The Bible

 

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1 Και ητο πασα η γη μιας γλωσσης και μιας φωνης.

2 Και οτε εκινησαν απο της ανατολης, ευρον πεδιαδα εν τη γη Σεννααρ· και κατωκησαν εκει.

3 Και ειπεν ο εις προς τον αλλον, Ελθετε, ας καμωμεν πλινθους, και ας ψησωμεν αυτας εν πυρι· και εχρησιμευσεν εις αυτους η μεν πλινθος αντι πετρας, η δε ασφαλτος εχρησιμευσεν εις αυτους αντι πηλου.

4 Και ειπον, Ελθετε, ας οικοδομησωμεν εις εαυτους πολιν και πυργον, του οποιου η κορυφη να φθανη εως του ουρανου· και ας αποκτησωμεν εις εαυτους ονομα, μηπως διασπαρωμεν επι του προσωπου πασης της γης.

5 Κατεβη δε ο Κυριος δια να ιδη την πολιν και τον πυργον, τον οποιον ωκοδομησαν οι υιοι των ανθρωπων.

6 Και ειπεν ο Κυριος, Ιδου, εις λαος, και παντες εχουσι μιαν γλωσσαν, και ηρχισαν να καμνωσι τουτο· και τωρα δεν θελει εμποδισθη εις αυτους παν ο, τι σκοπευουσι να καμωσιν·

7 ελθετε, ας καταβωμεν και ας συγχυσωμεν εκει την γλωσσαν αυτων, δια να μη εννοη ο εις του αλλου την γλωσσαν.

8 Και διεσκορπισεν αυτους ο Κυριος εκειθεν επι του προσωπου πασης της γης· και επαυσαν να οικοδομωσι την πολιν.

9 Δια τουτο ωνομασθη το ονομα αυτης Βαβελ· διοτι εκει συνεχεεν ο Κυριος την γλωσσαν πασης της γης· και εκειθεν διεσκορπισεν αυτους ο Κυριος επι το προσωπον πασης της γης.

10 Αυτη ειναι η γενεαλογια του Σημ. Ο Σημ ητο ετων εκατον, οτε εγεννησε τον Αρφαξαδ δυο ετη μετα τον κατακλυσμον·

11 και εζησεν ο Σημ, αφου εγεννησε τον Αρφαξαδ, πεντακοσια ετη, και εγεννησεν υιους και θυγατερας.

12 Και ο Αρφαξαδ εζησε τριακοντα πεντε ετη, και εγεννησε τον Σαλα·

13 και εζησεν ο Αρφαξαδ, αφου εγεννησε τον Σαλα, τετρακοσια τρια ετη, και εγεννησεν υιους και θυγατερας.

14 Και ο Σαλα εζησε τριακοντα ετη, και εγεννησε τον Εβερ·

15 και εζησεν ο Σαλα, αφου εγεννησε τον Εβερ, τετρακοσια τρια ετη, και εγεννησεν υιους και θυγατερας.

16 Και εζησεν ο Εβερ τριακοντα τεσσαρα ετη, και εγεννησε τον Φαλεγ·

17 και εζησεν ο Εβερ, αφου εγεννησε τον Φαλεγ, τετρακοσια τριακοντα ετη, και εγεννησεν υιους και θυγατερας.

18 Και εζησεν ο Φαλεγ τριακοντα ετη, και εγεννησε τον Ραγαυ·

19 και εζησεν ο Φαλεγ, αφου εγεννησε τον Ραγαυ, διακοσια εννεα ετη, και εγεννησεν υιους και θυγατερας.

20 Και εζησεν ο Ραγαυ τριακοντα δυο ετη, και εγεννησε τον Σερουχ·

21 και εζησεν ο Ραγαυ, αφου εγεννησε τον Σερουχ, διακοσια επτα ετη, και εγεννησεν υιους και θυγατερας.

22 Και εζησεν ο Σερουχ τριακοντα ετη, και εγεννησε τον Ναχωρ·

23 και εζησεν ο Σερουχ, αφου εγεννησε τον Ναχωρ, διακοσια ετη, και εγεννησεν υιους και θυγατερας.

24 Και εζησεν ο Ναχωρ εικοσιεννεα ετη, και εγεννησε τον Θαρα·

25 και εζησεν ο Ναχωρ, αφου εγεννησε τον Θαρα, εκατον δεκαεννεα ετη, και εγεννησεν υιους και θυγατερας.

26 Και εζησεν ο Θαρα εβδομηκοντα ετη, και εγεννησε τον Αβραμ, τον Ναχωρ, και τον Αρραν.

27 Και αυτη ειναι η γενεαλογια του Θαρα· ο Θαρα εγεννησε τον Αβραμ, τον Ναχωρ, και τον Αρραν· και ο Αρραν εγεννησε τον Λωτ.

28 Και απεθανεν ο Αρραν ενωπιον Θαρα του πατρος αυτου εν τω τοπω της γεννησεως αυτου, εν Ουρ των Χαλδαιων.

