The Bible

 

創世記 18

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1 耶和華在幔利橡樹那裡向亞伯拉罕顯現出來。那時正熱,亞伯拉罕在帳棚口,

2 舉目觀,見有個人在對面站著。他一見,就從帳棚口跑去迎接他們,俯伏在

3 :我,我若在你眼前蒙恩,求你不要離開僕人往前去。

4 容我拿點來,你們,在歇息歇息。

5 我再拿一點餅來,你們可以加添力,然往前去。你們既到僕人這裡來,理當如此。他們:就照你的行罷。

6 亞伯拉罕急忙進帳棚見撒拉,:你速速拿細亞細麵調和作餅。

7 亞伯拉罕又跑到牛群裡,牽了一隻又嫩又犢來,交僕人,僕人急忙預備了。

8 亞伯拉罕又取了奶油和奶,並預備好的牛犢來,擺在他們面前,自己在站在旁邊,他們就吃了

9 他們問亞伯拉罕:你妻子撒拉在那裡?他:在帳棚裡。

10 三人中有一位:到明年這時候,我必要回到你這裡;你的妻子撒拉必生一個兒子。撒拉在那人邊的帳棚口也見了這話。

11 亞伯拉罕和撒拉年紀老邁,撒拉的月經已斷絕了。

12 撒拉心裡暗笑,:我既已衰敗,我也老邁,豈能有這喜事呢?

13 耶和華亞伯拉罕:撒拉為甚麼暗笑,:我既已年老,果真能生養麼?

14 耶和華豈有難成的事麼?到了日期,明年這時候,我必回到你這裡,撒拉必生一個兒子

15 撒拉就害怕,不承認,:我沒有笑。那位:不然,你實在笑了。

16 三人就從那裡起行,向所多瑪觀看,亞伯拉罕也與他們同行,要送他們一程。

17 耶和華:我所要作的事豈可瞞著亞伯拉罕呢?

18 亞伯拉罕必要成為強的國;上的萬國都必因他得福。

19 我眷顧他,為要叫他吩咐他的眾子和他的眷屬遵守我的道,秉公行,使我所應許亞伯拉罕的話都成就了。

20 耶和華所多瑪和蛾摩拉的惡甚重,聲聞於我。

21 我現在要去,察他們所行的,果然盡像那達到我耳中的聲音一樣麼?若是不然,我也必知道

22 二人轉身離開那裡,向所多瑪去;但亞伯拉罕仍舊站在耶和華面前。

23 亞伯拉罕前來,:無論善惡,你都要剿滅麼?

24 假若那城裡有五十人,你還剿滅那地方麼?不為城裡這五十人饒恕其中的人麼?

25 人與惡人同殺,將人與惡人一樣看待,這斷不是你所行的。審判全的主豈不行公麼?

26 耶和華:我若在所多瑪城裡見有五十人,我就為他們的緣故饒恕那地方的眾人。

27 亞伯拉罕:我雖然是灰塵,還敢對主說話

28 假若這五十人短了五個,你就因為短了五個毀滅全城麼?他:我在那裡若見有四十五個,也不毀滅那城。

29 亞伯拉罕又對他:假若在那裡見有四十個怎麼樣呢?他:為這四十個的緣故,我也不作這事。

30 亞伯拉罕:求主不要動怒,容我,假若在那裡見有三十個怎麼樣呢?他:我在那裡若見有三十個,我也不作這事。

31 亞伯拉罕:我還敢對主說話,假若在那裡見有二十個怎麼樣呢?他:為這二十個的緣故,我也不毀滅那城。

32 亞伯拉罕:求主不要動怒,我再這一次,假若在那裡見有個呢?他:為這個的緣故,我也不毀滅那城。

33 耶和華亞伯拉罕說完了話就走了;亞伯拉罕也回到自己的地方去了。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2258

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2258. 'Will not the Judge of the whole earth execute judgement?' means that Divine Good cannot effect this in the manner of truth separated from good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the Judge of the whole earth', and also from the meaning of 'judgement'. 'The Judge of the whole earth' means in the internal sense good itself from which truth goes forth. This was also represented in the representative Church by the priests being at the same time judges. As priests they represented Divine Good, and as judges Divine Truth. But 'the Judge of the whole earth' means both, and this from the meaning of 'the earth', dealt with in various places in Volume One. But to confirm these matters at this point from the representatives of that Church would take too long. 'Judgement' however means truth, as shown above in 2235. From the meaning of these words, and at the same time from the train of thought in the internal sense, it becomes clear that 'will not the Judge of the whole earth execute judgement?' means that Divine Good cannot effect this in the manner of truth separated from good.

[2] To understand these matters it should be recognized that there are two things which constitute the order of the whole of heaven and are from there present in the universe, namely good and truth. Good is the essential constituent of order, and all aspects of it are forms of mercy. Truth is the secondary constituent of order, and all its aspects are truths. Divine Good adjudges all people to heaven, but Divine Truth condemns them all to hell. Consequently if the Lord's mercy, which is the very nature of Good, were not eternal, all men - however many these may be - would be condemned. This is what is meant here by the statement that Divine Good cannot effect this thing in the manner of truth separated from good. See also what is stated on these matters in Volume One, in 1728. But the reason the evil are condemned to hell is not that Divine Good is separated from Divine Truth, but that man separates himself from Divine Good; for the Lord in no way sends anyone down to hell, but man sends himself down, as stated frequently already. Also, seeing that the Divine Good is joined to Divine Truth, it should be recognized that unless the evil were separated from the good, the evil would do harm to the good and would be constantly endeavouring to destroy order. Thus the prevention of the good from suffering harm is an act of mercy. It is the same in earthly kingdoms. If evils went unpunished a whole kingdom would be steeped in evils, and this being so it would perish. For that reason kings and judges are showing greater mercy when they punish evils and remove from society those who commit them than when they show undue leniency towards the same.

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