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1 Και ηκουσεν ο Ιακωβ τους λογους των υιων του Λαβαν, λεγοντων, Ο Ιακωβ ελαβε παντα τα υπαρχοντα του πατρος ημων, και εκ των υπαρχοντων του πατρος ημων απεκτησε πασαν την δοξαν ταυτην.

2 Και ειδεν ο Ιακωβ το προσωπον του Λαβαν, και ιδου, δεν ητο προς αυτον ως χθες και προχθες.

3 Ειπε δε ο Κυριος προς τον Ιακωβ, Επιστρεψον εις την γην των πατερων σου, και εις την συγγενειαν σου, και θελω εισθαι μετα σου.

4 Τοτε εστειλεν ο Ιακωβ και εκαλεσε την Ραχηλ και την Λειαν εις την πεδιαδα προς το ποιμνιον αυτου·

5 και ειπε προς αυτας, Βλεπω το προσωπον του πατρος σας, οτι δεν ειναι προς εμε ως χθες και προχθες· ο Θεος ομως του πατρος μου εσταθη μετ' εμου·

6 και σεις εξευρετε οτι εν ολη τη δυναμει μου εδουλευσα τον πατερα σας·

7 αλλ' ο πατηρ σας με ηπατησε και ηλλαξε τους μισθους μου δεκακις· πλην ο Θεος δεν αφηκεν αυτον να με κακοποιηση·

8 οτε ελεγεν ουτω, τα ποικιλα θελουσιν εισθαι ο μισθος σου, τοτε απαν το ποιμνιον εγεννα ποικιλα· και οτε ελεγεν ουτω, τα παρδαλα θελουσιν εισθαι ο μισθος σου, τοτε απαν το ποιμνιον εγεννα παρδαλα.

9 Ουτως αφηρεσεν ο Θεος το ποιμνιον του πατρος σας και εδωκεν εις εμε.

10 Και καθ' ον καιρον συνελαμβανε το ποιμνιον, υψωσα τους οφθαλμους μου και ειδον κατ' οναρ, και ιδου, οι τραγοι και οι κριοι, οι αναβαινοντες επι τα προβατα και τας αιγας, ησαν παρδαλοι, ποικιλοι και στικτοι.

11 Και μοι ειπεν ο αγγελος του Θεου κατ' οναρ, Ιακωβ· και ειπα, Ιδου, εγω.

12 Και ειπεν, Υψωσον τωρα τους οφθαλμους σου, και ιδε παντας τους τραγους και τους κριους, τους αναβαινοντας επι τα προβατα και τας αιγας, οτι ειναι παρδαλοι, ποικιλοι και στικτοι· διοτι ειδον παντα οσα καμνει εις σε ο Λαβαν·

13 εγω ειμαι ο Θεος της Βαιθηλ, οπου εχρισας την στηλην και οπου ευχηθης ευχην προς εμε· σηκωθητι τωρα, εξελθε εκ της γης ταυτης και επιστρεψον εις την γην της συγγενειας σου.

14 Και απεκριθησαν η Ραχηλ και η Λεια και ειπον προς αυτον, Εχομεν ημεις πλεον μεριδιον η κληρονομιαν εν τω οικω του πατρος ημων;

15 δεν εθεωρηθημεν υπ' αυτου ως ξεναι; διοτι επωλησεν ημας και ακομη ολοκληρως κατεφαγε το αργυριον ημων.

16 Οθεν παντα τα πλουτη, τα οποια αφηρεσεν ο Θεος απο του πατρος ημων, ειναι ημων και των τεκνων ημων· τωρα λοιπον καμε οσα σοι ειπεν ο Θεος.

17 Τοτε σηκωθεις ο Ιακωβ, εβαλε τα παιδια αυτου και τας γυναικας αυτου επι τας καμηλους·

18 και απηγαγε παντα τα κτηνη αυτου, και παντα τα αγαθα αυτου τα οποια απεκτησε, το ποιμνιον της αποκτησεως αυτου, το οποιον απεκτησεν εις Παδαν-αραμ, δια να απελθη προς Ισαακ τον πατερα αυτου εις γην Χανααν.

19 Ο δε Λαβαν ειχεν υπαγει δια να κουρευση τα προβατα αυτου και η Ραχηλ εκλεψε τα ειδωλα του πατρος αυτης.

