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synty 15

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1 Näiden tapausten jälkeen tuli Abramille näyssä tämä Herran sana: "Älä pelkää, Abram! Minä olen sinun kilpesi; sinun palkkasi on oleva sangen suuri."

2 Mutta Abram sanoi: "Oi Herra, Herra, mitä sinä minulle annat? Minä lähden täältä lapsetonna, ja omaisuuteni haltijaksi tulee damaskolainen mies, Elieser."

3 Ja Abram sanoi vielä: "Sinä et ole antanut minulle jälkeläistä; katso, talossani syntynyt palvelija on minut perivä".

4 Mutta katso, hänelle tuli tämä Herran sana: "Hän ei ole sinua perivä, vaan joka lähtee sinun omasta ruumiistasi, hän on sinut perivä".

5 Ja hän vei hänet ulos ja sanoi: "Katso taivaalle ja lue tähdet, jos ne taidat lukea". Ja hän sanoi hänelle: "Niin paljon on sinulla oleva jälkeläisiä".

6 Ja Abram uskoi Herraan, ja Herra luki sen hänelle vanhurskaudeksi.

7 Ja hän sanoi hänelle: "Minä olen Herra, joka toin sinut Kaldean Uurista, antaakseni sinulle tämän maan omaksesi".

8 Mutta hän sanoi: "Oi Herra, Herra, mistä minä tiedän, että saan sen omakseni?"

9 Ja hän sanoi hänelle: "Tuo minulle kolmivuotias hieho, kolmivuotias vuohi ja kolmivuotias oinas sekä metsäkyyhkynen ja nuori kyyhkynen".

10 Ja hän toi nämä kaikki ja halkaisi ne ja asetti puolikkaat vastakkain; lintuja hän ei kuitenkaan halkaissut.

11 Niin laskeutui petolintuja ruumiiden päälle, mutta Abram karkoitti ne pois.

12 Kun aurinko oli laskemaisillaan, valtasi raskas uni Abramin, ja katso, kauhu ja suuri pimeys valtasi hänet.

13 Ja Herra sanoi Abramille: "Niin tiedä totisesti, että sinun jälkeläisesi tulevat elämään muukalaisina maassa, joka ei ole heidän omansa, ja heidän on niitä palveleminen, ja ne sortavat heitä neljäsataa vuotta.

14 Mutta myös sen kansan, jota he palvelevat, minä tuomitsen; ja sitten he pääsevät lähtemään, mukanaan paljon tavaraa.

15 Mutta sinä saat mennä isiesi tykö rauhassa, ja sinut haudataan päästyäsi korkeaan ikään.

16 Ja neljännessä polvessa sinun jälkeläisesi palaavat tänne takaisin; sillä amorilaisten syntivelka ei ole vielä täysi."

17 Ja kun aurinko oli laskenut ja oli tullut pilkkopimeä, näkyi suitsuava pätsi ja liekehtivä tuli, joka liikkui uhrikappaleiden välissä.

18 Sinä päivänä Herra teki Abramin kanssa liiton, sanoen: "Sinun jälkeläisillesi minä annan tämän maan, Egyptin virrasta aina suureen virtaan, Eufrat-virtaan saakka:

19 keeniläiset, kenissiläiset, kadmonilaiset,

20 heettiläiset, perissiläiset, refalaiset,

21 amorilaiset, kanaanilaiset, girgasilaiset ja jebusilaiset".

   

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Arcana Coelestia #9416

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9416. And I will give thee the tables of stone. That this signifies the book of the law, or the Word in the whole complex, is evident from the signification of “the tables,” as being that whereon were written the things which are of doctrine and of life, here the things which are of heavenly doctrine and of a life in accordance therewith. That these tables signify the book of the law, that is, the Word in the whole complex, is because the things which were inscribed on them contained in general all things that belong to heavenly life and doctrine. Wherefore also those things which were inscribed on them are called “the ten words” (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4); for by “ten” in the internal sense are signified all; and by “words” are signified the truths of doctrine, and the goods of life. (That “ten” denotes all, see n. 3107, 4638, 8468, 8540; that “words” denote the truths and goods of life and doctrine, n. 1288, 4692, 5272.) For this reason these tables signify the Word in the whole complex; in like manner as the law, which in a close sense signifies what was inscribed on these tables; in a less close sense the Word written by Moses; in a wide sense the historic Word; and in the widest sense the Word in its whole complex; as may be seen above (n. 6752). Moreover, the things inscribed on these tables were the first of the revelation of Divine truth, and were proclaimed by the Lord before all the people of Israel with a living voice. The things which are first signify all the rest in their order; and their being proclaimed by the Lord with a living voice signifies immediate Divine inspiration in the rest also. The reason why these tables were of stone was that “stone” signifies truth (n. 643, 1298, 3720, 6426), properly truth in ultimates (n. 8609); truth Divine in ultimates is the Word in the letter, such as it is on this earth (n. 9360).

[2] The reason why there was not one table, but two, was that there might be represented the conjunction of the Lord through the Word with the church, and through the church with the human race. Therefore they are also called “the tables of the covenant” (Deuteronomy 9:9, 11, 15); and the words inscribed are called “the words of the covenant” (Exodus 34:27-28), and also “the covenant” (Deuteronomy 4:13, 23); and the ark itself, in which the tables were placed, was called “the ark of the covenant” (Numbers 10:33; 14:44; Deuteronomy 10:8; 31:9, 25-26; Josh. 3:3, 6, 8, 1, 11, 14, 17; 4:7, 9, 18; 6:6, 8; 8:33; Judges 20:27; 1 Samuel 4:3-5; 2 Samuel 15:24; 1 Kings 3:15; 6:19; 8:1, 6; Jeremiah 3:16); for a “covenant” denotes conjunction (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396). Wherefore these tables were divided the one from the other; but were joined together by attachment; and the writing was continued from one table on to the other, as though it was upon one table; but not according to the common opinion, some commandments upon one table, and some upon the other. For by one being divided into two, and by the two being thus joined together, or placed beside each other, is signified the conjunction of the Lord with man. For this reason covenants were entered into in a similar way; as with Abraham by a she-calf, a she-goat, and a ram divided in the middle, and by one part being placed opposite the other (Genesis 15:9-12); in this chapter also by the blood being put in basins, and half of it being sprinkled on the altar, and half upon the people (verses 6, 8); and in general by all the sacrifices, a part of which was burnt upon the altar, and a part was given to the people to eat. The like was also represented by the breaking of bread by the Lord (Matthew 14:19; 15:36; 26:26; Mark 6:41; 8:6; 14:22; Luke 9:16; 22:19; 24:30, 35). Hence also it is that by “two” in the Word is signified conjunction (n. 5194, 8423), here, that of the Lord and heaven, or of the Lord and the church, thus also of good and truth, which conjunction is called the heavenly marriage. From this it can be seen why there were two tables, and why they were written on the two sides, on the one side and on the other (Exodus 32:15-16).

[3] Moreover, “writing” and “engraving” on “tables” signify in the Word those things which must be impressed on the memory and on the life, and which are therefore to be lasting; as in Isaiah:

Write it before them on a table, and impress it on a book, that it may be for the latter day forever even to eternity (Isaiah 30:8).

The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of a diamond; it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars (Jeremiah 17:1).

Jehovah said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; though it tarry, wait for it; because coming it will come (Hab. 2:2-3).

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