The Bible

 

Genesis 25

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1 Abraomas dar vedė kitą žmoną, vardu Ketūra.

2 Ji pagimdė Zimraną, Jokšaną, Medaną, Midjaną, Išbaką ir Šuachą.

3 Jokšanas turėjo du sūnus: Šebą ir Dedaną. Dedano sūnūs buvo: Ašūras, Letušas ir Leumas.

4 Midjano sūnūs buvo: Efa, Eferas, Henochas, Abida ir Eldava. Visi šitie yra Ketūros vaikai.

5 Abraomas atidavė Izaokui visa, ką turėjo.

6 O sugulovių sūnums Abraomas davė dovanų ir, dar gyvas būdamas, juos išsiuntė į rytų šalį, toliau nuo Izaoko.

7 Abraomas išgyveno šimtą septyniasdešimt penkerius metus.

8 Abraomas mirė sulaukęs žilos senatvės ir pasisotinęs gyvenimu. Jis susijungė su savo tauta.

9 Jį palaidojo jo sūnūs Izaokas ir Izmaelis Machpelos oloje, Coharo sūnaus hetito Efrono lauke, kuris buvo ties Mamre.

10 Tą lauką Abraomas buvo pirkęs iš hetitų. Ten yra palaidoti Abraomas ir jo žmona Sara.

11 Abraomui mirus, Dievas laimino jo sūnų Izaoką, kuris gyveno prie Lahai oijo šulinio.

12 Šitie yra palikuonys Izmaelio, Abraomo sūnaus, kurį egiptietė Hagara, Saros tarnaitė, pagimdė Abraomui.

13 Šitie yra jų vardai, kaip jie buvo vadinami savo giminėse: Izmaelio pirmagimis Nebajotas ir Kedaras, Adbeelis, Mibsamas,

14 Mišma, Dūma, Masa,

15 Hadaras, Tema, Jetūras, Nafišas ir Kedma.

16 Šitie yra Izmaelio sūnūs ir jų vardai pagal jų miestus ir gyvenvietes. Dvylika kunigaikščių savo giminėse.

17 Izmaelis gyveno šimtą trisdešimt septynerius metus. Jis mirė ir susijungė su savo tauta.

18 Izmaelio palikuonys gyveno nuo Havilos iki Šūro, priešais Egiptą, Ašūro link. Jis mirė visų savo brolių akivaizdoje.

19 Šita yra Abraomo sūnaus Izaoko giminė. Abraomas turėjo sūnų Izaoką.

20 Izaokas, turėdamas keturiasdešimt metų, vedė ebeką, Betuelio iš Mesopotamijos dukterį, Labano seserį.

21 Izaokas meldėsi už savo žmoną, nes ji buvo nevaisinga. Viešpats išklausė jo maldą, ir jo žmona ebeka pastojo.

22 Kūdikiai kovojo tarpusavyje jos įsčiose, ir ji tarė: “Jei taip yra, tai kodėl man taip?” Ji nuėjo pasiklausti Viešpaties.

23 Viešpats jai tarė: “Dvi tautos yra tavo įsčiose, dvi giminės gims iš tavęs ir persiskirs. Viena giminė bus galingesnė už kitą, vyresnysis tarnaus jaunesniajam”.

24 Atėjus metui gimdyti, gimė dvynukai.

25 Pirmasis buvo visas plaukuotas; jie pavadino jį Ezavu.

26 Jo brolis gimdamas laikėsi Ezavo kulnies; jį pavadino Jokūbu. Tuo laiku Izaokui buvo šešiasdešimt metų.

27 Berniukams užaugus, Ezavas tapo geru medžiotoju, laukų žmogumi, o Jokūbas buvo ramus ir mėgo gyventi palapinėse.

28 Izaokas mylėjo Ezavą, nes mėgo jo sumedžiotą žvėrieną, bet ebeka labiau mylėjo Jokūbą.

29 Kartą Jokūbas išsivirė viralą, o Ezavas parėjo iš lauko nuvargęs.

30 Ezavas tarė Jokūbui: “Duok man savo raudonojo viralo, nes aš esu nuvargęs!” Todėl jį praminė Edomu.

31 O Jokūbas pasakė: “Parduok man savo pirmagimio teisę”.

32 Ezavas tarė: “Aš mirštu, ką gi man padės pirmagimystė?”

33 Jokūbas pasakė: “Prisiek man!” Taip jis prisiekė ir pardavė Jokūbui savo pirmagimio teisę.

34 Tada Jokūbas davė Ezavui duonos ir lęšių viralo. Jis valgė, gėrė ir pavalgęs išėjo. Taip Ezavas paniekino savo pirmagimystę.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3242