20 Εκρυψε δε ο Ιακωβ την φυγην αυτου εις τον Λαβαν τον Συρον, μη αναγγειλας προς αυτον οτι αναχωρει·

21 και εφυγεν αυτος μετα παντων των υπαρχοντων αυτου και εσηκωθη και διεβη τον ποταμον και διευθυνθη προς το ορος Γαλααδ.

22 Και την τριτην ημεραν ανηγγελθη προς τον Λαβαν, οτι εφυγεν ο Ιακωβ·

23 και παραλαβων τους αδελφους αυτου μεθ' εαυτου, κατεδιωξεν οπισω αυτου οδον επτα ημερων· και επροφθασεν αυτον εν τω ορει Γαλααδ.

24 Ηλθε δε ο Θεος προς Λαβαν τον Συρον κατ' οναρ την νυκτα, και ειπε προς αυτον, Φυλαχθητι, μη λαλησης σκληρα προς τον Ιακωβ.

25 Επροφθασε λοιπον ο Λαβαν τον Ιακωβ· ο δε Ιακωβ ειχε στησει την σκηνην αυτου επι του ορους· ο δε Λαβαν μετα των αδελφων αυτου εσκηνωσεν επι του ορους Γαλααδ.

26 Και ειπεν ο Λαβαν προς τον Ιακωβ, Τι εκαμες, και δια τι εκρυψας εις εμε την φυγην σου και απηγαγες τας θυγατερας μου ως αιχμαλωτους μαχαιρας;

27 δια τι εφυγες κρυφιως και εκλεψας σεαυτον απ' εμου και δεν μοι εφανερωσας τουτο; διοτι εγω ηθελον σε εξαποστειλει μετ' ευφροσυνης και μετα ασματων, μετα τυμπανων και κιθαρας·

28 και δεν με ηξιωσας μηδε να φιλησω τους υιους μου, και τας θυγατερας μου; τωρα αφρονως επραξας τουτο·

29 δυνατη ειναι η χειρ μου να σας κακοποιηση· πλην ο Θεος του πατρος σας χθες την νυκτα ειπε προς εμε, λεγων, Φυλαχθητι, μη λαλησης σκληρα προς τον Ιακωβ·

30 τωρα λοιπον εστω, ανεχωρησας, επειδη επεθυμησας πολυ τον οικον του πατρος σου· αλλα δια τι εκλεψας τους Θεους μου;

31 Και αποκριθεις ο Ιακωβ ειπε προς τον Λαβαν, Εφυγον επειδη εφοβηθην· διοτι ειπον, Μηπως αφαιρεσης τας θυγατερας σου απ' εμου·

32 εις οντινα ομως ευρης τους θεους σου, ας μη ζηση· εμπροσθεν των αδελφων ημων γνωρισον τι ευρισκεται εις εμε εκ των ιδικων σου, και λαβε. Διοτι δεν ηξευρεν ο Ιακωβ οτι η Ραχηλ ειχε κλεψει αυτους.

33 Εισηλθε λοιπον ο Λαβαν εις την σκηνην του Ιακωβ, και εις την σκηνην της Λειας, και εις τας σκηνας των δυο θεραπαινων· αλλα δεν ευρηκεν αυτους. Τοτε εξηλθεν εκ της σκηνης της Λειας, και εισηλθεν εις την σκηνην της Ραχηλ.

34 Η δε Ραχηλ ειχε λαβει τα ειδωλα, και βαλει αυτα εις σαμαριον καμηλου, και εκαθητο επ' αυτα. Και ερευνησας ο Λαβαν ολην την σκηνην, δεν ευρηκεν.

35 Η δε ειπε προς τον πατερα αυτης, Ας μη φανη βαρυ εις τον κυριον μου, διοτι δεν δυναμαι να σηκωθω εμπροσθεν σου, επειδη εχω τα γυναικεια. Και αυτος ηρευνησεν, αλλα δεν ευρηκε τα ειδωλα.

36 Και ωργισθη ο Ιακωβ και επεπληξε τον Λαβαν· και αποκριθεις ο Ιακωβ ειπε προς τον Λαβαν, Τι ειναι το ανομημα μου; τι το αμαρτημα μου, οτι κατεδιωξας οπισω μου;

37 αφου ηρευνησας παντα τα σκευη μου, τι ευρηκας εκ παντων των σκευων της οικιας σου; θες αυτο εδω εμπροσθεν των αδελφων μου και αδελφων σου, δια να κρινωσι μεταξυ των δυο ημων·

38 εικοσι ετη ειναι τωρα, αφ' οτου ειμαι μετα σου· τα προβατα σου και αι αιγες σου δεν ητεκνωθησαν, και τους κριους του ποιμνιου σου δεν εφαγον.

