The Bible

 

Genesis 6

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1 Stalo se pak, když se počali množiti lidé na zemi, a dcery se jim zrodily,

2 Že vidouce synové Boží dcery lidské, any krásné jsou, brali sobě ženy ze všech, kteréž oblibovali.

3 Pročež řekl Hospodin: Nebude se nesnaditi duch můj s člověkem na věky, proto že také tělo jest, a bude dnů jeho sto a dvadceti let.

4 Obrové pak byli na zemi v těch dnech; ano i potom, když vcházeli synové Boží k dcerám lidským, ony rodily jim. To jsou ti mocní, kteříž zdávna byli, muži na slovo vzatí.

5 Ale když viděl Hospodin, an se rozmnožuje zlost lidská na zemi, a že by všeliké myšlení srdce jejich nebylo než zlé po všecken čas,

6 Litoval Hospodin, že učinil člověka na zemi, a bolest měl v srdci svém.

7 Tedy řekl Hospodin: Vyhladím z země člověka, kteréhož jsem stvořil, od člověka až do hovada, až do zeměplazu, až i do ptactva nebeského; nebo líto mi, že jsem je učinil.

8 Ale Noé našel milost před Hospodinem.

9 Tito jsou příběhové Noé: Noé muž spravedlivý, dokonalý byl za svého věku, s Bohem ustavičně chodil Noé.

10 (Zplodil pak Noé tři syny: Sema, Chama a Jáfeta.)

11 Ale země byla porušena před Bohem, a naplněna byla země nepravostí.

12 Viděl tedy Bůh zemi, a aj, porušena byla, nebo bylo porušilo všeliké tělo cestu svou na zemi.

13 Protož řekl Bůh k Noé: Konec všelikého těla přichází přede mne, nebo naplněna jest země nepravostí od nich; z té příčiny, hle, již zkazím je s zemí.

14 Učiň sobě koráb z dříví gofer; příhrady zděláš v tom korábu, a oklejuješ jej vnitř i zevnitř klím.

15 A na tento způsob uděláš jej: Tří set loktů bude dlouhost toho korábu, padesáti loktů širokost jeho a třidceti loktů vysokost jeho.

16 Okno uděláš v korábu, a svrchkem na loket vysokým zavřeš jej; dvéře také korábu v boku jeho postavíš, a pokoje spodní, druhé i třetí zděláš v něm.

17 Já pak, aj, já uvedu potopu vod na zemi, aby zkaženo bylo všeliké tělo, v němž jest duch života pod nebem. Cožkoli bude na zemi, umře.

18 S tebou však učiním smlouvu svou; a vejdeš do korábu, ty i synové tvoji, žena tvá i ženy synů tvých s tebou.

19 A ze všech živočichů všelikého těla, po dvém z každého uvedeš do korábu, abys je živé zachoval s sebou; samec a samice budou.

20 Z ptactva podlé pokolení jeho, a z hovad podlé pokolení jejich, ze všelikého také zeměplazu podlé pokolení jeho, po dvém z každého vejdou k tobě, aby živi zůstali.

21 Ty pak nabeř s sebou všeliké potravy, kteráž se jísti může, a shromažď sobě, aby byla tobě i jim ku pokrmu.

22 I učinil Noé podlé všeho, jakž mu rozkázal Bůh, tak učinil.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #566

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566. That by the “faces of the ground” is signified all that region where the church was, is evident from the signification of “ground;” for in the Word there is an accurate distinction made between “ground” and “earth;” by “ground” is everywhere signified the church, or something belonging to the church; and from this comes the name of “man” or “Adam” which is “ground;” by “earth” in various places is meant where there is no church, or anything belonging to the church, as in the first chapter, where “earth” only is named, because as yet there was no church, or regenerate man. The “ground” is first spoken of in the second chapter, because then there was a church. In like manner it is said here, and in the following chapter (Genesis 7:4, 23), that “every substance should be destroyed from off the faces of the ground” signifying in the region where the church was; but in Genesis 7:3, speaking of a church about to be created, it is said, “to keep seed alive on the faces of the ground.” “Ground” has the same signification everywhere in the Word; as in Isaiah:

Jehovah will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and will set them upon their own ground, and the peoples shall take them, and shall bring them to their place, and the house of Israel shall inherit them on the ground of Jehovah (Isaiah 14:1-2),

speaking of the church that has been made; whereas where there is no church it is in the same chapter called “earth” (Isaiah 14:9, 12, 16, 20-21, 25-26).

[2] Again:

And the ground of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt; in that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking with the lip of Canaan (Isaiah 19:17-18),

where “ground” signifies the church, and “land” where there is no church. In the same:

The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard; Jehovah shall visit upon the army of the height in the height, and upon the kings of the ground on the ground (Isaiah 24:20-21).

In Jeremiah:

Because of the ground that is worn, because there was no rain on the earth, the husbandmen were ashamed, they covered their heads, yea, the hind also calved in the field (Jeremiah 14:4-5),

where “earth” is that which contains the “ground” and “ground” that which contains the “field.”

[3] In the same:

He brought the seed of the house of Israel from the northern land, from all the lands whither I have driven them, and they shall dwell on their own ground (Jeremiah 23:8),

where “land” and “lands” are where there are no churches; “ground” where there is a church or true worship. Again: I will give the remains of Jerusalem, them that are left in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt, and I will deliver them to commotion, for evil to all the kings of the earth, and I will send the sword, the famine, and pestilence among them, till they be consumed from off the ground which I gave to them and to their fathers (Jeremiah 24:8-10),

where “ground” signifies doctrine and the worship thence derived; and in like manner in the same Prophet, chapter 5.

[4] In Ezekiel:

I will gather you out of the lands wherein ye have been scattered, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah when I shall bring you again into the ground of Israel, into the land for which I lifted up My hand to give it to your fathers (Ezekiel 20:41-42),

where “ground” signifies internal worship; it is called “land” when there is no internal worship.

In Malachi:

I will rebuke him that consumeth for your sakes, and he shall not corrupt for you the fruit of the ground, nor shall the vine be bereaved for you in the field; and all nations shall call you blessed, because ye shall be a delightsome land (Malachi 3:11-12),

where “land” denotes the containant, and therefore it plainly denotes man, who is called “land” when “ground” denotes the church, or doctrine.

[5] In Moses:

Sing, O ye nations, His people, He will make expiation for His ground, His people (Deuteronomy 32:43),

evidently signifying the Church of the Gentiles, which is called “ground.”

In Isaiah:

Before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the ground shall be forsaken, which thou abhorrest in presence of both her kings (Isaiah 7:16),

speaking of the advent of the Lord; that the “ground will be forsaken” denotes the church, or the true doctrine of faith. That “ground” and “field” are so called from being sown with seed, is evident; as in Isaiah:

Then shall he give rain of thy seed wherewith thou shalt sow the ground; the oxen also and the young asses that labor on the ground (Isaiah 30:23-24).

And in Joel:

The field is laid waste, and the ground hath mourned, because the corn is laid waste (Joel 1:10).

Hence then it is evident that “man” who in the Hebrew tongue is called “Adam” from “ground” signifies the church.

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