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創世記 32

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1 雅各仍舊行的使者遇見他。

2 雅各見他們就:這是的軍兵,於是給那地方起名瑪哈念(就是二軍兵的意思)。

3 雅各打發人先往西珥去,就是以東,見他哥哥以掃

4 吩咐他們:你們對我以掃:你的僕人雅各這樣:我在拉班那裡寄居,直到如今。

5 我有牛、羊群、僕婢,現在打發人來報告我,為要在你眼前蒙恩。

6 所打發的回到雅各那裡,:我們到了你哥哥以掃那裡,他帶著,正迎著你

7 雅各就甚懼,而且愁煩,便把那與他同在的人口和羊群牛群駱駝分做兩隊,

8 以掃擊殺這隊,剩下的那隊還可以逃避。

9 雅各耶和華─我祖亞伯拉罕的,我父親以撒的阿,你曾對我:回你本本族去,我要厚待你。

10 你向僕人所施的一切慈愛和誠實,我一點也不配得;我先前只拿著我的杖過這約但河,如今我卻成了兩隊了。

11 求你我脫離我哥哥以掃;因為我怕他殺我,連妻子帶兒女一同殺了。

12 你曾:我必定厚待你,使你的後裔如同邊的沙,多得不可勝

13 當夜,雅各在那裡住宿,就從他所有的物中拿禮物要送給他哥哥以掃

14 山羊隻,公山羊二十隻,母綿隻,公綿二十隻,

15 奶崽子的駱駝三十隻─各帶著崽子,母四十隻,公隻,母二十匹,匹;

16 每樣各分一群,交在僕人下,就對僕人:你們要在我前頭過去,使群群相離,有空閒的地方;

17 又吩咐儘先走的:我哥哥以掃遇見你的時候,問你:你是那家的人?要往那裡去?你前頭?這些是誰的?

18 你就:是你僕人雅各的,是送給我以掃禮物;他自己也在我們邊?。

19 又吩咐第二、第三,和一切趕群畜的人:你們遇見以掃的時候也要這樣對他

20 並且你們要:你僕人雅各我們邊。因雅各心裡:我藉著在我前頭去的禮物解他的恨,然再見他的面,或者他容納我。

21 於是禮物先過去了;那夜,雅各在隊中住宿。

22 他夜間起來,帶著兩個妻子,兩個使女,並十一個兒子,過了雅博渡口,

23 先打發他們過,又打發所有的都過去,

24 雅各。有一個來和他摔跤,直到黎明。

25 那人見自己勝不過他,就將他的大腿窩摸了一把,雅各大腿窩正在摔跤的時候就扭了。

26 那人:天黎明了,容我去罷!雅各:你不給我祝福,我就不容你去。

27 那人:你名叫甚麼?他:我名叫雅各

28 那人:你的名不要再叫雅各,要叫以色列;因為你與與人較力,都得了勝。

29 雅各問他:請將你的名告訴我。那人:何必問我的名?於是在那裡給雅各祝福

30 雅各便給那地方起名毘努伊勒(就是之面的意思),意思:我面對面見了,我的性命仍得保全。

31 日頭剛出來的時候,雅各經過毘努伊勒,他的大腿就瘸了。

32 故此,以色列人大腿窩的,直到今日,因為那人摸了雅各大腿窩的

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #4256

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4256. 'Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him' means the state of truth in relation to good, in which truth has made itself first. This becomes clear from what has been stated in various places above, especially from those which deal with the birthright which Jacob acquired to himself by means of the lentil pottage and with the blessing which he took from Esau by the use of deceit. What is represented and meant by those two incidents may be seen in the places dealing with them, where it is shown that truth seems to occupy the first position when a person is being regenerated and good the second, but that in reality good occupies the first and truth the second, as is plainly so once he has been regenerated. These matters are dealt with in 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247. When therefore order is being turned around and good plainly takes up the first position, that is, when it starts to have dominion over truth, the natural man experiences fear and distress, 4249, and also enters into temptations.

[2] The reason for this is that when truth occupied the first position, that is, when it seemed to itself to have dominion over good, falsities intermingled themselves. For truth is not able to see from itself whether it is the truth, but has to do so from good; and where falsities exist so does fear when good draws near. Furthermore all who are governed by good start to experience fear when falsities are seen in the light received from good, for they fear falsities and want to have them rooted out. But they cannot be rooted out if they are well established, except by Divine means provided by the Lord. This explains why, following the experience of fear and distress, those who are to be regenerated enter into temptations too; for temptations are the Divine means by which falsities are removed. And this reason why a person who is being regenerated undergoes spiritual temptations is a most profound one. Yet it is not seen at all by the person himself because it lies beyond his range of discernment, as does everything which stirs, pricks, and torments his conscience.

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