The Bible

 

創世記 9

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1 賜福給挪亞和他的兒子,對他們:你們要生養眾多,遍滿了

2 上的走獸和空中的飛都必驚恐,懼怕你們,連上一切的昆蟲並裡一切的魚都交付你們的

3 凡活著的動物都可以作你們的食物。這一切我都賜你們,如同菜蔬一樣。

4 惟獨帶著血,那就是他的生命,你們不可

5 流你們血、害你們命的,無論是獸是,我必討他的罪,就是向各的弟兄也是如此。

6 凡流人血的,他的血也必被人所流,因為造人是照自己的形像造的。

7 你們要生養眾多,在上昌盛繁茂。

8 曉諭挪亞和他的兒子

9 我與你們和你們的裔立約,

10 並與你們這裡的一切活物─就是飛牲畜、走,凡從方舟裡出來的活物─立約。

11 我與你們立約,凡有血的,不再被洪水滅絕,也不再有洪水毀壞了。

12 :我與你們並你們這裡的各樣活物所立的永約是有記號的。

13 我把虹放在彩中,這就可作我與立約的記號了。

14 我使彩蓋的時候,必有虹現在彩中,

15 我便記念我與你們和各樣有血的活物所立的約,水就再不氾濫、毀壞一切有血的物了。

16 虹必現在彩中,我見,就要記念我與上各樣有血的活物所立的永約。

17 對挪亞:這就是我與上一切有血之物立約的記號了。

18 出方舟挪亞的兒子就是、含、雅弗。含是迦南父親

19 這是挪亞的個兒子,他們的後裔分散在全

20 挪亞作起農夫來,栽了一個葡萄園

21 了園中的酒便了,在帳棚裡赤著身子。

22 迦南父親見他父親赤身,就到外邊告訴他兩個弟兄。

23 於是和雅弗拿件衣服搭在肩上,倒退著進去,給他父親蓋上;他們背著臉就不見父親的赤身。

24 挪亞醒了酒,知道兒子向他所作的事,

25 迦南當受咒詛,必給他弟兄作奴僕的奴僕;

26 耶和華是應當稱頌的!願迦南的奴僕。

27 使雅弗擴張,使他住在的帳棚裡;又願迦南作他的奴僕。

28 洪水以,挪亞又活了五十年。

29 挪亞共活了五十歲就死了

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1083

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1083. That 'Shem' means the internal Church, 'Japheth' the external Church corresponding to it, has been discussed already. Where the Church exists it must necessarily possess an internal aspect and an external; for a human being, who is the Church, is both internal and external. Before he becomes the Church, that is, before he has been regenerated, he is engrossed in things that are external. But when undergoing regeneration he is led away from external things - or rather by means of external things - towards internal, as stated and shown already. But once he has been regenerated, all things that belong to the internal man are encompassed in the things that are external. Thus every Church must necessarily be internal and external, as the Ancient Church was, and as the Christian Church is today.

[2] The internal aspects of the Ancient Church comprised all things that belong to charity and to faith deriving from charity, all humbleness, all worship of the Lord that stems from charity, every good affection towards the neighbour, and other aspects like these. The external features of that Church were sacrifices, drink-offerings, and much else, all of which, by means of representation, were directed to the Lord and had regard to Him. Consequently things of an internal nature existed within those that were external and made a single Church. The internal features of the Christian Church are just the same as the internal features of the Ancient Church, but different externals have ensued. That is to say, instead of sacrifices and the like, [the Christian Church] has sacraments which in a similar way have regard to the Lord. So in the Christian Church also things that are internal and those that are external make one.

[3] The Ancient Church did not differ in the slightest from the Christian Church as to its internal features, only as to its external. Worship of the Lord that stems from charity cannot possibly be different, no matter how much externals may vary. And since, as stated, no Church can exist unless there is that which is internal and that which is external, the internal without the external would be something unbounded if it were not encompassed by something external. For mankind is such, and indeed the vast majority, that it does not know what the internal man is, and what belongs to the internal man. Without external worship therefore, mankind would have no knowledge at all of what is holy.

[4] As long as these people have charity and consequently conscience, they have internal worship residing with them in their external worship. For the Lord residing with them is at work in charity and in conscience, and He causes all their worship to partake of what is internal. It is otherwise with people who have no charity and consequently no conscience. They are indeed able to have worship in externals, yet it is separated from internal worship, as their faith is separated from charity. Such worship is called 'Canaan' and such faith 'Ham'. And because such worship is the product of separated faith, Ham is called 'the father of Canaan'.

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