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1 Mose 19

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1 Und die beiden Engel kamen am Abend nach Sodom; und Lot saß im Tore Sodoms. Und als Lot sie sah, stand er auf, ihnen entgegen, und beugte sich nieder, mit dem Angesicht zur Erde;

2 und er sprach: Ach siehe, meine Herren! Kehret doch ein in das Haus eures Knechtes und übernachtet und waschet eure Füße; und ihr machet euch früh auf und gehet eures Weges. Aber sie sprachen: Nein, sondern wir wollen auf dem Platze (der Marktplatz am Stadttor. O. auf der Straße) übernachten.

3 Und er drang sehr in sie; und sie kehrten bei ihm ein und kamen in sein Haus. Und er machte ihnen ein Mahl, und er backte ungesäuerte Kuchen, und sie aßen.

4 Noch hatten sie sich nicht niedergelegt, da umringten die Männer der Stadt, die Männer von Sodom, das Haus, vom Jüngling bis zum Greise, das ganze Volk insgesamt.

5 Und sie riefen Lot und sprachen zu ihm: Wo sind die Männer, die diese Nacht zu dir gekommen sind? Führe sie zu uns heraus, daß wir sie erkennen!

6 Und Lot trat zu ihnen hinaus an den Eingang und schloß die Tür hinter sich zu;

7 und er sprach: Tut doch nicht übel, meine Brüder!

8 Siehe doch, ich habe zwei Töchter, die keinen Mann erkannt haben; laßt mich sie doch zu euch herausbringen, und tut ihnen, wie es gut ist in euren Augen; allein diesen Männern tut nichts, da sie nun einmal (denn darum sind sie) unter den Schatten meines Daches gekommen sind.

9 Aber sie sprachen: Zurück da! Und sie sprachen: Der eine da ist gekommen, als Fremdling hier zu weilen, und will den ichter machen? Nun, wir wollen dir ärger tun als jenen. Und sie drangen hart ein auf den Mann, auf Lot, und traten herzu, die Tür zu erbrechen.

10 Und die Männer streckten ihre Hand aus und brachten Lot zu sich herein ins Haus und verschlossen die Tür.

11 Und die Männer, die am Eingang des Hauses waren, schlugen sie mit Blindheit, vom kleinsten bis zum größten; und sie wurden müde, den Eingang zu finden.

12 Und die Männer sprachen zu Lot: Wen du noch hier hast, einen Eidam und deine Söhne und deine Töchter und wen irgend du in der Stadt hast, führe hinaus aus diesem Orte!

13 Denn wir wollen diesen Ort verderben, weil ihr (d. h. der Einwohner) Geschrei groß geworden ist vor Jehova; und Jehova hat uns gesandt, die Stadt zu verderben.

14 Und Lot ging hinaus und redete zu seinen Schwiegersöhnen, die seine Töchter genommen hatten, und sprach: Machet euch auf, gehet aus diesem Orte; denn Jehova will die Stadt (W. sie) verderben. Aber er war in den Augen seiner Schwiegersöhne wie einer, der Scherz treibt.

15 Und sowie die Morgenröte aufging, da drangen die Engel in Lot und sprachen: Mache dich auf, nimm dein Weib und deine zwei Töchter, die vorhanden sind, damit du nicht weggerafft werdest in der Ungerechtigkeit (O. Strafe) der Stadt!

16 Und als er zögerte, ergriffen die Männer seine Hand und die Hand seines Weibes und die Hand seiner zwei Töchter, weil Jehova sich seiner erbarmte, (Eig. ihn verschonte) und führten ihn hinaus und ließen ihn außerhalb der Stadt.

17 Und es geschah, als sie sie hinausgeführt hatten ins Freie, da sprach er: ette dich um deines Lebens willen; sieh nicht hinter dich, und bleibe nicht stehen in der ganzen Ebene; (Eig. in dem ganzen Kreise (des Jordan); ebenso v 25. 28. 29) rette dich auf das Gebirge, damit du nicht weggerafft werdest!

