The Bible

 

Genesis 10

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1 These are the generations of the sons of Noe: Sem, Cham, and Japheth: and unto them sons were born after the flood.

2 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Thubal, and Mosoch, and Thiras.

3 And the sons of Gomer: Ascenez and Riphath and Thogorma.

4 And the sons of Javan: Elisa and Tharsis, Cetthim, and Dodanim.

5 By these were divided the islands of the Gentiles in their lands, every one according to his tongue and their families in their nations.

6 And the sons of Cham: Chus, and Mesram, and Phuth, and Chanaan.

7 And the sons of Chus: Saba and Hevila, and Sabatha, and Regma, and Sabatacha. The sons of Regma: Saba and Dadan.

8 Now Chus begot Nemrod: he began to be mighty on earth.

9 And he was a stout hunter before the Lord. Hence came a proverb: Even as Nemrod the stout hunter before the Lord.

10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babylon, and Arach, and Achad, and Chalanne in the land of Sennaar.

11 Out of that land came forth Assur, and built Ninive, and the streets of the city, and Chale.

12 Resen also between Ninive and Chale: this is the great city.

13 And Mesraim begot Ludim, and Anamim, and Laabim, Nepthuim,

14 And Phetrusim, and Chasluim; of whom came forth the Philistines, and the Capthorim.

15 And Chanaan begot Sidon, his firstborn, the Hethite,

16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorrhite, and the Gergesite,

17 The Hevite and the Aracite: the Sinite,

18 And the Aradian, the Samarite, and the Hamathite: and afterwards the families of the Chanaanites were spread abroad.

19 And the limits of Chanaan were from Sidon as one comes to Gerara even to Gaza, until thou enter Sodom and Gomorrha, and Adama, and Seboim even to Lesa.

20 These are the children of Cham in their kindreds, and tongues, and generations, and lands, and nations.

21 Of Sem also, the father of all children of Heber, the elder brother of Japheth, sons were born.

22 The sons of Sem: Elam and Assur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.

23 The sons of Aram: Us and Hull, and Gether: and Mess.

24 But Arphaxad begot Sale, of whom was born Heber.

25 And to Heber were born two sons: the name of the one was Phaleg, because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name Jectan.

26 Which Jectan begot Elmodad, and Saleph, and Asarmoth, Jare,

27 And Anduram, and Uzal, and Decla,

28 And Ebal, and Abimael, Saba,

29 And Ophir, and Hevila, and Jobab.

30 And their dwelling was from Messa as we go on as far as Sephar, a mountain in the east.

31 These are the children of Sem according to their kindreds and tongues, and countries in their nations.

32 These are the families of Noe, according to their peoples and nations. By these were the nations divided on the earth after the flood.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1083

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1083. That 'Shem' means the internal Church, 'Japheth' the external Church corresponding to it, has been discussed already. Where the Church exists it must necessarily possess an internal aspect and an external; for a human being, who is the Church, is both internal and external. Before he becomes the Church, that is, before he has been regenerated, he is engrossed in things that are external. But when undergoing regeneration he is led away from external things - or rather by means of external things - towards internal, as stated and shown already. But once he has been regenerated, all things that belong to the internal man are encompassed in the things that are external. Thus every Church must necessarily be internal and external, as the Ancient Church was, and as the Christian Church is today.

[2] The internal aspects of the Ancient Church comprised all things that belong to charity and to faith deriving from charity, all humbleness, all worship of the Lord that stems from charity, every good affection towards the neighbour, and other aspects like these. The external features of that Church were sacrifices, drink-offerings, and much else, all of which, by means of representation, were directed to the Lord and had regard to Him. Consequently things of an internal nature existed within those that were external and made a single Church. The internal features of the Christian Church are just the same as the internal features of the Ancient Church, but different externals have ensued. That is to say, instead of sacrifices and the like, [the Christian Church] has sacraments which in a similar way have regard to the Lord. So in the Christian Church also things that are internal and those that are external make one.

[3] The Ancient Church did not differ in the slightest from the Christian Church as to its internal features, only as to its external. Worship of the Lord that stems from charity cannot possibly be different, no matter how much externals may vary. And since, as stated, no Church can exist unless there is that which is internal and that which is external, the internal without the external would be something unbounded if it were not encompassed by something external. For mankind is such, and indeed the vast majority, that it does not know what the internal man is, and what belongs to the internal man. Without external worship therefore, mankind would have no knowledge at all of what is holy.

[4] As long as these people have charity and consequently conscience, they have internal worship residing with them in their external worship. For the Lord residing with them is at work in charity and in conscience, and He causes all their worship to partake of what is internal. It is otherwise with people who have no charity and consequently no conscience. They are indeed able to have worship in externals, yet it is separated from internal worship, as their faith is separated from charity. Such worship is called 'Canaan' and such faith 'Ham'. And because such worship is the product of separated faith, Ham is called 'the father of Canaan'.

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