The Bible

 

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 #3527

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3527. 'And I am a smooth man' means the nature of natural truth compared with natural good. This is clear from the representation of Jacob, to whom 'I' refers here, as the natural as regards truth, dealt with in 3305, and from the meaning of 'a smooth man' as the nature of it, which is dealt with below. Before anyone can know what these words mean he needs to know what 'hairy' means and what 'smooth' means. The inner things present in a person manifest themselves outwardly in some visible form, especially in his face and facial expressions. The things that are inmost within him are not seen there at the present day, only to some extent things less interior than those inmost ones. But not even these are seen, if he has learned since early childhood to employ presence, for in that case he adopts so to speak a different disposition of mind (animus) and as a consequence produces a different facial expression - it being the disposition of mind (animus) that shows in the face. Hypocrites more than all others have become steeped in such presence from actually behaving, and so becoming accustomed to behave in such ways; and the more deceitful they are the more thoroughly are they steeped in it. With people who are not hypocrites rational good is seen in the face as the manifestation of a certain fire of life, and rational truth as the manifestation of the light of that fire. These matters a person is aware of from a certain innate knowledge without having to learn them, for it is the life of his spirit as regards good and as regards truth that manifests itself in this way. And because man is a spirit clothed with a body he knows about such a thing as this from a perception of it in his spirit, and so is aware of it from within himself. This is why a person is on occasions stirred with affection by another's facial expression, though it is not the facial expression that stirs him but the disposition of mind shining through it. The natural degree of the mind however reveals itself in the face as a more obscure fire of life and more obscure light of life, while the bodily degree scarcely does so as more than a warm and bright complexion, and as the change of their states in accordance with affections.

[2] Because the inner things present in a person manifest themselves thus in a visible form, especially in the face, the most ancient people - who were celestial and had no knowledge at all of what it was to employ presence, let alone of what hypocrisy or what deceit was - were able to see the mind of another plainly revealed in his face. For this reason the face also meant things of the will and those of the understanding, that is, interior rational things as regards good and truth, 358, 1999, 2434. Indeed those interior things as regards good were meant by the blood and its redness, and as regards truths by the form resulting from it, and its pure whiteness. But interior natural things were meant by things growing out of these, such as hairs and scales are; that is to say, things stemming from the natural as regards good were meant by 'hairs' and those stemming from the natural as regards truth by 'scales'. Consequently people governed by natural good were called 'hairy men' whereas those governed by natural truth were called 'smooth men'. These considerations show what these words 'Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man' mean in the internal sense, namely the nature of natural good compared with natural truth, and the nature of natural truth compared with natural good. From this it is also evident what Esau represents, that is to say, the good of the natural; for he was called Esau because of his hairiness, Genesis 25:25, and Edom because of his ruddiness, Genesis 25:30. And Mount Seir where he dwelt also has a similar meaning, namely, shaggy. This being so, the mountain that led up to Seir was called the bald or smooth mountain, mentioned in Joshua 11:17; 12:7, which was also the representative of truth leading upwards to good.

[3] 'Hairy' has reference to good and from this to truth, and also in the contrary sense to evil and from this to falsity, as has been shown in 3301. But 'smooth' has reference to truth and in the contrary sense to falsity, as is also evident from the following places in the Word: In Isaiah,

You who inflame yourselves among the gods under every green tree, among the smooth [stones] of the valley is your portion. Isaiah 57:5-6.

Here 'inflaming' has reference to evil, 'smooth [stones] of the valley' to falsity. In the same prophet,

The craftsman encourages the smith, the one rubbing smooth the hammer by his striking the anvil, and says of the soldering. It is good. Isaiah 41:7.

Here 'the craftsman encourages the smith' has reference to evil, 'the one rubbing smooth the hammer' to falsity. In David,

Butter makes his 1 mouth smooth; when his heart draws near, his words are softer than oil. Psalms 55:21.

Here 'a smooth mouth' or flattery refers to falsity, 'heart' and consequent soft words to evil. In the same author,

Their throat is an open sepulchre, they speak smooth things with their tongue. Psalms 5:9.

'Throat is an open sepulchre' refers to evil, 'tongue speaking smooth things' to falsity. In Luke,

Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be brought low; and the crooked places will be made straight, and the rough places into level ways. Luke 3:5.

'Valley' stands for what is lowly, 1723, 3417, 'mountain and hill' for what is exalted, 1691. 'The crooked made straight' stands for turning into good that evil which is due to ignorance, for 'length' and things to do with length have reference to good, 1613; 'rough places into level ways' stands for turning into truths those falsities which are due to ignorance - 'way' having reference to truth, 627, 2333.

Footnotes:

1. The Latin means your but the Hebrew means his.

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

The Bible

 

Genesis 27

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1 It happened, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, "My son?" He said to him, "Here I am."

2 He said, "See now, I am old. I don't know the day of my death.

3 Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and take me venison.

4 Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die."

5 Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

6 Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, "Behold, I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying,

7 'Bring me venison, and make me savory food, that I may eat, and bless you before Yahweh before my death.'

8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command you.

9 Go now to the flock, and get me from there two good young goats. I will make them savory food for your father, such as he loves.

10 You shall bring it to your father, that he may eat, so that he may bless you before his death."

11 Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, "Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.

12 What if my father touches me? I will seem to him as a deceiver, and I would bring a curse on myself, and not a blessing."

13 His mother said to him, "Let your curse be on me, my son. Only obey my voice, and go get them for me."

14 He went, and got them, and brought them to his mother. His mother made savory food, such as his father loved.

15 Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son.

16 She put the skins of the young goats on his hands, and on the smooth of his neck.

17 She gave the savory food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

18 He came to his father, and said, "My father?" He said, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?"

19 Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me."

20 Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?" He said, "Because Yahweh your God gave me success."

21 Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."

22 Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau."

23 He didn't recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother, Esau's hands. So he blessed him.

24 He said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."

25 He said, "Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless you." He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank.

26 His father Isaac said to him, "Come near now, and kiss me, my son."

27 He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, "Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which Yahweh has blessed.

28 God give you of the dew of the sky, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine.

29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you."

30 It happened, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob had just gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

31 He also made savory food, and brought it to his father. He said to his father, "Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that your soul may bless me."

32 Isaac his father said to him, "Who are you?" He said, "I am your son, your firstborn, Esau."

33 Isaac trembled violently, and said, "Who, then, is he who has taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before you came, and have blessed him? Yes, he will be blessed."

34 When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry, and said to his father, "Bless me, even me also, my father."

35 He said, "Your brother came with deceit, and has taken away your blessing."

36 He said, "Isn't he rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright. See, now he has taken away my blessing." He said, "Haven't you reserved a blessing for me?"

37 Isaac answered Esau, "Behold, I have made him your lord, and all his brothers have I given to him for servants. With grain and new wine have I sustained him. What then will I do for you, my son?"

38 Esau said to his father, "Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father." Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

39 Isaac his father answered him, "Behold, of the fatness of the earth will be your dwelling, and of the dew of the sky from above.

40 By your sword will you live, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you shall shake his yoke from off your neck."

41 Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him. Esau said in his heart, "The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob."

42 The words of Esau, her elder son, were told to Rebekah. She sent and called Jacob, her younger son, and said to him, "Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you.

43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban, my brother, in Haran.

44 Stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury turns away;

45 until your brother's anger turn away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send, and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?"

46 Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, what good will my life do me?"