Bibliorum

 

Genesis 19

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1 ἦλθον δὲ οἱ δύο ἄγγελοι εἰς σοδομα ἑσπέρας λωτ δὲ ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν πύλην σοδομων ἰδὼν δὲ λωτ ἐξανέστη εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτοῖς καὶ προσεκύνησεν τῷ προσώπῳ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν

2 καὶ εἶπεν ἰδού κύριοι ἐκκλίνατε εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ παιδὸς ὑμῶν καὶ καταλύσατε καὶ νίψασθε τοὺς πόδας ὑμῶν καὶ ὀρθρίσαντες ἀπελεύσεσθε εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῶν εἶπαν δέ οὐχί ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ πλατείᾳ καταλύσομεν

3 καὶ κατεβιάζετο αὐτούς καὶ ἐξέκλιναν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτοῖς πότον καὶ ἀζύμους ἔπεψεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἔφαγον

4 πρὸ τοῦ κοιμηθῆναι καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως οἱ σοδομῖται περιεκύκλωσαν τὴν οἰκίαν ἀπὸ νεανίσκου ἕως πρεσβυτέρου ἅπας ὁ λαὸς ἅμα

5 καὶ ἐξεκαλοῦντο τὸν λωτ καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς αὐτόν ποῦ εἰσιν οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ εἰσελθόντες πρὸς σὲ τὴν νύκτα ἐξάγαγε αὐτοὺς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἵνα συγγενώμεθα αὐτοῖς

6 ἐξῆλθεν δὲ λωτ πρὸς αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὸ πρόθυρον τὴν δὲ θύραν προσέῳξεν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ

7 εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς μηδαμῶς ἀδελφοί μὴ πονηρεύσησθε

8 εἰσὶν δέ μοι δύο θυγατέρες αἳ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ἄνδρα ἐξάξω αὐτὰς πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ χρήσασθε αὐταῖς καθὰ ἂν ἀρέσκῃ ὑμῖν μόνον εἰς τοὺς ἄνδρας τούτους μὴ ποιήσητε μηδὲν ἄδικον οὗ εἵνεκεν εἰσῆλθον ὑπὸ τὴν σκέπην τῶν δοκῶν μου

9 εἶπαν δέ ἀπόστα ἐκεῖ εἷς ἦλθες παροικεῖν μὴ καὶ κρίσιν κρίνειν νῦν οὖν σὲ κακώσομεν μᾶλλον ἢ ἐκείνους καὶ παρεβιάζοντο τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν λωτ σφόδρα καὶ ἤγγισαν συντρῖψαι τὴν θύραν

10 ἐκτείναντες δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τὰς χεῖρας εἰσεσπάσαντο τὸν λωτ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὸν οἶκον καὶ τὴν θύραν τοῦ οἴκου ἀπέκλεισαν

11 τοὺς δὲ ἄνδρας τοὺς ὄντας ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας τοῦ οἴκου ἐπάταξαν ἀορασίᾳ ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου καὶ παρελύθησαν ζητοῦντες τὴν θύραν

12 εἶπαν δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες πρὸς λωτ ἔστιν τίς σοι ὧδε γαμβροὶ ἢ υἱοὶ ἢ θυγατέρες ἢ εἴ τίς σοι ἄλλος ἔστιν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐξάγαγε ἐκ τοῦ τόπου τούτου

13 ὅτι ἀπόλλυμεν ἡμεῖς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον ὅτι ὑψώθη ἡ κραυγὴ αὐτῶν ἐναντίον κυρίου καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἡμᾶς κύριος ἐκτρῖψαι αὐτήν

14 ἐξῆλθεν δὲ λωτ καὶ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς γαμβροὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς εἰληφότας τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἀνάστητε καὶ ἐξέλθατε ἐκ τοῦ τόπου τούτου ὅτι ἐκτρίβει κύριος τὴν πόλιν ἔδοξεν δὲ γελοιάζειν ἐναντίον τῶν γαμβρῶν αὐτοῦ

15 ἡνίκα δὲ ὄρθρος ἐγίνετο ἐπεσπούδαζον οἱ ἄγγελοι τὸν λωτ λέγοντες ἀναστὰς λαβὲ τὴν γυναῖκά σου καὶ τὰς δύο θυγατέρας σου ἃς ἔχεις καὶ ἔξελθε ἵνα μὴ συναπόλῃ ταῖς ἀνομίαις τῆς πόλεως

