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Postanak 24

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1 A Avram beše star i vremenit, i Gospod beše blagoslovio Avrama u svemu;

2 I reče Avram sluzi svom najstarijem u kući svojoj, koji beše nad svim dobrom njegovim: Metni ruku svoju pod stegno moje,

3 Da te zakunem Gospodom Bogom nebeskim i Bogom zemaljskim da nećeš dovesti žene sinu mom između kćeri ovih Hananeja, među kojima živim;

4 Nego da ćeš otići u zemlju moju i u rod moj i dovesti ženu sinu mom Isaku.

5 A sluga mu reče: i ako devojka ne htedbude poći sa mnom u ovu zemlju; hoću li odvesti sina tvog u zemlju iz koje si se iselio?

6 A Avram mu reče: Pazi da ne odvedeš sina mog onamo.

7 Gospod Bog nebeski, koji me je uzeo iz doma oca mog i iz zemlje roda mog, i koji mi je rekao i zakleo mi se govoreći: Semenu ću tvom dati zemlju ovu, On će poslati anđela svog pred tobom da dovedeš ženu sinu mom odande.

8 Ako li devojka ne htedbude poći s tobom, onda da ti je prosta zakletva moja; samo sina mog nemoj odvesti onamo.

9 I metnu sluga ruku svoju pod stegno Avramu gospodaru svom, i zakle mu se za ovo.

10 Tada sluga uze deset kamila između kamila gospodara svog da ide, jer sve blago gospodara njegovog beše pod njegovom rukom; i otišavši dođe u Mesopotamiju do grada Nahorovog.

11 I pusti kamile da poležu iza grada kod studenca pred veče kad izlaze građanke da zahvataju vode;

12 I reče: Gospode Bože gospodara mog Avrama, daj mi sreću danas i učini milost gospodaru mom Avramu.

13 Evo, ja ću stajati kod ovog studenca, a građanke će doći da zahvataju vode.

14 Kojoj devojci kažem: Nagni krčag svoj da se napijem, a ona reče: Na pij, i kamile ću ti napojiti; daj to da bude ona koju si namenio sluzi svom Isaku; i po tome da poznam da si učinio milost gospodaru mom.

15 I on još ne izgovori, a to Reveka, kći Vatuila sina Melhe žene Nahora brata Avramovog, dođe s krčagom na ramenu.

16 I beše vrlo lepa, još devojka, još je čovek ne beše poznao. Ona siđe na izvor, i natoči krčag, i pođe;

17 A sluga iskoči pred nju, i reče; daj mi da se napijem malo vode iz krčaga tvog.

18 A ona reče: Na pij, gospodaru. I brže spusti krčag na ruku svoju, i napoji ga.

19 I kad ga napoji, reče: i kamilama ću tvojim naliti neka se napiju.

20 I brže izruči krčag svoj u pojilo, pa opet otrča na studenac da nalije, i nali svim kamilama njegovim.

21 A čovek joj se divljaše, i ćutaše, neće li poznati je li Gospod dao sreću putu njegovom ili nije.

22 A kad se kamile napiše, izvadi čovek zlatnu grivnu od po sikala i metnu joj oko čela, i dve narukvice metnu joj na ruke od deset sikala zlata.

23 I reče: Čija si kći? Kaži mi. Ima li u kući oca tvog mesta za nas da prenoćimo?

24 A ona mu reče: Ja sam kći Vatuila sina Melšinog, koga rodi Nahoru.

25 Još reče: Ima u nas mnogo slame i piće i mesta za noćište.

26 Tada čovek savivši se pokloni se Gospodu,

27 I reče: Blagosloven da je Gospod Bog gospodara mog Avrama, što ne ostavi milost svoju i veru svoju prema gospodaru mom, i putem dovede me Gospod u dom rodbine gospodara mog.

28 A devojka otrča i sve ovo kaza u domu matere svoje.

29 A Reveka imaše brata, kome ime beše Lavan; i istrča Lavan k čoveku na studenac,

30 Kako vide grivnu i narukvice na rukama sestre svoje i ču gde Reveka sestra mu reče: Tako mi kaza čovek; dođe k čoveku; a on stajaše kod kamila na studencu.

