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1 Η δε Σαρα, η γυνη του Αβραμ, δεν ετεκνοποιει εις αυτον· ειχε δε δουλην Αιγυπτιαν, ονομαζομενην Αγαρ.

2 Και ειπεν η Σαρα προς τον Αβραμ, Ιδου, ο Κυριος με απεκλεισε της τεκνοποιιας· εισελθε λοιπον προς την δουλην μου, ισως αποκτησω τεκνον εξ αυτης. Υπηκουσε δε ο Αβραμ εις τον λογον της Σαρας.

3 Και ελαβεν η Σαρα η γυνη του Αβραμ την Αγαρ την Αιγυπτιαν, την δουλην αυτης, αφου ο Αβραμ ειχε κατοικησει δεκα ετη εν τη γη Χανααν, και εδωκεν αυτην εις Αβραμ τον ανδρα αυτης, δια να ηναι γυνη αυτου.

4 Και εισηλθε προς την Αγαρ, και εκεινη συνελαβε· και οτε ειδεν οτι συνελαβεν, η κυρια αυτης κατεφρονειτο ενωπιον αυτης.

5 Και ειπεν η Σαρα προς τον Αβραμ, Εξ αιτιας σου αδικουμαι. Εγω εδωκα την δουλην μου εις τον κολπον σου· και αφου ειδεν οτι συνελαβεν, εγω κατεφρονηθην ενωπιον αυτης· ας κρινη ο Κυριος μεταξυ εμου και σου.

6 Ο δε Αβραμ ειπε προς την Σαραν, Ιδου, η δουλη σου ειναι εις την χειρα σου· καμε εις αυτην οπως ειναι αρεστον εις τους οφθαλμους σου. Και μετεχειρισθη η Σαρα αυτην κακως, και εκεινη εφυγεν απο προσωπου αυτης.

7 Ευρε δε αυτην αγγελος Κυριου πλησιον πηγης υδατος, εν τη ερημω, πλησιον της πηγης κατα την οδον Σουρ·

8 και ειπεν, Αγαρ, δουλη της Σαρας, ποθεν ερχεσαι και που υπαγεις; Η δε ειπεν, Απο προσωπου Σαρας της κυριας μου φευγω.

9 Και ειπε προς αυτην ο αγγελος του Κυριου, Επιστρεψον προς την κυριαν σου και ταπεινωθητι υπο τας χειρας αυτης.

10 Ειπεν ετι ο αγγελος του Κυριου προς αυτην, Θελω πληθυνει σφοδρα το σπερμα σου, ωστε να μη αριθμηται δια το πληθος.

11 Και ειπε προς αυτην ο αγγελος του Κυριου, Ιδου, συ εισαι εγκυος, και θελεις γεννησει υιον, και θελεις καλεσει το ονομα αυτου Ισμαηλ· διοτι ηκουσεν ο Κυριος την θλιψιν σου·

12 και ουτος θελει εισθαι ανθρωπος αγριος· η χειρ αυτου θελει εισθαι εναντιον παντων, και η χειρ παντων εναντιον αυτου· και κατα προσωπον παντων των αδελφων αυτου θελει κατοικησει.

13 Και εκαλεσεν Αγαρ το ονομα του Κυριου του λαλουντος προς αυτην, συ Θεος οστις με ειδες· διοτι ειπεν, Ειδον ετι εγω ενταυθα εκεινον οστις με ειδε;

14 Δια τουτο ωνομασθη το φρεαρ εκεινο, Φρεαρ Λαχαι-ροι· ιδου, κειται μεταξυ Καδης και Βαραδ.

15 Και εγεννησεν η Αγαρ υιον εις τον Αβραμ· και ο Αβραμ εκαλεσε το ονομα του υιου αυτου, τον οποιον εγεννησεν Αγαρ, Ισμαηλ.

16 Ητο δε ο Αβραμ ογδοηκοντα εξ ετων, οτε η Αγαρ εγεννησε τον Ισμαηλ εις τον Αβραμ.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1901

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1901. 'Perhaps I shall be built up from her' means the possibility of the rational being born in that way. This becomes clear from the meaning, when it has reference to human generation, of 'being built up', and so needs no further explanation. 'Sarai', as stated, means intellectual truth which has been allied as a wife to good. Intellectual truth which resides inmostly is totally lacking in offspring or is like a childless wife, 1 if there is not as yet any rational into which and through which it may flow, for without the rational as a go-between it cannot flow with any truth at all into the exterior man, as becomes clear in the case of small children. The latter can have no knowledge at all of truth until cognitions have been bestowed on them; but as has been stated the better and more perfectly they have cognitions bestowed on them, the better and more perfectly can intellectual truth which resides inmostly, that is, within good, be communicated.

[2] This intellectual truth represented by Sarai is the spiritual itself which flows in by way of heaven, and so by an internal route. It resides in everyone and is continually coming to meet the cognitions that are introduced by means of perceptions gained by the senses and implanted in the memory. No one is conscious of that intellectual truth within himself as it is too pure to be perceived by a general idea. It is like a kind of light which enlightens the mind and imparts the ability to know, think, and understand. Since the rational cannot come into being except also by means of the influx of intellectual truth, represented by Sarai, it inevitably exists in relation to that truth as its son. When the rational is formed from truths that have been allied to goods, more so when it is formed from goods from which truths derive, it is a true son. Previous to that also it is recognized as a son, yet not as a true son but as one born from a servant-girl. All the same, it is adopted as such, and for the reason here stated, that it was 'to be built up from her'.

Footnotes:

1. literally, a childless mother

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

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