The Bible

 

Genesis 19

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1 ἦλθον δὲ οἱ δύο ἄγγελοι εἰς σοδομα ἑσπέρας λωτ δὲ ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν πύλην σοδομων ἰδὼν δὲ λωτ ἐξανέστη εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτοῖς καὶ προσεκύνησεν τῷ προσώπῳ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν

2 καὶ εἶπεν ἰδού κύριοι ἐκκλίνατε εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ παιδὸς ὑμῶν καὶ καταλύσατε καὶ νίψασθε τοὺς πόδας ὑμῶν καὶ ὀρθρίσαντες ἀπελεύσεσθε εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῶν εἶπαν δέ οὐχί ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ πλατείᾳ καταλύσομεν

3 καὶ κατεβιάζετο αὐτούς καὶ ἐξέκλιναν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτοῖς πότον καὶ ἀζύμους ἔπεψεν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἔφαγον

4 πρὸ τοῦ κοιμηθῆναι καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες τῆς πόλεως οἱ σοδομῖται περιεκύκλωσαν τὴν οἰκίαν ἀπὸ νεανίσκου ἕως πρεσβυτέρου ἅπας ὁ λαὸς ἅμα

5 καὶ ἐξεκαλοῦντο τὸν λωτ καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς αὐτόν ποῦ εἰσιν οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ εἰσελθόντες πρὸς σὲ τὴν νύκτα ἐξάγαγε αὐτοὺς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἵνα συγγενώμεθα αὐτοῖς

6 ἐξῆλθεν δὲ λωτ πρὸς αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὸ πρόθυρον τὴν δὲ θύραν προσέῳξεν ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ

7 εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς μηδαμῶς ἀδελφοί μὴ πονηρεύσησθε

8 εἰσὶν δέ μοι δύο θυγατέρες αἳ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ἄνδρα ἐξάξω αὐτὰς πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ χρήσασθε αὐταῖς καθὰ ἂν ἀρέσκῃ ὑμῖν μόνον εἰς τοὺς ἄνδρας τούτους μὴ ποιήσητε μηδὲν ἄδικον οὗ εἵνεκεν εἰσῆλθον ὑπὸ τὴν σκέπην τῶν δοκῶν μου

9 εἶπαν δέ ἀπόστα ἐκεῖ εἷς ἦλθες παροικεῖν μὴ καὶ κρίσιν κρίνειν νῦν οὖν σὲ κακώσομεν μᾶλλον ἢ ἐκείνους καὶ παρεβιάζοντο τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν λωτ σφόδρα καὶ ἤγγισαν συντρῖψαι τὴν θύραν

10 ἐκτείναντες δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τὰς χεῖρας εἰσεσπάσαντο τὸν λωτ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὸν οἶκον καὶ τὴν θύραν τοῦ οἴκου ἀπέκλεισαν

11 τοὺς δὲ ἄνδρας τοὺς ὄντας ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας τοῦ οἴκου ἐπάταξαν ἀορασίᾳ ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου καὶ παρελύθησαν ζητοῦντες τὴν θύραν

12 εἶπαν δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες πρὸς λωτ ἔστιν τίς σοι ὧδε γαμβροὶ ἢ υἱοὶ ἢ θυγατέρες ἢ εἴ τίς σοι ἄλλος ἔστιν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐξάγαγε ἐκ τοῦ τόπου τούτου

13 ὅτι ἀπόλλυμεν ἡμεῖς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον ὅτι ὑψώθη ἡ κραυγὴ αὐτῶν ἐναντίον κυρίου καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἡμᾶς κύριος ἐκτρῖψαι αὐτήν

14 ἐξῆλθεν δὲ λωτ καὶ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς γαμβροὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς εἰληφότας τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἀνάστητε καὶ ἐξέλθατε ἐκ τοῦ τόπου τούτου ὅτι ἐκτρίβει κύριος τὴν πόλιν ἔδοξεν δὲ γελοιάζειν ἐναντίον τῶν γαμβρῶν αὐτοῦ

