The Bible

 

Бытие 24

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1 Авраамъ былъ уже старъ и въ лјтахъ преклонныхъ. Іегова благословилъ Авраама всјмъ.

2 И сказалъ Авраамъ рабу своему, старшему въ домј его, управлявшему всјмъ, что у него было: положи руку твою подъ стегно мое,

3 и клянись мнј Іеговою, Богомъ небесь и Богомъ земли, что ты не возмешь сыну моему жены изъ дочерей Хананеевъ, среди которыхъ я живу;

4 но пойдешь въ землю мою, на родину мою, взять жену сыну моему Исааку.

5 Рабъ сказалъ ему: можетъ быть, не захочетъ женщина идти со мною въ эту землю; долженъ ли я возвратить сына твоего въ землю, изъ которой ты вышелъ?

6 Авраамъ сказалъ ему: берегись, не возвращай сына моего туда.

7 Іегова, Богъ небесъ, Который взялъ меня изъ дома отца моего, и изъ земли рожденія моего, Который објщался мнј, и Который клялся мнј, говоря: потомству твоему дамъ сію землю, Онъ пошлетъ Ангела Своего предъ лицемъ твоимъ, и ты возмешь жену сыну моему оттуда.

8 Если не захочетъ женщина идти съ тобою, ты будешь свободенъ отъ клятвы моей сей; только сына моего не возвращай туда.

9 Тогда рабъ положилъ руку свою подъ стегно Авраама, господина своего, и клялся ему въ семъ.

10 Потомъ рабъ взялъ изъ верблюдовъ господина своего десять верблюдовъ и пошелъ; въ рукахъ у него были также всякія сокровища господина его; онъ всталъ, и пошелъ въ Месопотамію, въ городъ Нахоровъ.

11 И остановилъ верблюдовъ внј города, у источника водъ, подъ вечеръ, въ такое время, когда выходятъ женщины черпать воду.

12 И сказалъ: Іегова, Боже господина моего Авраама! пошли ее сегодня на встрјчу мнј, и сотвори милость съ господиномъ моимъ Авраамомъ.

13 Вотъ, я стою у источника водъ, и дочери жителей города выходятъ черпать воду:

14 итакъ сдјлай, чтобы дјвица, которой я скажу: наклони ведро свое, я напьюсь, и которая скажетъ: пей, я напою и верблюдовъ твоихъ, была та, которую ты указуешь рабу Твоему Исааку; посему узнаю я, что ты творишь милость съ господиномъ моимъ.

15 Еще не окончилъ онъ словъ сихъ, какъ вышла Ревекка, которая родилась отъ Ваѕуила, сына Милки, жены Нахора, брата Авраамова. На плечј ея было ведро.

16 Она была дјвица прекраснаа видомъ, дјва, которой не позналъ мужъ. Она сошла къ источнику, наполнила ведро свое и пошла вверхъ.

17 Тогда рабъ побјжалъ на встрјчу ей, и сказалъ: дай мнј испить немного воды изъ ведра твоего.

18 Она сказала: пей, господинъ мой; и тотчасъ опустила ведро свое на руку свою и напоила его.

19 И когда напоила его, то сказала: я стану черпать и верблюдамъ твоимъ, нока напьются.

20 И тотчасъ вылила ведро свое въ пойло, и побјжала опять къ колодезю почерпнуть, и начерпала всјмъ верблюдамъ его.

21 Онъ смотрјлъ на нее съ изумленіемъ, въ молчаніи, желая уразумјть, благословилъ ли Іегова путь его или нјтъ.

22 Когда же верблюды перестали пить; тогда онъ взялъ золотое кольцо, вјсомъ въ полсикля, и два запястья на руки ей, вјсомъ въ десять сиклей золота;

23 и сказалъ: чья ты дочь? скажи мнј; есть ли въ домј отца твоего мјсто намъ ночевать?

24 Она отвјчала ему: я дочь Ваѕуила, сына Милки, котораго она родила Нахору.

25 Притомъ сказала ему: у насъ много и соломы, и корму; и естъ мјсто для ночлега.

26 Тогда онъ падши поклонился Іеговј,

27 и сказалъ: благословенъ Іегова, Богъ господина моего Авраама, Который не оставилъ господина моего милостію Своею и истиною Своею! Іегова прямымъ путемъ привелъ меня въ домъ родственниковъ господина моего.

28 Дјвица же побјжала, и разсказала о семъ приключеніи въ домј матери своей.

29 У Ревекки былъ братъ, именемъ Лаванъ. Лаванъ побјжалъ къ оному человјку за городъ къ источнику.

30 Какъ скоро онъ увидјлъ кольцо и запястья на рукахъ у сестры своей, и услышалъ слова Ревекки, сестры своей, которая говорила: вотъ что сказалъ мнј этотъ человјкъ; то пришелъ къ сему человјку, и нашелъ его стоящимъ съ верблюдами у источника,

31 и сказалъ: войди благословенный Іеговою; что тебј стоять на полј? Я приготовилъ домъ, и мјсто верблюдамъ.