31 I reče: Hodi, koji si blagosloven od Gospoda; što bi stajao napolju? Spremio sam kuću, ima mesta i za kamile.

32 I dovede čoveka u kuću, i rastovari kamile; i dodaše slame i piće kamilama, i donesoše vode za noge njemu i ljudima što behu s njim;

33 I postaviše mu da jede; ali on reče: Neću jesti dokle ne kažem stvar svoju. A Lavan mu reče: Govori.

34 Tada reče: Ja sam sluga Avramov.

35 A Gospod je blagoslovio gospodara mog veoma, te je postao velik, i dao mu je ovaca i goveda, i srebra i zlata, i sluga i sluškinja, i kamila i magaraca.

36 I još Sara žena gospodara mog rodi sina gospodaru mom u starosti njegovoj, i on mu dade sve što ima.

37 A mene zakle gospodar moj govoreći: Nemoj dovesti sinu mom žene između kćeri ovih Hananeja, među kojima živim;

38 Nego idi u dom oca mog i u rod moj, da dovedeš ženu sinu mom.

39 A ja rekoh gospodaru svom:

40 Može biti da devojka neće hteti poći sa mnom.

41 A on mi reče: Gospod, po čijoj volji svagda živeh, poslaće anđela svog s tobom, i daće sreću tvom putu da dovedeš ženu sinu mom od roda mog, iz doma oca mog.

42 Onda će ti biti prosta zakletva moja, kad otideš u rod moj; ako ti je i ne dadu, opet će ti biti prosta zakletva moja.

43 I kad dođoh danas na studenac, rekoh: Gospode Bože gospodara mog Avrama, ako si dao sreću putu mom, kojim idem,

44 Evo, ja ću stajati kod studenca: koja devojka dođe da zahvati vode, i ja joj kažem: Daj mi da se napijem malo vode iz krčaga tvog,

45 A ona mi odgovori: i ti pij i kamilama ću tvojim naliti; to neka bude žena koju je namenio Gospod sinu gospodara mog.

46 Ja još ne izgovorih u srcu svom, a dođe Reveka s krčagom na ramenu, i sišavši na izvor zahvati; i ja joj rekoh: Daj mi da se napijem.

47 A ona brže spustivši sa sebe krčag reče: Na pij, i kamile ću ti napojiti. I kad se napih, napoji i kamile moje.

48 I zapitah je govoreći: Čija si kći? A ona odgovori: Ja sam kći Vatuila sina Nahorovog, kog mu rodi Melha. Tada joj metnuh grivnu oko čela i narukvice na ruke;

49 I padoh i poklonih se Gospodu, i zahvalih Gospodu Bogu gospodara mog Avrama, što me dovede pravim putem da nađem kćer brata gospodara svog za sina njegovog.

50 Ako ćete dakle učiniti ljubav i veru gospodaru mom, kažite mi; ako li nećete, kažite mi, da idem na desno ili na levo.

51 A Lavan i Vatuilo odgovarajući rekoše: Od Gospoda je ovo došlo; mi ti ne možemo kazati ni zlo ni dobro. Eto, Reveka je u tvojoj vlasti, uzmi je pa idi, i neka bude žena sinu tvog gospodara, kao što kaza Gospod.

52 A kad ču sluga Avramov reči njihove, pokloni se Gospodu do zemlje;

53 I izvadi zaklade srebrne i zlatne i haljine, i dade Reveci; takođe i bratu njenom i materi njenoj dade darove.

54 Potom jedoše i piše on i ljudi koji behu s njim, i prenoćiše. A kad ujutru ustaše, reče sluga: Pustite me gospodaru mom.

55 A brat i mati njena rekoše: Neka ostane devojka kod nas koji dan, barem deset dana, pa onda neka ide.

56 A on im reče: Nemojte me zadržavati, kad je Gospod dao sreću mom putu; pustite me da idem gospodaru svom.

57 Tada rekoše: Da zovemo devojku, i upitamo šta ona veli.

58 I dozvaše Reveku i rekoše joj: Hoćeš ići s ovim čovekom? A ona odgovori: Hoću.

59 I pustiše Reveku sestru svoju i dojkinju njenu sa slugom Avramovim i ljudima njegovim.

60 I blagosloviše Reveku i rekoše joj: Sestro naša, da se namnožiš na hiljade hiljada, i seme tvoje da nasledi vrata svojih neprijatelja!

