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Postanak 14

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1 Kad Amrafel bijaše kralj Šineara, Ariok kralj Elasara, Kedor-Laomer kralj Elama, Tidal kralj Gojima,

2 povedoše oni rat protiv Bere, kralja Sodome, Birše, kralja Gomore, Šinaba, kralja Adme, Šemebera, kralja Sebojima, i protiv kralja u Beli, to jest Soaru.

3 I vojske se sliju u dolinu Sidim, gdje je danas Slano more.

4 Dvanaest su godina služili Kedor-Laomera, ali trinaeste godine dignu se na ustanak.

5 U četrnaestoj godini digne se Kedor-Laomer i kraljevi koji su bili s njim te potuku Refaimce u Ašterot Karnajimu, Zuzijce u Hamu, Emijce na ravnici Kirjatajimu,

6 Horijce u brdskom kraju Seiru, blizu El Parana, koji je uz pustinju.

7 Onda se povuku natrag i stignu u En Mišpat, to jest Kadeš, i pokore sve krajeve Amalečana i Amorejaca, koji su nastavali Haseson Tamar.

8 Zatim istupi kralj Sodome, kralj Gomore, kralj Adme, kralj Sebojima i kralj Bele, odnosno Soara, te zapodjenu borbu protiv onih u dolini Sidimu:

9 Kedor-Laomera, kralja Elama, Tidala, kralja Gojima, Amrafela, kralja Šineara, Arioka, kralja Elasara - četiri kralja protiv pet.

10 Dolina Sidim bila je puna provalija s paklinom, pa kraljevi Sodome i Gomore, na bijegu, u njih poskaču, a ostali izmaknu u planine.

11 Pobjednici pokupe sve blago po Sodomi i Gomori i svu hranu pa odu.

12 Pograbe i Lota, Abramova bratića - i on je živio u Sodomi - i njegovo blago pa otiđu.

13 A bjegunac neki - rođak Eškola i Anera, Abramovih saveznika - donese vijest Abramu Hebrejcu dok je boravio kod hrasta Amorejske Mamre.

14 Kad je Abram čuo da mu je bratić zarobljen, skupi svoju momčad - rođenu u njegovu domu - njih trista osamnaest, pa pođe u potjeru do Dana.

15 Podijeli svoje momke u dvije čete, napadne noću te one potuče. Progonio ih je do Hobe, sjeverno od Damaska.

16 Povrati sve blago, svoga bratića Lota i njegovo blago, žene i ostali svijet.

17 Pošto se vratio, porazivši Kedor-Laomera i kraljeve koji su bili s njim, u susret mu, u dolinu Šave, to jest u Kraljev dol, iziđe kralj Sodome.

18 A Melkisedek, kralj Šalema, iznese kruha i vina. On je bio svećenik Boga Svevišnjega.

19 Blagoslovi ga govoreći: "Od Boga Svevišnjega, Stvoritelja neba i zemlje, neka je Abramu blagoslov!

20 I Svevišnji Bog, što ti u ruke preda neprijatelje, hvaljen bio!" Abram mu dade desetinu od svega.

21 Tada kralj Sodome reče Abramu: "Meni daj ljude, a dobra uzmi sebi!"

22 Abram odgovori kralju Sodome: "Ruku uzdižem pred Jahvom, Svevišnjim Stvoriteljem neba i zemlje,

23 da neću uzeti ni končića, ni remena od obuće, niti išta što je tvoje da ne kažeš: na meni se Abram obogatio.

24 Ne, meni ništa, osim što su moji momci upotrijebili; i dio za momčad što je sa mnom išla: Aner, Eškol i Mamre, oni neka uzmu svoj dio."

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1676

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1676. Even to El-paran which is in the wilderness. That this signifies their extension, may be seen from the fact that the Horites were smitten and were compelled to flee thus far. The wilderness of Paran is mentioned in Genesis 21:21; Numbers 10:12; 12:16; 13:3, 26; Deuteronomy 1:1. What is here signified by “El-paran which is in the wilderness,” cannot so well be explained, except insofar as to say that the Lord’s first victory over the hells signified by those nations did not as yet extend any further, but how far it did extend is signified by “El-paran in the wilderness.”

[2] He to whom it has not been given to know heavenly arcana, may suppose that there was no need of the Lord’s coming into the world to fight against the hells, and by means of temptations admitted into Himself to vanquish and conquer them, when they might have been subjugated at any time by the Divine Omnipotence, and shut up in their hells; but that still the fact is really so, is a certain truth. To unfold the arcana themselves merely as to the most general things would fill a whole work; and it would also give occasion for reasonings about such Divine mysteries as human minds would not comprehend, however fully they might be unfolded; and most people would not desire to comprehend them.

[3] Therefore it is sufficient for men to know, and, because it is so, to believe, that it is an eternal truth that unless the Lord had come into the world and subjugated and conquered the hells by means of temptations admitted into Himself, the human race would have perished; and that otherwise those who have been on this earth even from the time of the Most Ancient Church could not possibly have been saved.

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