The Bible

 

Genesis 18

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1 Ukázal se pak jemu Hospodin v rovině Mamre; a on seděl u dveří stanu, když veliké horko na den bylo.

2 A když pozdvihl očí svých, viděl, a aj, tři muži stáli naproti němu. Kteréžto jakž uzřel, běžel jim vstříc ode dveří stanu, a sklonil se až k zemi.

3 A řekl: Pane můj, jestliže jsem nyní nalezl milost před očima tvýma, prosím, nepomíjej služebníka svého.

4 Přineseno bude trochu vody, a umyjete nohy své, a odpočinete pod stromem.

5 Zatím přinesu kus chleba, a posilníte srdce svého; potom půjdete, poněvadž mimo služebníka svého jdete. I řekli: Tak učiň, jakž jsi mluvil.

6 Tedy pospíšil Abraham do stanu k Sáře, a řekl: Spěšně tři míry mouky bělné zadělej, a napec podpopelných chlebů.

7 Abraham pak běžel k stádu; a vzav tele mladé a dobré, dal služebníku, kterýžto pospíšil připraviti je.

8 Potom vzav másla a mléka, i tele, kteréž připravil, položil před ně; sám pak stál při nich pod stromem, i jedli.

9 Řekli pak jemu: Kde jest Sára manželka tvá? Kterýžto odpověděl: Teď v stanu.

10 A řekl: Jistotně se navrátím k tobě vedlé času života, a aj, syna míti bude Sára manželka tvá. Ale Sára poslouchala u dveří stanu, kteréž byly za ním.

11 Abraham pak i Sára byli staří a sešlého věku, a přestal byl Sáře běh ženský.

12 I smála se Sára sama v sobě, řkuci: Teprv když jsem se sstarala, v rozkoše se vydám? A ještě i pán můj se sstaral.

13 Tedy řekl Hospodin Abrahamovi: Proč jest se smála Sára, řkuci: Zdaliž opravdu ještě roditi budu, a já se sstarala?

14 Zdaliž co skrytého bude před Hospodinem? K času určitému navrátím se k tobě vedlé času života, a Sára bude míti syna.

15 Zapřela pak Sára a řekla: Nesmála jsem se; nebo se bála. I řekl Hospodin: Neníť tak, ale smála jsi se.

16 Tedy vstavše odtud muži ti, obrátili se k Sodomě; Abraham pak šel s nimi, aby je provodil.

17 A řekl Hospodin: Zdali já zatajím před Abrahamem, což dělati budu?

18 Poněvadž Abraham jistotně bude v národ veliký a silný, a požehnáni budou v něm všickni národové země.

19 Nebo znám jej; protož přikáže synům svým a domu svému po sobě, aby ostříhali cesty Hospodinovy, a činili spravedlnost a soud, aťby naplnil Hospodin Abrahamovi, což mu zaslíbil.

20 I řekl Hospodin: Proto že rozmnožen jest křik Sodomských a Gomorských, a hřích jejich že obtížen jest náramně:

21 Sstoupím již a pohledím, jestliže podle křiku jejich, kterýž přišel ke mně, činili, důjde na ně setření; a pakli toho není, zvím.

22 A obrátivše se odtud muži, šli do Sodomy; Abraham pak ještě stál před Hospodinem.

23 V tom přistoupiv Abraham, řekl: Zdali také zahladíš spravedlivého s bezbožným?

24 Bude-li padesáte spravedlivých v tom městě, zdali předce zahubíš, a neodpustíš místu pro padesáte spravedlivých, kteříž jsou v něm?

25 Odstup to od tebe, abys takovou věc učiniti měl, abys usmrtil spravedlivého s bezbožným; takť by byl spravedlivý jako bezbožný. Odstup to od tebe; zdaliž soudce vší země neučiní soudu?

26 I řekl Hospodin: Jestliže naleznu v Sodomě, v městě tom, padesáte spravedlivých, odpustím všemu tomu místu pro ně.

27 A odpovídaje Abraham, řekl: Aj, nyní chtěl bych mluviti ku Pánu svému, ačkoli jsem prach a popel.

28 Co pak, nedostane-li se ku padesáti spravedlivým pěti, zdali zkazíš pro těch pět všecko město? I řekl: Nezahladím, jestliže najdu tam čtyřidceti pět.

29 Opět mluvil Abraham a řekl: Snad nalezeno bude tam čtyřidceti? A odpověděl: Neučiním pro těch čtyřidceti.

30 I řekl Abraham: Prosím, nechť se nehněvá Pán můj, že mluviti budu: Snad se jich nalezne tam třidceti? Odpověděl: Neučiním, jestliže naleznu tam třidceti.

31 A opět řekl: Aj, nyní počal jsem mluviti ku Pánu svému: Snad se nalezne tam dvadceti? Odpověděl: Nezahladím i pro těch dvadceti.

32 Řekl ještě: Prosím, ať se nehněvá Pán můj, jestliže jednou ještě mluviti budu: Snad se jich najde tam deset? Odpověděl: Nezahladím i pro těch deset.

33 I odšel Hospodin, když dokonal řeč k Abrahamovi; Abraham pak navrátil se k místu svému.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2048

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2048. That 'he who is born in the houses means celestial people, and 'he who is the purchase of silver' spiritual people, and so those who are inside the Church, is clear from the meaning of 'him born in the house' as those inside the house. In the Word 'a house' means that which is celestial because this is inmost. Consequently 'the house of God' means in the universal sense the Lord's kingdom, in a less universal sense the Church, and in a particular sense the individual himself in whom the Lord's kingdom or Church exists. When a person is called 'a house' it means the celestial side of faith with him, but when he is called 'a temple' it means the truth of faith with him. So 'he who is born in the house' here means celestial people. That 'the purchase of silver' or one bought with silver means spiritual people however is clear from the meaning of 'silver' as truth, and so the spiritual side of faith, dealt with in Volume One, in 1551.

[2] The expression celestial is used of those who are governed by love to the Lord, and because the Most Ancient Church which existed before the Flood was governed by that love it was a celestial Church. The expression spiritual is used of those who are governed by love towards the neighbour and so by the truth of faith. This was the character of the Ancient Church that existed after the Flood. The difference between celestial people and spiritual has been dealt with many times in Volume One. Anyone may see that there are heavenly arcana here, that is to say, in the requirement to circumcise those born in the house and those bought with silver, also sons who were foreigners, and in the fact that those persons are mentioned repeatedly, for example, in verses 13, 23, 27, that follow. These arcana are not apparent however except from the internal sense, that is to say, that those born in the house and those bought with silver mean celestial people and spiritual, and so those inside the Church - while 'the son who is a foreigner and not of your seed' means those outside the Church.

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

The Bible

 

Genesis 17

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1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless.

2 I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly."

3 Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,

4 "As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations.

5 Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.

7 I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you.

8 I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God."

9 God said to Abraham, "As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations.

10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.

11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.

12 He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your seed.

13 He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14 The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant."

15 God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah.

16 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her."

17 Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?"

18 Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"

19 God said, "No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.

20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

21 But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year."

22 When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

23 Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money; every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him.

24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

25 Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

26 In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised.

27 All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money of a foreigner, were circumcised with him.