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Genesis 18

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1 Ja Issand ilmutas ennast temale Mamre tammikus, kui ta istus telgi ukse ees kõige palavamal päevaajal.

2 Ta tõstis oma silmad üles ja vaatas, ja ennäe, kolm meest seisid ta ees. Ja nähes neid, tõttas ta telgi ukse juurest neile vastu ja kummardas maani

3 ning ütles: 'Issand, kui ma sinu silmis armu leian, siis ära mine oma sulasest mööda!

4 Toodagu nüüd pisut vett, peske jalgu ja nõjatuge puu alla!

5 Ma toon palukese leiba, kinnitage südant, enne kui edasi lähete, kui juba kord olete oma sulase kaudu käimas!' Ja nemad vastasid: 'Tee nõnda, nagu sa oled rääkinud!'

6 Ja Aabraham tõttas telki Saara juurde ning ütles: 'Võta ruttu kolm mõõtu nisujahu, sõtku ja tee kooke!'

7 Ja Aabraham jooksis karja juurde, võttis ühe noore ja ilusa vasika, andis poisi kätte ja see tõttas seda valmistama.

8 Ja ta tõi võid, piima ja vasika, mis oli valmistatud, ja pani nende ette; ta ise seisis nende juures puu all, kui nad sõid.

9 Siis nad küsisid temalt: 'Kus su naine Saara on?' Ja ta vastas: 'Seal telgis.'

10 Siis üks neist ütles: 'Ma tulen sinu juurde kindlasti tagasi aasta pärast samal ajal, ja vaata, su naisel Saaral saab olema poeg!' Ja Saara kuulis seda tema selja taga oleva telgi ukse juures.

11 Aga Aabraham ja Saara olid vanad ja elatanud; Saaral oli lakanud olemast ka see, mis muidu naistele on omane.

12 Ja Saara naeris iseeneses ja mõtles: 'Nüüd, kui ma olen vanaks jäänud, peaks mul veel himu olema! Ja ka mu isand on vana.'

13 Aga Issand ütles Aabrahamile: 'Miks Saara naerab ja ütleb: Kas ma tõesti peaksin sünnitama, kuna ma ju olen vana?

14 Kas peaks Issandal midagi olema võimatu? Ma tulen su juurde tagasi aasta pärast samal ajal, ja Saaral saab olema poeg!'

15 Kuid Saara salgas, öeldes: 'Mina ei naernud.' Sest ta kartis. Tema aga ütles: 'Sa naersid küll!'

16 Siis mehed tõusid sealt üles ja vaatasid alla Soodoma poole; ja Aabraham läks koos nendega, neid saatma.

17 Ja Issand ütles: 'Kas peaksin varjama Aabrahami eest, mida tahan teha?

18 Aabraham saab ometi suureks ja vägevaks rahvaks ja tema kaudu õnnistatakse kõiki maailma rahvaid.

19 Sest ma tean temast, et ta käsib oma poegi ja järeltulevat sugu hoida Issanda teed ning teha, mis õige ja kohus, et Issand võiks anda Aabrahamile, mis ta temale on tõotanud.'

20 Siis ütles Issand: 'Hädakisa Soodoma ja Gomorra pärast on suur ja nende patud on väga rasked!

21 Seepärast ma lähen alla ja vaatan, kas minuni jõudnud kisa kohaselt on nad teinud kõike seda või mitte. Ma tahan seda teada!'

22 Ja mehed pöördusid sealt ära ja läksid Soodomasse, aga Aabraham jäi veel seisma Issanda ette.

23 Ja Aabraham astus ligi ning ütles: 'Kas tahad tõesti hävitada õige koos õelaga?

24 Vahest on linnas viiskümmend õiget? Kas tahad siis need hävitada ega taha paigale andeks anda nende viiekümne õige pärast, kes seal on?

25 Jäägu sinust kaugele see tegu, et tapad õige koos õelaga, et õigel käib käsi nagu õelalgi! Jäägu see sinu poolt tegemata! Kas kogu maailma kohtumõistja ei peaks tegema õigust?'

26 Ja Issand ütles: 'Kui ma Soodoma linnast leian viiskümmend õiget, siis annan nende pärast andeks kogu paigale.'

27 Aga Aabraham kostis ning ütles: 'Vaata, ma olen nõuks võtnud siiski Issandaga rääkida, kuigi olen põrm ja tuhk.

28 Vahest puudub viiekümnest õigest viis? Kas tahad siis nende viie pärast hävitada kogu linna?' Ja tema vastas: 'Ma ei hävita, kui leian sealt nelikümmend viis.'

29 Ja ta jätkas veelgi kõnelust temaga ning ütles: 'Vahest leidub seal nelikümmend?' Ja tema vastas: 'Ma ei tee seda neljakümne pärast.'

30 Aga ta ütles: 'Ärgu süttigu põlema Issanda viha, et ma veel räägin! Vahest leidub seal kolmkümmend?' Ja tema vastas: 'Ma ei tee seda, kui leian sealt kolmkümmend.'

31 Siis ta ütles: 'Vaata, ma olen nõuks võtnud siiski Issandaga rääkida. Vahest leidub seal kakskümmend?' Ja tema vastas: 'Ma ei hävita kahekümne pärast.'

32 Aga ta ütles: 'Ärgu süttigu põlema Issanda viha, et ma veel üksainus kord räägin! Vahest leidub seal kümme?' Ja tema vastas: 'Ma ei hävita kümne pärast.'