61 I podiže se Reveka s devojkama svojim, i posedaše na kamile, i pođoše s čovekom; i sluga uzevši Reveku otide.

62 A Isak iđaše vraćajući se od studenca Živoga koji me vide jer življaše u južnom kraju;

63 A beše izašao Isak u polje pred veče da se pomoli Bogu; i podigavši oči svoje ugleda kamile gde idu.

64 I Reveka podigavši oči svoje ugleda Isaka, te skoči s kamile,

65 I reče sluzi: Ko je onaj čovek što ide preko polja pred nas? A sluga reče: Ono je gospodar moj. I ona uze pokrivalo i pokri lice.

66 I pripovedi sluga Isaku sve što je svršio.

67 I odvede je Isak u šator Sare matere svoje; i uze Reveku, i ona mu posta žena, i omile mu. I Isak se uteši za materom svojom.

   

Aus Swedenborgs Werken

 

Arcana Coelestia #3021

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3021. 'Put now your hand under my thigh' means being bound, as regards its power, to the good of conjugial love. This is clear from the meaning of 'the hand' as power, dealt with in 878, and from the meaning of 'the thigh' as the good of conjugial love, dealt with in what follows. A binding of this good to that power is indeed the meaning, as is clear from the consideration that those who were bound by an obligation to carry out some matter connected with conjugial love put their hand, according to ancient custom, under the thigh of the one to whom they were so bound, and in so doing swore by him. This was done because 'the thigh' meant conjugial love, and 'the hand' power, or the full extent of whatever one's capability might be. For all parts of the human body correspond to spiritual and celestial things in the Grand Man, which is heaven, as shown in 2996, 2998, and will in the Lord's Divine mercy be shown more extensively later on. The thighs themselves, together with the loins, correspond to conjugial love. Those things were well known to the most ancient people, and for that reason so many customs came down from them, including that of putting their hands under the thigh when being bound by an obligation to carry out something connected with the good of conjugial love. Their knowledge of such things, which was valued most highly by the ancients, and belonged among the chief things that constituted their knowledge and intelligence, is totally lost today, so much so that not even the existence of any such correspondence is known, and for this reason people will probably be astounded that such things are meant by that custom. Here, because the subject is the betrothal of Isaac his son to another member of Abraham's family, and the oldest servant was called on to perform that task, this custom was therefore followed.

[2] It has been stated that 'the thigh', because of its correspondence, means conjugial love, and this may also be seen from other places in the Word, for example, from the procedure to be followed when a woman was accused by her husband of adultery, in Moses,

The priest shall make the woman take the oath of a curse, and the priest shall say to the woman, Jehovah will make you a curse and an oath in the midst of your people, when Jehovah makes your thigh fall away and your belly swell. When he has made her drink the water, then it will happen, if she has defiled herself and committed a trespass against her husband, that the water causing the curse will enter into her and become bitter, and her belly will swell, and her thigh will fall away; and the woman will be a curse in the midst of her people. Numbers 5:21, 27.

'The falling away of the thigh' means the evil of conjugial love, which is adultery. Every other detail in the same procedure had some specific meaning, so that not even the smallest detail fails to embody something, though anyone reading the Word who has no concept of its sacredness will wonder why such things are included there. It is because 'the thigh' means the good of conjugial love that the expression 'those coming out of the thigh' is used frequently, as in a reference to Jacob,

Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will go out from your thighs. Genesis 35:11.

And elsewhere in the same author,

Every soul coming with Jacob to Egypt, who came out of his thigh. Genesis 46:26; Exodus 1:5.

And in a reference to Gideon, Gideon had seventy sons, who came out of his thigh. Judges 8:30.

[3] Since 'the thigh' and 'the loins' mean the things that belong to conjugial love they also mean those that belong to love and charity, the reason being that conjugial love underlies every other kind of love, see 686, 2733, 2737-2739. These all have the same source - the heavenly marriage - which is a marriage of good and truth, regarding which see 2727-2759. For 'the thigh' means the good of celestial love and the good of spiritual love, as may be seen from the following places: In John,

He who sat on the white horse had on His robe and on His thigh the name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:16.

'He who sat on the white horse' is the Word, and so the Lord, who is the Word, see 2760-2762. 'Robe' means Divine Truth, 2576, and for that reason He is called 'King of kings', 3009. From this it is evident what 'the thigh' means, namely the Divine Good which flows from His love, on account of which He is also named 'Lord of lords', 3004-3011. And this being the Lord's essential nature, it is said that He had a name written on His robe and on His thigh, for 'name' means essential nature, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006.

[4] In David,

Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One, in Your glory and honour! Psalms 45:3.