18 Und Lot sprach zu ihnen: Nicht doch, Herr!

19 Siehe doch, dein Knecht hat Gnade gefunden in deinen Augen, und du hast deine Güte groß gemacht, die du an mir erwiesen hast, meine Seele am Leben zu erhalten; aber ich kann mich nicht auf das Gebirge retten, es möchte mich das Unglück erhaschen, daß ich stürbe.

20 Siehe doch, diese Stadt ist nahe, um dahin zu fliehen, und sie ist klein; laß mich doch dahin mich retten (ist sie nicht klein?), damit meine Seele am Leben bleibe.

21 Und er sprach zu ihm: Siehe, auch in diesem Stücke habe ich dich angesehen, daß ich die Stadt nicht umkehre, von der du geredet hast.

22 Eile, rette dich dorthin; denn ich kann nichts tun, bis du dorthin gekommen bist. Daher hat man der Stadt den Namen Zoar (Kleinheit) gegeben.

23 Die Sonne ging auf über der Erde, als Lot in Zoar ankam.

24 Und Jehova ließ auf Sodom und auf Gomorra Schwefel und Feuer regnen von Jehova aus dem Himmel;

25 und er kehrte diese Städte um und die ganze Ebene und alle Bewohner der Städte und das Gewächs des Erdbodens.

26 Und sein Weib sah sich hinter ihm um und ward zu einer Salzsäule.

27 Und Abraham machte sich des Morgens früh auf an den Ort, wo er vor Jehova gestanden hatte;

28 Und er blickte hin nach Sodom und Gomorra und nach dem ganzen Lande der Ebene; und er sah: und siehe, ein auch stieg auf von der Erde, (O. vom Lande) wie der auch eines Schmelzofens.

29 Und es geschah, als Gott die Städte der Ebene verderbte, da gedachte Gott des Abraham und entsandte Lot mitten aus der Umkehrung, als er die Städte umkehrte, in welchen Lot gewohnt hatte.

30 Und Lot zog hinauf von Zoar und wohnte im Gebirge, und seine beiden Töchter mit ihm; denn er fürchtete sich, in Zoar zu wohnen. Und er wohnte in einer Höhle, er und seine beiden Töchter.

31 Und die Erstgeborene sprach zu der Jüngeren: Unser Vater ist alt, und kein Mann ist im Lande, um zu uns einzugehen nach der Weise aller Welt.

32 Komm, laß uns unserem Vater Wein zu trinken geben und bei ihm liegen, damit wir von unserem Vater Samen am Leben erhalten. (O. ins Leben rufen)

33 Und sie gaben ihrem Vater Wein zu trinken in selbiger Nacht, und die Erstgeborene ging hinein und lag bei ihrem Vater; und er wußte weder um ihr Niederlegen noch um ihr Aufstehen.

34 Und es geschah am Morgen, da sprach die Erstgeborene zu der Jüngeren: Siehe, ich habe gestern Nacht bei meinem Vater gelegen; laß uns ihm auch diese Nacht Wein zu trinken geben, und gehe hinein, liege bei ihm, damit wir von unserem Vater Samen am Leben erhalten. (O. ins Leben rufen)

35 Und sie gaben auch in selbiger Nacht ihrem Vater Wein zu trinken, und die Jüngere stand auf und lag bei ihm; und er wußte weder um ihr Niederlegen noch um ihr Aufstehen.

36 Und die beiden Töchter Lots wurden schwanger von ihrem Vater.

37 Und die Erstgeborene gebar einen Sohn, und sie gab ihm den Namen Moab; (d. h. vom Vater) dieser ist der Vater der Moabiter (W. Moabs) bis auf diesen Tag.