33 Ja Issand läks ära, kui oli lõpetanud kõneluse Aabrahamiga; ja Aabraham läks koju.

   

Aus Swedenborgs Werken

 

Arcana Coelestia #2235

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2235. That 'righteousness' means in regard to good, and 'judgement' to truth, becomes clear from the meaning of 'righteousness' and from the meaning of 'judgement'. Righteousness and judgement are mentioned together many times in the Word, but what they mean in the internal sense has not yet been known. In the proximate sense 'righteousness' has reference to that which is righteous, and 'judgement' to that which is upright. That which is righteous occurs when something is judged from good, and according to conscience, but that which is upright when it is judged from law, and so from the righteous demands of the law, thus also according to conscience since the law gives conscience its standards. In the internal sense however, 'righteousness' is that which stems from good, and 'judgement' that which stems from truth. Good is everything that belongs to love and charity, truth everything that belongs to faith derived from love and charity. Truth derives its essence from good, and is called truth derived from good, just as faith is derived from love, and so also judgement from righteousness.

[2] That such is the meaning of 'righteousness and judgement' is clear from the following places in the Word: In Jeremiah,

Thus said Jehovah, Do judgement and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Woe to him who builds his house in unrighteousness, and his upper rooms not in judgement! Did not your father eat and drink, and do judgement and righteousness? Then it was well with him. Jeremiah 22:3, 13, 15.

'Judgement' stands for the things connected with truth, 'righteousness' for those connected with good. In Ezekiel,

If the wicked man turns away from his sin and does judgement and righteousness, all his sins which he has committed will not be remembered; he has done judgement and righteousness; he will surely live. When the wicked turns away from his wickedness and does judgement and righteousness he will live because of these. Ezekiel 33:14, 16, 19.

Here similarly 'judgement' stands for the truth of faith, and 'righteousness' for the good of charity.

[3] In Amos,

Let judgement flow like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. Amos 5:24.

Here the meaning is similar. In Isaiah,

Thus said Jehovah, Keep judgement and do righteousness, for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to reveal itself. Isaiah 56:1.

In the same prophet,

To peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it in judgement and righteousness, from now and even for evermore. Isaiah 9:7.

Here 'judgement and righteousness' stands for the existence with them of the truths of faith, and of the goods of charity. In the same prophet,

Jehovah is exalted, for He dwells on high. He has filled Zion with judgement and righteousness. Isaiah 33:5.

'Judgement' stands for faith, 'righteousness' for love, 'Zion' for the Church. 'Judgement' is mentioned first because love comes through faith; but when 'righteousness' is mentioned first it is for the reason that faith is derived from love, as in Hosea,

I will betroth you to Me for ever, and I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and judgement, and in mercy and in compassion, 1 and I will betroth you to Me in faith, and you will know Jehovah. Hosea 2:19-20.

Here 'righteousness' is mentioned first, as also is 'mercy', which are the attributes of love, while 'judgement' is mentioned second, as also is 'compassion', which are the attributes of faith that is derived from love. And both are called 'faith' or faithfulness.

[4] In David,

O Jehovah, Your mercy is in the heavens; Your truth reaches up to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, Your judgements like the great deep. Psalms 36:5-6.

Here both 'mercy' and 'righteousness' are in a similar way the attributes of love, while 'truth' and 'judgements' are those of faith. In the same author,

Let truth spring out of the ground, and let righteousness look down from heaven. Jehovah will indeed give what is good, and our land will give its increase. Psalms 85:11-12.

Here 'truth', which constitutes faith, stands for judgement, and 'righteousness' for love or mercy. In Zechariah,

I will lead them and they will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they will be My people, and I will be their God in truth and in righteousness. Zechariah 8:8.

From this place also it is evident that 'judgement' is truth and 'righteousness' good, since 'truth' is mentioned here in place of judgement. Similarly in David,

He who walks blameless and performs righteousness and speaks the truth. Psalms 15:2.

[5] Because faith is grounded in charity, that is, because truth is grounded in good, truths rooted in good are in various places called 'the judgements of righteousness', so that 'judgements' has virtually the same meaning as commandments, as in Isaiah,

Let them seek Me day by day and desire the knowledge of My ways, as though a nation that does righteousness and does not forsake the judgement of their God. Let them ask of Me the judgements of righteousness, let them desire the approach of God. Isaiah 58:2.

That 'commandments' means virtually the same may be seen in David,

Seven times in the day I have praised You for Your judgements of righteousness. All Your commandments are righteousness. Psalms 119:164, 172.

It is said in particular of the Lord that He performs 'judgement and righteousness' when He creates man anew, as in Jeremiah,

Let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Jehovah who performs mercy, judgement and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I am well pleased. Jeremiah 9:24.

Here mercy, which is an attribute of love, is described as 'judgement and righteousness'. In the same prophet,

I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and he will rule as king, and act intelligently, and execute judgement and righteousness in the land. Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15.

[6] Hence the following in John,

If I go away I will send the Paraclete to you. And when He comes He will convince the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgement: in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I go away to the Father, and you will see Me no more; in regard to judgement, because the prince of this world is judged. John 16:7-11.

'Sin' here stands for all faithlessness. 'He will convince in regard to righteousness' means in regard to everything that is contrary to good, when yet the Lord united the Human to the Divine to save the world, meant by 'I go away to the Father and you will see Me no more'. 'In regard to judgement' means in regard to everything that is contrary to the truth, when yet evils were cast down into their own hells so that they could not do harm any more, meant by 'the prince of this world is judged'. In general 'He will convince in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgement' means in regard to all faithlessness contrary to good and truth, and so means that no charity and faith exist. For in ancient times righteousness and judgement were used, in reference to the Lord, to mean all mercy and grace, but in reference to man all charity and faith.

Fußnoten:

1. literally, compassions

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