Die Bibel

 

Postanak 26

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1 U zemlji zavlada glad, različita od prijašnje što je bila za vrijeme Abrahama, pa Izak ode Abimeleku, kralju Filistejaca, u Geraru.

2 Jahve mu se ukaza i reče: "Ne silazi u Egipat: boravi u zemlji koju ću ti označiti.

3 U ovoj se zemlji nastani, ja ću s tobom biti i blagoslivljati te; tebi i tvome potomstvu dat ću sve ove krajeve, da izvršim zakletvu kojom sam se zakleo tvome ocu Abrahamu.

4 Tvoje ću potomstvo umnožiti kao zvijezde na nebesima i tvome ću potomstvu predati sve ove krajeve, tako da će se tvojim potomstvom blagoslivljati svi narodi zemlje;

5 a to zato što je Abraham slušao moj glas i pokoravao se mojim zapovijedima, mojim zakonima i odredbama!"

6 Tako Izak ostane u Geraru.

7 Kad su ga mještani pitali o njegovoj ženi, reče: "Ona mi je sestra." Bojao se reći: "Ona mi je žena", misleći: "Mještani bi me mogli ubiti zbog Rebeke jer je lijepa."

8 Kako su se ondje duže zadržali, kralj Filistejaca Abimelek jednom pogleda kroz prozor i opazi kako Izak miluje svoju ženu Rebeku.

9 Nato Abimelek pozove Izaka te reče: "Tako, ona ti je žena! Kako si mogao reći da ti je sestra?" Izak mu odgovori: "Jer sam mislio da bih zbog nje mogao poginuti."

10 Abimelek reče: "Zašto si nam to učinio? Umalo netko od ljudi nije legao s tvojom ženom. Tako bi na nas svalio krivnju."

11 Onda Abimelek izda naredbu svemu narodu: "Tko se god dotakne ovog čovjeka i njegove žene, glavu će izgubiti."

12 Izak je sijao u onom kraju i one godine urodilo mu stostruko. Jahve ga blagoslivljao

13 te je čovjek bivao sve bogatiji, dok nije postao vrlo bogat.

14 Stekao je stada ovaca i goveda i mnogu služinčad, tako da su mu Filistejci zavidjeli.

15 Zato Filistejci zasuše sve bunare što su ih sluge njegova oca bile iskopale - u vrijeme njegova oca Abrahama - i napuniše ih zemljom.

16 Onda Abimelek reče Izaku: "Idi od nas jer si postao mnogo moćniji od nas!"

17 Tako Izak ode odande, postavi svoj šator u gerarskoj dolini i nastani se ondje.

18 Izak opet iskopa bunare za vodu što su bili iskopani u vrijeme njegova oca Abrahama, a Filistejci ih bili zasuli poslije Abrahamove smrti. On ih je nazvao istim imenima kojima ih je zvao i njegov otac.

19 Ali kad su Izakove sluge, dok su u dolini kopale, ondje našle bunar sa živom vodom,

20 pastiri iz Gerara posvade se s Izakovim pastirima govoreći: "Naša je voda!" Bunaru je dao ime Esek, jer su se oni s njim svadili.

21 A kad su iskopali drugi bunar te se i zbog njega svađali, nazva ga imenom Sitna.

22 Odatle se preseli pa iskopa drugi bunar. Zbog njega se nisu svađali, pa ga nazove imenom Rehobot i protumači: "Jer nam je Jahve dao prostor da se na zemlji umnožimo."

23 Odande se popne u Beer Šebu.

24 Iste mu se noći ukaže Jahve i reče: "Ja sam Bog oca tvoga Abrahama. Ne boj se, ja sam s tobom! Blagoslovit ću te, potomke ti umnožit, zbog Abrahama, sluge svojega."

