The Bible

 

Postanak 27

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1 Ostarje Izak, vid mu se očinji gasio. Zato zovne svoga starijeg sina Ezava i reče mu: "Sine!" On mu odgovori: "Evo me!"

2 A on nastavi: "Vidiš, ostario sam, a ne znam dana svoje smrti.

3 Zato uzmi svoju opremu, svoj tobolac i luk, pa idi u pustaru i ulovi mi divljači.

4 Onda mi pripremi ukusan obrok, kako volim, te mi ga donesi da blagujem, pa da te mognem blagosloviti prije nego umrem."

5 Rebeka je slušala dok je Izak govorio svome sinu Ezavu, i kad je Ezav otišao u pustaru da ulovi divljači svome ocu,

6 Rebeka reče svome sinu Jakovu: "Upravo sam čula kako tvoj otac govori tvome bratu Ezavu:

7 'Donesi mi divljači te mi priredi ukusan obrok da blagujem pa da te pred licem Jahvinim blagoslovim prije nego umrem.'

8 A sad, sine moj, poslušaj me i učini kako ti naredim.

9 Otiđi k stadu i odande mi donesi dva lijepa kozleta, a ja ću od njih prirediti ukusan obrok tvome ocu, kako on voli.

10 Onda ti donesi svome ocu da jede te tebe mogne blagosloviti prije nego umre."

11 Ali Jakov odgovori svojoj majci Rebeki: "E, ali moj je brat Ezav runjav, a ja sam bez dlaka!

12 Možda me se moj otac dotakne te ću u njegovim očima ispasti varalicom i na se svaliti prokletstvo, a ne blagoslov."

13 Ali njegova mu majka odgovori: "Sine moj, tvoje prokletstvo neka padne na mene! Samo ti mene poslušaj, otiđi i donesi!"

14 Ode on, nađe i donese svojoj majci, a njegova majka priredi ukusan obrok, kako je njegov otac volio.

15 Potom Rebeka uzme najljepše odijelo svoga starijeg sina Ezava što je u kući imala, pa u nj odjene svoga mlađeg sina Jakova.

16 U kožu kozleta zamota mu ruke i goli dio vrata.

17 Stavi zatim ukusan obrok i kruh što ga je pripravila na ruke svoga sina Jakova.

18 Ode on k ocu i reče: "Oče!" On odgovori: "Evo me. Koji si ti moj sin?"

19 A Jakov odgovori svome ocu: "Ja sam Ezav, tvoj prvorođenac; učinio sam kako si mi rekao. Sad ustaj, sjedi pa jedi moje lovine, da me onda mogneš blagosloviti."

20 Izak upita svoga sina: "Kako si tako brzo uspio, sine moj?" On odgovori: "Jer mi je Jahve, Bog tvoj, bio milostiv."

21 Potom Izak reče Jakovu: "Primakni se, sine moj, da opipam jesi li ti zbilja moj sin Ezav ili nisi."

22 Jakov se primakne k svome ocu Izaku, koji ga opipa i reče: "Glas je Jakovljev, ali su ruke Ezavove."

23 Nije ga prepoznao jer su mu ruke bile runjave kao i ruke njegova brata Ezava. Kad ga je htio blagosloviti,

24 upita još jednom: "Jesi li ti zaista moj sin Ezav?" Odgovori on: "Jesam."

25 Potom reče Izak: "Stavi preda me da blagujem lovine svoga sina pa da te blagoslovi duša moja." Jakov ga posluži pa je jeo. Zatim mu donese i vina, pa je pio.

26 Poslije toga reče mu njegov otac Izak: "Primakni se, sine moj, i poljubi me!"

27 Kad se primače i poljubi ga, Izak osjeti miris njegove odjeće pa ga blagoslovi: "Gle, miris sina mog nalik je mirisu polja koje Jahve blagoslovi.

28 Neka ti Bog daje rosu s neba i rodnost zemlje: izobilje žita i mladoga vina.

29 Narodi ti služili, plemena ti se klanjala! Braćom svojom gospodari, nek sinci majke tvoje pred tobom padaju! Proklet bio tko tebe proklinje; blagoslovljen tko te blagoslivlje!"