39 θηριαλωτον δεν εφερα εις σε· εγω επληρωνον αυτο· απο της χειρος μου εζητεις ο, τι με εκλεπτετο την ημεραν, η ο, τι με εκλεπτετο την νυκτα·

40 την ημεραν εκαιομην υπο του καυματος και την νυκτα υπο του παγετου· και εφευγεν ο υπνος μου απο των οφθαλμων μου·

41 εικοσι ετη ηδη ευρισκομαι εν τη οικια σου· δεκατεσσαρα ετη σε εδουλευσα δια τας δυο σου θυγατερας, και εξ ετη δια τα προβατα σου· και ηλλαξας τον μισθον μου δεκακις·

42 εαν ο Θεος του πατρος μου, ο Θεος του Αβρααμ και ο φοβος του Ισαακ, δεν ητο μετ' εμου, βεβαια κενον ηθελες με εξαποστειλει τωρα· ειδεν ο Θεος την ταλαιπωριαν μου και τον κοπον των χειρων μου, και σε ηλεγξεν εχθες την νυκτα.

43 Και αποκριθεις ο Λαβαν, ειπε προς τον Ιακωβ, Αι θυγατερες αυται ειναι θυγατερες μου, και οι υιοι ουτοι υιοι μου, και τα προβατα ταυτα προβατα μου, και παντα οσα βλεπεις ειναι ιδικα μου· και τι να καμω σημερον εις τας θυγατερας μου ταυτας, η εις τα τεκνα αυτων, τα οποια εγεννησαν;

44 ελθε λοιπον τωρα, ας καμωμεν συνθηκην, εγω και συ· δια να ηναι εις μαρτυριον μεταξυ εμου και σου.

45 Και ελαβεν ο Ιακωβ λιθον και εστησεν αυτον στηλην.

46 Και ειπεν ο Ιακωβ προς τους αδελφους αυτου, Συναξατε λιθους· και ελαβον λιθους, και εκαμον σωρον· και εφαγον εκει επι του σωρου.

47 Και ο μεν Λαβαν εκαλεσεν αυτον Ιεγαρ-σαχαδουθα· ο δε Ιακωβ εκαλεσεν αυτον Γαλεεδ.

48 Και ειπεν ο Λαβαν, Ο σωρος ουτος ειναι σημερον μαρτυριον μεταξυ εμου και σου· δια τουτο εκαλεσθη το ονομα αυτου Γαλεεδ,

49 και Μισπα, διοτι ειπεν, Ας επιβλεψη ο Κυριος αναμεσον εμου και σου, οταν αποχωρισθωμεν ο εις απο του αλλου·

50 εαν ταλαιπωρησης τας θυγατερας μου, η εαν λαβης αλλας γυναικας εκτος των θυγατερων μου, δεν ειναι ουδεις μεθ' ημων· βλεπε, ο Θεος ειναι μαρτυς μεταξυ εμου και σου.

51 Και ειπεν ο Λαβαν προς τον Ιακωβ, Ιδου, ο σωρος ουτος, και ιδου, η στηλη αυτη, την οποιαν εστησα μεταξυ εμου και σου·

52 ο σωρος ουτος ειναι μαρτυριον, και η στηλη μαρτυριον, οτι εγω δεν θελω διαβη τον σωρον τουτον προς σε, ουτε συ θελεις διαβη τον σωρον τουτον και την στηλην ταυτην, προς εμε, δια κακον·

53 ο Θεος του Αβρααμ και ο Θεος του Ναχωρ, ο Θεος του πατρος αυτων, ας κρινη αναμεσον ημων. Ο δε Ιακωβ ωμοσεν εις τον φοβον του πατρος αυτου Ισαακ.

54 Τοτε εθυσεν ο Ιακωβ θυσιαν επι του ορους και προσεκαλεσε τους αδελφους αυτου δια να φαγωσιν αρτον· και εφαγον αρτον και διενυκτερευσαν επι του ορους.

