The Bible

 

Postanak 16

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1 Abramova žena Saraja nije mu rađala djece. A imaše ona sluškinju Egipćanku - zvala se Hagara.

2 I reče Saraja Abramu: "Vidiš, Jahve me učinio nerotkinjom. Hajde k mojoj sluškinji, možda ću imati djece." Abram posluša riječ Sarajinu.

3 Tako, pošto je Abram proboravio deset godina u zemlji kanaanskoj, njegova žena Saraja uzme Hagaru, Egipćanku, sluškinju svoju, pa je dade svome mužu Abramu za ženu.

4 Uđe on k Hagari te ona zače. A kad je vidjela da je začela, s prezirom je gledala na svoju gospodaricu.

5 Tada reče Saraja Abramu: "Nepravda što se meni nanosi tvoja je krivnja! Prepustila sam svoju sluškinju tvome zagrljaju, ali otkako opazi da je zanijela, s prezirom na me gleda. Jahve sudio i meni i tebi!"

6 Nato Abram odvrati Saraji: "Tvoja je sluškinja u tvojoj ruci: kako ti se čini da je dobro, tako prema njoj postupi!" Saraja postupi prema njoj tako loše da ona od nje pobježe.

7 Anđeo Jahvin nađe je kod izvora u pustinji - uz vrelo što je na putu prema Šuru -

8 pa je zapita: "Hagaro, sluškinjo Sarajina, odakle dolaziš i kamo ideš?" "Bježim, evo, od svoje gospodarice Saraje", odgovori ona.

9 Nato joj anđeo Jahvin reče: "Vrati se svojoj gospodarici i pokori joj se!"

10 Još joj reče anđeo Jahvin: "Tvoje ću potomstvo silno umnožiti; od mnoštva se neće moći ni prebrojiti."

11 Dalje joj je anđeo Jahvin rekao: "Gle, zanijela si i rodit ćeš sina. Nadjeni mu ime Jišmael, jer Jahve ču jad tvoj.

12 On će biti kao divlje magare: ruka će se njegova dizati na svakoga i svačija ruka na njega; i pred licem sve mu braće on će stan sebi podići."

13 A Jahvu koji joj govoraše nazva: "Ti si El Roi - Svevid Bog", jer - reče ona - "vidjeh Boga i nakon viđenja - još živim!"

14 Stoga se taj zdenac zove Beer Lahaj Roi - Zdenac životvornog Svevida, a eno ga između Kadeša i Bereda.

15 Rodi Hagara Abramu sina, a Abram sinu što mu ga Rodi Hagara nadjene ime Jišmael.

16 Abramu je bilo osamdeset i šest godina kad mu je Hagara rodila Jišmaela.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1901

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1901. 'Perhaps I shall be built up from her' means the possibility of the rational being born in that way. This becomes clear from the meaning, when it has reference to human generation, of 'being built up', and so needs no further explanation. 'Sarai', as stated, means intellectual truth which has been allied as a wife to good. Intellectual truth which resides inmostly is totally lacking in offspring or is like a childless wife, 1 if there is not as yet any rational into which and through which it may flow, for without the rational as a go-between it cannot flow with any truth at all into the exterior man, as becomes clear in the case of small children. The latter can have no knowledge at all of truth until cognitions have been bestowed on them; but as has been stated the better and more perfectly they have cognitions bestowed on them, the better and more perfectly can intellectual truth which resides inmostly, that is, within good, be communicated.

[2] This intellectual truth represented by Sarai is the spiritual itself which flows in by way of heaven, and so by an internal route. It resides in everyone and is continually coming to meet the cognitions that are introduced by means of perceptions gained by the senses and implanted in the memory. No one is conscious of that intellectual truth within himself as it is too pure to be perceived by a general idea. It is like a kind of light which enlightens the mind and imparts the ability to know, think, and understand. Since the rational cannot come into being except also by means of the influx of intellectual truth, represented by Sarai, it inevitably exists in relation to that truth as its son. When the rational is formed from truths that have been allied to goods, more so when it is formed from goods from which truths derive, it is a true son. Previous to that also it is recognized as a son, yet not as a true son but as one born from a servant-girl. All the same, it is adopted as such, and for the reason here stated, that it was 'to be built up from her'.

Footnotes:

1. literally, a childless mother

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