38 Und die Jüngere, auch sie gebar einen Sohn, und sie gab ihm den Namen Ben Ammi; (Sohn meines Volkes) dieser ist der Vater der Kinder Ammon bis auf diesen Tag.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #2567

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2567. And menservants and maidservants. That this signifies that it was enriched also with rational truths and natural truths, as well as with the affections of them, is evident from the signification of “menservants and maidservants.” These are frequently mentioned in the Word, and by them are signified in the internal sense things that are relatively lower and of less value, such as are rational and natural things in comparison with spiritual and celestial things. By natural truths are meant memory-knowledges of every kind, for these are natural. That in the Word these are signified by “menservants and maidservants,” is manifest from the internal sense of the words where they are mentioned, as in Isaiah:

Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and will set them upon their own ground; and the sojourner shall cleave unto them, and shall join themselves unto the house of Jacob; and the peoples shall take them, and shall bring them to their own place; and the house of Israel shall possess them for themselves upon the ground of Jehovah for menservants and for maidservants (Isaiah 14:1-2),

[2] where “Jacob” denotes the external church; “Israel,” the internal; “sojourners,” those who are being instructed in truths and goods (see n. 1463, 2025); “menservants and maidservants,” natural and rational truths together with the affections of them, which are to serve the church meant by “Jacob and Israel.” It is evident that Jacob and Israel are not meant here, nor the Jews and Israelites, for the latter when dispersed among the Gentiles became Gentiles. The Jews still cherish this prophecy and expect its fulfillment, even according to the letter, namely, that sojourners will cleave to them, that the people will bring them to their place, and will be to them for menservants and maidservants; when yet not even the smallest thing is to be understood of the Jews and Israelites in the prophecies of the Word where these are mentioned; as must be evident even to themselves from the fact that it is often said of Israel equally as of Judah that they shall be brought back.

[3] Again in the same Prophet:

Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and emptieth it out, and will disfigure the face of it, and scatter the inhabitants thereof; and it shall be, as the people, so the priest; as the servant, so his master; as the maidservant, so her mistress (Isaiah 24:1-2).

Here the “earth” denotes the church (n. 662, 1066, 1068, 1850), which is made empty and is emptied out, and its face is disfigured, and its inhabitants scattered, when there are no longer any interior truths and goods, which are the “people and the priest,” nor any exterior truths and goods, which are the “servant” and the “maidservant,” as comes to pass when external things rule over internal things.

[4] Again:

I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob and out of Judah an inheritor of My mountain, and My chosen shall possess it, and My servants shall dwell there (Isaiah 65:9),

where “Jacob” denotes the external church; “Judah,” the internal celestial church; the “chosen,” its goods; and the “servants,” its truths.

[5] In Joel:

I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; also upon the servants and the maidservants will I pour out My spirit in those days (Joel 2:28-29); where the Lord’s kingdom is treated of; “to prophesy” denotes to teach (n. 2534); “sons,” truths themselves (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147) “daughters,” goods themselves (n. 489-491) “servants” and “maidservants,” lower truths and goods, upon which the spirit is said to be poured out when they accede and confirm. That such things are signified by “menservants and maidservants” here and elsewhere, does not so appear, by reason both of the common idea respecting menservants and maidservants, and of the apparent history.

[6] In John:

I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, Eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all, both of free and bond, both of small and great (Revelation 19:17-18). It is here evident that it is not the flesh of kings, of captains, of mighty men, of horses, of those who sit on them, of the free and of the bond, which they should eat; but that it is the truths of the church, both internal and external, that were made “flesh” for them.

