The Bible

 

Genesis 9

Study

   

1 Tedy požehnal Bůh Noé i synům jeho a řekl jim: Ploďtež se a rozmnožujte se, a naplňte zemi.

2 Strach váš a hrůza vaše buď na všeliký živočich země, a na všecko ptactvo nebeské. Všecko, což se hýbe na zemi, a všecky ryby mořské v ruce vaše dány jsou.

3 Všecko, což se hýbe a jest živo, bude vám za pokrm; jako i bylinu zelenou, dal jsem vám to všecko.

4 A však masa s duší jeho, kteráž jest krev jeho, nebudete jísti.

5 A zajisté krve vaší, duší vašich vyhledávati budu; z rukou každého hovada vyhledávati jí budu, i z ruky člověka, ano i z ruky každého bratra jeho budu vyhledávati duše člověka.

6 Kdo by koli vylil krev člověka, skrze člověka vylita bude krev jeho; nebo k obrazu svému učinil Bůh člověka.

7 Vy pak ploďte a množte se; v hojnosti se rozploďte na zemi, a rozmnoženi buďte na ní.

8 I mluvil Bůh k Noé a synům jeho s ním, řka:

9 Já zajisté vcházím v smlouvu svou s vámi, i s semenem vaším po vás,

10 A se všelikou duší živou, kteráž jest s vámi, z ptactva, z hovad a ze všech živočichů zemských, kteříž jsou s vámi, ode všech, kteříž vyšli z korábu, až do všelikého živočicha zemského.

11 Protož utvrzuji smlouvu svou s vámi, že nebude vyhlazeno více všeliké tělo vodami potopy; aniž bude více potopa k zkažení země.

12 I řekl Bůh: Totoť bude znamení smlouvy, kteréž já dávám, mezi mnou a mezi vámi, a mezi všelikou duší živou, kteráž jest s vámi, po všecky věky.

13 Duhu svou postavil jsem na oblaku, a bude na znamení smlouvy mezi mnou a mezi zemí.

14 A budeť, když uvedu mračný oblak nad zemí, a ukáže se duha na oblaku,

15 Že se rozpomenu na smlouvu svou, kteráž jest mezi mnou a mezi vámi a mezi všelikou duší živou v každém těle; a nebudou více vody ku potopě, aby zahladily všeliké tělo.

16 Nebo když bude duha ta na oblaku, popatřím na ni, abych se rozpomenul na smlouvu věčnou mezi Bohem a mezi všelikou duší živou v každém těle, kteréž jest na zemi.

17 I řekl Bůh k Noé: Toť jest znamení smlouvy, kterouž jsem utvrdil mezi sebou a mezi všelikým tělem, kteréž jest na zemi.

18 Byli pak synové Noé, kteříž vyšli z korábu: Sem, Cham a Jáfet; a Cham byl otec Kanánův.

19 Ti tři jsou synové Noé, a ti se rozprostřeli po vší zemi.

20 Noé pak obíraje se s zemí, začal dělati vinice.

21 A pije víno, opil se, a obnažil se u prostřed stanu svého.

22 Viděl pak Cham, otec Kanánův, hanbu otce svého, a pověděl oběma bratřím svým vně.

23 Tedy vzali Sem a Jáfet oděv, kterýžto oba položili na ramena svá, a jdouce zpátkem, zakryli hanbu otce svého; tváři pak jich byly odvráceny, a hanby otce svého neviděli.

24 Procítiv pak Noé po svém víně, zvěděl, co mu učinil syn jeho mladší.

25 I řekl: Zlořečený Kanán, služebník služebníků bude bratřím svým.

26 Řekl také: Požehnaný Hospodin, Bůh Semův, a buď Kanán služebníkem jejich.

27 Rozšiřiž Bůh milostivě Jáfeta, aby bydlil v stáncích Semových, a buď Kanán služebníkem jejich.

28 Živ pak byl Noé po potopě tři sta a padesáte let.

29 A tak bylo všech dnů Noé devět set a padesáte let; i umřel jest.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1027

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

1027. 'With birds' means specifically the things of his understanding. This is clear from what has been stated and shown frequently already about birds, as in 40, 776

  
/ 10837  
  

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #776

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

776. '[Every] bird according to its kind' means all spiritual truth, 'flying things' means natural truth, and 'winged thing' sensory truth. This is clear from what has been stated and shown already about birds, as in 40. The most ancient people likened man's thoughts to birds, for in relation to things of the will, thoughts are like birds. Since bird, flying thing, and winged thing are mentioned here, and come consecutively in the way that intellectual concepts, rational concepts, and sensory impressions do in man, and to prevent anyone doubting that this is what they mean, let other places from the Word of a confirmatory nature be quoted, from which as well it will be evident that 'beasts' means such things as have been stated.

