The Bible

 

Genesis 7

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1 καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς πρὸς νωε εἴσελθε σὺ καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκός σου εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν ὅτι σὲ εἶδον δίκαιον ἐναντίον μου ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ

2 ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν καθαρῶν εἰσάγαγε πρὸς σὲ ἑπτὰ ἑπτά ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν μὴ καθαρῶν δύο δύο ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ

3 καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῶν καθαρῶν ἑπτὰ ἑπτά ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πετεινῶν τῶν μὴ καθαρῶν δύο δύο ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ διαθρέψαι σπέρμα ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν

4 ἔτι γὰρ ἡμερῶν ἑπτὰ ἐγὼ ἐπάγω ὑετὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τεσσαράκοντα νύκτας καὶ ἐξαλείψω πᾶσαν τὴν ἐξανάστασιν ἣν ἐποίησα ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς

5 καὶ ἐποίησεν νωε πάντα ὅσα ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ κύριος ὁ θεός

6 νωε δὲ ἦν ἐτῶν ἑξακοσίων καὶ ὁ κατακλυσμὸς ἐγένετο ὕδατος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς

7 εἰσῆλθεν δὲ νωε καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν διὰ τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ

8 καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πετεινῶν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν καθαρῶν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν κτηνῶν τῶν μὴ καθαρῶν καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς

9 δύο δύο εἰσῆλθον πρὸς νωε εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ καθὰ ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ ὁ θεός

10 καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὰς ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς

11 ἐν τῷ ἑξακοσιοστῷ ἔτει ἐν τῇ ζωῇ τοῦ νωε τοῦ δευτέρου μηνός ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ μηνός τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἐρράγησαν πᾶσαι αἱ πηγαὶ τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ οἱ καταρράκται τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἠνεῴχθησαν

12 καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ὑετὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τεσσαράκοντα νύκτας

13 ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ εἰσῆλθεν νωε σημ χαμ ιαφεθ υἱοὶ νωε καὶ ἡ γυνὴ νωε καὶ αἱ τρεῖς γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν

14 καὶ πάντα τὰ θηρία κατὰ γένος καὶ πάντα τὰ κτήνη κατὰ γένος καὶ πᾶν ἑρπετὸν κινούμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κατὰ γένος καὶ πᾶν πετεινὸν κατὰ γένος

15 εἰσῆλθον πρὸς νωε εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν δύο δύο ἀπὸ πάσης σαρκός ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν πνεῦμα ζωῆς

16 καὶ τὰ εἰσπορευόμενα ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἀπὸ πάσης σαρκὸς εἰσῆλθεν καθὰ ἐνετείλατο ὁ θεὸς τῷ νωε καὶ ἔκλεισεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἔξωθεν αὐτοῦ τὴν κιβωτόν

17 καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ κατακλυσμὸς τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τεσσαράκοντα νύκτας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπληθύνθη τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐπῆρεν τὴν κιβωτόν καὶ ὑψώθη ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς

18 καὶ ἐπεκράτει τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐπληθύνετο σφόδρα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπεφέρετο ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος

19 τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ ἐπεκράτει σφόδρα σφοδρῶς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπεκάλυψεν πάντα τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλά ἃ ἦν ὑποκάτω τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

20 δέκα πέντε πήχεις ἐπάνω ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐπεκάλυψεν πάντα τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλά

21 καὶ ἀπέθανεν πᾶσα σὰρξ κινουμένη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τῶν πετεινῶν καὶ τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ τῶν θηρίων καὶ πᾶν ἑρπετὸν κινούμενον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος

22 καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἔχει πνοὴν ζωῆς καὶ πᾶς ὃς ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς ξηρᾶς ἀπέθανεν

23 καὶ ἐξήλειψεν πᾶν τὸ ἀνάστημα ὃ ἦν ἐπὶ προσώπου πάσης τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ ἀνθρώπου ἕως κτήνους καὶ ἑρπετῶν καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἐξηλείφθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς καὶ κατελείφθη μόνος νωε καὶ οἱ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ

24 καὶ ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἡμέρας ἑκατὸν πεντήκοντα

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #795

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795. 'All the high mountains beneath the whole sky were covered' means that all goods stemming from charity were done away with. This is clear from the meaning of 'mountains' among the most ancient people. Among them 'mountains' meant the Lord, for they conducted their worship of Him on mountains because these were the loftiest parts of the earth. Consequently 'mountains' meant heavenly things which they also called 'the most high', and accordingly love and charity, and so the goods that stem from love and charity, which are heavenly things. In the contrary sense also, the people who are haughty are called 'mountains' in the Word, and so mountains also mean self-love. The Most Ancient Church also is meant in the Word by 'mountains' from the fact that mountains rose up above the earth and were nearer so to speak to heaven, where things have their origins.

