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Genezo 14

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1 Kaj estis en la tempo de Amrafel, regxo de SXinar, Arjohx, regxo de Elasar, Kedorlaomer, regxo de Elam, kaj Tidal, regxo de Gojim;

2 ili faris militon kontraux Bera, regxo de Sodom, kaj Birsxa, regxo de Gomora, SXinab, regxo de Adma, kaj SXemeber, regxo de Ceboim, kaj la regxo de Bela, kiu estas Coar.

3 CXiuj cxi tiuj kunvenis en la valo Sidim, kiu nun estas la Sala Maro.

4 Dek du jarojn ili servis al Kedorlaomer, kaj en la dek-tria ili ribeligxis.

5 Kaj en la dek-kvara jaro venis Kedorlaomer, kaj la regxoj, kiuj estis kun li, kaj ili venkobatis la Rafaidojn en Asxterot-Karnaim, kaj la Zuzidojn en Ham, kaj la Emidojn en SXave-Kirjataim,

6 kaj la HXoridojn sur ilia monto Seir gxis El-Paran, kiu estas cxe la dezerto.

7 Kaj ili reiris kaj venis al En-Misxpat, kiu estas Kadesx, kaj venkobatis la tutan kampon de la Amalekidoj, kaj ankaux la Amoridojn, kiuj logxis en HXacacon-Tamar.

8 Kaj eliris la regxo de Sodom kaj la regxo de Gomora kaj la regxo de Adma kaj la regxo de Ceboim, kaj la regxo de Bela, kiu estas Coar, kaj komencis batalon kontraux ili en la valo Sidim,

9 kontraux Kedorlaomer, regxo de Elam, kaj Tidal, regxo de Gojim, kaj Amrafel, regxo de SXinar, kaj Arjohx, regxo de Elasar; kvar regxoj kontraux kvin.

10 Kaj en la valo Sidim estis multe da bitumaj kavoj; kaj la regxoj de Sodom kaj Gomora forkuris kaj falis tien, kaj la restintoj kuris sur la monton.

11 Kaj ili prenis la tutan havon de Sodom kaj Gomora kaj ilian tutan mangxeblajxon, kaj foriris.

12 Ili prenis Loton, la nevon de Abram, kaj lian havon, cxar li logxis en Sodom, kaj ili foriris.

13 Kaj venis forsavigxinto kaj diris al Abram la Hebreo, kiu logxis en la arbareto de Mamre la Amorido, frato de Esxkol kaj frato de Aner, kiuj estis en interligo kun Abram.

14 Kaj Abram auxdis, ke lia frato estas kaptita, kaj li elkondukis siajn ekzercitojn, naskitajn en lia domo, tricent dek ok, kaj persekutis gxis Dan.

15 Kaj li dividis sin kontraux ili en la nokto, li kaj liaj domanoj, kaj venkobatis ilin, kaj persekutis ilin gxis HXoba, kiu estas maldekstre de Damasko.

16 Kaj li revenigis la tutan havon, kaj ankaux sian fraton Lot kaj lian havon li revenigis, kaj ankaux la virinojn kaj la popolon.

17 Kaj la regxo de Sodom eliris al li renkonte, kiam li revenis, venkinte Kedorlaomeron kaj la regxojn, kiuj estis kun li, en la valon SXave, kiu estas Valo de la Regxo.

18 Kaj Melkicedek, regxo de Salem, elportis panon kaj vinon. Li estis pastro de Dio Plejsupra.

19 Kaj li benis lin kaj diris: Benata estu Abram de Dio Plejsupra, la Kreinto de la cxielo kaj la tero;

20 kaj benata estu Dio Plejsupra, kiu transdonis viajn malamikojn en viajn manojn. Kaj Abram donis al li dekonajxon el cxio.

21 Kaj la regxo de Sodom diris al Abram: Donu al mi la homojn, kaj la havon prenu al vi.

22 Kaj Abram diris al la regxo de Sodom: Mi levas mian manon al la Eternulo, Dio Plejsupra, la Kreinto de la cxielo kaj la tero,

23 ke ecx fadenon aux rimenon de sxuo mi ne prenos el cxio, kio apartenas al vi, por ke vi ne diru: Mi ricxigis Abramon;

24 escepto estos nur tio, kion mangxis la junuloj, kaj la parto de la homoj, kiuj iris kun mi: Aner, Esxkol, kaj Mamre; ili prenu sian parton.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1709