25 Izak tu podigne žrtvenik i zazove Jahvu po imenu; postavi ondje svoj šator, a njegove sluge počnu kopati bunar.

26 Uto mu dođe Abimelek iz Gerara sa svojim savjetnikom Ahuzatom i s Fikolom, zapovjednikom vojske.

27 Izak ih upita: "Zašto ste došli k meni kad me mrzite i kad ste me otjerali od sebe?"

28 Oni odgovore: "Jasno vidimo da je Jahve s tobom. Stoga pomislismo: neka zakletva bude veza između nas i tebe. Daj da s tobom sklopimo savez:

29 ti nama nećeš zla nanositi, kao što mi tebe nismo zlostavljali, nego uvijek prema tebi lijepo postupali i s mirom te otpustili. A blagoslov Jahvin bio nad tobom."

30 On im priredi gozbu te su jeli i pili.

31 Rano ujutro jedni se drugima zakunu. Potom ih Izak otpusti i oni od njega odu u miru.

32 Toga istog dana dođu Izakove sluge i obavijeste ga o bunaru što su ga iskopali te mu reknu: "Našli smo vodu."

33 On ga prozva Šiba. Zato je ime onom gradu do danas - Beer Šeba.

34 Kad je Ezavu bilo četrdeset godina, uzme za ženu Juditu, kćer Hetita Beerija, i Basematu, kćer Hetita Elona.

35 One postadoše izvor ogorčenja Izaku i Rebeki.

   

Aus Swedenborgs Werken

 

Arcana Coelestia #9430

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9430. 'And the cloud covered it' means the lowest level of the Word, which is obscure, comparatively so. This is clear from the meaning of 'the cloud' as the lowest level of the Word or its literal sense, dealt with in the Preface to Genesis 18, and in 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343 (end), 6752, 8106, 8443, 8781. The reason why that sense is called 'the cloud' is that it lies in obscurity, compared with the inward sense; for the inward sense dwells in the light of heaven. The outward lies in obscurity and resembles a cloud because it is intended for a person while in the world, whereas the inward sense is intended for a person when he enters heaven. But it should be recognized that while a person is in the world he is at the same time guided by the inward sense of the Word if in faith and life he is guided by teachings of the Church which are authentic. For through those teachings the inward sense of the Word is inscribed at that time on both his understanding and his will, on his understanding through the faith he has and on his will through the life he leads. When such a person enters heaven he understands the Word solely according to its inward sense and ceases to know anything of its outward sense. This now seems to him to be like a cloud that swallows up rays of light it receives.

[2] The person now understands the Word, as has been said, according to its inward and not according to its outward sense. This is so because the Lord uses God's truth present with people in the world, which is the Word, to teach all who are in heaven, the reason for this being that those people live on the lowest level of order, and everything on interior levels ends in the lowest. The lowest is so to speak the support for the interior levels, which stand and rest on it. The Word in the letter is Divine Truth on the lowest level of order, in the same way as the natural and sensory level is the lowest level of order in members of the Church with whom Divine Truth is present. On this lowest level in them, as on that of the Word, interior levels terminate and rest. All this is like a house and its foundations. The actual house is heaven, and it is also Divine Truth there such as the Word is in its inward sense, while the foundations are the world and also Divine Truth there such as the Word is in its outward sense. Just as the house rests on its foundations, so too heaven rests on the Church, and consequently Divine Truth in heaven on Divine Truth on earth. For through the Word a continuous link exists from the Lord by way of heaven right down to people in the world. This is the reason why the Lord always provides for the existence of a Church on earth, where Divine Truth may exist on its lowest level. This is an arcanum unknown to anyone up to now, an arcanum implied in the matters introduced at 9357, 9360. Let everyone take care therefore not to damage the Word in any way; for those who damage it damage what is indeed Divine.

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

Aus Swedenborgs Werken

 

Arcana Coelestia #6343

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6343. 'You are my might' means that through faith comes the power which good possesses. This is clear from the representation of Reuben, to whom 'you' refers here, as faith in the understanding, referred to immediately above in 6342; and from the meaning of 'might' as the power which good possesses. As regards power - the power to think and will, perceive, do what is good, believe, dispel falsities and evils - it comes wholly from good through truth, good being its primary source and truth merely the channel through which it comes, 3563, 4931, 5623. The reason the power that good possesses is meant is that 'might' means that power, whereas 'strength' means the power of truth. Thus it is that 'the beginning of my strength', which comes next, means the initial power that truth possesses; for the word used in the original language to express 'strength' has reference in the Word to truth, whereas the word used to express 'might' has reference to good.

