The Bible

 

Genesis 20

Study

   

1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur. And he sojourned in Gerar.

2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And 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, thou art but a dead man, because of the woman whom thou hast taken. For she is a man's wife.

4 Now Abimelech had not come near her. And he said, Lord, wilt thou slay even a righteous nation?

5 Said he not himself unto me, She is my sister? And she, even she herself Said, He is my brother. In the integrity of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this.

6 And God said unto him in the dream, Yea, I know that in the integrity of thy heart thou has done this, and I also withheld thee from sinning against me. Therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

7 Now therefore restore the man's wife. For he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live. And if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

8 And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. And the men were sore afraid.

9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? And wherein have I sinned against thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.

10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?

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

12 And moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife:

13 and it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me. At every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.

14 And Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and men-servants and women-servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.

15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee. Dwell where it pleaseth thee.

16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee. And in respect of all thou art righted.

17 And Abraham prayed unto God. And God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants. And they bare children.

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

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2514

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

2514. 'In a dream in the night' means a perception that was obscure. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'a dream' and at the same time of 'the night'. When perception is the subject, 'a dream' means something obscure in contrast to wakefulness, and still more when the expression 'a dream in the night' is used. The reason the Lord's initial perception is called obscure is that it existed within the human which He was to cast off and from which He was to dispel the shadows. Though it originated in the Divine the Lord's ability to perceive nevertheless existed within the human, the nature of which is such that it does not immediately receive light itself but gradually as the shadows there are dispelled. The bringing of Himself into something less obscure as regards the doctrine of faith is what is meant in verse 6 by a second reference - but without mention of 'the night'- to God's coming to Abimelech 'in the dream'. And His entry after this into clear perception is what is meant in verse 8 by 'in the morning Abimelech rose up early.'

  
/ 10837  
  

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