This refers to the Lord. 'Sword' stands for truth engaged in conflict, 2799, 'thigh' for the good of love. 'Girding the sword on the thigh' means that the truth which He was to use in the fight was allied to the good of love. In Isaiah,

Righteousness will be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His thighs. Isaiah 11:5.

This too refers to the Lord. Because 'righteousness' has reference to the good that flows from love, 2235, it is called 'the girdle of His loins', while 'truth' because it comes from good, is called 'the girdle of His thighs'. Thus 'loins' is used in reference to the love within good, and 'thighs' to the love within truth.

[5] In the same prophet'

None will be weary, and none will stumble in Him. He will not slumber nor sleep. Nor has the girdle of His thighs been loosed, nor the thong of His shoes torn away. Isaiah 5:27.

This refers to the Lord. 'The girdle of His thighs' stands, as above, for the love within truth. In Jeremiah Jehovah told the prophet to buy a linen girdle and put it over his loins but not dip it in water. He was then told to go away to the Euphrates and hide it in a cleft of the rock. When he went back at a later time to retrieve it from that place it was spoiled, Jeremiah 13:1-7. 'A linen girdle' stands for truth, but the placing of it over his loins was representative of the fact that truth was the outward expression of good. Anyone may see that these actions are representative. Their meaning however cannot be known except from correspondences, which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with at the ends of certain chapters further on.

[6] It is similar with the meaning of the things seen by Ezekiel, Daniel, and Nebuchadnezzar: Ezekiel saw,

Above the firmament that was above the heads of the cherubim, in appearance like a sapphire stone, there was the likeness of a throne, and above the likeness of a throne, there was a likeness, as the appearance of a Man (Homo) upon it above. And I saw as it were the shape of fiery coals, as the shape of fire, within it round about. From the appearance of His loins and upwards, and from the appearance of His loins and downwards, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, whose brightness was round about it like the appearance of the rainbow which is in the cloud on the day of rain; so was the appearance of the brightness round about, thus was the appearance of the likeness of the Glory of Jehovah. Ezekiel 1:26-28.

This scene was clearly representative of the Lord and His kingdom. 'The appearance of His loins upwards and the appearance, of His loins downwards' is descriptive of His love, as is evident from the meaning of 'fire' as love, 934, and from the meaning of 'brightness' and of 'the rainbow' as wisdom and intelligence from that love, 1042, 1043, 1053.

[7] Daniel saw,

A man clothed in linen whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz, and whose body was like tarshish, 1 and whose face was like the appearance of lightning and whose eyes were like fiery torches, and whose arms and feet were like the shine of burnished bronze. Daniel 10:5-6.

What each of these expressions means - the loins, the body, the face, the eyes, the arms, and the feet - does not become clear to anyone except from representations and correspondences involved in these. From these it is evident that in what Daniel saw the Lord's heavenly kingdom was represented, in which Divine Love constitutes the loins, and 'the gold of Uphaz' with which He was girded, the good resulting from wisdom that is grounded in love, 113, 1551, 1552.

[8] In Daniel: Nebuchadnezzar saw a statue whose head was fine gold, breast and arms silver, belly and thighs bronze, feet partly iron, partly clay, Daniel 2:32-33. This statue represented consecutive states of the Church. The head of gold represented the first state, which was celestial because it was a state of love to the Lord; the breast and arms of silver represented the second state, which was spiritual because it was a state of charity towards the neighbour; the belly and thighs of bronze represented the third state, which was a state of natural good meant by 'bronze', 425, 1551 - natural good being love or charity towards the neighbour as this exists on a lower level than spiritual good - while the feet of iron and clay were the fourth state, which was a state of natural truth meant by 'iron', 425, 426, and also a state involving complete lack of cohesion with good, which is meant by 'clay'.

From all this one may see what is meant by the thighs and loins, namely conjugial love primarily, and from this love every genuine kind of love, as is evident from the places quoted and also from Genesis 32:25, 31-32; Isaiah 20:2-4; Nahum 2:1; Psalms 69:23; Exodus 12:11; Luke 12:35-36. The thighs and loins also mean in the contrary sense those loves that are the reverse of conjugial love and all genuine loves, namely self-love and love of the world, 1 Kings 2:5-6; Isaiah 32:10-11; Jeremiah 30:6; 48:37; Ezekiel 29:7; Amos 8:10.

Fußnoten:

1. A Hebrew word for a particular kind of precious stone, possibly a beryl.

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