30 Tek što se Jakov udaljio od svoga oca Izaka - pošto je Izak podijelio blagoslov Jakovu - njegov brat Ezav dođe iz lova.

31 I on priredi ukusan obrok i donese ga svome ocu. I reče svome ocu: "Ustani, oče moj, i blaguj od lovine svoga sina da me onda mogneš blagosloviti!"

32 A njegov ga otac Izak zapita: "Tko si ti?" On odgovori: "Ja sam tvoj prvorođenac Ezav!"

33 Izak se silno prepadne: "Pa tko je onda bio onaj što je divljači ulovio i meni već donio? Blagovao sam je prije nego si ti došao; onoga sam blagoslovio i blagoslovljen će ostati."

34 Kad je Ezav čuo riječi svoga oca, kriknu glasno i gorko zaplaka pa reče svome ocu: "I mene blagoslovi, oče!"

35 A on odvrati: "Brat tvoj dođe na prijevaru i odnese tvoj blagoslov."

36 "Zato valjda što mu je ime Jakov, dvaput me već prevario", reče Ezav. "Oduzeo mi prvorodstvo, a sad mi evo oduze i blagoslov." Onda doda: "Zar za me nisi sačuvao nikakva blagoslova?"

37 Izak odgovori Ezavu: "Njega sam već postavio za tvoga gospodara; njemu sam svu njegovu braću predao za sluge; žitom sam ga i vinom opskrbio. A što sad za te mogu učiniti, sine moj?"

38 Ezav odgovori svome ocu: "Zar ti, oče, raspolažeš samo jednim blagoslovom? Blagoslovi i mene, oče moj!" Ezav jecaše na sav glas.

39 Tada otac njegov Izak progovori i reče: "Daleko od plodna tla dom tvoj će biti, daleko od rose s neba.

40 Od mača svoga ćeš živjeti, brata svoga ćeš služiti. Ali jednom, kada se pobuniš, jaram ćeš njegov stresti sa svog vrata."

41 Ezav zamrzi Jakova zbog blagoslova kojim ga je otac njegov blagoslovio pa reče u sebi: "Čim dođu dani žalosti za mojim ocem, ubit ću ja svoga brata Jakova."

42 Kada su Rebeki javili te riječi što ih je izrekao njezin stariji sin Ezav, zovne ona svoga mlađeg sina Jakova te mu reče: "Pazi! Brat ti se Ezav nosi mišlju kako će te ubiti.

43 Ali ti, sine moj, poslušaj mene: odmah bježi mome bratu Labanu u Haran.

44 Ostani kod njega neko vrijeme, dok bijes brata tvoga na te jenja,

45 dok se srdžba brata tvoga odvrati od tebe te on zaboravi što si mu učinio. Ja ću onda po te poslati i odande te dovesti. Zašto da vas obojicu izgubim u jedan dan!"

46 Potom Rebeka reče Izaku: "Moj mi je život dosadio zbog ovih žena Hetitkinja. Ako se i Jakov oženi kojom kao što su ove urođenice, Hetitkinjom, što će mi onda život!"

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #4242

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4242. 'And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall you say to my lord Esau' means the first acknowledgement that good occupied the higher position. This becomes clear from the meaning here of 'commanding the messengers to say' as reflection and consequent perception that this is so, dealt with in 3661, 3682, and therefore as acknowledgement; and from the representation of 'Esau' as good, dealt with above in 4234, 4239. The acknowledgement that it occupied the higher position is meant by his calling Esau not his brother but his 'lord' and also by calling himself in the next breath his 'servant', and likewise further on. For while a person is being regenerated truth seemingly occupies first position and good second, but once he has been regenerated good occupies first and truth second, see 1904, 2063, 2189, 2697, 2979, 3286, 3288, 3310 (end), 3325, 3330, 3332, 3336, 3470, 3509, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3579, 3603, 3701. This is also what is meant by the prophetic utterances made by father to son - when Isaac declared to Esau,

By your sword you will live, and you will serve your brother; and it will be, when you have dominion over him, that you will break his yoke from above your neck. Genesis 27:40.

