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创世记 24

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1 亚伯拉罕年纪老迈,向在一切事上耶和华都赐福给他。

2 亚伯拉罕对管理他全业最老的仆人:请你把放在我大腿

3 我要叫你指着耶和华起誓,不要为我儿子娶这迦南中的女子为妻。

4 你要往我本本族去,为我的儿子以撒娶一个妻子

5 仆人对他:倘若女子不肯跟我到这方来,我必须将你的儿子带回你原出之麽?

6 亚伯拉罕对他:你要谨慎,不要带我的儿子回那里去。

7 耶和华上的曾带领我离开父家和本族的,对我说话,向我起誓:我要将这你的後裔。他必差遣使者在你面前,你就可以从那里为我儿子娶一个妻子

8 倘若女子不肯跟你来,我使你起的誓就与你无干了,只是不可带我的儿子回那里去。

9 仆人就把放在他亚伯拉罕的大腿,为这事向他起誓。

10 仆人从他人的骆驼里取了骆驼,并带些他人各样的财物,起身往米所波大米去,到了拿鹤的城。

11 天将晚,众女子出来打的时候,他便叫骆驼跪在城外的那里。

12 耶和华─我亚伯拉罕的阿,求你施恩给我亚伯拉罕,使我今日遇见好机会。

13 我现今站在井旁,城内居民的女子们正出来打

14 我向那一个女子:请你拿下水瓶来,给我水,他若:请!我也给你的骆驼,愿那女子就作你所预定给你仆人以撒的妻。这样,我便知道你施恩给我人了。

15 话还没有说完,不料,利百加肩头上扛着水瓶出来。利百加是彼土利所生的;彼土利是亚伯拉罕兄弟拿鹤妻子密迦的儿子

16 那女子容貌极其俊美,还是处女,也未曾有亲近他。他到井旁,打满了瓶,又上来。

17 仆人跑上前去迎着他,:求你将瓶里的给我一点喝。

18 女子:我!就急忙拿瓶来,托在上给他

19 女子给他了,就:我再为你的骆驼打水,叫骆驼足。

20 他就急忙把瓶里的水倒在里,又跑到旁打水,就为所有的骆驼打上水来。

21 定睛看他,一句话也不,要晓得耶和华赐他通达的道路没有。

22 骆驼足了,那就拿一个环,重半舍客勒,两个镯,重舍客勒,给了那女子,

23 :请告诉我,你是谁的女儿?你父亲家里有我们住宿的地方没有?

24 女子:我是密迦与拿鹤之子彼土利的女儿;

25 我们家里足有粮,也有住宿的地方

26 就低头向耶和华下拜,

27 耶和华─我亚伯拉罕的是应当称颂的,因他不断地以慈爱诚实待我人。至於我,耶和华上引领我,直走到我人的兄弟家里。

28 女子跑回去,照着这些告诉他母亲和他家里的人。

29 利百加有一个哥哥,名叫拉班,看见金环,又看见金镯在他妹子的手上,并听见他妹子利百加的话,说那对我如此如此说。拉班就跑出来往井旁去,到那跟前,见他仍站在骆驼旁边的井旁那里,

30 a

31 便对他:你这蒙耶和华赐福的,请进,为甚麽站在外边?我已经收拾了房屋,也为骆驼预备了地方

32 就进了拉班的家。拉班卸了骆驼,用料喂上,拿和跟随的

33 把饭摆在他面前,叫他,他却:我不,等我明白我的事情再。拉班:请

34 :我是亚伯拉罕的仆人

35 耶和华大大地赐福人,使他昌大,又赐羊群牛群、仆婢、骆驼,和

36 人的妻子撒拉年老的时候人生了一个儿子;我人也将一切所有的都了这个儿子

37 人叫我起誓说:你不要为我儿子娶迦南的女子为妻。

38 你要往我父家、我本族那里去,为我的儿子娶一个妻子

39 我对我:恐怕女子不肯跟我来。

40 他就:我所事奉的耶和华必要差遣他的使者与你同去,叫你的道路通达,你就得以在我父家、我本族那里,给我的儿子娶一个妻子

41 只要你到了我本族那里,我使你起的誓就与你无干。他们若不把女子交你,我使你起的誓也与你无干。

42 我今日到了井旁,便耶和华─我亚伯拉罕的阿,愿你叫我所行的道路通达。

43 我如今站在井旁,对那一个出来打的女子:请你把你瓶里的给我一点喝;