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3242. 'And the sons of Midian, Ephah and Epher, and Enoch, and Abida, and Eldaah' means the derivatives from the third division. This becomes clear from the representation of 'Midian' as those governed by the truth of faith, to be dealt with below; and since those governed by the truth of faith are 'Midian', it follows that 'sons' are derivatives from it. With regard to those governed by the truth of faith the position is that no one is admitted into the Lord's kingdom except him with whom the good of faith is present since the good of faith is the life of faith. The life of faith remains, but not the doctrine of faith except insofar as it makes one with life. Nevertheless people governed by the truth of faith, that is, who profess faith and refer to it as the essential thing because they have been taught that it is, but who, in spite of that teaching have goodness of life, that is, who are Christians in their hearts and not just on their lips, are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom. For anyone can easily be made to believe that faith is the essential thing if such an idea is handed on to him by teachers and at an early age he becomes steeped in that way of thinking. He is also made to believe because those who are reputed to be very learned, even church-leaders, say the same, some of whom are afraid to talk about the good of life because when life is the criterion they stand condemned, and also - in addition - because matters of faith, when they display themselves, are perceptible, whereas matters of charity are less so. Those therefore who are governed by the truth of faith, and yet also by the good of life are called Midian. But the truths which govern their lives are 'the sons of Midian'.

[2] Just as those in whom the truth of faith is joined to the good of that faith are meant by Midian so also in the contrary sense Midian means those under the influence of falsity because the good of life is lacking in them - as becomes clear from the following: In Isaiah,

A drove of camels will cover you, dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of Jehovah. Isaiah 60:6.

This refers to the Lord's spiritual kingdom. 'Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah' stands for matters of doctrine. Matters of doctrine concerning good are meant by 'gold', those concerning truth by 'frankincense'; and both by 'the praises of Jehovah'. From this also it is evident what 'Ephah' means. 'The Midianites' who pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him to Ishmaelites, and to Potiphar in Egypt, Genesis 37:28, 36, means people governed by truth coupled to simple good, as will in the Lord's Divine mercy be seen later on when those verses are dealt with.

[3] As regards 'Midian' also meaning those under the influence of falsity because the good of life is lacking in them, this may be seen from what is said about Midian in Moses,

The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian with deceptions in their hand came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. Numbers 22:4, 7, and following verses.

In the good sense 'Moab' stands for people with whom natural good exists and who easily allow themselves to be misled, but in the contrary sense stands for those who adulterate goods, 2468. 'Midian' in the good sense, as has been stated, stands for those who are governed by truth coupled to simple good, and so who are easily led to believe things, but in the contrary sense, as here, stands for those who falsify truths. Falsifications are meant by 'deceptions in their hand', and deeds which are the product of falsities by their sending to Balaam to act against the children of Israel, who are the goods, and from these the truths, of faith.

[4] The acts of whoredom committed by the sons of Israel with Midianite women which brought about the plague that Phinehas checked by running through with his spear the Midianite woman and the Israelite man in the brothel, Numbers 25:6-8, and following verses, has a similar meaning, for acts of whoredom represented falsifications of truth, 2466, 2729. And because falsifications of truth are what are meant in the internal sense by acts of whoredom, therefore by command twelve thousand of the children of Israel assailed them, killed their kings, all the males, and the women they had taken captive who had had carnal knowledge of a man, and divided the booty among themselves, Numbers 25:16-17; 31:1-end. The reason why 'twelve thousand' were involved was that 'twelve' means all things of faith, 577, 2089, 2129 (end), 2130 (end), by means of which falsities are destroyed. 'The kings' they killed are falsities, as also are 'the males', 'the women who had had carnal knowledge of a man' are affections for falsity, and 'the booty' which consisted of gold, silver, and cattle, are truths that have been falsified. From this it is evident that every single thing mentioned there is representative of the punishment and destruction of falsity by means of truths.

[5] The same is meant by the facts related about the Midianites in the Book of Judges,

Because the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of Jehovah they were given into the hand of Midian for seven years.

On account of Midian the children of Israel made dens for themselves in the mountains, also caves, and strongholds. And whenever Israel put in seed, Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east came up and destroyed the produce of their land.

After that they were liberated by Gideon by means of the three hundred who had lapped water with their tongue like a dog, whereas those who had sunk down on their knees to drink had been sent home.

Further references to them, in addition to these, are made in Genesis 6 Chapters-8.

Here too every single detail is representative of the falsification of truth, and on that account of punishment even to the point of their being destroyed by the kind of things meant by 'lapping water with their tongue like a dog'. But what each detail means in the internal sense would take too long to explain here. All this will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with in its proper place. In Habakkuk,

He looked and scattered the nations, and the mountains of time were dissolved, and the hills of old sank down. Below Aven I saw the tents of Cushan, the curtains of the land of Midian trembled. Habakkuk 3:6-7.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord. 'The tents of Cushan' stands for a religion raised up out of evil, 'the curtains of the land of Midian' for a religion raised up out of falsity.

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