29 Και ελαβον ο Αβραμ και ο Ναχωρ εις εαυτους γυναικας· το ονομα της γυναικος του Αβραμ ητο Σαρα· και το ονομα της γυναικος του Ναχωρ, Μελχα, θυγατηρ του Αρραν, πατρος Μελχα, και πατρος Ιεσχα.

30 Η δε Σαρα ητο στειρα, δεν ειχε τεκνον.

31 Και ελαβεν ο Θαρα Αβραμ τον υιον αυτου και Λωτ τον υιον του Αρραν εγγονον εαυτου, και Σαραν την εαυτου νυμφην, την γυναικα Αβραμ του υιου αυτου· και εξηλθον ομου απο της Ουρ των Χαλδαιων, δια να υπαγωσιν εις την γην Χανααν· και ηλθον εως Χαρραν και κατωκησαν εκει.

32 Και εγειναν αι ημεραι του Θαρα διακοσια πεντε ετη· και απεθανεν ο Θαρα εν Χαρραν.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1298

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1298. And they had brick for stone. That this signifies that they had falsity for truth, is evident from the signification of “brick,” just now shown to be falsity; and from the signification of “stone,” which in a wide sense is truth, concerning which above n. 643). Stones have signified truth for the reason that the boundaries of the most ancient people were marked off by stones, and that they set up stones as witnesses that the case was so and so, or that it was true; as is evident from the stone that Jacob set up for a pillar (Genesis 28:22; 35:14), and from the pillar of stones between Laban and Jacob (Genesis 31:46-47, 52), and from the altar built by the sons of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, near the Jordan, as a witness (Joshua 22:10, 28, 34). Therefore in the Word truths are signified by “stones;” insomuch that not only by the stones of the altar, but also by the precious stones upon the shoulders of Aaron’s ephod and upon the breastplate of judgment, there were signified holy truths which are of love.

[2] As regards the altar, when the worship of sacrifices upon altars began, the altar signified the representative worship of the Lord in general; but the stones themselves represented the holy truths of that worship; and therefore it was commanded that the altar should be built of whole stones, not hewn, and it was forbidden that any iron should be moved upon them (Deuteronomy 27:5-7; Joshua 8:31); for the reason that hewn stones, and stones on which iron has been used, signified what is artificial, and thus what is fictitious in worship; that is, what is of man’s own or of the figment of his thought and heart. This was to profane worship, as is plainly said in Exodus 20:25. For the same reason iron was not used upon the stones of the temple (1 Kings 6:7).

[3] That the precious stones upon the shoulders of Aaron’s ephod, and in the breastplate of judgment, signified holy truths, has been shown before n. 114). The same is evident in Isaiah:

Behold I will make thy stones to lie in carbuncle, and I will lay thy foundation in sapphires, and will put rubies for thy suns (windows), and thy gates in gem stones, and all thy border in stones of desire; and all thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah, and great shall be the peace of thy sons (Isaiah 54:11-13).

The stones here named denote holy truths, and therefore it is said, “all thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah.” Hence it is said in John that the foundations of the wall of the city, the holy Jerusalem, were adorned with every precious stone, and the stones are named (Revelation 21:19-20). The “holy Jerusalem” denotes the kingdom of the Lord in heaven and on earth, the foundations of which are holy truths. In like manner the tables of stone, on which the commands of the Law, or the Ten Words, were written, signified holy truths; and therefore they were of stone, or their foundation [fundus] was stone, concerning which see Exodus 24:12; 31:18; 34:1; Deuteronomy 5:22; 10:1, for the commands themselves are nothing else than truths of faith.

[4] As then in ancient times truths were signified by stones, and afterwards, when worship began upon pillars and altars, and in a temple, holy truths were signified by the pillars, altars, and temple, therefore the Lord also was called “a Stone;” as in Moses:

The Mighty One of Jacob, from thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel (Genesis 49:24).

In Isaiah:

Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tried Stone of the corner, of price, of a sure foundation (Isaiah 28:16).

In David:

The Stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner (Psalms 118:22).

The like is signified in Daniel by “the stone cut out of the rock,” which brake in pieces the statue of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:34-35, 45).

[5] That “stones” signify truths, is evident also in Isaiah:

By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be expiated, and this shall be all the fruit, to take away his sin; when he shall put all the stones of the altar as chalk stones that are scattered (Isaiah 27:9);

“the stones of the altar” denote truths in worship, which are dispersed. Again:

Make ye level the way of the people; flatten out, flatten ye out the path; gather out the stones (Isaiah 62:10);

“Way” and “stone” denote truths.

In Jeremiah:

I am against thee, O destroying mountain; I will roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee into a mountain of burning; and they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone of foundation (Jeremiah 51:25-26).

This is said of Babel; “a mountain of burning,” is the love of self. That “a stone should not be taken from it,” means that there is no truth.

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