[7] That “menservants” signify truths, and “maidservants” goods, which are subservient to and thus serve spiritual and celestial truths and goods, is more clearly evident from the laws enjoined in the Representative Church in regard to menservants and maidservants; which laws all have regard to the state of the church and of the Lord’s kingdom in general and in particular; and to the way in which lower truths and goods, or those which are natural and rational, are to serve those which are spiritual and celestial, and thereby those which are Divine. For example: The Hebrew manservant and the Hebrew maidservant were to be free in the seventh year, and were then to be endowed from the flock, the threshing-floor, and the wine-press (Exodus 21:2, 6; Deuteronomy 15:12-15; Jeremiah 34:9-14): The servant’s wife was to be free if she entered into service with him; but if the master gave him his wife, the wife and children were to be the master’s (Exodus 21:3-4): A poor brother who had been purchased was not to serve as a bondservant, but as a hired servant and a sojourner; at the jubilee he was to go out together with his children (Leviticus 25:39-43): If a brother were bought by a foreign sojourner, he might be redeemed, and was to go out in the year of the jubilee (Leviticus 25:47, etc.): Menservants and maidservants might be bought of the nations around, and of the sons of foreign sojourners, and they were to be their perpetual possession, whom they might rule absolutely, but not the sons of Israel (Leviticus 25:44-46): If a manservant did not desire to go out of service, his ear was to be pierced with an awl, at the door, and he was to be a perpetual servant; and the same with a maidservant (Exodus 21:6; Deuteronomy 15:16-17): If anyone smote his manservant or his maidservant with a rod, so that he died, vengeance was to be taken on him; but if he survived a day or more, he was to be free, because he was his money (Exodus 21:20-21): If he should smite a servant’s eye or tooth, he was to go forth free (Exodus 21:26-27): If an ox should gore a manservant or a maidservant so that he died, the owner was to pay thirty shekels to his master, and the ox was to be stoned (Exodus 21:32): A servant who had escaped from his master was not to be placed in confinement, but should dwell in the place where he chose, and was not to be afflicted (Deuteronomy 23:15-16): A servant bought with silver, and circumcised, was to eat of the Passover (Exodus 12:44): Anyone’s daughter that was bought was not to go out of service like the manservants; if she were evil, her master was not to sell her to a stranger; if she were betrothed to his son, she was to be as a daughter; if he took another, he was not to diminish her food, her raiment, nor her duty of marriage; if these things were not done, she was to go out of service without price (Exodus 21:7-12).

[8] All these laws have their origin from the laws of truth and good in heaven, and in the internal sense have reference to them; partly by correspondences, partly by representatives, and partly by significatives. But after the representatives and significatives of the church (which were the most external and lowest things of worship) had been abolished, the necessity for these laws ceased also. Now if these laws were to be unfolded from the laws of order of truth and good, and from representatives and significatives, it would be plain that nothing else was meant by “menservants” than rational and memory truths [vera rationalia et scientifica], which are lower truths, and therefore ought to serve spiritual truths; and that by “maidservants” were signified the goods of these, which being also lower, ought to serve indeed, but in another manner; and therefore certain of the laws laid down respecting maidservants differ from those laid down respecting menservants; for regarded in themselves truths are more fully servants than their goods are.

[9] By the “king’s right,” in Samuel, nothing else is signified in the internal sense than the “right” of truth, and likewise the “right” of falsity when it begins to rule over truth and over good; as is evident from the explication of the words by which this is described:

This will be the right of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to him over his chariots and for his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots; he will take your daughters for perfumers, and for cooks, and for bakers; your menservants and your maidservants and your goodliest young men and your asses will he take and put them to his work; he will take the tenth of your flock; and ye shall be for servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen for you, and Jehovah will not answer you in that day (1 Samuel 8:11, 13, 16-18).

[10] That by a “king” is signified truths, may be seen above (n. 1672, 2015, 2069); thus in the opposite sense things that are not true, that is, falsities. By the “sons whom he would appoint for himself over his chariots and for his horsemen,” are signified the truths of doctrine, which should be subservient to principles of falsity, which are the “chariots and horsemen.” By the “daughters whom he should take for perfumers, cooks, and bakers,” are signified the goods of doctrine, by which those falsities would be filled with delight; and which would be made to favor the falsities.

By the “menservants and maidservants, the young men, and the asses, by which he would do his work,” are signified the things of reason and of memory-knowledge, by which those falsities would be confirmed. By the “flock of which he will take a tenth” are signified the remains of good that he would do violence to. And by their “being servants” is signified that it would come to pass that the celestial and spiritual things of the Word and of doctrine, instead of ruling, would be subservient to the confirmation of the falsities of his principles, and the evils of his cupidities. For there is nothing that cannot be injected into principles of falsity as confirmatory of them, either by a false application, by a wrong interpretation, by perversion, or by a rejection of those things which do not favor; and therefore it is added: “if ye cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen for you, Jehovah will not answer in that day.”

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

Die Bibel

 

Jeremiah 34:10

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10 All the princes and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his male servant, and everyone his female servant, go free, that none should make bondservants of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go: