The Bible

 

Postanak 6

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1 Kad su se ljudi počeli širiti po zemlji i kćeri im se narodile,

2 opaze sinovi Božji da su kćeri ljudske pristale, pa ih uzimahu sebi za žene koje su god htjeli.

3 Onda Jahve reče: "Neće moj duh u čovjeku ostati dovijeka; čovjek je tjelesan, pa neka mu vijek bude stotinu dvadeset godina."

4 U ona su vremena - a i kasnije - na zemlji bili Nefili, kad su Božji sinovi općili s ljudskim kćerima pa im one rađale djecu. To su oni od starine po snazi glasoviti ljudi.

5 Vidje Jahve kako je čovjekova pokvarenost na zemlji velika i kako je svaka pomisao u njegovoj pameti uvijek samo zloća.

6 Jahve se pokaja i u svom srcu ražalosti što je načinio čovjeka na zemlji.

7 Reče Jahve: "Ljude koje sam stvorio izbrisat ću s lica zemlje - od čovjeka do zvijeri, puzavce i ptice u zraku - jer sam se pokajao što sam ih napravio."

8 Ali je Noa našao milost u očima Jahvinim.

9 Ovo je povijest Noina: Noa je bio čovjek pravedan i neporočan u svom vremenu. S Bogom je Noa hodio.

10 Tri su se sina rodila Noi: Šem, Ham i Jafet.

11 U očima Božjim zemlja se bila iskvarila; nepravdom se napunila.

12 I kad je Bog vidio kako se zemlja iskvarila - tÓa svako se biće na zemlji izopačilo -

13 reče Bog Noi: "Odlučio sam da bude kraj svim bićima jer se zemlja napunila opačinom; i, evo, uništit ću ih zajedno sa zemljom.

14 Napravi sebi korablju od smolastoga drveta; korablju načini s prijekletima i obloži je iznutra i izvana paklinom.

15 A pravit ćeš je ovako: neka korablja bude trista lakata u duljinu, pedeset u širinu, a trideset lakata u visinu.

16 Na korablji načini otvor za svjetlo, završi ga jedan lakat od vrha. Vrata na korablji načini sa strane; neka ima donji, srednji i gornji kat.

17 Ja ću, evo, pustiti potop - vode na zemlju - da izgine svako biće pod nebom, sve u čemu ima dah života: sve na zemlji mora poginuti.

18 A s tobom ću učiniti Savez; ti ćeš ući u korablju - ti i s tobom tvoji sinovi, tvoja žena i žene tvojih sinova.

19 A od svega što je živo - od svih bića - uvedi u korablju od svakoga po dvoje da s tobom preživi, i neka budu muško i žensko.

20 Od ptica prema njihovim vrstama, od životinja prema njihovim vrstama i od svih stvorova što po tlu puze prema njihovim vrstama: po dvoje od svega neka uđe k tebi da preživi.

21 Sa sobom uzmi svega za jelo pa čuvaj da bude hrane tebi i njima."

22 Noa učini tako. Sve kako mu je Bog naredio, tako je izvršio.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #570

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570. The sons of God' means doctrinal matters concerning faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'sons', dealt with just above, and also from verse 4 of the previous chapter, where 'sons' meant the truths of the Church. Truths of the Church are matters of doctrine. These regarded in themselves were truths because those who are the subject here possessed them through what had been handed down to them from the most ancient people. It is for this reason that they are called 'the sons of God', and also because in relation to them evil desires are called 'the daughters of man'. Here it is describing the character of those people, that is to say, they were people who immersed the truths of the Church, which are holy, in their own desires, and in so doing polluted them, while at the same time confirming assumptions of which they were thoroughly persuaded. Anyone can judge what the situation must have been from what he finds in himself and in others. People who persuade themselves of any idea also confirm themselves in that idea by everything which they imagine to be the truth, including things in the Word of the Lord. For when people cling to the assumptions they have adopted and of which they are persuaded, they make everything favour and support them. And the more anyone loves himself, the more immovable he becomes. The character of those people will in the Lord's Divine mercy be described later on along with their dreadful persuasions, which are such that, miraculously, they are never allowed to flow in by their reasonings - for if they do they slay the entire rationality of other spirits present - but only from their evil desires. From this it is clear what the statement means about the sons of God seeing the daughters of man that they were fair, and their taking wives for themselves from all whom they chose, namely that they joined doctrinal matters concerning faith to evil desires, indeed to every such desire.

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