The Bible

 

Genesis 11

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1 Byla pak všecka země jazyku jednoho a řeči jedné.

2 I stalo se, když se brali od východu, nalezli pole v zemi Sinear, a bydlili tam.

3 A řekli jeden druhému: Nuže, nadělejme cihel, a vypalme je ohněm. I měli cihly místo kamení, a zemi lepkou místo vápna.

4 Nebo řekli: Nuže, vystavějme sobě město a věži, jejíž by vrch dosahal k nebi; a tak učiňme sobě jméno, abychom nebyli rozptýleni po vší zemi.

5 Sstoupil pak Hospodin, aby viděl to město a věži, kterouž stavěli synové lidští.

6 A řekl Hospodin: Aj, lid jeden a jazyk jeden všechněch těchto, a toť jest začátek díla jejich; nyní pak nedadí sobě v tom překaziti, což umínili dělati.

7 Protož sstupme a změťme tam jazyk jejich, aby jeden druhého jazyku nerozuměl.

8 A tak rozptýlil je Hospodin odtud po vší zemi; i přestali stavěti města toho.

9 Protož nazváno jest jméno jeho Bábel; nebo tu zmátl Hospodin jazyk vší země; a odtud rozptýlil je Hospodin po vší zemi.

10 Titoť jsou rodové Semovi: Sem, když byl ve stu letech, zplodil Arfaxada ve dvou letech po potopě.

11 A byl živ Sem po zplození Arfaxada pět set let; a plodil syny a dcery.

12 Arfaxad pak živ byl pět a třidceti let, a zplodil Sále.

13 A po zplození Sále živ byl Arfaxad čtyři sta a tři léta; a plodil syny a dcery.

14 Sále také živ byl třidceti let, a zplodil Hebera.

15 A živ byl Sále po zplození Hebera čtyři sta a tři léta; a plodil syny a dcery.

16 Živ pak byl Heber čtyři a třidceti let, a zplodil Pelega.

17 A živ byl Heber po zplození Pelega čtyři sta a třidceti let; a plodil syny a dcery.

18 Peleg pak živ byl třidceti let, a zplodil Réhu.

19 A živ byl Peleg po zplození Réhu dvě stě a devět let; a plodil syny a dcery.

20 Réhu také živ byl třidceti a dvě létě, a zplodil Sáruga.

21 A po zplození Sáruga živ byl Réhu dvě stě a sedm let; a plodil syny a dcery.

22 Živ pak byl Sárug třidceti let, a zplodil Náchora.

23 A byl živ Sárug po zplození Náchora dvě stě let; a plodil syny a dcery.

24 Náchor pak živ byl dvadceti a devět let, a zplodil Táre.

25 A živ byl Náchor po zplození Táre sto a devatenácte let; a plodil syny a dcery.

26 Živ pak byl Táre sedmdesáte let, a zplodil Abrama, Náchora a Hárana.

27 Tito jsou pak rodové Táre: Táre zplodil Abrama, Náchora a Hárana; Háran pak zplodil Lota.

28 Umřel pak Háran prvé než Táre otec jeho v zemi narození svého, totiž v Ur Kaldejských.

29 I zpojímali sobě ženy Abram a Náchor; jméno ženy Abramovy Sarai, a jméno ženy Náchorovy Melcha, dcera Háranova, kterýž byl otec Melchy a Jeschy.

30 Byla pak Sarai neplodná, a neměla dětí.

31 I vzal Táre Abrama syna svého, a Lota syna Háranova, vnuka svého, a Sarai nevěstu svou, ženu Abrama syna svého, a vyšli spolu z Ur Kaldejských, aby se brali do země Kananejské, a přišli až do Cháran, a bydlili tam.

32 A byli dnové Táre dvě stě a pět let; i umřel Táre v Cháran.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1285

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1285. The whole earth was of one lip. That this signifies that everywhere there was one doctrine in general, is evident from the signification of “lip,” in the Word, concerning which presently. In this verse, and by these few words, is described the state of the Ancient Church as it had been, that it had one doctrine in general; but in the following verse it is described how it began to be falsified and adulterated; and from that to the ninth verse, how it became altogether perverted, so that it no longer had any internal worship. Then, a little further on, the subject treated of is the second Ancient Church, that was begun by Eber; and, finally, the third Ancient Church, which was the beginning of the Jewish Church. For after the flood there were three churches in succession.

[2] As regards the first Ancient Church, in that although it was so widely spread over the earth it was still one in lip and one in words, that is, one in doctrine in general and in particular, when yet its worship both internal and external was everywhere different-as shown in the preceding chapter, where by each nation there named a different doctrinal and ritual were signified-the case is this. In heaven there are innumerable societies, and all different, and yet they are a one, for they are all led as a one by the Lord, concerning which see what has been said before n. 457, 551, 684, 685, 690). In this respect the case is the same as it is with man, in whom, although there are so many viscera, and so many little viscera within the viscera, organs, and members, each one of which acts in a different way, yet all and each are governed as a one, by the one soul; or as it is with the body, wherein the activities of the powers and motions are different, yet all are governed by one motion of the heart and one motion of the lungs, and make a one. That these can thus act as a one, comes from the fact that in heaven there is one single influx, which is received by every individual in accordance with his own genius; and which influx is an influx of affections from the Lord, from His mercy, and from His life; and notwithstanding that there is only one single influx, yet all things obey and follow as a one. 1 This is the result of the mutual love in which are they who are in heaven.

[3] The case was the same in the first Ancient Church; for although there were as many kinds of worship-some being internal and some external-as in general there were nations, and as many specifically as there were families in the nations, and as many in particular as there were men of the church, yet they all had one lip and were one in words; that is, they all had one doctrine, both in general and in particular. The doctrine is one when all are in mutual love, or in charity. Mutual love and charity cause them all to be a one, although they are diverse, for they make a one out of the varieties. All men how many soever they may be, even myriads of myriads, if they are in charity or mutual love, have one end, namely, the common good, the Lord’s kingdom, and the Lord Himself. Varieties in matters of doctrine and of worship are like the varieties of the senses and of the viscera in man, as has been said, which contribute to the perfection of the whole. For then, through charity, the Lord inflows and works in diverse ways, in accordance with the genius of each one; and thus, both in general and in particular, disposes all into order, on earth as in heaven. And then the will of the Lord is done, as He Himself teaches, as in the heavens, so also upon the earth.

Footnotes:

1. That is, in spite of their immense variety, and the consequent stupendous diversity of their reception of that one single influx. [Reviser.]

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