The Bible

 

Genesis 29

Study

   

1 Derpå fortsatte Jakob sin Vandring og drog til Østens Børns Land.

2 Da fik han Øje på en Brønd på Marken og tre Hjorde af Småkvæg, der var lejrede ved den. Ved den Brønd vandede man Hjordene; og over Hullet lå der en stor Sten,

3 som man først væltede bort, når alle Hjordene var samlede, for siden, når Dyrene var vandet, at vælte den på Plads igen.

4 Jakob spurgte dem: "Hvor er I fra, Brødre?" De svarede: "Fra Karan!"

5 Da spurgte han dem: "Kender I Laban, Nakors Søn?" De svarede: "Ja, ham kender vi godt."

6 Han spurgte da: "Går det ham vel? De svarede: "Ja, det går ham vel; se, hans Datter akel kommer netop med Hjorden derhenne!"

7 Da sagde han: "Det er jo endnu højlys Dag og for tidligt at drive Kvæget sammen; vand Dyrene og før dem ud på Græsgangene!"

8 Men de svarede: "Det kan vi ikke, før alle Hyrderne er samlede; først når de vælter Stenen fra Brøndhullet, kan vi vande Dyrene."

9 Medens han således stod og talte med dem, var akel kommet derhen med sin Faders Hjord, som hun vogtede;

10 og så snart Jakob så sin Morbroder Labans Datter akel og hans Hjord, gik han hen og væltede Stenen fra Brøndhullet og vandede sin Morbroder Labans Hjord.

11 Så kyssede han akel og brast i Gråd;

12 og han fortalte hende; at han var hendes Faders Frænde, en Søn af ebekka: Da skyndte hun sig hjem til sin Fader og fortalte ham det"

13 og så snart Laban hørte om sin Søstersøn Jakob, løb han ham i Møde, omfavnede og kyssede ham og førte ham hjem til sit Hus. Så fortalte Jakob ham alt, hvad der var sket;

14 og Laban sagde: "Ja, du er mit Kød og Blod!" Han blev nu hos ham en Månedstid.

15 sagde Laban til Jakob: "Skulde du tjene mig for intet fordi du er min Frænde? Sig mig. hvad du vil have i Løn!"

16 Nu havde Laban to Døtre; den ældste hed Lea, den yngste akel;

17 Leas Øjne var matte, men akel havde en dejlig Skikkelse og så dejlig ud,

18 og Jakob elskede akel; derfor sagde han: "Jeg vil tjene dig syv År for din yngste Datter akel."

19 Laban svarede: "Jeg giver hende hellere til dig end til en fremmed; bliv kun hos mig!"

20 Så tjente Jakob syv År for akel; og de syntes ham kun nogle få Dage, fordi han elskede hende.

21 Derefter sagde Jakob til Laban: "Giv mig min Hustru, nu min Tjenestetid er ude, at jeg kan gå ind til hende!"

22 Så indbød Laban alle Mændene på Stedet til Gæstebud.

23 Men da Aftenen kom, tog han sin, Datter Lea og bragte hende til ham, og han gik ind til hende.

24 Og Laban gav sin Datter Lea sin Trælkvinde Zilpa til Trælkvinde.

25 Da det nu om Morgenen viste sig at være Lea, sagde Jakob til Laban: "Hvad er det, du har gjort imod mig? Er det ikke for akel, jeg,har tjent hos dig? Hvorfor har, du bedraget mig?"

26 Laban svarede: "Det er ikke Skik og Brug her til Lands at give den yngste bort før den ældste;

27 men lad nu Bryllupsugen gå til Ende, så vil, jeg også give dig hende, imod at du bliver i min Tjeneste syv År til."

28 Det gik Jakob ind på, og da Bryllupsugen var til Ende, gav Laban ham sin Datter akel til Hustru.

29 Og Laban gav sin Datter akel sin Trælkvinde Bilha til Trælkvinde.

30 Så gik Jakob også ind til akel, og han elskede akel højere end Lea. Derpå blev han i Labans Tjeneste syv År til.

31 Da HE EN så, at Lea blev tilsidesat, åbnede han hendes Moderliv, medens akel var ufrugtbar.

32 Så blev Lea frugtsommelig og fødte en Søn, som hun gav Navnet uben; thi hun sagde: "HE EN har set til min Ulykke; nu vil min Mand elske mig!"

33 Siden blev hun frugtsommelig igen og fødte en Søn;og hun sagde: "HE EN hørte, at jeg var tilsidesat, så gav han mig også ham!" Derfor gav hun ham Navnet Simeon.

34 Siden blev hun frugtsommelig igen og fødte en Søn; og hun sagde: "Nu må da endelig min Mand bolde sig til mig, da jeg har født ham tre Sønner." Derfor gav hun ham Navnet Levi.

35 Siden blev hun frugtsommelig igen og fødte en Søn; og hun sagde:"Nu vil jeg prise HE EN!" Derfor gav hun ham Navnet Juda. Så fik hun ikke flere Børn.