16 καὶ ἐταράχθησαν καὶ ἐκράτησαν οἱ ἄγγελοι τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς χειρὸς τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν χειρῶν τῶν δύο θυγατέρων αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ φείσασθαι κύριον αὐτοῦ

17 καὶ ἐγένετο ἡνίκα ἐξήγαγον αὐτοὺς ἔξω καὶ εἶπαν σῴζων σῷζε τὴν σεαυτοῦ ψυχήν μὴ περιβλέψῃς εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω μηδὲ στῇς ἐν πάσῃ τῇ περιχώρῳ εἰς τὸ ὄρος σῴζου μήποτε συμπαραλημφθῇς

18 εἶπεν δὲ λωτ πρὸς αὐτούς δέομαι κύριε

19 ἐπειδὴ εὗρεν ὁ παῖς σου ἔλεος ἐναντίον σου καὶ ἐμεγάλυνας τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου ὃ ποιεῖς ἐπ' ἐμέ τοῦ ζῆν τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ δυνήσομαι διασωθῆναι εἰς τὸ ὄρος μὴ καταλάβῃ με τὰ κακὰ καὶ ἀποθάνω

20 ἰδοὺ ἡ πόλις αὕτη ἐγγὺς τοῦ καταφυγεῖν με ἐκεῖ ἥ ἐστιν μικρά ἐκεῖ σωθήσομαι οὐ μικρά ἐστιν καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου

21 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἰδοὺ ἐθαύμασά σου τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ῥήματι τούτῳ τοῦ μὴ καταστρέψαι τὴν πόλιν περὶ ἧς ἐλάλησας

22 σπεῦσον οὖν τοῦ σωθῆναι ἐκεῖ οὐ γὰρ δυνήσομαι ποιῆσαι πρᾶγμα ἕως τοῦ σε εἰσελθεῖν ἐκεῖ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης σηγωρ

23 ὁ ἥλιος ἐξῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ λωτ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς σηγωρ

24 καὶ κύριος ἔβρεξεν ἐπὶ σοδομα καὶ γομορρα θεῖον καὶ πῦρ παρὰ κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

25 καὶ κατέστρεψεν τὰς πόλεις ταύτας καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν περίοικον καὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἀνατέλλοντα ἐκ τῆς γῆς

26 καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ ἐγένετο στήλη ἁλός

27 ὤρθρισεν δὲ αβρααμ τὸ πρωὶ εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ εἱστήκει ἐναντίον κυρίου

28 καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον σοδομων καὶ γομορρας καὶ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς τῆς περιχώρου καὶ εἶδεν καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνέβαινεν φλὸξ τῆς γῆς ὡσεὶ ἀτμὶς καμίνου

29 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐκτρῖψαι κύριον πάσας τὰς πόλεις τῆς περιοίκου ἐμνήσθη ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αβρααμ καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν τὸν λωτ ἐκ μέσου τῆς καταστροφῆς ἐν τῷ καταστρέψαι κύριον τὰς πόλεις ἐν αἷς κατῴκει ἐν αὐταῖς λωτ

30 ἀνέβη δὲ λωτ ἐκ σηγωρ καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐν τῷ ὄρει καὶ αἱ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐφοβήθη γὰρ κατοικῆσαι ἐν σηγωρ καὶ ὤ|κησεν ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ αὐτὸς καὶ αἱ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ

31 εἶπεν δὲ ἡ πρεσβυτέρα πρὸς τὴν νεωτέραν ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν πρεσβύτερος καὶ οὐδείς ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὃς εἰσελεύσεται πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὡς καθήκει πάσῃ τῇ γῇ

32 δεῦρο καὶ ποτίσωμεν τὸν πατέρα ἡμῶν οἶνον καὶ κοιμηθῶμεν μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξαναστήσωμεν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν σπέρμα

33 ἐπότισαν δὲ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν οἶνον ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ καὶ εἰσελθοῦσα ἡ πρεσβυτέρα ἐκοιμήθη μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ἐν τῷ κοιμηθῆναι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀναστῆναι

34 ἐγένετο δὲ τῇ ἐπαύριον καὶ εἶπεν ἡ πρεσβυτέρα πρὸς τὴν νεωτέραν ἰδοὺ ἐκοιμήθην ἐχθὲς μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν ποτίσωμεν αὐτὸν οἶνον καὶ τὴν νύκτα ταύτην καὶ εἰσελθοῦσα κοιμήθητι μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξαναστήσωμεν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν σπέρμα

35 ἐπότισαν δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν οἶνον καὶ εἰσελθοῦσα ἡ νεωτέρα ἐκοιμήθη μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ἐν τῷ κοιμηθῆναι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀναστῆναι

