The Bible

 

Genesis 6

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1 Da nu Menneskene begyndte at blive talrige på Jorden og der fødtes dem Døtre,

2 fik Gudssønnerne Øje på Menneskedøtrenes Skønhed, og de tog: så mange af dem, som de lystede, til Hustruer.

3 Da sagde HE EN: "Min Ånd: skal ikke for evigt blive i Menneskene, eftersom de jo dog er Kød; deres Dage skal være 120 År."

4 I hine Dage, da Gudssønnerne gik ind til Menneskedøtrene og disse fødte dem Børn men også senere hen i Tiden - levede Kæmperne på Jorden. Det er Heltene, hvis y når tilbage til Fortids Dage.

5 Men HE EN så, at Menneskenes, Ondskab tog til på Jorden, og at deres Hjerters Higen og Tragten kun var ond Dagen lang.

6 Da angrede HE EN, at han havde gjort Menneskene på Jorden, og det. skar ham i Hjertet.

7 Og HE EN sagde: "Jeg vil udslette Menneskene, som jeg har skabt, af Jordens Flade, både Mennesker, Kvæg, Kryb og Himmelens, Fugle, thi jeg angrer, at jeg gjorde dem!"

8 Men Noa fandt Nåde for HE ENs Øjne

9 Dette er Noas Slægtebog. Noa var en retfærdig, ustraffelig Mand blandt sine samtidige; Noa vandrede med Gud.

10 Noa avlede tre Sønner: Sem, Kam og Jafet.

11 Men Jorden fordærvedes for Guds Øjne, og Jorden blev fuld af Uret;

12 og Gud så til Jorden, og se, den var fordærvet, thi alt Kød havde fordærvet sin VejJorden.

13 Da sagde Gud til Noa: "Jeg har besluttet at gøre Ende på alt Kød, fordi Jorden ved deres Skyld et fuld af Uret; derfor vil jeg nu udrydde dem af Jorden.

14 Men du skal gøre dig en Ark af Gofertræ og indrette den med um ved um og overstryge den med Beg både indvendig og udvendig;

15 og således skal du bygge Arken: Den skal være 300 Alen lang, 50 Alen bred og 30 Alen høj;

16 du skal anbringe Taget på Arken, og det skal ikke rage længer ud end een Alen fra oven; på Arkens Side skal du sætte Døren, og du skal indrette den med et nederste, et mellemste og et øverste Stokværk.

17 Se, jeg bringer nu Vandfloden over Jorden for at udrydde alt Kød under Himmelen, som har Livsånde; alt, hvad der er på Jorden, skal forgå.

18 Men jeg vil oprette min Pagt med dig. Du skal gå ind i Arken med dine Sønner, din Hustru og dine Sønnekoner:

19 og af alle Dyr, af alt Kød skal du bringe et Par af hver Slags ind i Arken for at holde dem i Live hos dig. Han og Hundyr skal det være,

20 af Fuglene efter deres Arter, af Kvæget efter dets Arter og af alt Jordens Kryb efter dets Arter; Par for Par skal de gå ind til dig for at holdes i Live.

21 Og du skal indsamle et Forråd af alle Slags Levnedsmidler, for at det kan tjene dig og dem til Føde."

22 Og Noa gjorde ganske som Gud havde pålagt ham; således gjorde han.

   


The Project Gutenberg Association at Carnegie Mellon University

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #598

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598. He found grace in the eyes of Jehovah, signifies that the Lord foresaw that the human race might thus be saved. The Lord’s mercy involves and looks to the salvation of the whole human race; and it is the same with His “grace” and therefore the salvation of the human race is signified. By “Noah” is signified not only a new church, but also the faith of that church, which was the faith of charity. Thus the Lord foresaw that through the faith of charity the human race might be saved (concerning which faith hereafter).

[2] But there is a distinction in the Word between “mercy” and “grace” and this in accordance with the difference that exists in those who receive them; “mercy” being applied to those who are celestial, and “grace” to those who are spiritual; for the celestial acknowledge nothing but mercy, and the spiritual scarcely anything but grace. The celestial do not know what grace, is; the spiritual scarcely know what mercy is, which they make one and the same with grace. This comes from the ground of the humiliation of the two being so different; they who are in humiliation of heart implore the Lord’s mercy; but they who are in humiliation of thought beseech His grace; and if these implore mercy, it is either in a state of temptation, or is done with the mouth only and not from the heart. Because the new church called “Noah” was not celestial but spiritual, it is not said to have found “mercy” but “grace” in the eyes of Jehovah.

[3] That there is a distinction in the Word between “mercy” and “grace” is evident from many passages where Jehovah is called “merciful and gracious” (as in Psalms 103:8; 11:4; 45:8; Joel 2:13). The distinction is likewise made in other places, as in Jeremiah:

Thus saith Jehovah, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness, when I went to give rest to him, to Israel. Jehovah appeared unto me from afar; and I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore in mercy have I drawn thee (Jeremiah 31:2-3),

where “grace” is predicated of the spiritual, and “mercy” of the celestial.

In Isaiah:

Therefore will Jehovah wait that He may give grace unto you, and therefore will He exalt Himself that He may have mercy upon you (Isaiah 30:18).

Here likewise “grace” regards the spiritual, and “mercy” the celestial. So in the chapter presently following, where Lot says to the angel:

Behold I pray thy servant hath found grace in thine eyes, and thou hast made great thy mercy which thou hast wrought with me, to make alive my soul (Genesis 19:19).

That “grace” relates to spiritual things, which are of faith, or of the understanding, is evident here also in that it is said, he “hath found grace in thine eyes;” and that “mercy” relates to celestial things which are of love, or of the will, is evident from the fact that the angel is said to have “wrought mercy” and to have “made alive the soul.”

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