44 他若:你只管,我也为你的骆驼打水;愿那女子就作耶和华给我儿子所预定的妻。

45 里的话还没有完,利百加就出来,肩头上扛着水瓶,到井旁打水。我便对他:请你给我水喝。

46 他就急忙从肩头上拿瓶来,:请!我也给你的骆驼。我便了;他又给我的骆驼了。

47 我问他:你是谁的女儿?他:我是密迦与拿鹤之子彼土利的女儿。我就把环子戴在他鼻子上,把镯子戴在他两上。

48 随後我低头向耶和华下拜,称颂耶和华─我亚伯拉罕的;因为他引导我走合式的道路,使我得着我兄弟的孙女,给我人的儿子为妻。

49 现在你们若愿以慈爱诚实待我人,就告诉我;若不然,也告诉我,使我可以或向左,或向右。

50 拉班和彼土利回答:这事乃出於耶和华我们不能向你歹。

51 看哪,利百加在你面前,可以将他带去,照着耶和华的,给你人的儿子为妻。

52 亚伯拉罕的仆人见他们这,就向耶和华俯伏在

53 当下仆人拿出器、器,和衣服利百加,又将宝物送哥哥和他母亲

54 仆人和跟从他的人吃了了,住了一夜。早晨起来,仆人就:请打发我回我人那里去罢。

55 利百加的哥哥和他母亲:让女子同我们,至少十,然他可以去。

56 仆人耶和华既赐给我通达的道路,你们不要耽误我,请打发我走,回我人那里去罢。

57 他们我们把女子来问问他,

58 了利百加来,问他:你和这同去麽?利百加:我去。

59 於是他们打发妹子利百加和他的母,同亚伯拉罕的仆人,并跟从仆人的,都走了。

60 他们就给利百加祝福:我们的妹子阿,愿你作万人的母!愿你的後裔得着仇敌的城

61 利百加和他的使女们起来,骆驼,跟着那仆人仆人就带着利百加走了。

62 那时,以撒,刚从庇耳.拉海.莱回

63 天将晚,以撒在田间默想,举目一,见来了骆驼

64 利百加举目以撒,就急忙下了骆驼

65 问那仆人:这田间走来迎接我们的是谁?仆人:是我的。利百加就拿帕子蒙上脸。

66 仆人就将所办的一切事都告诉以撒

67 以撒便领利百加进了他母亲撒拉的帐棚,娶了他为妻,并且他。以撒自从他母亲不在了,这才得了安慰

   

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Arcana Coelestia #2851

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2851. 'Your seed will inherit the gate of their enemies' means that charity and faith will take the place occupied previously by evil and falsity. This is clear from the meaning of 'inheriting' as receiving the Lord's life, dealt with in 2658, here as taking the place of, for when charity and faith exist in the place occupied previously by evil and falsity, the Lord's life enters in there; from the meaning of 'seed' as charity and faith, dealt with in 1025, 1447, 1610, 1941; from the meaning of 'gate', dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'enemies' as evils and falsities, or what amounts to the same, people who are subject to evil and falsity. It is the latter who are meant by enemies and foes in the internal sense of the Word.

[2] As regards the meaning of 'a gate', there are in general two gates with each individual person. One gate is exposed towards hell and is open to evils and falsities from there. In that gate genii and spirits from hell are present. The other gate is exposed towards heaven and is open to goods and truths from there. In that gate angels are present. Thus there is a gate leading to hell and a gate leading to heaven. The gate to hell is open to those who are immersed in evil and falsity, and only through chinks round about overhead does any light at all from heaven penetrate, which enables them to think and to reason. But the gate to heaven is open to those who are immersed in good and truth from there.

