The Bible

 

Genesis 11

Study

   

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 #1292

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

1292. That they found a valley in the land of Shinar. That this signifies that their worship became more unclean and profane, is evident from the signification of “a valley,” and of “the land of Shinar.” In the Word, “mountains” signify love or charity, because these are the highest, or, what is the same, the inmost things in worship, as before shown in n. 795, since “a valley” signifies what is beneath the mountains, that is, what is lower in worship, which is the same as what is exterior therein; and “the land of Shinar,” signifies external worship wherein is what is profane, as before shown n. 1183). And so in this passage, their having found a valley in the land of Shinar signifies that their worship became more unclean and profane.

[2] In the first verse it is said of the church that it was of one lip and that its words were one, which means that it had one doctrine in general and in particular. But in this verse the decline of the church is treated of, in that it is said that they journeyed from the east, that is, they began to go back from charity; for insofar as the church, or a man of the church, goes back from charity, so far his worship goes back from what is holy, or in other words, so far his worship approaches what is unclean and profane. That their having found a valley in the land of Shinar signifies the decline of the church, or of worship, to what is profane, is because a valley is a low place between mountains, by which are signified the holy things of love or of charity in worship, as before said. This may also be seen from the signification of “a valley” in the Word, where valleys are designated, in the original language, by certain terms which signify, when used in that sense, what is more or less profane in worship.

[3] That “valleys” have such a signification is evident in Isaiah:

The burden of the valley of vision. For it is a day of tumult, and of treading down, and of perplexity, to the Lord Jehovih of Armies, in the valley of vision (Isaiah 22:1, 5).

“The valley of vision” denotes phantasies and reasonings, whereby worship is falsified and at last profaned.

In Jeremiah:

How sayest thou I am not defiled, I have not walked after the Baalim? see thy way in the valley (Jeremiah 2:23).

“The valley” denotes unclean worship. Again:

They have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom; wherefore behold the days come, saith Jehovah, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter (Jeremiah 7:31-32; 19:6).

“The valley of Hinnom” denotes hell, and also the profanation of truth and good.

[4] In Ezekiel:

Thus hath said the Lord Jehovih to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, Behold Me, I bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places (Ezekiel 6:3).

Again:

I will give unto Gog a place there for burial in Israel, the valley of them that pass through toward the east of the sea, and they shall call it the valley of the multitude of Gog (Ezekiel 39:11, 15).

This is said of worship in externals; “a valley” denotes such worship. But when the worship has not yet become so profane, this is expressed by the Hebrew word for valley that is used in the verse before us (Genesis 11:2); and also in Isaiah:

I will open rivers upon the slopes, and I will make fountains in the midst of the valleys, the wilderness a pool of waters, and the dry land springs of waters (Isaiah 41:18).

This is said of those who are in ignorance, or who are beyond the knowledges of faith and of charity, and yet are in charity. “Valley” as used here denotes these. In like manner does “valley” in Ezekiel 37:1. 1

Footnotes:

1. The Hebrew word for “valley” in Ezekiel 6 and Ezekiel 39 means merely a “low, flat place,” even if in a gorge; whereas in Genesis 11, Isaiah 41, and Ezekiel 37 the Hebrew word used for “valley” means a valley as opposed to mountains, even if it be a plain. [Reviser.]

  
/ 10837  
  

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