The Bible

 

Genezo 15

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1 Post tiuj farigxoj la Eternulo diris al Abram en vizio jene: Ne timu, Abram, Mi estas via sxildo; via rekompenco estas tre granda.

2 Kaj Abram diris: Ho Eternulo, mia Sinjoro, kion Vi donos al mi? mi vagas ja seninfane, kaj la administranto de mia domo estas Eliezer el Damasko.

3 Kaj Abram diris: Al mi Vi ne donis ja idaron, kaj jen mia domano estos mia heredanto.

4 Kaj tiam la Eternulo diris al li jene: CXi tiu ne estos via heredanto; nur tiu, kiu eliros el via internajxo, estos via heredanto.

5 Kaj Li elirigis lin eksteren, kaj diris: Rigardu al la cxielo kaj kalkulu la stelojn, se vi povas ilin kalkuli. Kaj Li diris al li: Tiel estos via idaro.

6 Kaj li kredis al la Eternulo; kaj tio estis kalkulita al li kiel virto.

7 Kaj Li diris al li: Mi estas la Eternulo, kiu elirigis vin el Ur la HXaldea, por doni al vi cxi tiun landon kiel posedajxon.

8 Kaj li diris: Ho Eternulo, mia Sinjoro, per kio mi povas scii, ke mi gxin posedos?

9 Kaj Li diris al li: Prenu por Mi bovinon trijaran kaj kaprinon trijaran kaj sxafon trijaran kaj turton kaj junan kolombon.

10 Kaj li alportis al Li cxion cxi tion, kaj Li distrancxis ilin laux la mezo kaj metis cxiujn partojn unu kontraux la alia, sed la birdojn Li ne distrancxis.

11 Kaj la rabobirdoj mallevigxis sur la kadavrojn, sed Abram ilin forpelis.

12 CXe la subiro de la suno profunda dormo falis sur Abramon; kaj jen timego pro la granda mallumo atakis lin.

13 Kaj Li diris al Abram: Sciu, ke via idaro estos fremduloj en lando, kiu ne apartenos al ili; kaj oni sklavigos kaj turmentos ilin dum kvarcent jaroj.

14 Tamen la popolon, cxe kiu ili estos sklavoj, Mi jugxos; kaj poste ili eliros kun granda havo.

15 Kaj vi foriros al viaj prapatroj en paco; vi estos entombigita en bona maljuneco.

16 Kaj en la kvara generacio ili revenos cxi tien; cxar la krimoj de la Amoridoj ankoraux ne atingis plenecon.

17 Kiam la suno subiris kaj farigxis mallumo, subite forna fumo kaj fajra flamo trakuris inter tiuj distrancxitajxoj.

18 En tiu tago la Eternulo faris interligon kun Abram, dirante: Al via idaro Mi donos cxi tiun landon, de la rivero de Egiptujo gxis la granda rivero, la rivero Euxfrato:

19 la Kenidojn kaj la Kenizidojn kaj la Kadmonidojn

20 kaj la HXetidojn kaj la Perizidojn kaj la Rafaidojn

21 kaj la Amoridojn kaj la Kanaanidojn kaj la Girgasxidojn kaj la Jebusidojn.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2913

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2913. And spoke unto the sons of Heth, saying. That this signifies those with whom there was to be a new spiritual church, is evident from the signification of “Heth,” and of the “Hittites.” There were many inhabitants of the land of Canaan, who are enumerated in various places in the Word, and among them the Hittites (see Genesis 15:20; Exodus 3:8, 17; 13:5; 23:23 Deuteronomy 7:1; 20:17; Josh. 3:10; 11:1, 3; 12:8; 24:11; 1 Kings 9:20; and other places). Most of these were from the Ancient Church (that this extended through many lands, and likewise through the land of Canaan, may be seen above, n. 1238, 2385). All who were of that church acknowledged charity as the principal, and all their doctrinal things were of charity or of life. Those who elaborated doctrinal things of faith were called “Canaanites,” and were separated from the other inhabitants of the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:29; see n. 1062-1063, 1076).

[2] Among the better inhabitants of the land of Canaan were the Hittites, as is evident from the fact that Abraham dwelt among them, and afterwards Isaac and Jacob, and had their burial place there; also from their bearing themselves piously and modestly toward Abraham, as is very plain from what is related of them in this chapter (particularly in verses 5-6, 10-11, 14-15). And thus by the Hittites, as by a well-disposed nation, is represented and signified the spiritual church, or the truth of the church. But with these, as with the rest of the Ancient church, it came to pass that in course of time they declined from charity or the good of faith; and consequently the falsity of the church is afterwards signified by them (as in Ezekiel 16:3, 45, and other places). That still the Hittites were among the more honored, is evident from the fact that there were Hittites with David, as Abimelech (1 Samuel 26:6), and Uriah, who was a Hittite (2 Samuel 11:3, 6, 17, 21), whose wife was Bathsheba, of whom Solomon was born to David (2 Samuel 12:24). (That “Heth” signifies the more external knowledges regarding life, which are the external truths of the spiritual church, may be seen above, n. 1203)

[3] This verse treats of the new church that the Lord sets up anew when the former church expires; and the verses that follow treat of the reception of faith with them. A church among the sons of Heth is not treated of; but the raising up by the Lord of the spiritual church in general, after the former ceases or is consummated; the sons of Heth are merely those who represent and signify this. See what has been said above concerning churches, namely: That in process of time a church decreases and is contaminated (n. 494, 501, 1327, 2422): That it recedes from charity, and produces evils and falsities (n. 1834, 1835): That then the church is said to be laid waste and desolate (n. 407-411, 2243): That a church is set up anew with the Gentiles, and why (n. 1366). That in the church which is being vastated, there is always preserved something of the church as a nucleus (n. 468, 637, 931, 2422): That unless there were a church on earth, the human race would perish (n. 468, 637, 931, 2422): That the church is as the heart and lungs in the grand body, that is, in the human race (n. 637, 931, 2054, 2853): The quality of the spiritual church (n. 765, 2669): That charity constitutes the church, not faith separate (n. 809, 916): That if all had charity, the church would be one, although they should differ as to doctrinal things and worship (n. 1285, 1316, 1798, 1799, 1834, 1844, 2385): That all men on earth who are in the Lord’s church, though scattered through the world, still as it were make a one, as in the heavens (n. 2853): That every church is internal and external, and both together constitute one church (n. 409, 1083, 1098, 1100, 1242): That the external church is nothing, if there is no internal church (n. 1795): That the church is compared to the rising and the setting of the sun, also to the seasons of the year, and the times of the day (n. 1837): That the Last Judgment is the last time of the church (n. 900, 931, 1850, 2117, 2118).

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

The Bible

 

Exodus 3

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1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God's mountain, to Horeb.

2 The angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3 Moses said, "I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt."

4 When Yahweh saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, "Moses! Moses!" He said, "Here I am."

5 He said, "Don't come close. Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place you are standing on is holy ground."

6 Moreover he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look at God.

7 Yahweh said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.

8 I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

9 Now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to me. Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.

10 Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

11 Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"

12 He said, "Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."

13 Moses said to God, "Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you;' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?"

14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM," and he said, "You shall tell the children of Israel this: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

15 God said moreover to Moses, "You shall tell the children of Israel this, 'Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations.

16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them, 'Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, "I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt;

17 and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey."'

18 They will listen to your voice, and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him, 'Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.'

19 I know that the king of Egypt won't give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand.

20 I will put forth my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in its midst, and after that he will let you go.

21 I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed.

22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You shall plunder the Egyptians."