[3] For there are two paths which lead into a person's rational mind, a higher or internal path along which good and truth from the Lord enter in, and a lower or external path along which evil and falsity enter in surreptitiously from hell. In the middle is the rational mind towards which the two paths converge. From the goods and truths present there the rational mind is compared in the Word to a city and is actually called a city. And because it is compared to and actually called a city it is depicted as having gates, and is described in various places as having enemies, that is, evil genii and spirits, besieging it and assaulting it, while angels from the Lord are defending it, that is, the Lord Himself is doing so. The genii and spirits from hell, with their evils and falsities, can go no further than towards the lower or outer gate, and cannot pass at all into the city. If they were able to pass into the city, which is the rational mind, man would be completely done for. But when they reach the point, as it seems to them, that they have taken the city by storm, it is then closed, so that good and truth no longer flow into it from heaven, apart, as has been stated, from that small amount which comes in through chinks round about. As a consequence such persons no longer possess any charity at all or any faith at all, but make good consist in evil, and truth in falsity. They also as a consequence cease to be truly rational, though they seem to themselves to be so, 1914, 1944, and are called 'dead men', though they themselves believe they are more alive than any others, 81, 290 (end). These things are so because the gate to heaven is closed to them. The fact that it is closed to them is quite apparent and is discerned in the next life, and so conversely that the gate to heaven is open to those in whom good and truth are present.

[4] As regards 'the gate of enemies' in particular, spoken of in this verse, it is the gate that exists with a person in his natural mind. That gate when the person is wholly natural or as yet unregenerate is occupied by evils and falsities, or what amounts to the same, evil genii and spirits are flowing into it together with evil desires and false persuasions, see 687, 698, 1692. When however a person is spiritual or being regenerated, evils and falsities, or what amounts to the same, evil genii and spirits, are driven away from that gate, that is, from the natural mind. Once they have been driven away, goods and truths, or charity and faith, take their place; and these - charity and faith - are meant by 'your seed will inherit the gate of their enemies'. This is what takes place in particular with each individual person when he is being regenerated, and similarly in the next life with those entering the Lord's kingdom; and also what takes place in general, that is, in the Church, which is made up of many individuals.

[5] This transformation was represented by the children of Israel driving the nations from the land of Canaan. Such expulsion of those nations is what, in the literal sense, the words 'your seed will inherit the gate of their enemies' are used to mean; but in the internal sense the things which have just been described are meant. This also explains why in ancient times it was customary to use words such as these when blessing persons who were about to be married, as is also evident from the blessing which Laban gave to Rebekah his sister when, already betrothed, she was about to go to Isaac,

Our sister, may you be [the mother] of thousands of myriads, and may your seed inherit the gate of those who hate you. Genesis 24:60.

[6] That such things are meant in the Word by 'the gate of enemies' or 'of those who hate' becomes clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

I will kill your root with famine, and your remnant will I slay. Wail, O gate; cry, O city; you have melted away, O Philistia, all of you, for smoke comes out of the north. Isaiah 14:30-31.

'Killing the root with famine and slaying the remnant' stands for the removal of goods and truths which the Lord has stored away inwardly - 'the remnant' meaning such goods and truths, see 468, 530, 560-562, 661, 798, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284. 'Gate' stands for the place of entry into things that are interior, that is, into the rational mind. 'City' stands for that mind, or what amounts to the same, for the goods and truths there, 402, 2268, 2449, 2451, 2712. 'Philistia' stands for knowledge of the cognitions of faith, or what amounts to the same, for those who have a knowledge of those cognitions but not of the goods that spring from faith, 1197, 1198. 'Smoke from the north' stands for falsity from hell - smoke being falsity arising out of evil, 1861.

[7] In the same prophet,

The city of hollowness will be broken down, every house will be shut up to prevent it being entered. There will be an outcry in the streets over [the lack of] wine, all joy will be made desolate, the gladness of the earth will be banished. What is left in the city will be desolation, and the gate will be smitten with vastation, for thus will it be in the midst of the earth, in the midst of the peoples. Isaiah 24:10-13.

