The Bible

 

創世記 26

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1 亞伯拉罕的日子,那有一次饑荒;這時又有饑荒,以撒就往基拉耳去,到非利士人的王亞比米勒那裡。

2 耶和華向以撒顯現,:你不要去,要住在我所指示你的

3 你寄居在這,我必與你同在,賜福你,因為我要將這些都賜你和你的後裔。我必堅定我向你父亞伯拉罕所起的誓。

4 我要加增你的後裔,像上的那樣多,又要將這些都賜你的後裔。並且上萬國必因你的後裔得福─

5 都因亞伯拉罕聽從我的話,遵守我的吩咐和我的命令、律例、度。

6 以撒在基拉耳。

7 地方的人問到他的妻子,他便:那是我的妹子。原來他:是我的妻子;他心裡想:恐地方的人為利百加的緣故殺我,因為他容貌俊美。

8 他在那裡住了許久。有一天非利士人的王亞比米勒從窗戶裡往外觀,見以撒和他的妻子利百加戲玩。

9 亞比米勒召了以撒來,對他:他實在是你的妻子,你怎麼他是你的妹子?以撒:我心裡想,恐怕我因他而

10 亞比米勒:你向我們做的是甚麼事呢?民中險些有人和你的妻同寢,把我們陷在罪裡。

11 於是亞比米勒曉諭眾民說:凡沾著這個,或是他妻子的,定要把他治

12 以撒在那耕種,那一年有倍的收成。耶和華賜福給他,

13 他就昌大,日增月盛,成了大富戶。

14 他有羊群牛群,又有許多僕人,非利士人就嫉妒他。

15 當他父親亞伯拉罕在世的日子,他父親僕人非利士人全都塞住,滿了土。

16 亞比米勒對以撒:你離開我們去罷。因為你比我們強盛得多。

17 以撒就離開那裡,在基拉耳谷支搭帳棚,在那裡。

18 當他父親亞伯拉罕在世之日所非利士人亞伯拉罕塞住了,以撒就重新出來,仍照他父親那些名字

19 以撒的僕人,便得了一口活

20 基拉耳的牧人與以撒的牧人爭競,:這是我們的。以撒就給那起名埃色(就是相爭的意思),因為他們和他相爭。

21 以撒的僕人又了一口,他們又為這爭競,因此以撒給這起名西提拿(就是為敵的意思)。

22 以撒離開那裡,又了一口,他們不為這爭競了,他就給那起名利河伯(就是寬闊的意思)。他耶和華現在給我們寬闊之我們必在這昌盛。

23 以撒從那裡上別是巴去。

24 當夜耶和華向他顯現,:我是你父親亞伯拉罕的,不要懼!因為我與你同在,要賜福給你,並要為我僕人亞伯拉罕的緣故,使你的後裔繁多。

25 以撒就在那裡築了一座,求告耶和華的名,並且支搭帳棚;他的僕人便在那裡了一口

26 亞比米勒,同他的朋友亞戶撒和他的軍長非各,從基拉耳來見以撒。

27 以撒對他們:你們既然恨我,打發我走了,為甚麼到我這裡呢?

28 他們我們明明的耶和華與你同在,便,不如我們兩下彼此起誓,彼此立約,

29 使你不害我們,正如我們未曾害你,一味的厚待你,並且打發你平平安安的走。你是蒙耶和華賜福的了。

30 以撒就為他們設擺筵席,他們便吃了了。

31 他們清起來彼此起誓。以撒打發他們走,他們就平平安安的離開他走了。

32 一天以撒的僕人,將的事告訴:我們得了了。

33 他就給那井起名示巴;因此那城做別是巴,直到今日。

34 以掃四十歲的時候娶了赫人比利的女兒猶滴,與赫人以倫的女兒巴實抹為妻。

35 他們常使以撒和利百加心裡愁煩。

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3441

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3441. 'For the sake of Abraham My servant' means because of the Lord's Divine Human. This is clear from the representation of 'Abraham' as the Lord's Divine, and also His Divine Human, dealt with in 2833, 2836, 3251, and from the meaning of 'My servant', when used in reference to the Lord, as the Divine Human. Not that the Divine Human is a servant, for the Divine Human also is Jehovah, 1736, 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023, 3035, but 'My servant' means the Divine Human because by means of that Divine Human the Lord serves the human race. Indeed it is by means of the Divine Human that a person is saved, for unless the Lord had united the Human to the Divine so that man could with his mind behold and worship the Lord's Human, and in so doing approach the Divine, he could not possibly be saved. The joining of man to the Divine Himself, called the Father, is effected through the Divine Human, called the Son, and so through the Lord, by whom one who is spiritual understands the Human, but one who is celestial understands the Divine Himself.

[2] From these considerations it is evident why the Divine Human is called a servant, namely that it serves the Divine for the purpose of giving man access to Himself, and it serves the human race in their salvation. This then is what is meant by 'Abraham My servant', as also in David, Remember His marvellous acts that He has done, the signs and the judgements of His mouth, O seed of Abraham His servant, O sons of Jacob His chosen ones. He sent Moses His servant, Aaron whom He had chosen. He remembered His Holy word, with Abraham His servant. Psalms 105:5-6, 26, 42.

Here 'Abraham His servant' is used to mean the Lord's Divine Human. In a similar way the Lord's Divine Human is also meant in the highest sense by 'servant Israel', 'servant Jacob', and 'servant David':

SERVANT ISRAEL

In Isaiah,

You, Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham My friend, you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from the extremities 1 of it, and said to you, You are My servant, I have chosen you. Isaiah 41:8-9.

Here, in the highest sense, 'Israel My servant' is the Lord in relation to the internal aspects of the spiritual Church, and 'Jacob' to the external aspects of that Church. In the same prophet,

He said to me, You are My servant Israel in whom I will be rendered glorious. It is a light thing that You should be a servant to Me to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel. And I have given You as a light of the nations, that You may be My salvation right to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 49:3, 6.

Here 'servant Israel in whom I will be rendered glorious' clearly stands for the Lord's Divine Human. Plainly He is called 'a servant' from the service He performs, for it is said 'that You may be a servant to Me to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel'.

[3] SERVANT JACOB

In Isaiah,

I will give you the treasures of darkness and the secret riches of hiding-places for the sake of My servant Jacob, and of Israel My chosen. Isaiah 45:3-4.

Here 'servant Jacob' and 'Israel the chosen' are used to mean the Lord - 'servant Jacob' in relation to the external Church, 'Israel the chosen' in relation to the internal Church.

[4] SERVANT DAVID

In Ezekiel,

I will gather the children of Israel from all around. My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will dwell in the land which I gave to My servant Jacob. And they will dwell in it, they and their sons, and their sons' sons even for ever. And David My servant will be their pence for ever. Ezekiel 37:21, 24-25.

'Servant David' clearly stands for the Lord's Divine Human, 1888, and does so by virtue of Divine Truth which is meant by 'the king', who is David in this case, 1728, 2015, 3009. Also, in relation to good truth itself is the servant, see 3409. This being so the Lord calls Himself one who serves or ministers, in Mark,

Whoever would be great among you must be your minister; and anyone who would be first among you must be the servant of all, even as the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to but to minister. Mark 10:43-45; Matthew 20:26-28.

And in Luke,

Who is the greater, one who sits at table or one who ministers? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am in the midst of you as one who ministers. Luke 22:27.

Footnotes:

1. literally, wings

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