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 #2342

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2342. And baked unleavened [bread]. That this signifies purification, is evident from the signification of “unleavened” or “unfermented.” In the Word “bread” signifies in general all celestial and spiritual food, thus celestial and spiritual things in general (see n. 276, 680, 1798, 2165, 2177). That these should be free from everything impure was represented by bread without leaven; for “leaven” signifies that which is evil and false, by which celestial and spiritual things are rendered impure and profane. On account of this representation it was commanded those who were of the Representative Church that in their sacrifices they should not offer any other bread, that is, meat-offering, than that which was unfermented or unleavened; as is evident in Moses:

No meat-offering which ye shall bring to Jehovah shall be made with leaven (Leviticus 2:11).

Again:

Thou shalt not sacrifice the blood of My sacrifice with what is leavened (Exodus 23:18; 24:25).

[2] And it was therefore also commanded, that on the seven days of the Passover they should not eat any other than unfermented or unleavened bread, as stated in Moses:

Seven days shall ye eat unleavened [bread]; even on the first day ye shall cause leaven to cease from your houses; for whosoever eateth what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at even, ye shall eat unleavened [bread], until the one and twentieth day of the month at even; seven days shall no leaven be found in your houses; for whosoever eateth what is leavened, that soul also shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a sojourner or born in the land (Exodus 12:15, 18-20; and elsewhere, as Exodus 13:6-7; 23:15; 34:18; Deuteronomy 16:3-4).

Hence the Passover is called the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” (Leviticus 23:6; Numbers 28:16-17; Matthew 26:17; Luke 22:1, 7).

[3] That the Passover represented the Lord’s glorification, and thereby the conjunction of the Divine with the human race, will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown elsewhere; and as the Lord’s conjunction with the human race is effected through love and charity and the faith thence derived, these celestial and spiritual things were represented by the unleavened bread that they were to eat on the day of the Passover; and lest these things should be contaminated by anything profane, that which was leavened was so severely interdicted that whoever should eat of it was to be cut off; for whoever profanes celestial and spiritual things cannot fail to perish. Everyone can see that apart from this secret meaning, this ceremonial, to which there was attached so severe a penalty, would never have been given.

[4] Everything that was commanded in that church represented some secret thing, even the very cooking, as was the case with every particular of what the sons of Israel did when they went forth from Egypt; to wit:

They shall eat on that night flesh roasted with fire, and unleavened bread upon bitter herbs; they shall not eat it raw, nor boiled in water; the head shall be on the legs; they shall not leave of it until the morning, but shall burn the residue with fire (Exodus 12:8-10).

These particulars, namely, that they should eat it by night, the flesh roasted with fire, the unleavened bread upon bitter herbs, the head on the legs, not raw, nor boiled in water, that they should not leave of it until the morning, and that they should burn the residue with fire, were representative. But the arcana represented cannot possibly appear unless disclosed by the internal sense; it is from this sense alone that it can be seen that all things are Divine.

[5] In like manner with the ritual in regard to the Nazirite:

The priest shall take the boiled shoulder of a ram, and one unleavened cake out of a basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the palms of the Nazirite, after he has shaved his nazariteship (Numbers 6:19).

He who does not know that the Nazirite represented the celestial man himself, does not know that celestial things, thus arcana which do not appear in the letter, are enfolded within all these particulars, namely, the boiled shoulder of a ram, the unleavened cake, the unleavened wafer, and the shaving of the hair; which shows what kind of an opinion concerning the Word must be formed by those who do not believe that it contains an internal sense; for without what is internal these are particulars of no moment: whereas when the ceremonial or ritual is removed, everything there becomes Divine and holy. The same is the case with everything else, as here with the unleavened bread, which denotes the holy of love, or a holy of holies, as it is likewise called in Moses:

The unleavened bread that is left shall be eaten by Aaron and his sons in a place of holiness, for it is a holy of holies (Leviticus 6:16-17).

The “unleavened bread” therefore denotes pure love; and the “baking of what is unleavened” denotes purification.

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