36 καὶ συνέλαβον αἱ δύο θυγατέρες λωτ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν

37 καὶ ἔτεκεν ἡ πρεσβυτέρα υἱὸν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ μωαβ λέγουσα ἐκ τοῦ πατρός μου οὗτος πατὴρ μωαβιτῶν ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας

38 ἔτεκεν δὲ καὶ ἡ νεωτέρα υἱὸν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ αμμαν υἱὸς τοῦ γένους μου οὗτος πατὴρ αμμανιτῶν ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας

   

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #2252

Studere hoc loco

  
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2252. Peradventure there be fifty righteous in the midst of the city. That this signifies that the truths may possibly be full of goods, is evident from the signification of “fifty,” as being what is full; from the signification of “righteous” as being good (see n. 612, 2235); from that of the “midst,” as being what is within (n. 1074); and from that of “city,” as being truth (n. 402). Thus “fifty righteous in the midst of the city,” means in the internal sense that truths may possibly be full of goods within. That there is this meaning in these words cannot be seen from the letter, for the historicals of the literal sense lead the mind in quite a different direction, that is, to different thoughts; and yet that these words are so perceived by those who are in the internal sense, I know of a certainty. The numbers themselves also, as here “fifty,” and in what follows “forty-five,” “forty,” “thirty,” “twenty,” and “ten,” are by no means perceived as numbers by those who are in the internal sense, but as real things or states (as is shown, n. 482, 487, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 2075).

[2] For the ancients marked the states of their church-in one way-by numbers; and the nature of their computation in so doing is evident from the signification of the numbers in the places just referred to. They had the signification of numbers from the representatives which exist in the world of spirits, where, when anything appears as numbered, it does not signify anything that is determined by the numbers, but the thing or state itself; as is evident from the things that have been adduced (n. 2129, 2130, also n. 2089) concerning “twelve,” as meaning all the things of faith. It is similar with the numbers which now follow. This shows what is the nature of the Word in the internal sense.

[3] That “fifty” signifies what is full, comes from its following next after the product of seven into seven, or forty-nine, so that it is the impletion of this number, on which account there was in the Representative Church the festival of the Seven Sabbaths on the fiftieth day, and the Jubilee in the fiftieth year. As regards the festival of the seven sabbaths we read in Moses:

Ye shall count unto you from the morrow of the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering, seven entire sabbaths shall there be, even unto the morrow of the seventh sabbath shall ye count fifty days, and ye shall offer a new offering unto Jehovah (Leviticus 23:15).

And concerning the Jubilee:

Thou shalt count for thee seven sabbaths of years, seven years seven times, and they shall be to thee seven sabbaths of years, nine and forty years, and ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty in the land to all the inhabitants thereof; it shall be a jubilee unto you (Leviticus 25:8, 10),

which shows that the fiftieth is what is full in relation to sabbaths.

[4] Moreover, wherever “fifty” is mentioned in the Word, it signifies what is full; as when it is said that:

The Levites were numbered from a son of thirty years and upward, even unto a son of fifty years (Numbers 4:23, 34, 35, 39, 43, 47; 8:25);

meaning the full or final state of discharging the ministry.

That a man lying with a damsel, a virgin, shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty pieces of silver, and she should be to him for a wife, nor could he put her away (Deuteronomy 22:29),

which denotes a full fine and full restitution.

David’s giving to Araunah for the threshing-floor where he built the altar to Jehovah, fifty shekels of silver (2 Samuel 24:24)

denotes a full price and a full purchase.

Absalom’s preparing for himself a chariot and horses, and having fifty men running before him (2 Samuel 15:1),

and in like manner:

Adonijah’s having chariots and horsemen, and fifty men running before him (1 Kings 1:5),

denotes full excellence and greatness. For they had from the ancients certain representative and significative numbers, which they observed, and which were also commanded in their rites; but most of them did not know what they signified.

[5] And in the same way, as “fifty” signifies what is full, and as this number was also representative-already said-the same thing is signified by it in the Lord’s parable of the steward, who said to him that owed the oil:

How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, a hundred baths of oil. And he said unto him, take thy bond, and sit down quickly, and write fifty (Luke 16:6);

“fifty” denoting full payment. As fifty is a number, it indeed appears to involve nothing beyond the number; whereas in the internal sense what is full is everywhere meant by it, as in Haggai:

One came to the wine-press to draw out fifty out of the wine-press; there were twenty (Haggai 2:16),

that is, instead of fullness there was not much. “Fifty” could not have been mentioned here in the Prophet unless it had been significative.

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