[2] The fact that the Word is holy, extremely holy in its inner senses, is plainly evident from the consideration that the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of goodness and truth, thus heaven itself, is present within every detail of the Word. In the inmost sense every detail embodies the marriage of the Lord's Divine Human with His kingdom and Church; indeed the theme in the highest sense of all is the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human within the Lord. These extremely holy subjects contained in every detail of the Word are a plain indication that the Word has come down from the Divine. The truth of all this may be recognized from the consideration that where good is spoken of, so too is truth, and where what is internal is spoken of, so too is what is external. Also, there are expressions which always mean good, those which always mean truth, and those which mean both - both good and truth. Or if they do not mean them directly, they are nevertheless used with reference to them or else imply them. And such reference of those expressions to good and truth or their meaning them directly shows that every detail, as has been stated, embodies the marriage of goodness and truth, which is the heavenly marriage, and that the inmost and highest sense holds the Divine marriage which exists in the Lord, thus holds the Lord Himself, within it.

[3] All this reveals itself in every part of the Word, yet not plainly except in those places where the repetition of some matter occurs that is no more than a change of words, as in the present chapter, where Reuben is dealt with,

You are my might, and the beginning of my strength.

Also,

Excelling in eminence and excelling in worth.

Here 'might' is used in reference to good, and 'strength' to truth; 'excelling in eminence' is used in reference to truth, and 'excelling in worth' to good. Likewise in the next verse regarding Reuben,

You went up to your father's bed; at that time you profaned it - he went up to my couch.

Similarly further on, where Simeon and Levi are dealt with,

Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is hard. I will divide them in Jacob, and will scatter them in Israel. Verse 7.

Here 'anger' means a turning away from good and 'wrath' a turning away from truth. 'Jacob' is the external aspect of the Church and 'Israel' the internal aspect of it. Then where Judah is dealt with,

Your brothers will praise you; your father's sons will bow down to you. Verse 8.

Further on,

He binds his young ass to the vine, and the foal of his she-ass to the outstanding vine; he washes his clothing in wine, and his garment in the blood of grapes. Verse 11.

Where Zebulun is dealt with,

He will dwell at the haven of the seas, and he will be at the haven of ships. Verse 13.

Where Dan is dealt with,

He will be a serpent on the road, a darting serpent on the path. Verse 17.

[4] Similar examples occur frequently in the Psalms and among the Prophets, as in Isaiah,

Babel will not be dwelt in ever again, it will not be lived in even from generation to generation. Its time is near and about to come, and its days will not be prolonged. Isaiah 13:20, 22.

In the same prophet,

Search from above in the Book of Jehovah, and read: None of these will be missing, not one will not be left longing for its mate; 1 for He has commanded with His mouth, and His Spirit has gathered them. The Same has cast the lot for them, and His hand has distributed to them by means of a measuring rod. Even for ever they will possess it, from generation to generation they will dwell in it. Isaiah 34:16-17.

More examples may be found in a thousand other places. Anyone who does not know that expressions are used in the Word to mean spiritual and celestial realities, and that some are used to refer to good but others to truth, will inevitably think that such usages are no more than repetitions that serve solely as fillers and so are in themselves meaningless. Thus it is that people who think ill of the Word also add this to the arguments they use in vilifying it. Yet utterly Divine things are concealed within those repetitions; that is to say, the heavenly marriage, which is heaven itself, and the Divine Marriage, which is the Lord Himself, are concealed in them. This [highest] sense is 'the glory' in which the Lord is present, while the literal sense is 'the cloud' in which that glory is present, Matthew 24:30; Luke 21:27. See Preface to Genesis 18, and also 5922.

Fußnoten:

1. literally, not one will be desiring the other

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