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Génesis 3

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1 Pero la serpiente era astuta, más que todos los animales del campo que el SEÑOR Dios había hecho; la cual dijo a la mujer: ¿Conque Dios dijo: No comáis de ningún árbol del huerto?

2 Y la mujer respondió a la serpiente: Del fruto de los árboles del huerto comemos;

3 mas del fruto del árbol que está en medio del huerto dijo Dios: No comeréis de él, ni tocaréis en él, para que no muráis.

4 Entonces la serpiente dijo a la mujer: No moriréis.

5 Mas sabe Dios, que el día que comiereis de él, serán abiertos vuestros ojos, y seréis como dioses, sabiendo el bien y el mal.

6 Y vio la mujer que el árbol era bueno para comer, y que era deseable a los ojos, y árbol de codicia para entender; y tomó de su fruto, y comió; y dio también a su marido, y comió con ella.

7 Y fueron abiertos los ojos de ambos, y conocieron que estaban desnudos; entonces cosieron hojas de higuera, y se hicieron cintas para ceñir.

8 Y oyeron la voz del SEÑOR Dios que se paseaba en el huerto al aire del día; y se escondió el hombre y su mujer de delante del SEÑOR Dios entre los árboles del huerto.

9 Y llamó el SEÑOR Dios al hombre, y le dijo: ¿Dónde estás tú?

10 Y él respondió: Oí tu voz en el huerto, y tuve miedo, porque estaba desnudo; y me escondí.

11 Y le dijo: ¿Quién te enseñó que estabas desnudo? ¿Has comido del árbol de que yo te mandé no comieses?

12 Y el hombre respondió: La mujer que me diste, ella me dio del árbol, y comí.

13 Entonces el SEÑOR Dios dijo a la mujer: ¿Qué es esto que hiciste? Y dijo la mujer: La serpiente me engañó, y comí.

14 Y el SEÑOR Dios dijo a la serpiente: Por cuanto esto hiciste, maldita serás más que todas las bestias y que todos los animales del campo; sobre tu pecho andarás, y polvo comerás todos los días de tu vida;

15 y enemistad pondré entre ti y la mujer, y entre tu simiente y su simiente; ella te herirá la cabeza, y tú le herirás el calcañar.

16 A la mujer dijo: Multiplicaré en gran manera tus dolores y tus preñeces; con dolor darás a luz los hijos; y a tu marido será tu deseo, y él se enseñoreará de ti.

17 Y al hombre dijo: Por cuanto escuchaste la voz de tu mujer, y comiste del árbol de que te mandé diciendo: No comerás de él. Maldita será la tierra por amor de ti; con dolor comerás de ella todos los días de tu vida;

18 espinos y cardos te producirá, y comerás hierba del campo;

19 en el sudor de tu rostro comerás el pan, hasta que vuelvas a la tierra, porque de ella fuiste tomado. Porque polvo eres, y al polvo serás tornado.

20 Y llamó el hombre el nombre de su mujer, Eva; por cuanto ella era madre de todos lo vivientes.

21 Y el SEÑOR Dios hizo al hombre y a su mujer túnicas de pieles, y los vistió.

22 Y dijo el SEÑOR Dios: He aquí el hombre es como uno de nosotros sabiendo el bien y el mal; ahora, pues, para que no meta su mano, y tome también del árbol de la vida, y coma, y viva para siempre;

23 y lo sacó el SEÑOR del huerto de Edén, para que labrase la tierra de que fue tomado.

24 Echó, pues, fuera al hombre, y puso al oriente del huerto de Edén querubines, y una llama de cuchillo que andaba en derredor para guardar el camino del árbol de la vida.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #2219

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2219. 'They looked towards the face of Sodom' means the state of the human race. This is clear from the meaning of 'looking towards the face', here 'towards the face of Sodom'. In the Word 'the face' means all man's interiors - evil as well as good - for the reason that these shine out of the face, as shown in Volume One, in 358. Here therefore, because 'the face' is used in reference to Sodom, it is interior evils, which are those of self-love, that are meant; for interior evils in general are meant by 'Sodom', as will be evident from what follows in the next paragraph. The reason the worst evils of all originate in self-love is that self-love is destructive of human society, as shown above in 2045, and destructive of heavenly society, 2057. And since the perversity of the human race is recognized from that love, here 'the face of Sodom' means the state of the human race.

[2] In addition to this, it has been shown in various places in Volume One what the nature of self-love is, namely a love completely contrary to the order into which man was created. Unlike beasts man was endowed with rationality, to the end that every individual person may will what is good and do what is good to any other, thus to everyone in particular as to all in general. Such is the order into which man was created, and therefore it is love to God and love towards the neighbour which were intended to constitute man's life, which life was to mark him off from animals. Such also is the order of heaven which, it was intended, would exist in man while he was living in the world. He would thus be in the Lord's kingdom, into which he would also pass when he had cast off the body that had served him on earth, and in that kingdom would rise up into a state constantly increasing in heavenly perfection.

[3] But self-love is the chief, indeed the one and only, thing that destroys these loves. Love of the world is not so destructive; for although this is indeed contrary to the spiritual things of faith, self-love is diametrically opposed to the celestial things of love. For someone who loves himself does not love any others but tries to destroy everyone who fails to pay respect to him. Nor does he will what is good and do what is good to anybody except to one who is an extension of himself or can be made to become such, like something into which his evil desires and false notions have been so to speak engrafted. From this it is evident that self-love is the source from which all forms of hatred, all forms of revenge and cruelty well up, and also all forms of disgraceful presence and of deceit - thus every abominable thing that is contrary to the order that belongs to human society and contrary to the order of heavenly society.

[4] Indeed self-love is so abominable that when the restraints placed upon it are lifted, that is, when it is given the opportunity to do whatever it pleases, then even with those who belong to the lowest sort, it rushes with such urgency that it desires not only to exercise dominion over those nearest to it and over those close by, but also over the universe and even over the Supreme Divine Being Himself. Man is not indeed aware of this because he is held back by restraints he knows little about. But to the extent these restraints, as has been stated, are removed he very rapidly does the same. This I have been given to know from much experience in the next life. Because these things lie concealed within self-love, people governed by self-love and not endowed with the restraints of conscience, more than all others hate the Lord, and thus hate all the truths of faith, since these are the very laws of order in the Lord's kingdom. Such people dislike these laws so much as to loathe them, and this also shows itself openly in the next life. This love is also the head of the serpent which the seed of the woman, that is, the Lord, treads down, regarding which see Volume One, in 257.

[5] But self-love does not always present itself outwardly in arrogance and pride, for sometimes such people are able to regard the neighbour with charity. Some people are born with this outwardly charitable disposition, while others acquire it during childhood years, but after this it is subdued, though the outward disposition does still remain. But those governed by self-love are such as despise others and regard them as nothing in comparison with themselves. Nor do they have any concern whatever for the common good unless this exists for their benefit, they themselves being so to speak the common good. This applies especially to those who hate and persecute everyone who does not show them favour or serve them, and as far as possible they rob such persons of possessions, honour, reputation, and even life. Let those who behave intentionally in these ways realize that with them pre-eminently self-love is present.

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