'The city of hollowness' which 'will be broken down' stands for the human mind deprived of truth. 'Every house will be shut up' stands for lack of good - 'house' meaning good, 2233. 'An outcry in the streets over [the lack of] wine' stands for a state of falsity - 'outcry' having reference to falsities, 2240. 'Wine' means truth over which there will be an outcry because there is none, 1071, 1798, and 'streets' means the things that lead to truths, 2336. 'The joy which is being made desolate' has reference to truth, 'the gladness of the earth that is being banished' to good. All this shows what is meant by 'what is left in the city will be desolation' and 'the gate will be smitten with vastation'. The gate is said to be vastated when nothing but evils and falsities reign.

[8] In Jeremiah,

The roads of Zion are mourning that none come to the appointed feast. All her gates are desolate, her priests groan, her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness. Her enemies have become the head, her foes secure, because Jehovah has afflicted [her] over the multitude of her transgressions. Her young children have gone away captive before the enemy. Lamentations 1:4-5.

'The roads of Zion mourning' stands for there being no longer any truths that come from good -'roads' meaning truths, 189, 627, 2333. 'All her gates are desolate' stands for all the entrances being occupied by falsities. 'Her enemies have become the head' stands for evils reigning.

[9] In the same prophet,

Jehovah has caused the rampart, and the wall of the daughter of Zion, to mourn; they languish together. Her gates have become pressed down into the ground; He has destroyed and broken her bars; her king and her princes are among the nations. The law is no more; even her prophets have found no vision from Jehovah. All your foes have opened their mouth against you, they have hissed and gnashed their teeth; they have said, We have swallowed her up; this is the day we have awaited; we have found, we have seen it. Lamentations 2:8-9, 16.

'Gates pressed down into the ground' stands for the natural mind when occupied by evils and falsities. 'Her king and princes are among the nations' stands for truths immersed in evils - 'king' meaning truth in general, 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 'princes' first and foremost truths, 1482, 2089, and 'nations' evil, 1259, 1260, 1849, 1868, 2588.

[10] In Moses,

A nation from far away, from the end of the earth will distress you within all your gates until your high and fortified walls in which you trust come down in all your land. And it will distress you within all your gates, in the whole of your land. Thus will your enemy distress you. Deuteronomy 28:49, 52-53.

These calamities are found among the curses which Moses foretold to the people if they did not hold fast to the commandments and statutes. 'A nation from far away, from the end of the earth' stands in the internal sense for evils and falsities, that is, for those who are immersed in evil and falsity. 'Distressing them within all their gates' stands for sealing off every access to good and truth.

[11] In Nahum,

Behold, your people are women in the midst of you. The gates of your land have been opened wide to your enemies; fire has devoured your bars. Draw yourself water for the siege, strengthen your fortifications; go into the mud and tread the bitumen; strengthen the brick-kiln. Nahum 3:13-14.

'The gates of the land opened wide to enemies' stands for evils occupying the position where goods ought to be. In the Book of Judges, The highways ceased to be, and they went along by-paths; they went along twisting ways; the streets in Israel ceased to be. He chose new gods, at which point the gates were assailed - was a shield seen, or a spear, among the forty thousand of Israel? Judges 5:6-8.

This is the prophecy of Deborah and Barak. 'The gates were assailed' stands for an assault on goods and truths.

[12] In David,

Those who dwell in the gate plot against me; those who drink strong drink sing songs. Psalms 69:12.

'Those who dwell in the gate' stands for evils and falsities, and also for those who are from hell. In Ezekiel,

In the visions of God he was brought to the door of the inner gate which looked towards the north. There he saw the great abominations of the house of Israel. He was also brought to the door of the gate of the house of Jehovah which looked towards the north. There also [he saw] abominations. Ezekiel 8:3, 6, 14-15.