It is the turning round within this state, foretold in these prophetic utterances, that is dealt with here.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3603

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3603. 'That you will break his yoke from above your neck' means that good would now be the means through which any joining together was effected - and that truth would be the truth of good. This is clear from the meaning of 'breaking the yoke from above the neck' as release. For 'the neck' means influx and communication and consequently a joining together, while 'a yoke above the neck' means a blocking and cutting off, see 3542; so that 'breaking the yoke from above the neck' means release from such blocking and cutting off, and consequently a joining together through good. It also means that truth becomes the truth of good, for when there is no longer any blocking or cutting off, good flows in and joins itself to truth.

[2] What is implied in all this may be seen from what has been stated and shown so far. But because few understand what is meant by the apparent priority of truth, and by the inferiority for the time being of good - the chief reason for their not understanding being that few stop to reflect on such matters, indeed they do not even reflect on the idea that good is distinct and separate from truth - [let some explanation be offered here]. None of those who pursue a life of self-love and love of the world are aware of what good is, for they do not believe in the existence of any other kind of good than that which is a product of that life. And being unaware of what good is they are also unaware of what truth is, for truth is the companion of good. They do, it is true, know from revelation that good consists in loving God and the neighbour, and truth in matters of doctrine drawn from the Word. But because they do not live according to those things they have no perception of that good and truth; for these are known to them but are not actually present in them. Indeed even those persons who are in the process of being regenerated do not know what good is until they have been regenerated. For prior to their regeneration they have supposed that truth is good and that acting in accordance with truth is good, when in fact it is not good that they are doing at that time but truth. While a person is passing through this state he is passing through that state which is described as Jacob and the blessing conferred on him. But once he passes on into the state in which he performs a good action from an affection for good, that is, once he has been regenerated, he passes into that state which is described in the blessing conferred on Esau.

[3] This may be illustrated from what happens to a person in the first and second stages of life, and after that in the third and fourth stages. During the first stage nothing more than his memory is involved in his knowing things in the Word and likewise matters of doctrine regarding faith. During this stage also he believes he is good when he knows many things from the Word and from doctrine and is able to apply some of them not to his own life but to the lives of others. During the second stage when he is more grown up he is not content to know only with his memory things in the Word and matters of doctrine but now begins to reflect on these with his own ability to think, and insofar as he adds anything to these from his own thought he is pleased by it. Consequently he is moved by an affection for truth which originates in some worldly love, which is also a means to his learning further things which would be neglected by him but for that worldly love. During the third stage however, if he is among such people as are able to be regenerated he starts to think about use, and in that case to reflect on what he reads in the Word and absorbs from doctrine for the sake of the use these serve. While he is passing through this state order is reversed; that is to say, truth is no longer placed first quite so much. But during the fourth stage, when it is the stage of his regeneration, because now the state is complete, dealt with in 2636, he loves the Word and matters of doctrine drawn from the Word - that is, he loves truth - for the sake of the good of life, and therefore loves them from a desire for the good of life. Thus good, which up to that time has apparently taken second place, now comes to occupy the first.

[4] The reason why good has apparently taken second place is that it has lain concealed inmostly within the person's entire affection. Nor has it been able to show itself because it has been surrounded by such things as those with which it could not accord, that is to say, by vain and worthless things like those that constitute worldly glory and self-glory. But once he has been regenerated these things depart and the good that has lain inmostly comes so to speak out of prison and enters into those things which are outside, and takes truths to itself, makes them the truths of good, and in this way manifests itself.

[5] During all this time the good present with a person is something which so to speak he does not consciously will, yet is present within his will - present in every detail of his thought and consequently in every detail of his activity. He is not aware of possessing this which he does not consciously will because he does not perceive anything present with himself apart from that which is his own, that is, which he does will. That which he does not will is twofold: on the one hand there is that which he has inherited from father and mother, on the other that which flows in from the Lord by way of heaven. While a person is growing up that which he has inherited from parents manifests itself more and more, if he is such that he does not allow himself to be regenerated. For he draws on evils from his heredity and makes them properly his own. But that which is not consciously willed yet flows from the Lord by way of heaven manifests itself in adult years with those who are being regenerated. With the latter this activity has in the meantime arranged and governed every single detail of thought, and also of will, though that activity has not been apparent.

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