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1 Mosebok 16

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1 Sarai, Abrams hustru, fødte ham ikke barn; men hun hadde en egyptisk trælkvinne, som hette Hagar.

2 Og Sarai sa til Abram: Se, Herren har nektet mig barn; gå derfor inn til min trælkvinne! Kanskje jeg kunde få et barn ved henne. Og Abram lød Sarais råd.

3 Så tok Sarai, Abrams hustru, og lot Abram, sin mann, få egypterkvinnen Hagar, som var hennes trælkvinne, til hustru; da var det ti år siden Abram hadde bosatt sig i Kana'ans land.

4 Og han gikk inn til Hagar, og hun blev fruktsommelig; men da hun så at hun var blitt fruktsommelig, ringeaktet hun sin frue.

5 Da sa Sarai til Abram: Den urett jeg lider, er du skyld i; jeg har selv gitt min trælkvinne i din favn; men nu, da hun ser at hun er fruktsommelig, ringeakter hun mig; Herren skal dømme mellem mig og dig.

6 Da sa Abram til Sarai: Se, din trælkvinne råder du selv over; gjør med henne som du synes. Og Sarai var hård mot henne, og hun rømte fra henne.

7 Men Herrens engel fant henne ved vannkilden i ørkenen, ved kilden på veien til Sur.

8 Og han sa: Hagar, Sarais trælkvinne, hvor kommer du fra, og hvor akter du dig hen? Hun svarte: Jeg har flyktet fra min frue Sarai.

9 Da sa Herrens engel til henne: Gå tilbake til din frue, og bøi dig under henne!

10 Og Herrens engel sa til henne: Jeg vil gjøre din ætt så tallrik at den ikke skal kunne telles for mengde.

11 Og Herrens engel sa videre til henne: Se, du er fruktsommelig og skal føde en sønn, og du skal kalle ham Ismael*; for Herren har hørt din nød. / {* Gud hører.}

12 Og han skal bli et vill-asen av et menneske; hans hånd skal være mot alle, og alles hånd mot ham; og han skal bo østenfor alle sine brødre.

13 Og hun gav Herren, som hadde talt med henne, navnet "Du er Gud, den som ser". For hun sa: Har jeg virkelig fått se ham som ser mig?

14 Derfor kaller de brønnen Lakai o'is brønn*; den ligger mellem Kades og Bered. / {* d.e. den levendes brønn som ser mig.}

15 Og Hagar fødte Abram en sønn; og Abram kalte den sønn som Hagar hadde født ham, Ismael.

16 Abram var seks og åtti år gammel da Hagar fødte ham Ismael.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #1936

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1936. Return to thy mistress. That this signifies that it was observed that it ought not to trust to itself, but to interior truth and the affection of it, is evident from the signification of her “mistress,” as being the affection of interior truth. But what is specially signified by “Sarai” (by Sarai as a “wife,” and by Sarai as a “mistress”) cannot be described, for it can be grasped by no idea; the things signified are, as before said, above the understanding, even that which is angelic. It is only suggested here how the Lord thought concerning the appearances that had engaged the attention of His first rational, namely, that they were not to be trusted, but Divine truths themselves, however incredible these might appear in the view of that rational. For such is the case with all truths Divine; if the rational be consulted respecting them, they cannot possibly be believed, for they surpass all its comprehension. For example: that no man, spirit, or angel, lives from himself, but the Lord only; and that the life of a man, spirit, or angel is an appearance of life in him; this is repugnant to the rational, which judges from fallacies, but still it is to be believed because it is the truth.

[2] It is a truth Divine that in every expression of the Word, which appears so simple and rude to man, there are things illimitable, nay, more than the universal heaven; and that the arcana which are therein may be presented before the angels by the Lord with perpetual variety to eternity. This is so incredible to the rational that it is unwilling to give it any credence at all; but still it is true.

[3] It is a truth Divine that no one is ever rewarded in the other life for good deeds, if he placed merit in them, or if he did them for the sake of gain, honor, and reputation; also that no one is ever punished for evil deeds if he acted from a truly good end; the ends being what are regarded, and from them the deeds. This too cannot be believed by the rational; but as it is true, the rational is not to be trusted, for it does not form its conclusions from internal things, but from external things.

[4] It is a truth Divine that he who aspires to the least joy in the other life, receives from the Lord the greatest, and that he who aspires to the greatest has the least, also that in heavenly joy there is never anything connected with being preeminent to others, and that in proportion as there is this, there is hell; also that in heavenly glory there is nothing whatever of worldly glory. These things also are repugnant to the rational, but still are to be believed, because they are true.

[5] It is also a truth Divine that the more anyone believes nothing of wisdom to be from himself, the wiser he is; and that the more he believes it to be from himself, and thus the more he attributes prudence to himself, the more insane he is. This also the rational denies, because it supposes that what is not from itself is nothing. There are innumerable such things. From these few examples it may be seen that the rational is not to be trusted; for the rational is in fallacies and appearances, and it therefore rejects truths that are stripped of fallacies and appearances; and it does this the more, the more it is in the love of self and its cupidities, and the more it is in reasonings, and also in false principles respecting faith. (See also the examples adduced above, n. 1911)

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