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Genesis 25

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1 Ja Aabraham võttis taas naise, nimega Ketuura.

2 Ja see tõi temale ilmale Simrani, Joksani, Medani, Midjani, Jisbaki ja Suuahi.

3 Ja Joksanile sündisid Seeba ja Dedan; ja Dedani järeltulijad olid assüürlased, letuuslased ja leumlased.

4 Ja Midjani pojad olid Eefa, Eefer, Hanok, Abiida ja Eldaa. Need kõik olid Ketuura järeltulijad.

5 Ja Aabraham andis kõik, mis tal oli, Iisakile.

6 Aga liignaiste poegadele, kes Aabrahamil olid, andis Aabraham ande ja saatis nad veel oma eluajal oma poja Iisaki juurest ära hommiku poole, Hommikumaale.

7 Ja Aabrahami eluea aastaid, mis ta elas, oli sada seitsekümmend viis aastat.

8 Ja Aabraham heitis hinge ning suri heas vanuses, vana ning elatanud, ja ta koristati oma rahva juurde.

9 Ja ta pojad Iisak ja Ismael matsid tema Makpela koopasse, hett Sohari poja Efroni väljal, mis on Mamre kohal,

10 väljale, mille Aabraham hettidelt oli ostnud, maeti Aabraham ja tema naine Saara.

11 Ja pärast Aabrahami surma õnnistas Jumal ta poega Iisakit. Ja Iisak elas Lahhai-Roi kaevu juures.

12 Ja need olid Ismaeli, Aabrahami poja järeltulijad, keda egiptlanna Haagar, Saara teenija, Aabrahamile ilmale tõi.

13 Ismaeli poegade nimed, nimetatud nende sündimise järjekorras, olid need: Nebajot, Ismaeli esmasündinu, siis Keedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

14 Misma, Duuma, Massa,

15 Hadad, Teema, Jetuur, Naafis ja Keedma.

16 Need olid Ismaeli pojad ja need olid nende nimed vastavalt nende asulatele ja leeridele: nende suguharude kaksteist vürsti.

17 Ja need olid Ismaeli eluaastad: sada kolmkümmend seitse aastat; siis ta heitis hinge ja suri, ja ta koristati oma rahva juurde.

18 Ja nad asusid Havilast kuni vastu Egiptust oleva Suurini Assuri suunas, tungides kallale kõigile oma vendadele.

19 Ja need olid Iisaki, Aabrahami poja järeltulijad: Aabrahamile sündis Iisak.

20 Ja Iisak oli neljakümneaastane, kui ta võttis enesele naiseks Rebeka, süürlase Betueli tütre Mesopotaamiast, süürlase Laabani õe.

21 Ja Iisak palus Issandat oma naise pärast, sest see oli viljatu; ja Issand kuulis ta palvet ja ta naine Rebeka jäi lapseootele.

22 Aga kui lapsed ta ihus tõuklesid, ütles ta: 'Mispärast on see minuga nõnda?' Ja ta läks Issandalt küsima.

23 Ja Issand vastas temale: 'Su ihus on kaks rahvast, kaks erinevat hõimu saab su üsast alguse: üks rahvas on vägevam teisest - vanem orjab nooremat.'

24 Ja kui tema sünnitamise aeg saabus, vaata, siis olid ta ihus kaksikud.

25 See, kes sündis esimesena, oli punakas, täiesti nagu karune kuub; ja temale pandi nimeks Eesav.

26 Seejärel sündis ta vend, kelle käsi hoidis kinni Eesavi kannast; ja temale pandi nimeks Jaakob. Iisak oli kuuskümmend aastat vana, kui nad sündisid.

27 Ja poisid kasvasid suureks. Eesavist sai osav kütt, väljal uitaja, aga Jaakob oli vagane mees, kes elas telkides.

28 Ja Iisak armastas Eesavit, sest jahisaak oli temale suupärane; aga Rebeka armastas Jaakobit.

29 Kord keetis Jaakob leent, Eesav aga tuli väljalt ning oli väsinud.

30 Ja Eesav ütles Jaakobile: 'Anna mulle ometi süüa seda punast, seda punast leent, sest ma olen väsinud!' Sellepärast hakati teda kutsuma Edomiks.

31 Aga Jaakob ütles: 'Enne müü mulle oma esmasünniõigus!'

32 Ja Eesav vastas: 'Vaata, mina ju suren niikuinii, milleks mulle siis veel esmasünniõigus!'

33 Siis ütles Jaakob: 'Vannu mulle enne!' Ja ta vandus temale ning müüs oma esmasünniõiguse Jaakobile.

34 Ja Jaakob andis Eesavile leiba ja läätseleent; ja tema sõi ja jõi, tõusis üles ja läks ära. Nii vähe hoolis Eesav esmasünniõigusest.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3240

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3240. 'And Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan' means the derivatives from the first division. This is clear from the representation of 'Jokshan' and his sons 'Sheba and Dedan' dealt with below. Since they are mere names here and they mean states and derivatives of the Lord's spiritual Church, something about what they are in general must be stated. The celestial Church differs from the spiritual Church in that in those who belong to the celestial Church and who are called celestial, love - that is to say, the good and truth of love - is present; but in those who belong to the spiritual Church and who are called spiritual, faith - that is to say, the good and truth of faith - is present. Good as it exists with those who are celestial consists in love to the Lord, and truth as it exists with them in love towards the neighbour. But good as it exists with those who are spiritual consists in charity towards the neighbour, and truth as it exists with them in faith insofar as this is doctrine concerning charity. From this it may be seen that good and truth are present in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, as they are in His celestial kingdom, yet are considerably different.