   


The Project Gutenberg Association at Carnegie Mellon University

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3861

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

3861. And she called his name Reuben. That this signifies the quality thereof, which is described, is evident from the signification of “name” and of “calling a name,” as being quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3321). The quality itself is described by the words, “Jehovah hath seen my affliction, for now my man will love me,” which are “Reuben.” (That all the names in the Word signify actual things has been often shown above, n. 1224, 1264, 1876, 1888; and that the ancients gave names significative of states, see n. 340, 1946, 2643, 3422.) That here the names of all the sons of Jacob signify the universals of the church, will be shown. A real universal has also been put into the name of each; but what universal it is impossible for anyone to know, unless he knows what is involved in the internal sense of the expressions from which each one was called-as for instance in the expression, “hath seen,” from which Reuben was named; in the expression, “hath heard,” from which Simeon was named; in the expression, “will adhere,” from which Leviticus was named; and in the expression, “will confess,” from which Judah was named; and so with regard to all the others.

  
/ 10837  
  

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2009

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

2009. Thy name shall no more be called Abram, and thy name shall be Abraham. That “thy name shall no more be called Abram,” signifies that He will put off the human; and that “thy name shall be Abraham,” signifies that He will put on the Divine, is evident from the signification of “name;” also from the signification of “Abram;” and, afterwards, of “Abraham.” The expression “this shall be thy name,” when used in the Word, signifies the quality, that is, that the person will be of such a quality, as is evident from what has been adduced in Part First (n. 144, 145, 1754). And as the “name” signifies the quality, the name comprehends in one complex whatever is in the man. For in heaven no attention is paid to anyone’s name; but when anyone is named, or when the word name is spoken, there is presented the idea of the person’s quality, that is, of all things that are his, that are connected with him, and that are in him; hence in the Word “name” signifies quality. That this may be evident to the understanding we may adduce from the Word a number of additional confirmatory passages. As in the Benediction in Moses:

Jehovah bless thee, and keep thee; Jehovah make His faces to shine upon thee and have compassion on thee; Jehovah lift up His faces upon thee and give thee peace. So shall they put My name upon the sons of Israel (Numbers 6:24-27).

From this it is evident what is denoted by “name,” and by “putting the name” of Jehovah upon the sons of Israel, namely, that Jehovah blesses, guards, enlightens, is pitiful, gives peace; and thus that Jehovah or the Lord is such.

[2] In the Decalogue:

Thou shalt not take the name of thy God in vain; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless who taketh His name in vain (Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11); where to “take the name of God in vain” does not signify the name, but all things in general and particular that are from Him, and therefore all things in general and particular that belong to the worship of Him, none of which are to be despised, still less blasphemed and contaminated with what is filthy. In the Lord’s Prayer:

Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, as in heaven so also in the earth (Luke 11:2); where also by “name” is not meant the name, but all things of love and faith; for these are God’s or the Lord’s, and are from Him; and as these are holy, the Lord’s kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as in the heavens when they are held to be so.

[3] That “name” signifies such things is evident from all the passages in the Word of the Old and of the New Testament where “name” is mentioned. As in Isaiah:

In that day shall ye say, Confess to Jehovah, call upon His name, make known His works among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted (Isaiah 12:4); where to “call upon the name of Jehovah,” and to “make mention that His name is exalted,” does not at all mean to place worship in the name, or to believe that Jehovah is invoked by using His name, but by knowing His quality, and thus by means of all things in general and particular that are from Him. In the same:

Therefore honor ye Jehovah in the Urim; the name of Jehovah the God of Israel in the isles of the sea (Isaiah 24:15); where to “honor Jehovah in the Urim,” is to honor Him from the holy things of love; and to “honor the name of Jehovah the God of Israel in the isles of the sea,” is to honor Him from the holy things of faith.

[4] In the same:

O Jehovah our God, only in Thee will we make mention of Thy name (Isaiah 26:13). I will raise up one from the north, and he shall come; from the rising of the sun, he shall call upon My name (Isaiah 41:25); where to “make mention of the name of Jehovah,” and to “call upon His name,” means to worship from the goods of love and the truths of faith. They who are from the north are they who are outside the church and ignorant of the name of Jehovah, who nevertheless “call upon His name” when they live in mutual charity and adore as the Deity the Creator of the universe; for the “calling upon Jehovah” consists in worship and the quality of it, and not in the name. (That the Lord is present with the Gentiles also may be seen above, n. 932, 1032, 1059.)

[5] In the same:

The nations shall see 1 thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory; and thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of Jehovah shall name (Isaiah 62:2); where “thou shalt be called by a new name,” denotes to become another person, that is, to be created anew or regenerated, and thus to be such.

In Micah:

All the peoples will walk everyone in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God forever and to eternity (Micah 4:5);

to “walk in the name of his god,” plainly denotes profane worship; and to “walk in the name of Jehovah,” true worship.

