我所行的道路通達。

43 我如今站在井旁,對那一個出來打的女子:請你把你瓶裡的給我一點喝;

44 他若:你只管,我也為你的駱駝打水;願那女子就作耶和華給我兒子所預定的妻。

45 裡的話還沒有完,利百加就出來,肩頭上扛著水瓶,到井旁打水。我便對他:請你給我水喝。

46 他就急忙從肩頭上拿瓶來,:請!我也給你的駱駝。我便了;他又給我的駱駝了。

47 我問他:你是誰的女兒?他:我是密迦與拿鶴之子彼土利的女兒。我就把環子戴在他鼻子上,把鐲子戴在他兩上。

48 隨後我低頭向耶和華下拜,稱頌耶和華─我亞伯拉罕的;因為他引導我走合式的道路,使我得著我兄弟的孫女,給我人的兒子為妻。

49 現在你們若願以慈愛誠實待我人,就告訴我;若不然,也告訴我,使我可以或向左,或向右。

50 拉班和彼土利回答:這事乃出於耶和華我們不能向你歹。

51 看哪,利百加在你面前,可以將他帶去,照著耶和華的,給你人的兒子為妻。

52 亞伯拉罕的僕人見他們這,就向耶和華俯伏在

53 當下僕人拿出器、器,和衣服利百加,又將寶物送哥哥和他母親

54 僕人和跟從他的人吃了了,住了一夜。早晨起來,僕人就:請打發我回我人那裡去罷。

55 利百加的哥哥和他母親:讓女子同我們,至少十,然他可以去。

56 僕人耶和華既賜給我通達的道路,你們不要耽誤我,請打發我走,回我人那裡去罷。

57 他們我們把女子來問問他,

58 了利百加來,問他:你和這同去麼?利百加:我去。

59 於是他們打發妹子利百加和他的母,同亞伯拉罕的僕人,並跟從僕人的,都走了。

60 他們就給利百加祝福:我們的妹子阿,願你作萬人的母!願你的後裔得著仇敵的城

61 利百加和他的使女們起來,駱駝,跟著那僕人僕人就帶著利百加走了。

62 那時,以撒,剛從庇耳•拉海•萊回

63 天將晚,以撒在田間默想,舉目一,見來了駱駝

64 利百加舉目以撒,就急忙下了駱駝

65 問那僕人:這田間走來迎接我們的是誰?僕人:是我的。利百加就拿帕子蒙上臉。

66 僕人就將所辦的一切事都告訴以撒

67 以撒便領利百加進了他母親撒拉的帳棚,娶了他為妻,並且他。以撒自從他母親不在了,這才得了安慰

   

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Arcana Coelestia #1992

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1992. 'I am God Shaddai' means, in the sense of the letter, the name of Abram's God, by means of which the Lord was represented before them at first. This is clear from references in the Word to Abram and his father's house worshipping other gods. Surviving in Syria, where Abram came from, there were remnants of the Ancient Church, and many families there retained its worship, as is clear in the case of Eber who came from those parts and from whom the Hebrew nation descended. They likewise retained the name Jehovah, as is evident from what has been shown in Volume One, in 1343, and from Balaam, who also came from Syria, and who offered sacrifices and called his God Jehovah. That he came from Syria is indicated in Numbers 23:7; that he offered sacrifices, in Numbers 22:39-40; 23:1-3, 14, 29; and that he called his God Jehovah, in Numbers 2:8, 13, 18, 31; 23:8, 12, 16.

[2] But in the case of the house of Terah, Abram and Nahor's father, this was not so. That house was one of the gentile families there which had not only lost the name of Jehovah but also served other gods; and instead of Jehovah they worshipped Shaddai, whom they called their own god. The fact that they had lost the name of Jehovah is clear from the places quoted in Volume One, in 1343; and the fact that they served other gods is explicitly stated in Joshua,

Joshua said to all the people, Thus said Jehovah, the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt of old beyond the River, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. Now fear Jehovah, and serve Him in sincerity and truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve Jehovah. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve Jehovah, choose this day whom you are to serve, whether the gods which your fathers served who were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites. Joshua 24:2, 14-15.

The fact that Nahor as well, Abram's brother, and the nation that descended from him, served other gods is also clear from Laban the Syrian, who lived in the city of Nahor and worshipped the images or teraphim which Rachel stole, Genesis 24:10; 31:19, 30, 32, 34 - see what has been stated in Volume One, in 1356. That instead of Jehovah they worshipped Shaddai, whom they called their god, is plainly stated in Moses,

I, Jehovah, appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Shaddai, and by My name Jehovah I was not known to them. Exodus 6:2-3.

