Die Bibel

 

1 Mose 20

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1 Abraham aber zog von dannen ins Land gegen Mittag und wohnete zwischen Kades und Sur und ward ein Fremdling zu Gerar.

2 Und sprach von seinem Weibe Sara: Es ist meine Schwester. Da sandte Abimelech, der König zu Gerar, nach ihr und ließ sie holen.

3 Aber Gott kam zu Abimelech des Nachts im Traum und sprach zu ihm: Siehe da, du bist des Todes um des Weibes willen, das du genommen hast; denn sie ist eines Mannes Eheweib.

4 Abimelech aber hatte sie nicht berühret und sprach: HERR, willst du denn auch ein gerecht Volk erwürgen?

5 Hat er nicht zu mir gesagt: Sie ist meine Schwester? Und sie hat auch gesagt: Er ist mein Bruder. Habe ich doch das getan mit einfältigem Herzen und unschuldigen Händen.

6 Und Gott sprach zu ihm im Traum: Ich weiß auch, daß du mit einfältigem Herzen das getan hast. Darum habe ich dich auch behütet, daß du nicht wider mich sündigtest, und habe dir's nicht zugegeben, daß du sie berührtest.

7 So gib nun dem Mann sein Weib wieder, denn er ist ein Prophet, und laß ihn für dich bitten, so wirst du lebendig bleiben. Wo du aber sie nicht wiedergibst, so wisse, daß du des Todes sterben mußt, und alles, was dein ist.

8 Da stund Abimelech des Morgens frühe auf und rief allen seinen Knechten und sagte ihnen dieses alles vor ihren Ohren. Und die Leute fürchteten sich sehr.

9 Und Abimelech rief Abraham auch und sprach zu ihm: Warum hast du uns das getan, und was habe ich an dir gesündiget, daß du so eine große Sünde wolltest auf mich und mein Reich bringen? Du hast mit mir gehandelt, nicht wie man handeln soll.

10 Und Abimelech sprach weiter zu Abraham: Was hast du gesehen, daß du solches getan hast?

11 Abraham sprach: Ich dachte, vielleicht ist keine Gottesfurcht an diesen Orten, und werden mich um meines Weibes willen erwürgen.

12 Auch ist sie wahrhaftig meine Schwester, denn sie ist meines Vaters Tochter, aber nicht meiner Mutter Tochter, und ist mein Weib worden.

13 Da mich aber Gott außer meines Vaters Hause wandern hieß, sprach ich zu ihr: Die Barmherzigkeit tu an mir, daß wo wir hinkommen, du von mir sagest, ich sei dein Bruder.

14 Da nahm Abimelech Schafe und Rinder, Knechte und Mägde und gab sie Abraham; und gab ihm wieder sein Weib Sara

15 und sprach: Siehe da, mein Land stehet dir offen; wohne, wo dir's wohlgefällt.

16 Und sprach zu Sara: Siehe da, ich habe deinem Bruder tausend Silberlinge gegeben; siehe, das soll dir eine Decke der Augen sein vor allen, die bei dir sind, und allenthalben. Und das war ihre Strafe.

17 Abraham aber betete zu Gott; da heilete Gott Abimelech und sein Weib und seine Mägde, daß sie Kinder gebaren.

18 Denn der HERR hatte zuvor hart verschlossen alle Mütter des Hauses Abimelech um Saras, Abrahams Weibes, willen.

   

Aus Swedenborgs Werken

 

Arcana Coelestia #2568

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2568. It has been said above in this chapter that doctrine would become null and void if the rational were consulted (n. 2516, 2538); and that it was not consulted (n. 2519, 2531). But here it is said that the doctrine of faith was enriched with goods and truths both rational and natural. At first view these statements appear as if they were adverse and contrary to each other; and yet are not so. How the case was with the Lord, has been stated; but how it is with man, remains to be told.

[2] As regards man it is one thing to regard the doctrine of faith from rational things, and altogether another to regard rational things from the doctrine of faith. To regard the doctrine of faith from rational things is not to believe in the Word, or in the doctrine thence derived, until one is persuaded from rational things that it is so; whereas to regard rational things from the doctrine of faith is first to believe in the Word, or in the doctrine therefrom, and then to confirm the same by rational things. The former is inverted order, and results in nothing being believed; whereas the latter is genuine order, and causes the man to believe the better. It is the former that is here meant by its being said that Abimelech should die because of the woman; by which is signified that the doctrine of faith would become null and void if the rational were consulted (n. 2516, 2538); but the latter is meant by its being said that Abimelech gave flock and herd, and menservants and maidservants; by which is signified that the doctrine of faith was enriched with rational and natural goods and truths.

[3] These things are much treated of in the Word in its internal sense, especially where Asshur and Egypt are spoken of; for the reason that while the doctrine of faith is regarded from rational things, that is, while a man does not believe until he is persuaded from them that it is so, it then not only becomes null and void, but whatever is contained in it is also denied; whereas when rational things are regarded from the doctrine of faith, that is, when a man believes the Word, and afterwards the same things are confirmed by rational things, the doctrine is then living and whatever is contained in it is affirmed.

[4] There are therefore two principles; one of which leads to all folly and insanity, and the other to all intelligence and wisdom. The former principle is to deny all things, or to say in the heart that we cannot believe them until we are convinced by what we can apprehend, or perceive by the senses; this is the principle that leads to all folly and insanity, and is to be called the negative principle. The other principle is to affirm the things which are of doctrine from the Word, or to think and believe within ourselves that they are true because the Lord has said them: this is the principle that leads to all intelligence and wisdom, and is to be called the affirmative principle.

[5] The more they who think from the negative principle consult things rational, the more they consult memory-knowledges, and the more they consult things philosophical, the more do they cast and precipitate themselves into darkness, until at last they deny all things. The causes of this are, that no one can apprehend higher things from lower ones, that is, spiritual and celestial things, still less Divine things, from lower ones, because they transcend all understanding, and moreover everything is then involved in negatives from that principle. On the other hand, they who think from an affirmative principle can confirm themselves by whatever things rational, by whatever memory-knowledges, and whatever things philosophic they have at command; for all these are to them things confirmatory, and give them a fuller idea of the matter.

[6] Moreover there are some who are in doubt before they deny, and there are some who are in doubt before they affirm. They who are in doubt before they deny are they who incline to a life of evil; and when this life carries them away, then insofar as they think of the matters in question they deny them. But they who are in doubt before they affirm are they who incline to a life of good; and when they suffer themselves to be bent to this by the Lord, then insofar as they think about those things so far they affirm. As this subject is further treated of in the verses which follow, it is permitted of the Lord’s Divine mercy to illustrate them more fully there (see n. 2588).

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