In Malachi:

From the rising of the sun and even to its going down, My name shall be great among the nations; and in every place incense is offered unto My name, and a clean offering for My name shall be great among the nations (Malachi 1:11); where by “name” is not signified the name, but the worship; which is the quality of Jehovah or the Lord, by reason of which He wills to be adored.

[6] In Moses:

The place which Jehovah your God shall choose out of all the tribes to put His name there, and to cause His name to dwell there, thither shall ye bring all that I command you (Deuteronomy 12:5, 11, 14; 16:2, 6, 11); where also by “putting His name,” and “making His name dwell there,” is not signified the name, but the worship, and thus the quality of Jehovah or the Lord by reason of which He is to be worshiped. His quality is the good of love and the truth of faith; and “the name of Jehovah dwells” with those who are in these.

In Jeremiah:

Go ye unto My place which was in Shiloh, where I caused My name to dwell in the beginning (Jeremiah 7:12); where in like manner “name” denotes worship, and thereby the doctrine of true faith. Everyone can see that Jehovah does not dwell with him who merely knows and speaks His name, for the name alone, without any idea, knowledge, or faith concerning His quality is a mere word. Hence it is evident that the “name” is the quality, and the knowledge of the quality.

[7] In Moses:

At that time Jehovah separated the tribe of Levi, to minister unto Him, and to bless in His name (Deuteronomy 10:8); where to “bless in the name” of Jehovah is not to do so through the name, but by means of the things which appertain to the name of Jehovah, spoken of above.

In Jeremiah:

This is His name whereby they shall call Him, Jehovah our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6); where the “name” denotes righteousness, which is the quality of the Lord, of whom these words are said.

In Isaiah:

Jehovah hath called Me from the womb, from the bowels of My mother hath He made mention of 2 My name (Isaiah 49:1);

also said of the Lord; to “make mention of His name,” is to instruct in respect to His quality.

[8] That “name” signifies quality, is still more clearly evident in John, in Revelation:

Thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He that overcometh shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; and I will confess his name before My Father and before the angels. He that overcometh, I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God, and My new name (Revelation 3:4-5, 12); where that the “name” is not the name, but the quality, is plainly evident; the “name in the book of life” is nothing else; and the quality is also meant by “confessing his name before the Father,” and by “writing upon him the name of God, and of the city, and the new name;” and the same is true of the names which are said elsewhere to be written in the book of life, and in heaven (Revelation 13:8, 17:8; Luke 10:20).

[9] In heaven it is solely by the quality that anyone is known from another; and in the sense of the letter this is expressed by the name, as everyone can see from the consideration that on earth whoever is named is presented in the listener’s idea in accordance with his quality, and it is by this idea that he is known and distinguished from others. In the other life the ideas remain, but the names perish; and this is still more the case among the angels. Hence it is that in the internal sense the “name” is the quality, or to know the quality. Again:

Upon the head of Him who sat upon the white horse were many diadems; and He hath a name written which no one knoweth but He Himself. He was clothed in a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:12-13); where that the “name” is the Word of God, and thus is the quality of Him who sat upon the white horse, is said in plain words.

[10] That the “name of Jehovah” is to know His quality, namely, that He is all the good of love and all the truth of faith, is clearly evident from these words of the Lord:

O righteous Father I have known Thee, and these also have known that Thou hast sent Me; for I have made known unto them Thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them (John 17:25-26).

[11] And that the “name of God” or of the Lord is all the doctrine of faith concerning love and charity, which is signified by “believing in His name,” is evident from these words in the same gospel:

As many as received Him, to them gave He the power [potestas] to be sons of God, to them that believe in His name (John 1:12).

If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it. If ye love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:13-15).

Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He giveth you. These things I command you, that ye love one another (John 15:16-17).

In Matthew:

Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).

By those who are “gathered together in the name of the Lord,” are here signified those who are in the doctrine of faith concerning love and charity, and thus who are in love and charity. Again Ye shall be hated of all nations for My name’s sake (Matthew 10:22, 24:9-10; Mark 13:10); where “for My names sake” plainly means for the sake of His doctrine.

[12] That the name itself effects nothing, but that everything is effected by that which the name involves, namely, everything of charity and faith, is clearly evident from these words in Matthew:

Have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name cast out demons, and in Thy name done many mighty works? But then will I profess unto them, I never dew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:22-23);

from which it is evident that they who place worship in a name, as did the Jews in the name of Jehovah, and as do Christians in the name of the Lord, are not on that account the more worthy, because the name avails nothing; but that which does avail is that they be of such a character as the Lord has commanded; for this is to “believe in His name;” and further, that its being said that there is no salvation in any other name than the Lord’s, means that there is none in any other doctrine, that is, in no other than mutual love, which is the true doctrine of faith, and thus in no other than the Lord, because all love and the derivative faith are from Him alone.

Footnotes:

1. Viderunt; probably a misprint for videbunt, as we find it read in the True Christian Religion782. [Rotch ed.]

2. Et memorare fecit Nomen meum; but elsewhere, meminit Nominis mei; as n. 3305.

  
/ 10837  
  

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