55 Και σηκωθεις ο Λαβαν ενωρις το πρωι, εφιλησε τους υιους αυτου και τας θυγατερας αυτου, και ευλογησεν αυτους· και ανεχωρησεν ο Λαβαν και επεστρεψεν εις τον τοπον αυτου.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #4197

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4197. 'And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and you today; therefore he called its name Galeed' means that it will be so for ever - hence the nature of it is described a second time. This is clear from the meaning of 'a heap' as good, dealt with above in 4192, and from the meaning of 'a witness' as the confirmation of good by means of truth, and of truth derived from good, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'today' as for ever, dealt with in 2838, 3998; and from the meaning of 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 2009, 2724, 3421. The particular nature of that good is contained in the name Galeed; for in ancient times when a name was given to anything the name contained the essential nature of that thing, 340, 1946, 2643, 3422. From this one may see what is meant by 'Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and you today; therefore he called its name Galeed', namely this: A testimony that the good meant here by 'Laban' was joined to the Divine good of the Lord's Natural, and therefore that the Lord was joined to the gentiles through good, it being this good that 'Laban' represents now, 4189. The truths belonging to this good are what bear witness to that conjunction; but as long as gentiles are living in this world their good is 'out of line' because they do not possess Divine truths. Nevertheless although those who are governed by that good, that is, who lead charitable lives with one another, do not have Divine truths straight from the Divine source, that is, from the Word, the good they have is not closed up but such as can be opened. What is more, it is opened in the next life when they receive instruction there in the truths of faith, and about the Lord. With Christians it is different. With those of them who lead charitable lives with one another, more so with those who are governed by love to the Lord, good straight from the Divine source is present even while they live in this world because they are in possession of Divine truths. For this reason they enter heaven without undergoing such instruction, provided that their truths have not contained falsities which must first be dispelled. But Christians who have not led charitable lives close heaven against themselves, very many doing so to such an extent that it cannot be opened. For they know truths but deny them and also harden themselves against them, if not with the lips nevertheless in their hearts.

[2] Why Laban first of all called the heap Jegar Sahadutha, its name in his own language, and after that Galeed, its name in the Canaanite language, when in fact the two have practically the same meaning, is for the sake of a bringing together and thereby a joining together. Speaking in the language or 'lip' of Canaan means responding to what is Divine, for 'Canaan' means the Lord's kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord, 1607, 3038, 3705, as is evident in Isaiah,

On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt which speak in the lip of Canaan and swear by Jehovah Zebaoth. On that day there will be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah at its border; and it will be for a sign and a witness to Jehovah Zebaoth in the land of Egypt. Isaiah 19:18-20.

[3] The meaning of 'a witness' as the confirmation of good by means of truth, and of truth derived from good, and the consequent meaning of 'a testimony' as good in which truth is rooted, and truth which arises out of good, may be seen from other parts of the Word. 'A witness' is seen to mean the confirmation of good by means of truth, and of truth derived from good, from the following places: In Joshua,

Joshua said to the people, You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen Jehovah, to serve Him. And they said, We are witnesses. Then put away the foreigner's gods which are in the midst of you, and incline your heart to Jehovah the God of Israel. And the people said to Joshua, Jehovah our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey. And Joshua made a covenant with the people on that day, and set them a statute and a judgement in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone and set it up there under the oak that was in the sanctuary of Jehovah. And Joshua said to all the people, Behold, this stone will be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of Jehovah which He spoke to us; and it will be a witness to you, lest you deny your God. Joshua 24:22-27.

'A witness' in this passage clearly means a confirming - a confirming of the covenant and therefore of their being joined [to Jehovah]; for a covenant means a joining together, 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021. And since being joined to Jehovah or the Lord is not possible except through good, and since no good effecting that conjunction is possible apart from that which gains its true nature from truth, 'a witness' consequently means the confirmation of good by means of truth. The good meant in this passage consisted in being joined to Jehovah or the Lord, which came about through their choosing Him, to serve Him; and the truth by which it was confirmed was meant by 'the stone'; for 'a stone' means truth, see 643, 1298, 3720. In the highest sense 'the stone' is the Lord Himself since He is the source of all truth, and for that reason is also called 'the Stone of Israel' in Genesis 49:24, and in what is said here in Joshua, 'Behold, this stone will be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of Jehovah which He spoke to us'.

[4] In John,

I will grant My two witnesses to prophesy 1260 days, clothed in sackcloth. The are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which are standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wishes to harm them, fire will come out of their mouth and devour their enemies. These have power to shut heaven. But when they have finished their testimony, the beast that ascends from the abyss will make war with them and conquer them and kill them. But after three and a half days the spirit of life from God entered them, so that they stood up on their feet. Revelation 11:3-7, 11.

