The Bible

 

Genesis 4

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1 Ja Aadam sai ühte oma naise Eevaga, kes jäi lapseootele ja tõi Kaini ilmale ning ütles: 'Ma olen Issanda abiga mehe ilmale toonud.'

2 Ja tema sünnitas taas: ta venna Aabeli. Ja Aabel oli lambakarjane, Kain aga oli põllumees.

3 Ja mõne aja pärast juhtus, et Kain tõi Issandale roaohvri maaviljast,

4 ja ka Aabel tõi oma lammaste esimesest soost ning nende rasvast, ja Issand vaatas Aabeli ja tema roaohvri peale,

5 aga Kaini ja tema roaohvri peale ta ei vaadanud. Siis Kain vihastus väga ja lõi pilgu maha.

6 Ja Issand küsis Kainilt: 'Mispärast sa vihastud? Ja mispärast sa pilgu maha lööd?

7 Eks ole: kui sa head teed, siis on su pilk tõstetud üles? Aga kui sa head ei tee, siis luurab patt ukse ees ja himustab sind. Kuid sina pead tema üle valitsema!'

8 Ja Kain ütles oma vennale Aabelile: 'Lähme väljale!' Ja kui nad väljal olid, tungis Kain oma venna Aabeli kallale ja tappis tema.

9 Aga Issand küsis Kainilt: 'Kus on su vend Aabel?' Ja tema vastas: 'Ei mina tea. Kas ma olen oma venna hoidja?'

10 Ja tema ütles: 'Mis sa oled teinud? Sinu venna vere hääl kisendab maa pealt minu poole!

11 Aga nüüd ole sa neetud siit maa pealt, mis oma suu on avanud, su venna verd sinu käest vastu võttes!

12 Kui sa harid maad, siis see ei anna sulle enam oma rammu. Sa pead maa peal olema hulkur ja põgenik!'

13 Ja Kain ütles Issandale: 'Mu karistus on suurem, kui ma suudan kanda!

14 Vaata, sa oled mind täna ära ajanud siit maalt ja ma pean varjule minema su palge eest ning maa peal olema hulkur ja põgenik. Ja igaüks, kes mind leiab, tapab mu.'

15 Ja Issand ütles temale: 'Ei, sugugi mitte, vaid igaühele, kes Kaini tapab, peab seitsmekordselt kätte makstama!' Ja Issand pani Kainile märgi, et leidja teda maha ei lööks.

16 Ja Kain läks ära Issanda palge eest ning elas Noodimaal, hommiku pool Eedenit.

17 Ja Kain sai ühte oma naisega, kes jäi lapseootele ja tõi ilmale Hanoki; ja ta ehitas ühe linna ning nimetas selle linna oma poja Hanoki nime järgi.

18 Ja Hanokile sündis Iirad, Iiradile sündis Mehuujael, Mehuujaelile sündis Metuusael, Metuusaelile sündis Lemek.

19 Ja Lemek võttis enesele kaks naist: ühe nimi oli Aada ja teise nimi oli Silla.

20 Ja Aada tõi ilmale Jaabali, kes sai nende isaks, kes elasid telkides ja kasvatasid karja.

21 Ja tema venna nimi oli Juubal, kes sai kõigi kandlelööjate ja vilepuhujate isaks.

22 Ja Silla tõi ilmale Tuubal-Kaini, kes õpetas sepist taguma kõiki, kes tegid vask- ja raudsepa tööd; ja Tuubal-Kaini õde oli Naama.

23 Ja Lemek ütles oma naistele: 'Aada ja Silla, kuulge mu häält, te Lemeki naised, pange tähele mu kõnet! Jah, haava pärast ma tapan mehe ja verme pärast nooruki!

24 Kui Kaini pärast makstakse kätte seitse korda, siis Lemeki pärast seitsekümmend seitse korda!'

25 Ja Aadam sai taas ühte oma naisega, kes tõi ilmale poja ja pani temale nimeks Sett, öeldes: 'Jumal andis mulle teise järeltulija Aabeli asemele, kuna Kain ta tappis.'