15 ἡνίκα δὲ ὄρθρος ἐγίνετο ἐπεσπούδαζον οἱ ἄγγελοι τὸν λωτ λέγοντες ἀναστὰς λαβὲ τὴν γυναῖκά σου καὶ τὰς δύο θυγατέρας σου ἃς ἔχεις καὶ ἔξελθε ἵνα μὴ συναπόλῃ ταῖς ἀνομίαις τῆς πόλεως

16 καὶ ἐταράχθησαν καὶ ἐκράτησαν οἱ ἄγγελοι τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς χειρὸς τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν χειρῶν τῶν δύο θυγατέρων αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ φείσασθαι κύριον αὐτοῦ

17 καὶ ἐγένετο ἡνίκα ἐξήγαγον αὐτοὺς ἔξω καὶ εἶπαν σῴζων σῷζε τὴν σεαυτοῦ ψυχήν μὴ περιβλέψῃς εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω μηδὲ στῇς ἐν πάσῃ τῇ περιχώρῳ εἰς τὸ ὄρος σῴζου μήποτε συμπαραλημφθῇς

18 εἶπεν δὲ λωτ πρὸς αὐτούς δέομαι κύριε

19 ἐπειδὴ εὗρεν ὁ παῖς σου ἔλεος ἐναντίον σου καὶ ἐμεγάλυνας τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου ὃ ποιεῖς ἐπ' ἐμέ τοῦ ζῆν τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ δυνήσομαι διασωθῆναι εἰς τὸ ὄρος μὴ καταλάβῃ με τὰ κακὰ καὶ ἀποθάνω

20 ἰδοὺ ἡ πόλις αὕτη ἐγγὺς τοῦ καταφυγεῖν με ἐκεῖ ἥ ἐστιν μικρά ἐκεῖ σωθήσομαι οὐ μικρά ἐστιν καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου

21 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἰδοὺ ἐθαύμασά σου τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ῥήματι τούτῳ τοῦ μὴ καταστρέψαι τὴν πόλιν περὶ ἧς ἐλάλησας

22 σπεῦσον οὖν τοῦ σωθῆναι ἐκεῖ οὐ γὰρ δυνήσομαι ποιῆσαι πρᾶγμα ἕως τοῦ σε εἰσελθεῖν ἐκεῖ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης σηγωρ

23 ὁ ἥλιος ἐξῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ λωτ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς σηγωρ

24 καὶ κύριος ἔβρεξεν ἐπὶ σοδομα καὶ γομορρα θεῖον καὶ πῦρ παρὰ κυρίου ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

25 καὶ κατέστρεψεν τὰς πόλεις ταύτας καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν περίοικον καὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἀνατέλλοντα ἐκ τῆς γῆς

26 καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ ἐγένετο στήλη ἁλός

27 ὤρθρισεν δὲ αβρααμ τὸ πρωὶ εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ εἱστήκει ἐναντίον κυρίου

28 καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον σοδομων καὶ γομορρας καὶ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς τῆς περιχώρου καὶ εἶδεν καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνέβαινεν φλὸξ τῆς γῆς ὡσεὶ ἀτμὶς καμίνου

29 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐκτρῖψαι κύριον πάσας τὰς πόλεις τῆς περιοίκου ἐμνήσθη ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αβρααμ καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν τὸν λωτ ἐκ μέσου τῆς καταστροφῆς ἐν τῷ καταστρέψαι κύριον τὰς πόλεις ἐν αἷς κατῴκει ἐν αὐταῖς λωτ

30 ἀνέβη δὲ λωτ ἐκ σηγωρ καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐν τῷ ὄρει καὶ αἱ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐφοβήθη γὰρ κατοικῆσαι ἐν σηγωρ καὶ ὤ|κησεν ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ αὐτὸς καὶ αἱ δύο θυγατέρες αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ

31 εἶπεν δὲ ἡ πρεσβυτέρα πρὸς τὴν νεωτέραν ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν πρεσβύτερος καὶ οὐδείς ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὃς εἰσελεύσεται πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὡς καθήκει πάσῃ τῇ γῇ

32 δεῦρο καὶ ποτίσωμεν τὸν πατέρα ἡμῶν οἶνον καὶ κοιμηθῶμεν μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξαναστήσωμεν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν σπέρμα