[2] That 'mountains' means the Lord, and all heavenly things deriving from Him, that is, goods that stem from love and charity, is clear from the following places in the Word. These show what 'mountains' means in particular, for every single detail takes its meaning from the matter to which it applies. In David,

The mountains will bring peace, and the hills, in righteousness. Psalms 72:3.

'Mountains' stands for love to the Lord, 'hills' for love towards the neighbour, such as existed with the Most Ancient Church, which, since it was of such a nature, is also meant in the Word by 'mountains' and therefore 'hills'. In Ezekiel,

On My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, said the Lord Jehovih, there all the house of Israel, all of them that are in the land, will serve Me. Ezekiel 20:40.

Here 'holy mountain' stands for love to the Lord, 'mountain height of Israel' for charity towards the neighbour. In Isaiah,

It will be in the latter days that the mountain of the house Jehovah will be established on the top of the mountains, and raised above the hills. Isaiah 2:2.

This stands for the Lord and consequently for everything heavenly.

[3] In the same prophet,

Jehovah Zebaoth will make for all peoples on this mountain a feast of fat things, and He will swallow up on this mountain the face 1 of the covering. Isaiah 25:6-7.

'Mountain' stands for the Lord and consequently for everything heavenly. In the same prophet,

It will be that on every high mountain, and on every lofty hill, there will be brooks, streams of water. Isaiah 30:25.

'Mountains' stands for goods that stem from love, 'hills' for goods that stem from charity, such goods being the source of truths of faith, which are 'brooks and streams of water'. In the same prophet,

You will have a song as in the night when a feast is hallowed, and joy of heart as when one goes with a flute to come to the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel. Isaiah 30:29.

'Mountain of Jehovah' stands for the Lord with reference to goods that stem from love, 'Rock of Israel' for the Lord with reference to goods that stem from charity.

[4] In the same prophet,

Jehovah Zebaoth will come down to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill. Isaiah 31:4.

Here and in many other places 'Mount Zion' stands for the Lord and consequently for everything celestial, which is love, and 'hill' for what is celestial but lower, which is charity.

In the same prophet,

Get you up on to the high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings. Isaiah 40:9.

'Getting up on to the high mountain and declaring good tidings' is worshipping the Lord from love and charity, which are inmost things, and are therefore also called most high. That which is inmost is referred to as the most high. In the same prophet,

Let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Isaiah 42:11.

'Inhabitants of the rock' stands for those who abide in charity, 'shouting from the top of the mountains' for worshipping the Lord from love. In the same prophet,

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of Him who is bringing good tidings, causing peace to be heard, bringing good tidings of good, causing salvation to be heard. Isaiah 52:7

'Bringing good tidings on the mountains' in like manner stands for preaching about the Lord from doctrine concerning love and charity, and for worshipping from these. In the same prophet,

The mountains and the hills will resound before you with song, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12.

This stands for worshipping the Lord from love and charity, which are 'the mountains and the hills', and from faith deriving from these, which is 'the trees of the field'.

[5] In the same prophet,

I will set all My mountains as a way, and My pathways will be raised up. Isaiah 49:11.

'Mountains' stands for love and charity, 'way' and 'pathway' for the truths of faith deriving from these, which are said to be 'raised up' when they stem from love and charity, which are inmost. In the same prophet,

He who trusts in Me will take possession in the land, and will inherit My holy mountain. Isaiah 57:13.

This stands for the Lord's kingdom where there is nothing other than love and charity. In the same prophet,

I will bring forth seed from Jacob, and from Judah the heir of My mountains, and My chosen ones will possess it. Isaiah 65:9.

'Mountains' stands for the Lord's kingdom and for celestial goods, and 'Judah' for the celestial Church. In the same prophet,

Thus said the High and Lofty One inhabiting eternity, whose name is the Holy One. I dwell as the High and Holy One Isaiah 57:15.

Here 'high' stands for holy. Consequently 'mountains', on account of their height above the earth, meant the Lord, and holy heavenly things that are His. This also is why it was from Mount Sinai that the Lord proclaimed the Law. Love and charity are also what the Lord means by 'mountains' when, in reference to the close of the age, He says that those who were then in Judaea were to flee to the mountains, Matthew 24:16; Luke 21:21; Mark 13:14. Here 'Judaea' stands for the vastated Church.

Footnotes:

1. literally, the faces

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