The Bible

 

Postanak 25

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1 Abraham je sebi uzeo još jednu ženu; zvala se Ketura.

2 Ona mu je rodila Zimrana, Jokšana, Medana, Midjana, Jišbaka i Šuaha.

3 A od Jokšana rodili se Šeba i Dedan. Dedanovi su potomci: Ašurci, Letušci i Leumci.

4 Sinovi su Midjanovi: Efa, Efer, Hanok, Abida i Eldaa. Sve su to potomci Keturini.

5 Abraham prenese sav svoj imutak na Izaka;

6 a sinovima od svojih suložnica dade Abraham samo darove i još ih za svoga života razašalje po istoku - daleko od svog sina Izaka - u Istočni kraj.

7 Ovo je duljina Abrahamova života što ga je proživio: stotinu sedamdeset i pet godina.

8 Zatim Abraham preminu, umrije u sretnoj dobi - star i pun godina - te bi pridružen svojim precima.

9 Njegovi sinovi, Izak i Jišmael, sahrane ga u spilji Makpeli, na poljani Efrona, sina Hetita Sohara, nasuprot Mamri:

10 to je poljana što ju je Abraham kupio od Hetovih sinova. Ondje je sahranjen Abraham i njegova žena Sara.

11 Poslije Abrahamove smrti Bog je blagoslivljao njegova sina Izaka. Izak je živio blizu Beer Lahaj Roja.

12 Ovo je povijest Abrahamova sina Jišmaela, koga je Abrahamu rodila Sarina sluškinja, Egipćanka Hagara.

13 A ovo su sinovi Jišmaelovi, svaki po svom imenu i po svom rođenju: Jišmaelov prvenac Nebajot, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

14 Mišma, Duma, Masa,

15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Nafiš i Kedma.

16 To su Jišmaelovi sinovi i to su njihova imena prema njihovim naseljima i taborištima: dvanaest poglavica od isto toliko plemena.

17 A ovo je duljina Jišmaelova života: stotinu trideset i sedam godina. Zatim izdahnu; umrije i bi pridružen svojim precima.

18 Potomstvo mu se naselilo od Havile do Šura, koji je na istok Egiptu idući prema Ašuru. Nastaniše se nasuprot svojoj braći.

19 Ovo je povijest Abrahamova sina Izaka: Izak se rodio od Abrahama.

20 Izaku je bilo četrdeset godina kad se oženio Rebekom, kćerkom Aramejca Betuela iz Padan Arama, a sestrom Aramejca Labana.

21 Izak se obrati Jahvi za svoju ženu jer je bila nerotkinja. Jahve ga usliša te njegova žena Rebeka zače.

22 No djeca se u njezinoj utrobi tako sudarala te ona uzviknu: "Ako je tako, zašto ću živjeti!" Ode, dakle, da se posavjetuje s Jahvom.

23 I Jahve joj reče: "Dva su svijeta u utrobi tvojoj; Dva će se naroda iz tvog krila odijeliti. Narod će nad narodom gospodovati, stariji će služiti mlađemu."

24 Došlo vrijeme da rodi, kad gle - blizanci u njezinoj utrobi.

25 Pojavi se prvi. Bio je crven; sav runjav kao ogrtač. Stoga mu nadjenuše ime Ezav.

26 Potom se pojavi njegov brat. Rukom se držao Ezavu za petu. Zato mu nadjenuše ime Jakov. Izaku je bilo šezdeset godina kad su oni rođeni.

27 Kad su dječaci odrasli, Ezav postane vješt lovac, čovjek pustare. Jakov je bio čovjek krotak i boravio je u šatorima.

28 Izaku je Ezav bio draži jer je volio divljač, a Rebeka je više voljela Jakova.

29 Jednom Jakov kuhaše jelo. Ezav stigne s polja, gladan.

30 Reče Ezav Jakovu: "Daj mi toga crvenog variva da pojedem jer sam izgladnio." Stoga mu je ime Edom.

31 A Jakov odgovori: "Ustupi mi prije svoje prvorodstvo!"

32 Ezav reče: "Evo me skoro na smrti; što će mi prvorodstvo!"

33 Jakov nastavi: "Prije mi se zakuni!" On mu se zakune, i tako proda Jakovu svoje prvorodstvo.

34 Tada Jakov dade Ezavu kruha i čorbe od sočivice. Jeo je i pio, onda se digao i otišao. Tako Ezav pogazi svoje prvorodstvo.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3263

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3263. And these are the births of Ishmael the son of Abraham. That this signifies the derivations of the spiritual church represented by Ishmael, is evident from the signification of “births,” as being the derivations of faith, thus of the church (see n. 1145, 1255, 1330); from the representation of Ishmael, as being those who are rational and who are of the Lord’s spiritual church (see n. 2078, 2691, 2699); and from the signification of the “sons of Abraham,” as being those who are in truth from the Lord; for by “sons” are signified truths (see n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623), and by Abraham is represented the Lord as to the Divine Human also (n. 3251), from whom the spiritual have truth and good (n. 2661, 2716, 2833, 2834).

[2] As regards the Lord’s spiritual church, be it known that it exists throughout the universal world; for it is not confined to those who have the Word and thence know the Lord and some truths of faith; but it exists also with those who have not the Word and therefore are altogether ignorant of the Lord and consequently know no truths of faith (for all the truths of faith regard the Lord); that is to say, this church exists among the Gentiles who are remote from the church; for there are many among them who from rational light know that there is one God; that He has created all things and preserves all things; and also that from Him is all good, consequently all truth; and that likeness to Him makes man blessed; and moreover they live according to their religion, in love to that God and in love toward the neighbor; and from the affection of good they do works of charity, and from the affection of truth they worship the Supreme Being. The Gentiles who are of this character are they who belong to the Lord’s spiritual church; and although while in this world they do not know the Lord, yet within themselves they have the worship and tacit acknowledgment of Him when they are in good, for in all good the Lord is present; and therefore in the other life they easily acknowledge Him, and receive the truths of faith in Him more readily than Christians do who are not in good in this way, as may be seen from what has been disclosed from experience concerning the state and lot in the other life of the nations and peoples out of the church (n. 2589-2604). The natural light which these have has in it what is spiritual, for without that which is spiritual from the Lord, such things cannot possibly be acknowledged.

[3] From this it may now be seen what “Ishmael” signifies, and thereby who in the representative sense are the “Ishmaelites,” namely those who are of the Lord’s spiritual church, who as to life are in simple good, and therefore as to doctrine are in natural truth. Such also are signified by the “Ishmaelites” in the following passage concerning Joseph:

Behold, a travelling company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing wax, resin, and stacte, going to carry it down to Egypt (Genesis 37:25); where the Ishmaelites represent those who are in simple good, such as is that in which are the well-disposed Gentiles; “camels bearing wax, resin, and stacte,” denote the interior goods of such people. The like is signified by the “Ishmaelites” in verse 28 of (Genesis 39:1) the same chapter, and in chapter 39, verse 1; and also in the book of Judges, where it is said that Gideon made a request:

That ye would give me every man the earrings of his spoil. For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites (Judg. 8:24);

“golden earrings” signify the things of simple good (n. 3103).

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