26 Ja Setile sündis ka poeg, ja ta pani temale nimeks Enos. Sel ajal hakati Issanda nime appi hüüdma.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #566

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566. 'The face 1 of the ground' means the whole of that area where the Church was. This is clear from the meaning of 'the ground', for in the Word a careful distinction is made between ground (humus) and land or earth (terra). Whenever 'ground' is used it means the Church or some aspect of the Church. This too is the derivation of the name Man or Adam, which means ground. But when 'land' or earth' occurs in the Word it frequently means where the Church or some aspect of the Church does not exist, as in Chapter 1 where the word 'land' alone is used, because the Church or regenerate person did not as yet exist. Not until Chapter 2 is the word 'ground' used because the Church has by now come into being. The same applies in the present verse and in verses 4, 23, of the next chapter, where it is said that every being was to be wiped off the face 1 of the ground, meaning within that area where the Church was; and in verse 7 of the next chapter, where the subject is the Church that is to be created, 'to keep their seed alive on the face 1 of the ground'. 2 The same applies elsewhere in the Word, as in Isaiah,

Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and will set them on their own ground. And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will inherit them on Jehovah's ground. Isaiah 14:1-2.

This refers to the Church once it has come into being; but when in the same chapter the Church does not exist it is called the land, verses 9, 12, 16, 20, 21, 25, 26.

[2] In the same prophet,

And the ground of Judah will be a terror to Egypt. On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt which speak the language 3 of Canaan. Isaiah 19:17-18.

Here 'the ground' means where the Church exists, and 'the land' where it does not. In the same prophet,

The land will surely stagger like a drunken man. Jehovah will visit the host of the height on high, and the kings of the ground on the ground. Isaiah 24:20-21.

Here the meaning is similar. In Jeremiah,

Because of the ground which was cracked since there was no rain on the land, the farmers were put to shame, and covered their heads. Even the hind in the field has calved. Jeremiah 14:4-5.

Here 'the land' stands for that which includes the ground, and 'the ground' for that which includes the field.

[3] In the same prophet,

He led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north land and out of all the lands to where I have driven them. And they will dwell on their own ground. Jeremiah 23:8.

Here 'land' and 'lands' mean where Churches do not exist, 'the ground' where the Church or true worship does exist. In the same prophet,

I will render the remnants of Jerusalem, those who are left in this land, and those who are dwelling in the land of Egypt, and I will render them as a horror for evil to all the kingdoms of the land. And I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they are consumed from the ground which I gave to them and their fathers. Jeremiah 24:8-10.

'The ground' stands for doctrine and worship arising out of it. And something similar is found in 25:5 of the same book.

[4] In Ezekiel,

I will gather you out of the lands into which you have been scattered. And you will acknowledge that I am Jehovah when I bring you back to the ground of Israel, into the land which I lifted up My hand to give to your fathers. Ezekiel 20:41-42.

'The ground' stands for internal worship. It is called 'the land' when internal worship does not exist. In Malachi,

I will rebuke the devourer for you, and he will not ruin for you the fruit of the ground, nor will the vine in the field fail you. And all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of that which is pleasing. Malachi 3:11-12.

Here 'land' stands for that which includes, and so plainly stands for man who is actually called 'the land', when 'ground' stands for the Church or doctrine.

[5] In Moses,

Sing, O Nations, His people. He will reconcile His ground, His people. Deuteronomy 32:43.

This clearly stands for the Church of the gentiles, which is called 'the ground'. In Isaiah,

Before the boy knows to refuse evil and to choose good, the ground will be deserted which you loathe in the presence of its two kings. Isaiah 7:16.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord. 'The ground will be deserted' stands for the Church or true doctrine of faith. The words 'ground 'and 'field' are clearly used in this way because they are places that are sown, as in Isaiah,

He will give rain for your seed with which you may sow the ground. Oxen and young asses tilling the ground . . . Isaiah 30:23-24.

And in Joel,

The field has been laid waste, and the ground has been mourning because the corn has been laid waste. Joel 1:10.

From these quotations it is now clear that 'man', who in Hebrew is called Adam from the word for ground, means the Church.

Footnotes:

1. literally, faces

2. The Hebrew in Genesis 7:3 in fact means earth or land. cf 722 below.

3. literally, lip.

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