'The two witnesses' in this case are good and truth - that is, good in which truth is present and truth arising out of good - when both of these have been confirmed in people's hearts, as is evident from the statement that the two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands. For 'an olive tree' means that kind of good, see 886, and 'the two olive trees' stands for celestial good and for spiritual good. Celestial good is essentially love to the Lord, spiritual good is essentially charity towards the neighbour. 'The lampstands' are the truths that belong to those two kinds of good, as will be clear when, in the Lord's Divine mercy, the lampstands are the subject. And it is these - forms of goodness and truth - which have the power to close heaven or to open it; see the Preface to Chapter 22. 'The beast out of the abyss, which is hell, will kill them' means the vastation of good and truth within the Church, and 'the spirit of life from God entered them, so that they stood up on their feet' means a new Church.

[5] Just as heaps in ancient times were set up to serve as witnesses, so later on were altars, as is clear in Joshua,

The Reubenites and the Gadites said, See the replica of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you. And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called it The Altar - a witness between us that Jehovah is God. Joshua 22:28, 34.

'An altar' means the good of love, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself, 921, 2777, 2811. 'A witness' stands in the internal sense for the confirmation of good by means of truth.

[6] Since 'a witness' means the confirmation of good by means of truth, and of truth derived from good, 'a witness' in the highest sense therefore means the Lord, for He Himself is the Divine Truth that confirms, as in Isaiah,

I will make with you an eternal covenant, even the true mercies of David. Lo, I have given him as a witness to the peoples, a prince and teacher to the peoples. Isaiah 55:3-4.

In John,

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Revelation 1:5.

In the same book,

These things says the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. Revelation 3:14.

[7] The requirement in the representative Church that the truth must always be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses, not on that of one, Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6-7; 19:15; Matthew 18:16, originates in the Divine Law that one truth does not make good firm but many truths do so. For one truth unconnected to others does not confirm it only a number together, because from one truth it is possible to see another. One by itself does not give any form to good, and so does not manifest any essential quality possessed by good; but many in a connected series do so. For just as one musical note by itself does not constitute the melody, still less the full harmony, neither does one truth achieve anything. This is where the law requiring two or three witnesses originates, though to outward appearance it seems to have its origin in secular legislation. The one however is not contrary to the other, as is also the case with the Ten Commandments, dealt with in 2609.

[8] As regards 'a testimony' meaning good in which truth is rooted, and truth which arises out of good, this follows from what has just been said. It is also clear from the fact that the Ten Commandments written on tablets of stone are referred to by the single expression 'the Testimony', as in Moses,

Jehovah gave Moses, when He had finished speaking to him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. Exodus 31:18.

In the same author,

Moses came down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand; the tablets were written from the two sides of it. Exodus 32:15.

And because those tablets were placed inside the Ark, the Ark is called 'the Ark of the Testimony'; in Moses,

Jehovah said to Moses, You shall put into the Ark the Testimony which I shall give to you. Exodus 25:16, 21.

Moses took the Testimony and put it into the Ark. Exodus 40:20.

In the same author,

I will meet you, and talk to you from above the Mercy-seat, from between the two cherubs which are over the Ark of the Testimony. Exodus 25:22.

In the same author,

The cloud of incense covers the Mercy-seat which is over the Testimony. Leviticus 16:13.

In the same author,

The rods of the twelve tribes were left in the Tent of Meeting, in front of the Testimony. Numbers 17:4.

For evidence that the Ark was also called the Ark of the Testimony, see in addition to Exodus 25:22 quoted above, Exodus 31:7; Revelation 15:5.

[9] The Ten Commandments therefore were called the Testimony because they were the conditions of the covenant and so the conditions whereby God and man were joined to each other. But that joining to each other is not possible unless man keeps those commandments not only in their external form but also in their internal. What the internal form of those commandments is, see 2609; consequently it is good made firm by means of truth, and truth derived from good, that are meant by 'the Testimony'. And this being so, the tablets were also called 'the Tablets of the Covenant', and the Ark 'the Ark of the Covenant'. From this one may now see what is meant in the Word by 'the Testimony' in the genuine sense, for example in Deuteronomy 4:45; 6:17, 20; Isaiah 8:16; 2 Kings 17:15; Psalms 19:7; 25:10; 78:5, 56; 93:5; 119:2, 22, 24, 59, 79, 88, 138, 167; 122:4; Revelation 6:9; 12:17; 19:10.

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