Bibliorum

 

Genesis 21:21

Study

       

21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #2666

Studere hoc loco

  
/ 10837  
  

2666. 'In Isaac will your seed be called' means that from the Lord's Divine Human all salvation is available to those in whom good exists. This is clear from the representation of 'Isaac' as the Divine Rational, dealt with already, and so as the Divine Human, since it is in the inmost part of the rational that the human has its beginnings, 2106; and from the meaning of 'seed', used in reference to Isaac, as the celestial rational, or what amounts to the same, as those who are celestial, dealt with in 2085, 2661. 'Your seed being called' accordingly means that they are heirs, and that salvation as a consequence is theirs. Those who are spiritual are also 'the seed', but from the son of the servant-girl, as stated in the next verse, 'And also the son of the servant-girl I will make into a nation, because he is your seed'. Consequently salvation is available to the spiritual as well, provided good exists in them, as will be clear from the internal sense of those words. The Lord too teaches the same in many places, and explicitly so in John,

As many as received Him, to them He gave power to be sons of God, to those believing in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13.

  
/ 10837  
  

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

Bibliorum

 

Genesis 20

Study

   

1 Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.

2 Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife."

4 Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, "Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation?

5 Didn't he tell me, 'She is my sister?' She, even she herself, said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this."

6 God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn't allow you to touch her.

7 Now therefore, restore the man's wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don't restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours."

8 Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.

9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!"

10 Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see, that you have done this thing?"

11 Abraham said, "Because I thought, 'Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake.'

12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

13 It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, 'This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, "He is my brother."'"

14 Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him.

15 Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you."

16 To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated."

17 Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.

18 For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.