[2] In David,

You have given Him dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under His feet, flocks and all cattle, and also the beasts of the fields, the flying things of the air, 1 and the fish of the sea. Psalms 8:6-8.

This refers to the Lord, whose dominion over man and over what belongs to man is described in this fashion. If this were not so, what would 'dominion over beasts and birds' really be? In the same author,

Fruit tree and all cedars, wild animal and every beast, creeping thing and flying thing - they shall glorify the name of Jehovah. Psalms 148:9-10, 13.

'Fruit tree' is the celestial man, 'cedar' the spiritual man, 'wild animal and beast and creeping thing' the goods of these kinds of man, as in the present context. 'Flying thing' is their truths from which they are able to glorify the name of Jehovah. This a wild animal, a beast, a creeping thing, or a flying thing can never do. In secular literature such statements can be used as hyperbole, but in the Word of the Lord they are never just hyperbole but meaningful signs and representatives.

[3] In Ezekiel,

They start to tremble before Me - the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, 2 and the wild animals of the field, and every creeping thing creeping over the ground, and every man that is on the face 3 of the ground. Ezekiel 38:20.

The fact that 'beasts' and 'birds' here have such meanings is quite clear, for what would Jehovah's glory be if fish, birds, and beasts were to start to tremble? Could anyone think that such utterances are holy if they did not embody holy things within them? In Jeremiah,

I looked, and behold, there was no man; all the birds of the air 2 had fled. Jeremiah 4:15.

This stands for all good and truth. Here 'man' stands as well for good that stems from love. In the same prophet,

They have been laid waste so that no man passes through, neither do men hear the voice of the herd. From the birds of the air 2 down to beasts, they have scattered, they have gone away. Jeremiah 9:10.

This in a similar way stands for the departure of all truth and good.

[4] In the same prophet,

How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the wickedness of those who dwell in it, the beasts and the birds have perished, for men said, He will not see our latter end. Jeremiah 11:4.

Here 'beasts' stands for goods, and 'birds' for truths, which perished. In Zephaniah,

I will consume man and beast, I will consume the birds of the air 2 and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off mankind from the face 4 of the ground. Zephaniah 1:3.

Here 'man and beast' stands for the things which belong to love and good deriving from love, 'the birds of the air 2 and the fish of the sea' for those which belong to the understanding and so to truth. These are called 'stumbling-blocks' because for wicked people it is goods and truths, not beasts and birds, that are stumbling-blocks. These are also plainly referred to as man's. In David,

The trees of Jehovah are watered abundantly, and the cedars of Lebanon which He planted. In them flying things build their nests. Psalms 104:16-17.

'The trees of Jehovah and the cedars of Lebanon' stands for spiritual man, 'flying things' for his rational or natural truths which are like 'nests'. What is more, 'the birds build nests in the branches' was a common saying by which people meant truths, as in Ezekiel,

[5] On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it, and it will bring forth a branch, and bear fruit, and it will become a noble cedar, and under it will dwell every flying thing of every sort, 5 in the shade of its branches they will dwell. Ezekiel 17:23.

This stands for the Church among gentiles which was spiritual and which is 'a noble cedar'. 'Birds of every sort' 5 stands for truths of every kind. In the same prophet,

In its branches all the birds of the air 2 made their nests, and under its branches every wild animal of the field gave birth, and in its shadow dwelt all great nations. Ezekiel 31:6.

This refers to Asshur, which is the spiritual Church and is called 'a cedar'. 'Birds of the air' 2 stands for its truths, 'beasts' for its goods.

[6] In Daniel,

Its branch was fair, and its fruit much, and food for all was on it. The beast of the field had shade under it, and in its branches dwelt the flying things of the air' 1 Daniel 4:12, 11.

Here 'beast' stands for goods, and 'flying thing of the air' 1 for truths. This may become clear to anyone, for what else would bird and beast dwelling there really be? The same applies to what the Lord said, The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed, which someone took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a big tree so that the birds of the air 1 dwelt in its branches. Luke 13:19; Matthew 13:32; Mark 4:32.

Footnotes:

1. literally, flying thing of the heavens (or the skies)

2. literally, bird of the heavens (or the skies)

3. literally, over the faces

4. literally, the faces

5. literally, of every wing

  
/ 10837  
  

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