Here are some excerpts from Swedenborg's "Arcana Coelestia" that help explain the inner meaning of this chapter:

AC 2764. In this chapter in the internal sense the Lord’s most grievous and inmost temptations are treated of, by which He united His Human Essence to His Divine Essence; and also the salvation by this union of those who constitute the Lord‘s spiritual church.

AC 2765. The Lord’s most grievous and inmost temptations are treated of (verses 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11). Concerning the unition of His Human Essence with His Divine Essence, or His glorification, by means of them (verses 2, 11, 12, 16). Concerning the salvation by the Lords Divine Human of the spiritual, of those who are in charity and faith, within the church (verses 2, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19). And concerning the salvation of those who are in good, outside the church (verses 20, 21, 22, 23, 24).

2764. Genesis 22

1. And so it was after these events, that God tempted Abraham, and said to him, Abraham. And he said, Here I am.

2. And He said, Take now your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac, and get you to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I tell you.

3. And in the morning Abraham rose up early, and saddled his ass, and took two of his servants ¹ with him, and Isaac his son, and split the pieces of wood for the burnt offering, and rose up and went to the place of which God had told him.

4. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar off.

5. And Abraham said to his servants, Remain here with the ass, and I and the boy will go over there, and we will bow ourselves down, and return to you.

6. And Abraham took the pieces of wood for the burnt offering and laid them on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife, and the two of them went on together.

7. And Isaac said to Abraham his father - he said - My father. And he said, Here I am, my son. And he said, Behold, the fire and the pieces of wood, but where is the animal for the burnt offering?

8. And Abraham said, God will see for Himself to the animal for a burnt offering, my son. And the two of them went on together.

9. And they came to the place of which God told him, and Abraham built the altar there, and laid the pieces of wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the pieces of wood.

10. And Abraham put forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

11. And the angel of Jehovah called to him out of heaven, and said Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here I am.

12. And he said, Do not put forth your hand towards the boy and do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God and have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.

13. And Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, a ram behind [him] caught in a thicket by its horns. And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

14. And Abraham called the name of that place, Jehovah will see; as it is said today, On the mountain Jehovah will see [to it].

15. And the angel of Jehovah called to Abraham a second time out of heaven.

16. And he said, By Myself I have sworn, says Jehovah, that because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,

17. I will certainly bless you, and I will certainly multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens and like the sand which is on the seashore. And your seed will inherit the gate of their ² enemies.

18. And in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed because you have hearkened to My voice.

19. And Abraham returned to his servants, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt in Beersheba.

20. And so it was, after these events, ³ that it was pointed out to Abraham, saying, Behold, Milkah, she also has borne sons, to Nahor your brother:

21. Uz her firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram;

22. And Kesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

23. And Bethuel begot Rebekah. These eight Milkah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

24. And his concubine, whose name was Reumah; and she too bore Tebah, and Gaham, and Tahash, and Maakah.

CONTENTS

The subject in this chapter in the internal sense is the Lord's severest and inmost temptations, by means of which He united the Human Essence to the Divine Essence; then it is the salvation by means of that union of those who constitute the Lord's spiritual Church.

각주: