Die Bibel

 

Postanak 18

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1 Jahve mu se ukaza kod hrasta Mamre dok je on sjedio na ulazu u šator za dnevne žege.

2 Podigavši oči, opazi tri čovjeka gdje stoje nedaleko od njega. Čim ih spazi, potrča s ulaza šatora njima u susret. Pade ničice na zemlju

3 pa reče: "Gospodine moj, ako sam stekao milost u tvojim očima, nemoj mimoići svoga sluge!

4 Nek' se donese malo vode: operite noge i pod stablom otpočinite.

5 Donijet ću kruha da se okrijepite prije nego pođete dalje. TÓa k svome ste sluzi navratili." Oni odgovore: "Dobro, učini kako si rekao!"

6 Abraham se požuri u šator k Sari pa joj reče: "Brzo! Tri mjerice najboljeg brašna! Zamijesi i prevrtu ispeci!"

7 Zatim Abraham otrča govedima, uhvati tele, mlado i debelo, i dade ga momku da ga brže zgotovi.

8 Poslije uzme masla, mlijeka i zgotovljeno tele pa stavi pred njih, a sam stajaše pred njima, pod stablom, dok su blagovali.

9 "Gdje ti je žena Sara?" - zapitaju ga. "Eno je pod šatorom", odgovori.

10 Onda on reče: "Vratit ću se k tebi kad isteče vrijeme trudnoće; a tvoja žena Sara imat će sina." Iza njega, na ulazu u šator, Sara je prisluškivala.

11 Abraham i Sara bijahu u odmakloj dobi, ostarjeli. U Sare bijaše prestalo što biva u žena.

12 Zato se u sebi Sara smijala i govorila: "Pošto sam uvenula, sad da spoznam nasladu? A još mi je i gospodar star!"

13 Onda Jahve upita Abrahama: "A zašto se Sara smijala i govorila: 'Kako ću rod roditi ja starica?'

14 Zar je Jahvi išta nemoguće? Navratit ću se k tebi kad isteče vrijeme trudnoće: Sara će imati sina."

15 Sara se napravi nevještom govoreći: "Nisam se smijala." Jer se prestrašila. Ali on reče: "Jesi, smijala si se!"

16 Ljudi ustanu i krenu put Sodome. Abraham pođe s njima da ih isprati.

17 Jahve pomisli: "Zar da sakrivam od Abrahama što ću učiniti

18 kad će od Abrahama nastati velik i brojan narod te će se svi narodi zemlje njim blagoslivljati?

19 Njega sam izlučio zato da pouči svoju djecu i svoju buduću obitelj kako će hoditi putem Jahvinim, radeći što je dobro i pravedno, tako da Jahve mogne ostvariti što je Abrahamu obećao."

20 Onda Jahve nastavi: "Velika je vika na Sodomu i Gomoru da je njihov grijeh pretežak.

21 Idem dolje da vidim rade li zaista kako veli tužba što je do mene stigla. Želim razvidjeti."

22 Odande ljudi krenu prema Sodomi, dok je Abraham još stajao pred Jahvom.

23 Nato se Abraham primače bliže i reče: "Hoćeš li iskorijeniti i nevinoga s krivim?

24 Možda ima pedeset nevinih u gradu. Zar ćeš uništiti mjesto radije nego ga poštedjeti zbog pedeset nevinih koji budu ondje?

25 Daleko to bilo od tebe da ubijaš nevinoga kao i krivoga, tako da i nevini i krivi prođu jednako! Daleko bilo od tebe! Zar da ni Sudac svega svijeta ne radi pravo?"

26 "Ako nađem u gradu Sodomi pedeset nevinih", odvrati Jahve, "zbog njih ću poštedjeti cijelo mjesto."

27 "Ja se, evo, usuđujem govoriti Gospodinu", opet progovori Abraham. - "Ja, prah i pepeo!

28 Da slučajno bude nevinih pet manje od pedeset, bi li uništio sav grad zbog tih pet?" "Neću ga uništiti ako ih ondje nađem četrdeset i pet", odgovori.

29 "Ako ih se ondje možda nađe samo četrdeset?" - opet će Abraham. "Neću to učiniti zbog četrdesetorice", odgovori.

30 "Neka se Gospodin ne ljuti ako nastavim. Ako ih se ondje nađe možda samo trideset?" - opet će on. "Neću to učiniti", odgovori, "ako ih ondje nađem samo trideset."

31 "Evo se opet usuđujem govoriti Gospodinu", nastavi dalje. "Ako ih se slučajno ondje nađe samo dvadeset?" "Neću ga uništiti", odgovori, "zbog dvadesetorice."

32 "Neka se Gospodin ne ljuti", on će opet, "ako rečem još samo jednom: Ako ih je slučajno ondje samo deset?" "Neću ga uništiti zbog njih deset", odgovori.

33 Kad je Jahve završio razgovor s Abrahamom, ode, a Abraham se vrati u svoje mjesto.

   

Aus Swedenborgs Werken

 

Arcana Coelestia #2072

studieren Sie diesen Abschnitt

  
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2072. 'And laughed' means the affection for truth. This becomes clear from the origin and essential nature of laughter. In origin it is nothing other than the affection for truth or the affection for falsity, which produces the mirth and pleasure exhibited in the face by means of laughter. This shows that the essential nature of laughter is nothing else. Actually laughter is something external belonging to the body since it belongs to the face; but in the Word interior things are expressed and are-meant by exterior. Just as all interior affections of both areas of mind (animus et mens) are expressed and meant by the face; interior hearing and obedience by the ear; internal sight, which is understanding, by the eye; power and strength by the hand and arm; and so on; so is the affection for truth expressed and meant by laughter.

[2] The principal element in man's rational is truth. Also present in the rational there is the affection for good, but this affection is present within the affection for truth, as the soul within it. The affection for good present within the rational does not express itself in laughter but in a type of joy and a resulting sense of delight which does not laugh. For laughter generally entails something that is not so good. The reason truth is the principal element in the rational man is that the rational is formed by means of cognitions of truth, for there is no other possible way in which anyone can become rational. Cognitions of good are truths just as much as cognitions of truth are truths.

[3] That 'laughter' here means the affection for truth becomes clear from the fact that this verse records Abraham's having laughed, as did Sarah both before Isaac was born and after, and also from the fact that he was given the name Isaac from 'laughter', for the word 'Isaac' means laughter. The fact that Abraham laughed when he heard about Isaac is clear from the present verse, for it is actually stated that when he heard about a son by Sarah he laughed. Sarah's laughing as well before the birth of Isaac when she heard from Jehovah that she was going to give birth is referred to as follows,

When Sarah heard at the tent door Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I have grown old, shall I have the pleasure, and my lord being an old man? And Jehovah said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I in truth bear now I have grown old? Sarah denied it, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And He said, No, but you did laugh. Genesis 18:12-13, 15.

Also later on after Isaac's birth,

Abraham called the name of his son Isaac (laughter). Sarah said, God has made laughter for me; everyone hearing of it will laugh at me. Genesis 21:3, 6.

Unless 'laughing' and the name Isaac, which means laughter, embodied such things these occurrences would never have been mentioned.

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