The Bible

 

Genesis 23

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1 Ja Saara elas sada kakskümmend seitse aastat; nii palju oli Saaral eluaastaid.

2 Saara suri Kirjat-Arbas, see on Hebronis, Kaananimaal; ja Aabraham tuli Saarat leinama ja taga nutma.

3 Siis Aabraham tõusis üles oma surnu juurest ja rääkis hettidega, öeldes:

4 'Mina olen teie juures võõras ja majaline. Andke mulle eneste juurde pärandhaud, et saaksin matta surnu oma silma eest.'

5 Ja hetid vastasid Aabrahamile, öeldes temale:

6 'Kuule meid, isand! Sina oled Jumala vürst meie keskel. Mata oma surnu meie kõige paremasse hauda! Ükski meist ei keela sulle oma hauda su surnu matmiseks.'

7 Aga Aabraham tõusis ning kummardas maa rahva, hettide ees

8 ja rääkis nendega, öeldes: 'Kui see on teile meeltmööda, et ma oma surnu oma silma eest ära matan, siis kuulge mind ja mõjustage minu kasuks Efronit, Sohari poega,

9 et ta mulle annaks temale kuuluva Makpela koopa, mis on ta välja servas. Ta andku see mulle täie hinna eest pärushauaks teie keskel!'

10 Aga Efron istus hettide hulgas; ja hett Efron vastas Aabrahamile hettide kuuldes, kõigi juuresolekul, kes ta linna väravast läbi käisid, ja ütles:

11 'Ei, mu isand! Kuule mind! Ma annan sulle välja, samuti ma annan sulle koopa, mis sellel asub; ma annan selle sulle oma rahvuskaaslaste silma all. Mata oma surnu!'

12 Kuid Aabraham kummardas maa rahva ees,

13 rääkis Efroniga maa rahva kuuldes ja ütles: 'Kui sa ometi ise mind kuulda võtaksid! Mina maksan välja eest raha, võta see minult, et saaksin oma surnu sinna matta!'

14 Siis Efron vastas Aabrahamile, öeldes temale:

15 'Mu isand, kuule mind! Maa väärtus on nelisada hõbeseeklit - mis tähtsus sellel ongi minu ja sinu vahekorra juures. Mata aga oma surnu!'

16 Ja Aabraham kuulas Efronit; Aabraham vaagis Efronile raha, mida see hettide kuuldes oli nimetanud, nelisada hõbeseeklit, kaubanduses käibel olevaid.

17 Nõnda said Efroni väli Makpelas Mamre kohal, väli ja selles olev koobas ja kõik väljal olevad puud, mis olid ümber kogu selle maa-ala,

18 Aabrahami omandiks hettide nähes, kõigi juuresolekul, kes linna väravast läbi käisid.

19 Ja seejärel Aabraham mattis oma naise Saara Makpela välja koopasse Mamre kohal, see on Hebronis Kaananimaal.

20 Nõnda said väli ja selles olev koobas hettidelt Aabrahamile pärushauaks.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2979

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2979. 'Abraham buried Sarah his wife' means that they received truth joined to good from the Lord. This is clear from the meaning of 'burying' as regenerating, dealt with above in 2916, 2917 - the fact that man was regenerate once he had received truth joined to good from the Lord will be discussed next; from the representation of 'Abraham' as the Lord, often dealt with already; and from the representation of 'Sarah as a wife' as truth joined to good, dealt with in 2063, 2065, 2507.

[2] The regeneration of the spiritual man proceeds as follows: At first he is taught the truths of faith, during which time the Lord maintains his affection for truth. At the same time the good of faith, which is charity towards the neighbour, is instilled into him, though in such a way that he hardly knows it because that good lies concealed within the affection for truth. All this takes place to the end that the truth of faith may be joined to the good of charity. As time goes by the affection for the truth of faith increases and truth is seen because of its end in view, which is good, or what amounts to the same, life. That affection grows more and more. In this way is truth instilled into good, and while it is being instilled the person absorbs into himself the good of life in accordance with the truth that has been instilled into it. Thus he acts, or seems to himself to act, from good. Prior to this the truth of faith has been for him the chief thing, but after this the good of life becomes the chief thing.

[3] At this point the person is regenerate, but regenerate according to the nature and extent of truth instilled into good. And when truth and good act as one, he is regenerate according to the nature and extent of the good. This is how regeneration proceeds. Regeneration is carried out to the end that a person may be received into heaven - heaven being nothing else than the marriage of truth and good, and of good and truth, see 2508, 2618, 2728, 2729. Unless the marriage of truth and good is effected in a person he cannot be in the heavenly marriage, that is, be in heaven.

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