862. That 'it happened at the end of forty days' means the duration of the former state, and the beginning of the one that followed, is clear from the meaning of 'forty', see 730, where, the subject being temptation, the phrase 'forty days and forty nights' was used, which meant the duration of temptation. Here, since the subject is the state following temptation, 'forty days' is mentioned but not forty nights. The reason is that charity now starts to appear, which in the Word is compared to the day and is called the day. Faith however which precedes but has not yet been so joined to charity is compared to the night and is called the night, as in Genesis 1:16, and elsewhere in the Word. Faith is also called 'the night' in the Word because it receives its light from charity, just as the moon does from the sun. Faith is therefore also compared to the moon and is called the moon; and love or charity is compared to the sun and is called the sun. 'Forty days', or the duration of time meant by them, refers both to the things that precede and to those that follow; hence the statement 'at the end of forty days', which accordingly means both the duration of the previous state, and the beginning of the one being described now. This then begins the description of the second state following temptation of the member of this Church.

1985. Genesis 17

1. And Abram was a son of ninety-nine years, and Jehovah appeared to Abram and said to him, I am God Shaddai; walk before Me and be blameless.

2. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you more and more.

3. And Abram fell on his face, ¹ and God spoke to him, saying,

4. As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you will be the father of a multitude of nations.

5. And no longer will your name be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

6. And I will make you more and more fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come out of you.

7. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an eternal covenant, to be God to you and to your seed after you.

8. And I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an eternal possession; and I will be their God.

9. And God said to Abraham, And you shall keep My covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations.

10. This is My covenant which you shall keep between Me and you, and your seed after you: Every male among you is to be circumcised.

11. And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

12. And a son eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, and he who is the purchase of silver, from every son who is a foreigner and not of your seed.

13. He must be circumcised ² who is born in your house or who is the purchase of your silver; and My covenant shall be in your flesh as an eternal covenant.

14. And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul will be cut off from his peoples; he has broken My covenant.

15. And God said to Abraham, Sarai your wife you will not call by her name Sarai, for Sarah will be her name.

16. And I will bless her, and I will also give you a son by her. And I will bless him, and he will become nations; kings of peoples will be from her.

17. And Abraham fell on his face ¹ and laughed, and said in his heart, Will one be born to a son of a hundred years? And will Sarah, a daughter of ninety years, give birth?

18. And Abraham said to God, O that Ishmael might live before You!

19. And God said, Truly Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will call his name Isaac. And I will establish My covenant with him as an eternal covenant, for his seed after him.

20. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I will bless him and I will make him fruitful and I will multiply him more and more Twelve princes will he beget, and I will make him into a great nation.

21. And I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at the set time next year.

22. And He finished speaking to him, and God went up from over Abraham.

23. And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all born in his house, and every one purchased with his silver, every male among the men (vir) of Abraham's house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that same day, just as God had spoken to him.

24. And Abraham was a son of ninety-nine years when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

25. And Ishmael his son was a son of thirteen years when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

26. On that very day Abraham was circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

27. And all the men of his house, he that was born in the house and he who was the purchase of silver, from the son who is a foreigner, were circumcised together with him.

CONTENTS

The subject here is the union of the Lord's Divine Essence with His Human Essence, and of His Human Essence with His Divine Essence, and also the conjunction of the Lord with the human race by means of His Human Essence.

სქოლიოები: