The Bible

 

Postanak 12

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1 Jahve reče Abramu: "Idi iz zemlje svoje, iz zavičaja i doma očinskog, u krajeve koje ću ti pokazati.

2 Velik ću narod od tebe učiniti, blagoslovit ću te, ime ću ti uzveličati, i sam ćeš biti blagoslov.

3 Blagoslivljat ću one koji te blagoslivljali budu, koji te budu kleli, njih ću proklinjati; sva plemena na zemlji tobom će se blagoslivljati."

4 Abram se zaputi kako mu je Jahve rekao. S njime krenu i Lot. Abramu je bilo sedamdeset i pet godina kad je otišao iz Harana.

5 Abram uze sa sobom svoju ženu Saraju, svoga bratića Lota, svu imovinu što su je namakli i svu čeljad koju su stekli u Haranu te svi pođu u zemlju kanaansku. Kad su stigli u Kanaan,

6 Abram prođe zemljom do mjesta Šekema - do hrasta More. Kanaanci su onda bili u zemlji.

7 Jahve se javi Abramu pa mu reče: "Tvome ću potomstvu dati ovu zemlju." Abram tu podigne žrtvenik Jahvi koji mu se objavio.

8 Odatle prijeđe u brdoviti kraj, na istok od Betela. Svoj šator postavi između Betela na zapadu i Aja na istoku. Ondje podigne žrtvenik Jahvi i zazva ime Jahvino.

9 Od postaje do postaje Abram se pomicao prema Negebu.

10 Ali kad je zemljom zavladala glad, Abram se spusti u Egipat da ondje proboravi, jer je velika glad harala zemljom.

11 Kad je bio na ulazu u Egipat, reče svojoj ženi Saraji: "Znam da si lijepa žena.

12 Kad te Egipćani vide, reći će: 'To je njegova žena', i mene će ubiti, a tebe na životu ostaviti.

13 Nego reci da si mi sestra, tako da i meni bude zbog tebe dobro i da, iz obzira prema tebi, poštede moj život."

14 Zbilja, kad je Abram ušao u Egipat, Egipćani vide da je žena veoma lijepa.

15 Vide je faraonovi dvorani pa je pohvale faraonu i odvedu ženu na faraonov dvor.

16 Abramu pođe dobro zbog nje; steče on stoke i goveda, magaraca, slugu i sluškinja, magarica i deva.

17 Ali Jahve udari faraona i njegov dom velikim nevoljama zbog Abramove žene Saraje.

18 I faraon pozva Abrama pa reče: "Što si mi to učinio? Zašto mi nisi kazao da je ona tvoja žena?

19 Zašto si rekao: 'Ona mi je sestra', pa je ja uzeh sebi za ženu? A sad, evo ti žene; uzmi je i hajde!"

20 Faraon ga onda preda momcima, a oni ga otprave s njegovom ženom i sa svime što bijaše njegovo.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1296

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1296. Come, let us make bricks. That this signifies falsities which they fashioned for themselves, is evident from the signification of “brick.” In the Word, “stone” signifies truth, and therefore “brick,” because it is made by man, signifies falsity; for brick is stone artificially made. That “brick” has this signification may be further seen from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

I have spread out My hands all the day unto a refractory people, that walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts, sacrificing in gardens, and burning incense upon bricks (Isaiah 65:2-3).

“Burning incense upon bricks” denotes worship from things fabricated and false; and therefore they are said to walk after their own thoughts. Again:

For the elation and pride of heart of Ephraim and of the inhabitant of Samaria, that say, The bricks have fallen down, but we will build with hewn stone (Isaiah 9:9-10).

“Ephraim” denotes an intelligent person who falls into perversities, and calls or makes to be true things that are false, or “bricks;” “hewn stone” denotes what is fabricated.

In Nahum:

Draw thee water for the siege, strengthen thy fortresses, go into the mud and tread the clay, repair the brick kiln. There shall the fire devour thee, and the sword shall cut thee off (Nahum 3:14-15).

Here “to tread the clay” denotes falsities; “to repair the brick kiln denotes the derivative worship; “the fire” is the punishment of cupidities; “the sword” is the punishment of falsities.

In Ezekiel:

Take thee a brick, and set it before thee, and grave upon it a city, even Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4:1);

and he was commanded to besiege it, in which prophetic matter there is involved that the worship was falsified. That “brick” signifies falsity, may be still further seen from the signification of “stone,” which is truth, concerning which presently.

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