The Bible

 

Postanak 20

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1 Odande Abraham krene u krajeve Negeba i nastani se između Kadeša i Šura. Dok je boravio kao pridošlica u Geraru,

2 rekao je Abraham za svoju ženu Saru da mu je sestra. I Abimelek, kralj gerarski, uze Saru sebi.

3 Ali Bog dođe Abimeleku noću u snu te mu reče: "Zbog žene koju si uzeo moraš umrijeti, jer je ona žena udata."

4 A nije se Abimelek k njoj približavao. Zato reče: "Gospodine, zar ćeš pravednika pogubiti?

5 Zar mi on nije rekao: 'Ona mi je sestra.' A ona mi je sama rekla: 'On je moj brat.' Čiste sam savjesti i neokaljanih ruku ovo učinio."

6 Bog mu odvrati u snu: "Znam da si to učinio čiste savjesti; i ja sam te zadržavao da protiv mene ne griješiš; i nisam dopuštao da je dotakneš.

7 Sada vrati čovjeku ženu njegovu; prorok je on; molit će se za tebe da ostaneš na životu. Ako je ne vratiš, znaj da ćeš umrijeti, ti i svi tvoji."

8 Rano ujutro Abimelek ustane, sazove sve svoje sluge i kaže im sve što je bilo, a ljudi se veoma uplaše.

9 Potom Abimelek dozva Abrahama te mu reče: "Što si nam učinio! Čime sam se ja ogriješio prema tebi da izložiš mene i moje kraljevstvo velikoj grehoti? Ponio si se prema meni kako ne valja.

10 Što si, dakle na umu imao", upita dalje Abimelek, "kad si tako radio?"

11 Abraham uzvrati: "Zbilja sam držao da nema Božjeg straha u ovome mjestu, pa će me ljudi ubiti zbog moje žene.

12 A onda, ona je uistinu moja sestra: kći je moga oca, iako ne i moje majke, pa je pošla za me.

13 A kad me Bog udaljio od doma očeva, rekoh joj: Ovu mi uslugu učini: kamo god dođemo, reci o meni da sam ti brat."

14 Abimelek uzme ovaca i goveda, sluga i sluškinja pa ih dade Abrahamu; vrati mu i njegovu ženu Saru.

15 Abimelek zatim reče: "Evo, moja ti je zemlja otvorena. Nastani se gdje ti se svidi!"

16 A Sari reče: "Evo tisuću srebrnika što ih dajem tvome bratu: neka ti budu koprenom pred očima sviju što su s tobom. Ti si svakako opravdana."

17 Abraham se pomoli Bogu, i Bog ozdravi Abimeleka, njegovu ženu i njegove sluškinje, tako te opet mogahu rađati.

18 Jer Jahve bijaše zbog Sare, Abrahamove žene, zatvorio svaku utrobu u domu Abimelekovu.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2529

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2529. Yea, I know that in the uprightness of thy heart thou hast done this. That this signifies that it was so thought from innocence and from simple good, is evident from what was said above (n. 2525, 2526), where are the same words. That it is not also said, as above, “in the blamelessness of thy hands,” is for the hidden reason that in the affection of truth (which is signified by the “blamelessness of the hands”) there was something of the human; for truth was insinuated into the Lord also through the human of His birth, but good from the Divine alone; as is evident from the coming forth [existentia] of the rational as to good and as to truth (n. 2524).

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2524

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2524. And she herself also said, He is my brother. That this signifies that the rational itself dictated that celestial good should be adjoined to it, is evident from the signification of a “sister” (here meant by “she herself”) as being the rational (n. 1495, 2508); and from the signification of a “brother,” as being the good of truth (n. 367, 2508). For the case herein is as follows: Divine good and Divine truth are united to each other as if by marriage; for thence comes the heavenly marriage, and thence comes marriage love also, even down to lower nature. But the good and truth of the rational are not conjoined with each other as by marriage, but by consanguinity, like brother and sister; since the rational as to truth is conceived from the influx of Divine good into the affection of knowledges [scientiarum et cognitionum] (see n. 1895, 1902, 1910); and the good of the rational, through the influx of Divine good into that truth, which then becomes the good itself of charity, which is the “brother” of faith, or what is the same, of truth (n. 367)

[2] But in regard to the good and truth of the rational, the procuring of this takes place in such a way that its good is from Divine good, whereas its truth is not from Divine truth; for the truth of the rational is procured by means of knowledges [scientias et cognitiones], which are insinuated through the external and internal senses, thus by an external way. Hence it is that there adhere to its truths many fallacies from the senses, which cause the truths not to be truths; nevertheless when Divine good flows into them, and conceives them, they then appear as truths, and are acknowledged as truths, although they are nothing but appearances of truth. The good itself is then modified in these truths according to the shades there, and becomes in quality like the truth. This is one arcanum which lies hidden in these words, that the rational thus dictated that celestial good should be adjoined to it.

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