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1709. 'Three hundred and eighteen men' means the nature of those goods, that is to say, they are the holy things employed in conflict. The number eighteen entails this, as also does the number three hundred, for these numbers are compounded from three and six. Three means that which is holy, as shown in 720, 901, and six means conflict, as shown in 737, 900. Abram's bringing out of such a number of men is true historically; but still it was also representative, as is every historical detail of the Word recorded in the five Books of Moses, and in the Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Daniel, and Jonah, where in like manner numbers embody arcana within them. For nothing has been written in the Word that was not of such a representative nature. If it were not representative it would not be the Word and it would never have been recorded that Abram brought out three hundred and eighteen, and also that they were trained and were born in his house, besides many other details mentioned in this chapter.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #901

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901. 'The twenty-seventh day' means that which is holy. This is clear from what has been said above, for it is the composite number that is obtained when three is cubed - that is, three multiplied by three making nine, and nine multiplied by three again making twenty-seven. The predominant factor in this number therefore is three. This was how the most ancient people calculated numbers and by means of them meant nothing else than real things. That 'three' has the same meaning as seven becomes clear from what has been stated already just above. A hidden reason why it does so is that the Lord rose on the third day. The Lord's resurrection itself comprehends all that is holy, and the resurrection of all men. This was why in the Jewish Church this number became representative, and why in the Word it is a holy number. It is similar in heaven where no numbers are envisaged. Instead of three and seven they have a general holy idea of the resurrection and of the Coming of the Lord.

[2] That 'three' and 'seven' mean what is holy is clear from the following places in the Word: In Moses,

Anyone touching a dead body will be unclean for seven days. He shall purify himself on the third day, and on the seventh day he will be clean. And if he does not purify himself on the third day then he will not be clean on the seventh day. He who touches one pierced by the sword, or one dead, or a human bone, or a sepulchre will be unclean for seven days. The one who is clean shall sprinkle [with hyssop] over the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify him, and he [the unclean] shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and will be clean in the evening. Numbers 19:11, 11, 16, 19.

Quite clearly these requirements are representative, that is, things of an external nature meaning those that are internal. Take for example the fact that anyone was unclean who had touched one who had died, or one pierced [by the sword], or a human bone, or a sepulchre. Each of these objects means in the internal sense things that are a person's own, which are dead and unholy. So too with the requirement that he had to bathe himself in water and would be clean in the evening. And the third day and the seventh day were in like manner representative. They mean that which is holy because these were the days when he was to be purified and so be cleansed.

[3] The same usage occurs in the reference to the men coming back from the battle with the Midianites, who were told,

Camp outside the camp for seven days. Every one of you who has killed someone 1 and every one who has touched one slain 2 shall purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day. Numbers 31:19.

If this were just a ceremonial observance and the third and the seventh days were not representative and symbolical of that which is holy, that is, of purification, it would be something dead. It would be something without a cause and a cause without an end in view. That is, it would be like that which has been severed from its cause and its cause from its end in view; and so there would be nothing Divine about it at all. That the third day was representative of, and so symbolized, that which is holy, is quite clear from the Lord's coming down on Mount Sinai, concerning which event the following command was given, Jehovah said to Moses, Go to the people, and make them holy today and tomorrow, in order that they may wash their garments and be ready on the third day, for on the third day Jehovah will come down on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people. Exodus 19:10-11, 15-16.

[4] The same usage occurs in Joshua's crossing the Jordan on the third day,

Joshua commanded, Pass through the middle of the camp, and command the people saying, Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will be crossing this Jordan to go and take possession of the land. 'The crossing of the Jordan' represented the introduction of the children of Israel, that is, of the regenerate, into the Lord's kingdom, 'Joshua', who led them in, representing the Lord Himself. And this took place 'on the third day'. Because the third day, like the seventh, was holy it was stipulated that the third year should be a year of taking tithes 3 and in that year people should be holy in their conduct by performing charitable works, Deuteronomy 26:12 and following verses. 'Tithes' 3 represented remnants, which are holy because they are the Lord's alone. Jonah's presence in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights, Jonah 1:17, clearly represented the Lord's burial and His resurrection on the third day, Matthew 12:40.

[5] That 'three' means that which is holy is also clear in the Prophets, as in Hosea,

Jehovah will revive us after two days, on the third day He will raise us up that we may live before Him. Hosea 6:2.

Here too 'the third day' clearly stands for the Lord's Coming, and for His resurrection. In Zechariah,

It will happen in all the land that two parts in it will be cut off and breathe their last, and a third will be left in it. And I will lead the third part through fire, and I will refine them as one refines silver, and test them as one tests gold. Zechariah 13:8-9.

Here 'a third part' or three stands for that which is holy. A third embodies the same as three, and so does the third of a third, as in the present verse, for three is the cube root of twenty-seven.

Footnotes:

1. literally, a soul

2. literally, pierced

3. or tenths

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