The Bible

 

Genesis 9

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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 #1097

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1097. 'Canaan will be a slave to him' means that such people as make worship consist solely in external things are among those who are able to perform inferior services to members of the Church. This becomes clear especially from the representatives in the Jewish Church. In the Jewish Church the internal Church was represented by Judah and Israel - the celestial Church by Judah, the spiritual by Israel - and the external Church by Jacob. People however who made worship consist solely in external things were represented by 'the gentiles' whom they called foreigners. The latter were to be 'their slaves' and were to perform inferior services in the Church, as in Isaiah,

Aliens will stand and pasture your flock, and sons of the foreigner will be your field-workers and your vine-dressers; and you will be called the priests of Jehovah, you will be spoken of as the ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of the gentiles, and in their glory will you glory. Isaiah 61:5-6.

Here celestial people are called 'the priests of Jehovah', spiritual people 'the ministers of God', while those who made worship consist solely in external things are called 'sons of the foreigner' who were to serve in their fields and vineyards.

[2] In the same prophet,

The sons of the foreigner will build up your walls, and their kings will minister to you. Isaiah 60:10.

Here similar reference is made to the service they were to render. In reference to the Gibeonites the following is said in Joshua,

You are cursed, and some of you will always be slaves, 1 both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. Joshua made them on that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, especially for the altar of Jehovah. Joshua 9:23, 27.

It may be seen elsewhere whom the Gibeonites represented because of the covenant made with them, even though they belonged among those who were to be servants in the Church. Regarding foreigners, the law was laid down that if they would accept peace and open their gates they would become tributary and serve, 2 Deuteronomy 20:11; 1 Kings 9:21-22. Every single detail written down in the Word concerning the Jewish Church was representative of the Lord's kingdom. The Lord's kingdom is such that everyone, no matter who or what kind of person, must perform a use. In His kingdom the Lord looks to nothing else than use. Even those in hell have to perform a use, though the uses they do perform are the lowest of all. Among those performing inferior uses are people in the next life whose worship has been wholly external, separated from internal.

[3] Furthermore representatives in the Jewish Church were such that no attention was paid to the person who represented, but to that which was represented by him. The Jews, for example, who were anything but celestial people, nevertheless represented these, while Israel, anything but a spiritual man, nevertheless represented that man; and it was similar with Jacob and the rest. The same applied to kings and priests; they nevertheless represented the Kingship and Holiness of the Lord. This matter becomes clearer still from the fact that even inanimate objects were representative, such as Aaron's garments, the altar itself, the tables with the leaves on them, the lamps, bread and wine; as well as oxen, calves, goats, sheep, kids, lambs, doves, and pigeons. And because the sons of Judah and Israel did no more than represent the internal and the external worship of the Lord's Church, and yet more than anybody else made all worship consist merely in external things, it is therefore they, more than all others, who may be called 'Canaan' according to his meaning here.

Footnotes:

1. literally, and there will not be cut off from you the slave

2. literally, they would become tribute [taking the form] of a serving one

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