The Bible

 

Postanak 4

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1 Čovjek pozna svoju ženu Evu, a ona zače i rodi Kajina, pa reče: "Muško sam čedo stekla pomoću Jahve!"

2 Poslije rodi Abela, brata Kajinova; Abel postane stočar, a Kajin zemljoradnik.

3 I jednoga dana Kajin prinese Jahvi žrtvu od zemaljskih plodova.

4 A prinese i Abel od prvine svoje stoke, sve po izbor pretilinu. Jahve milostivo pogleda na Abela i njegovu žrtvu,

5 a na Kajina i žrtvu njegovu ni pogleda ne svrati. Stoga se Kajin veoma razljuti i lice mu se namrgodi.

6 I Jahve reče Kajinu: "Zašto si ljut? Zašto ti je lice namrgođeno?

7 Jer ako pravo radiš, vedrinom odsijevaš. A ne radiš li pravo, grijeh ti je kao zvijer na pragu što na te vreba; još mu se možeš oduprijeti."

8 Kajin pak reče svome bratu Abelu: "Hajdemo van!" I našavši se na polju, Kajin skoči na brata Abela te ga ubi.

9 Potom Jahve zapita Kajina: "Gdje ti je brat Abel?" "Ne znam", odgovori. "Zar sam ja čuvar brata svoga?"

10 Jahve nastavi: "Što si učinio? Slušaj! Krv brata tvoga iz zemlje k meni viče.

11 Stoga budi proklet na zemlji koja je rastvorila usta da proguta s ruke tvoje krv brata tvoga!

12 Obrađivat ćeš zemlju, ali ti više neće davati svoga roda. Vječni ćeš skitalica na zemlji biti!"

13 A Kajin reče Jahvi: "Kazna je moja odviše teška da se snosi.

14 Evo me tjeraš danas s plodnoga tla; moram se skrivati od tvoga lica i biti vječni lutalac na zemlji - tko me god nađe, može me ubiti."

15 A Jahve mu reče: "Ne! Nego tko ubije Kajina, sedmerostruka osveta na njemu će se izvršiti!" I Jahve stavi znak na Kajina, da ga tko, našavši ga, ne ubije.

16 Kajin ode ispred lica Jahvina u zemlju Nod, istočno od Edena, i ondje se nastani.

17 Kajin pozna svoju ženu te ona zače i rodi Henoka. Podigao je grad i grad prozvao imenom svoga sina - Henok.

18 Henoku se rodio Irad, a od Irada potekao Mehujael; od Mehujaela poteče Metušael, od Metušaela Lamek.

19 Lamek uzme dvije žene. Jedna se zvala Ada, a druga Sila.

20 Ada rodi Jabala, koji je postao praocem onih što pod šatorima žive sa stokom.

21 Bratu mu bijaše ime Jubal. On je praotac svih koji sviraju na liru i sviralu.

22 Sila rodi Tubal-Kajina, praoca onih koji kuju bakar i željezo. Tubal-Kajinovoj sestri bijaše ime Naama.

23 Lamek prozbori svojim ženama: "Ada i Sila, glas moj poslušajte! Žene Lamekove, čujte mi besjedu: Čovjeka sam ubio jer me ranio i dijete jer me udarilo.

24 Ako će Kajin biti osvećen sedmerostruko, Lamek će sedamdeset i sedam puta!"

25 Adam pozna svoju ženu te ona rodi sina i nadjenu mu ime Šet. Reče ona: "Bog mi dade drugo dijete mjesto Abela, koga ubi Kajin."

26 Šetu se rodi sin, komu on nadjenu ime Enoš. Tada se počelo zazivati ime Jahvino.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #337

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337. THE INTERNAL SENSE

As this chapter treats of the degeneration of the Most Ancient Church, or the falsification of its doctrine, and consequently of its heresies and sects, under the names of Cain and his descendants, it is to be observed that there is no possibility of understanding how doctrine was falsified, or what was the nature of the heresies and sects of that church, unless the nature of the true church be rightly understood. Enough has been said above concerning the Most Ancient Church, showing that it was a celestial man, and that it acknowledged no other faith than that which was of love to the Lord and toward the neighbor. Through this love they had faith from the Lord, or a perception of all the things that belonged to faith, and for this reason they were unwilling to mention faith, lest it should be separated from love, as was shown above n. 200, 203).

[2] Such is the celestial man, and such he is described by representatives in David, where the Lord is spoken of as the king, and the celestial man as the king’s son:

Give the king Thy judgments, and Thy righteousness to the king’s son. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the hills in righteousness. They shall fear Thee with the sun, and toward the faces of the moon, generation of generations. In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace, until there be no moon (Psalms 72:1, 3, 5, 7).

By the “sun” is signified love; by the “moon” faith; by “mountains” and “hills” the Most Ancient Church; by “generation of generations” the churches after the flood; “until there be no moon” is said because faith shall be love. (See also what is said in Isaiah 30:26.)

[3] Such was the Most Ancient Church, and such was its doctrine. But the case is far different at this day, for now faith takes precedence over charity, but still through faith charity is given by the Lord, and then charity becomes the principal. It follows from this that in the most ancient time doctrine was falsified when they made confession of faith, and thus separated it from love. Those who falsified doctrine in this way, or separated faith from love, or made confession of faith alone, were then called “Cain;” and such a thing was then regarded as an enormity.

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