The Bible

 

Postanak 14

Study

   

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 #1752

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

1752. Save only that which the lads have eaten. That this signifies the good spirits, is evident from what precedes, and from what follows. It is evident from what precedes, for Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner are mentioned above (verse 13) as being allies of the covenant of Abram, by whom was signified the state of the Lord’s rational man as to His external man, in respect to the quality of its goods and truths; and thus it is evident that by them were signified the angels who were with the Lord when He was combating, as is plain from the explication there given. The same is evident from what follows, as will presently appear. Those who went with Abram are here called “the lads” or “children,” by whom no others are meant than good spirits; but by “the men,” who are spoken of immediately afterwards, are meant angels. That there were angels with the Lord when He fought against the hells, is evident from the Word; as also from the consideration that when He was in the combats of temptations, it could not be otherwise than that angels should be present, to whom the Lord from His own power gave strength, and as it were power, to fight together with Him, for all the power that the angels have is from the Lord.

[2] That angels fight against the evil, may be seen from what has occasionally been said before concerning the angels with man-that they protect man, and avert the evils which are threatened by infernal spirits (see above, n. 50, 227, 228, 697, 968) but all their power is from the Lord. The good spirits also are angels, but lower ones, for they are in the first heaven; the angelic spirits are in the second; and the angels, properly so called, are in the third (see n. 459, 684). Such is the form of government in the other life that the good spirits are subordinate to the angelic spirits, and the angelic spirits to the real angels; so that they constitute one angelic society. The good spirits and the angelic spirits are those who are here called “the lads;” but the real angels, “the men.”

  
/ 10837  
  

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