[3] These references show what Abram was by disposition in his younger days, namely an idolater like other gentiles, and that even up to and during the time he was in the land of Canaan he had not cast the god Shaddai away from his mind; and this accounts for the declaration here, 'I am God Shaddai', which in the sense of the letter means the name of Abram's god. And from Exodus 6:2-3, that has just been quoted, it is evident that it was by this name that the Lord was first represented before them - before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

[4] The reason the Lord was willing to be represented before them first of all through the name Shaddai is that the Lord is never willing to destroy quickly, still less immediately, the worship implanted in someone since earliest childhood. He is unwilling to destroy it because it would be an uprooting and so a destroying of the deeply implanted feeling for what is holy which is expressed in adoration and worship, a feeling which the Lord never crushes but bends. The holiness which is expressed in worship and has been inrooted since earliest childhood is such that it does not respond to violence but to gentle and kindly bending. The same applies to gentiles who during their lifetime have worshipped idols and yet have led charitable lives one with another. Because the holiness expressed in their worship has been inrooted since earliest childhood it is not removed all of a sudden in the next life but gradually. For people who have led charitable lives one with another are able to have implanted in them without difficulty the goods and truths of faith; these they subsequently receive with joy, charity being the soil itself. This is what happened in the case of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that is to say, the Lord allowed them to retain the name God Shaddai; indeed He went so far as to speak of Himself as God Shaddai, which He did because of what that name meant.

[5] Some translators render Shaddai as the Almighty, others as the Thunderbolt-hurler. But strictly speaking it means the Tempter, and the One who does good following temptations, as is clear in Job who, because he suffered many temptations, mentions Shaddai so many times, such as the following places in his book make clear,

Behold, blessed is the man whom God reproves; and despise not the chastening of Shaddai. Job 5:17.

The arrows of Shaddai are with me, the terrors of God are arrayed against me. Job 6:4.

He will forsake the fear of Shaddai. Job 6:14.

I will speak to Shaddai, and I desire to dispute with God. Job 13:3.

He has stretched forth his hand against God, and emboldens himself against Shaddai. Job 15:25.

His eyes will see his destruction and he will drink of the wrath of Shaddai. Job 21:20.

As for Shaddai, you will not find him. He is great in power and judgement, and in the abundance of righteousness. He will not afflict. Job 37:23.

Also in Joel,

Alas for the day! For the day of Jehovah is near, and as destruction from Shaddai will it come. Joel 1:15.

This becomes clear also from the actual word Shaddai, which means vastation, thus temptation, for temptation is a variety of vastation. But because the name had its origins among the nations in Syria, he is not called Elohim Shaddai but El Shaddai; and in Job he is called simply Shaddai, with El, or God, mentioned separately.

[6] Because comfort follows temptations people also attributed the good that comes out of temptations to the same Shaddai, as in Job 22:17, 23, 25-26; and they also attributed to him the understanding of truth which resulted from those temptations, 32:8; 33:4. And because in this way he was regarded as a god of truth, for vastation, temptation, chastisement, and reproving belong in no way to good but to truth, and because the Lord was represented by means of it before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the name was retained even among the Prophets. But with the latter Shaddai was used to mean truth, as in Ezekiel,

I heard the sound of the cherubs' wings, like the sound of many waters, like the sound of Shaddai as they were coming, a sound of tumult, like the sound of a camp. Ezekiel 1:24.

In the same prophet,

The court was full of the brightness of the glory of Jehovah, and the sound of the wings of the cherubs was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of the god Shaddai when he speaks. Ezekiel 10:4-5.

Here Jehovah stands for good, Shaddai for truth. 'Wings' likewise in the Word means in the internal sense things that are matters of truth.

[7] Isaac and Jacob too used the name God Shaddai in a similar way, namely as one who tempts, rescues from temptation, and after that does good to them. Isaac addressed his son Jacob when he was about to flee on account of Esau,

God Shaddai bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you. Genesis 28:3.

Jacob addressed his sons when they were about to journey into Egypt to buy grain and were so greatly afraid of Joseph,

May God Shaddai grant you mercy before the man, and may He send back with you your other brother and Benjamin. Genesis 43:14.

Jacob, by now Israel, when blessing Joseph, who had experienced the evils of temptation more than his brothers and had been released from them, declared,

By the God of your father, and He will help you; and with Shaddai, and He will bless you. Genesis 49:25.

This then explains why the Lord was willing to be represented at first as God Shaddai whom Abram worshipped when He declared,

I am God Shaddai.

And later on He referred to Himself in a similar way before Jacob, I am God Shaddai; be fruitful and multiply. Genesis 35:11.

And a further reason is that the subject of the internal sense in what has gone before has been temptations.

[8] The worship of Shaddai with them had its origin, as it did with a certain nation which in the Lord's Divine mercy will be described later on, and also with those who belonged to the Ancient Church, in the fact that quite often they heard spirits who reproached them and who also afterwards consoled them. The spirits who reproached them were perceived as being on the left side below the arm; at the same time angels were present from the head who overruled the spirits and toned down the reproaching. And because they imagined that everything declared to them through the spirits was Divine, they called the reproaching spirit Shaddai. And because he also afterwards gave consolation they called him God Shaddai. Since they had no understanding of the internal sense of the Word, people in those days, including the Jews, possessed that kind of religion in which they imagined that all evil and so all temptation came from God just as all good and thus all comfort did. But that in actual fact this is not at all the case, see Volume One, in 245, 592, 696, 1093, 1874, 1875.

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