'The door of the inner gate which looked towards the north' stands for the place where interior falsities exist. 'The door of the gate of the house of Jehovah towards the north' stands for the place where interior evils exist. The fact that the falsities and evils are interior, and that it is an interior sphere in which such spirits and genii reside, see 2121-2124.

[13] In David,

Behold, sons are a possession of Jehovah, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like darts in the hand of a strong man so are the sons of youth. 1 Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them. They will not be put to shame, for they will speak with enemies in the gate. Psalms 127:3-5.

'Speaking with enemies in the gate' stands for having no fear of evils and falsities, nor thus of hell. In Isaiah,

On that day Jehovah Zebaoth will be a spirit of judgement to him who sits in judgement, and strength to those who turn back the battle towards the gate. They are also made senseless from wine, and err from strong drink. Isaiah 28:5-7.

In the same prophet,

They will be cut off who cause people to sin by a word, and who lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate and cause him who is just to turn aside to something empty. Isaiah 29:20-21.

In the same prophet,

Elam bore the quiver in the chariot of man (homo), [and] horsemen, Kir uncovered the shield, and the choicest of your valleys was full of chariots and horsemen; they positioned themselves at the gate. And he looked on that day to the armoury of the house of the forest. Isaiah 22:6-8.

In Jeremiah,

Judah mourned and her gates languished; the people were in black down to the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem went up. Their great men sent lesser ones to the waters; they came to the pits, they found no water. Jeremiah 14:1-3.

In the same prophet,

The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their singing. Lamentations 5:14

[14] All these places show what is meant by 'the gate of enemies', namely hell, or those from hell who are constantly mounting an assault on goods and truths. They have their seat with a person, as has been stated, in his natural mind; but when the person is such that he allows goods and truths, and so angels, to enter in, the Lord drives away from that seat those who are from hell. And once they have been driven away, the gate to heaven, or heaven itself, is opened. This gate also is mentioned in various places in the Word, as in Isaiah,

A song in the land of Judah, Ours is a strong city, salvation will establish walls and rampart. Open the gates and the righteous nation that keeps faith will enter in. Isaiah 26:1-2.

In the same prophet,

Thus said Jehovah to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to put down nations before him, and I will open the loins of kings, to open doors before him, and the gates will not be shut; I will go before you and make straight the crooked places; I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut asunder the bars of iron. Isaiah 45:1-2.

In the same prophet,

The sons of the foreigner will build up your walls, and their kings will minister to you. They will keep your gates open continually, day and night they will not be shut. Violence will no more be heard in your land, devastation and ruin within your borders; and you will call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. Isaiah 60:10-11, 18.

In the same prophet,

Go through, go through the gates; prepare the way for the people; level out, level out the highway. Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your salvation comes. Isaiah 62:10-12.

In Micah,

They will go through the gate, and go out by it; and their king will go on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them. Micah 2:13.

In David,

Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O eternal doors, and the King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, lift up, O eternal doors. Psalms 24:7-10.

In the same author,

Celebrate Jehovah, O Jerusalem, praise your God, O Zion! For He strengthens the bars of your gates, He blesses your children in the midst of you. Psalms 147:12-13.

[15] From all these places it is evident that 'the gate of heaven' is the place where angels are present with a person, that is, where good and truth are flowing in from the Lord. Thus there are, as has been stated, two gates, to which the Lord refers in Matthew as follows,

Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is broad which leads away to destruction; and those who enter by it are many. For narrow and strait is the road that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:12-14; Luke 13:23-24.

In addition the gates to the New Jerusalem and the gates to the new Temple are dealt with extensively in Ezekiel and also in John, in the Book of Revelation. By these gates nothing else is meant than the entrances into heaven - see Ezekiel 40:6-49; 43:1-2, 4; 44:1-3; 46:1-9, 12; 48:31-34; Revelation 21:12-13, 21, 25; 22:14; Isaiah 54:11-12. And this is why Jerusalem is called The Gate of the People, Micah 1:9; Obad. verse 13.

Footnotes:

1. literally, the sons of firstfruits

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