[2] It should be recognized in addition that the inhabitants of those kingdoms are distinguished from one another by means of good and truth for the reason that some are governed more by good, others more by truth. And it is from this that derivatives arise, that is to say, derivatives of good and derivatives of truth. The derivatives of good in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are those which are represented by the sons of Jokshan, who are referred to in this verse, but the derivatives of truth there are those which are represented by the sons of Midian, who are referred to in the next verse. Now because there are two categories of spiritual people - those governed more by good and those governed more by truth - two varieties of doctrine therefore exist among them, namely matters of doctrine concerning charity and matters of doctrine concerning faith. Matters of doctrine concerning charity exist for the sake of those governed by the good of faith, who are meant here by the sons of Jokshan. But matters of doctrine concerning faith exist for the sake of those governed by the truth of faith, who are meant by the sons of Midian.

[3] Sheba and Dedan are those who constitute the first category, that is, people in the Lord's spiritual kingdom who are governed by the good of faith and with whom matters concerning charity exist. This explains why Sheba and Dedan mean the cognitions of celestial things, or what amounts to the same, those with whom such cognitions exist, that is, with whom matters of doctrine concerning charity exist, for matters of doctrine are cognitions, and that which is celestial with the spiritual man is charity. For Sheba and Dedan mean those cognitions, as has been shown in Volume One, in 117, 1168, 1171, 1172, though there they are the great-grandsons of Ham, and are called the sons of Raamah. It should be realized however that Ham, like Japheth and Shem also, never was an actual person, but that those who belonged to the Church after the Flood called Noah were distinguished as regards goods and truths into three groups, and these groups were referred to by those names, 736, 1062, 1065, 1140, 1141, 1162, and in various other places. Nevertheless there were nations which were so called, but these were descended from different individuals, as is evident here from Sheba and Dedan who were descended from Jokshan, Abraham's son by Keturah.

[4] As regards 'Sheba' meaning those with whom cognitions of celestial things exist - thus those governed by the good of faith - this is clear from the places introduced in 117, 1171. 'Dedan' has a similar meaning, as is clear from the texts quoted in 1172, as well as from the following: In Isaiah,

The prophecy concerning Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will spend the night, O bands of Dedanites. To the thirsty bring water; O inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet with his bread the fugitive, for they will flee before the swords, before the drawn sword. Isaiah 21:13-15.

'Spending the night in the forest in Arabia' stands for being made desolate as regards good. For 'Arabia' means those with whom celestial things exist, that is, the goods of faith, so that 'spending the night there in the forest' is when goods exist no longer, and therefore means desolation, which is also described by 'fleeing before the swords, before the drawn sword'. Celestial things, that is, the goods of faith - or what amount to the same, the works of charity - which are theirs, are meant by 'bringing water to the thirsty, and with bread meeting the fugitive'.

[5] In Jeremiah,

I took the cup from Jehovah's hand and made all the nations to whom Jehovah sent me drink it - Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and its kings and its princes, to turn them into a desolation; Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people; all the kings of Tyre and all the kings of Sidon; Dedan and Tema, and Buz, and all who have cut the corners [of their hair] all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media, and all the kings of the north. Jeremiah 25:17-19, 22-23, 25-26.

This also refers to the desolation of the spiritual Church, different elements of which Church are mentioned in order and are meant by Jerusalem, the cities of Judah, Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, Dedan, Tema, Buz, Zimri, Elam, and Media.

[6] In Ezekiel,

Sheba and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, and all its young lions will say to you, Have you come to seize the spoil? Have you assembled your company to carry off plunder, to carry away silver and gold, and to take cattle and possessions, and seize great spoil? Ezekiel 38:13.

This refers to Gog who means external worship separated from internal, which is idolatrous, 1151. 'Sheba and Dedan' stands for the internal aspects of worship, namely the goods of faith, 'Tarshish' for corresponding external worship. The silver, gold, cattle, possessions, and spoil which Gog - or external worship separated from the internal - wishes to 'carry away' are the cognitions of good and truth, which those who are meant by Sheba and Dedan fight for and defend, and who are on that account called 'young lions'. In the proper sense 'Sheba' is those with whom cognitions of good exist, 'Dedan' those with whom cognitions of truth derived from good are present.

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