33 ἐπότισαν δὲ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν οἶνον ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ καὶ εἰσελθοῦσα ἡ πρεσβυτέρα ἐκοιμήθη μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς τὴν νύκτα ἐκείνην καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ἐν τῷ κοιμηθῆναι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀναστῆναι

34 ἐγένετο δὲ τῇ ἐπαύριον καὶ εἶπεν ἡ πρεσβυτέρα πρὸς τὴν νεωτέραν ἰδοὺ ἐκοιμήθην ἐχθὲς μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν ποτίσωμεν αὐτὸν οἶνον καὶ τὴν νύκτα ταύτην καὶ εἰσελθοῦσα κοιμήθητι μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξαναστήσωμεν ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν σπέρμα

35 ἐπότισαν δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν οἶνον καὶ εἰσελθοῦσα ἡ νεωτέρα ἐκοιμήθη μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ἐν τῷ κοιμηθῆναι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀναστῆναι

36 καὶ συνέλαβον αἱ δύο θυγατέρες λωτ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν

37 καὶ ἔτεκεν ἡ πρεσβυτέρα υἱὸν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ μωαβ λέγουσα ἐκ τοῦ πατρός μου οὗτος πατὴρ μωαβιτῶν ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας

38 ἔτεκεν δὲ καὶ ἡ νεωτέρα υἱὸν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ αμμαν υἱὸς τοῦ γένους μου οὗτος πατὴρ αμμανιτῶν ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2335

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2335. 'For we will spend the night in the street' means that He was willing, so to speak, to judge from truth. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'the street' and from the meaning of 'spending the night'. 'Street' is mentioned in various places in the Word, and in the internal sense has a similar meaning to 'a way', namely, truth; for a street is a way within a city, as will be clear from the places quoted in the next paragraph. That here 'spending the night' is judging may become clear from the meaning of 'the night'. It has been shown above in 2323 that 'the evening' means the penultimate state of the Church when faith is starting to be no more. It also means the visitation which takes place prior to judgement. From this it is evident that night which follows is the last state when faith is no more, and also when judgement takes place. From this it is plain that in the internal sense 'spending the night in the street' means judging from truth.

[2] As for judgement it is twofold, that is to say, there is judgement from good and judgement from truth. People who have faith are judged from good, but those who do not have it are judged from truth. The fact that those who have faith are judged from good is quite clear in Matthew 25:34-40, while those who do not have it are judged from truth, in verses 41-46. Those judged from good are saved since they have accepted good, but those judged from truth are condemned because they have rejected good. Good is the Lord's, and those who acknowledge this in life and faith are the Lord's, and are therefore saved; but those who do not acknowledge it in life, nor consequently in faith, cannot be the Lord's nor thus be saved. They are judged therefore according to the actions done in their life and according to their thoughts and ends in view. And when judged according to these they are inevitably condemned, for the truth is that of himself man can do, think, and intend nothing but evil, and of himself rushes towards hell insofar as he is not held back from that place by the Lord.

[3] The situation with regard to judgement from truth is this: The Lord never judges anyone except from good, for His will is to lift all men, however many these may be, up to heaven, indeed if it were possible, up to Himself. For the Lord is mercy itself and good itself, and mercy itself and good itself cannot possibly condemn anyone. It is man who, in rejecting good, condemns himself. As a person has fled habitually from good during his lifetime, so in the next life he flees from it, and therefore from heaven and the Lord. For the Lord cannot be present except within good. He is present in truth as well, but not in truth separated from good. That the Lord does not condemn anyone, that is, does not judge them to hell, He Himself declares in John,

God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world but that the world might be saved through Him. This is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, but men preferred darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:17, 19.

And in the same gospel,

If anyone hears My words, yet does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. John 12:47.

[4] See in addition what has been said already on these matters in 223, 245, 592, 696, 1093, 1683, 1874, 2258. When judgement was dealt with above in 2320, 2321, it was shown that all judgement belongs to the Lord's Divine Human and His Holy proceeding, according to the Lord's words in John,

The Father does not judge anyone, but has given all judgement to the Son. John 5:22.

Now however it is said that the Lord does not judge anyone by condemning him. This shows the nature of the Word in the letter - that unless understood from a sense other than the letter, namely from the internal sense, it would be unintelligible. The internal sense alone shows what is really involved in judgement.

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