32 Онъ вошелъ въ домъ, и Лаванъ разсјдлалъ верблюдовъ, и далъ соломы и корму верблюдамъ, и воды умыть ноги ему и людямъ, которые были съ нимъ.

33 Потомъ предложена ему пища; но онъ сказалъ: не стану јсть, пока не скажу, что я сказать долженъ. Лаванъ сказалъ: говори!

34 Онъ сказалъ: я рабъ Авраамовъ.

35 Іегова весьма благословилъ господина моего, такъ что онъ сдјлался великимъ; ибо Онъ далъ ему овецъ и воловъ, серебра и золота, рабовъ и рабынь, верблюдовъ и ословъ.

36 Сарра, жена господина моего, уже состарјвшись, родила господину моему сына, которому онъ и отдалъ все, что у него было.

37 И взялъ съ меня клятву господинъ мой, сказавъ: не бери жены сыну моему изъ дочерей Хананеевъ, въ землј которыхъ я живу;

38 а поди въ домъ отца моего, и къ племени моему, взять жену сыну моему.

39 Когда же я сказалъ господину моему: можетъ быть, не пойдетъ женщина со мною;

40 то онъ сказалъ мнј: Іегова, предъ лицемъ Котораго я хожу, пошлетъ съ тобою Ангела Своего, и благословитъ путь твой, и ты возмешь жену сыну моему изъ племени моего, и изъ дома отца моего.

41 Тогда будешь ты свободенъ отъ клятвы моей, когда сходишь къ родственникамъ моимъ; если они не дадутъ тебј, то будешь свободенъ оть клятвы моей.

42 Итакъ я нынј пришелъ къ источнику, и сказалъ: Іегова, Боже господина моего Авраама! если есть благословеніе Твое надъ путемъ моимъ, который я совершаю;

43 то, вотъ, я стою у источника водъ; сдјлай же, чтобы дјвица, которая выйдетъ почерпнуть воды и которой я скажу: дай мнј испить немного воды изъ ведра твоего,

44 и которая скажетъ мнј: и ты пей, и верблюдамъ твоимъ я начерпаю, была та жена, которую Іегова указуетъ сыну господина моего.

45 Еще не окончилъ я словъ сихъ въ сердцј моемъ. какъ вышла Ревекка, съ ведромъ на плечј, и сошла къ источнику и почерпнула; тогда я сказалъ ей: напой меня.

46 Она тотчасъ опустила съ себя ведро свое, и сказала: пей; я напою и верблюдовъ твоихъ. Итакъ я пилъ, и верблюдовъ она напоила.

47 И когда я спросилъ ее и сказалъ: чья ты дочь? она сказала: дочь Ваѕуила, сына Нахорова, котораго родила ему Милка. Тогда я вдјлъ кольцо въ ноздри ея, и запястья надјлъ на руки ея.

48 И падши поклонился Іеговј, и благословилъ Іегову, Бога господина моего Авраама, Который прямымъ путемъ привелъ меня, чтобы дочь брата господина моего взять за сына его.

49 Итакъ теперь, если вы намјрены сотворить милость и истину съ господиномъ моимъ, скажите мнј; и если нјтъ, скажите мнј, чтобы мнј обратиться или направо, или налјво.

50 Лаванъ и Ваѕуилъ сказали въ отвјтъ: отъ Іеговы происходятъ дјло сіе; мы не можемъ сказать тебј вопреки ни худаго, ни добраго.

51 Вотъ Ревекка предъ тобою; возми и поди; да будетъ она женою сыну господина твоего, какъ сказалъ Іегова.

52 Когда рабъ Авраамовъ услышалъ слова ихъ: то поклонился Іеговј до земли.

53 И вынулъ рабъ серебрянныя вещи, и золотыя вещи, и одежды, и далъ Ревеккј; также и брату ея, и матери ея далъ богатые дары.

54 По семъ онъ, и люди бывшіе съ нимъ, јли и пили, и ночевали. И когда встали по утру: то онъ сказалъ: отпустите меня къ господину моему.

55 Но братъ ея и ея мать сказали: пусть побудетъ съ нами дјвица дней хотя десять; потомъ пойдешь.

56 Онъ сказалъ имъ: не удерживайте меня, ибо Іегова благословилъ путь мой; отпустите меня, и я пойду къ господину моему.

57 Они сказали: призовемъ дјвицу, и спросимъ, что она скажетъ.

58 И призвали Ревекку, и сказали ей: пойдешь ли съ симъ человјкомъ? Она отвјчала: пойду.

59 Итакъ отпустили Ревекку сестру свою, и кормилицу ея, и раба Авраамова, и людей его.

60 И благословили Ревекку, и сказали ей: Сестра наша! да родятся отъ тебя тысячи тысячъ, И да владјетъ потомство твое жилищами враговъ своихъ!

61 И встала Ревекка, и рабыня ея, и сјли на верблюдовъ, я појхали за тјмъ человјкомъ. Такимъ образомъ рабъ взялъ Ревекку, и пошелъ.

62 Между тјмъ Исаакъ шелъ изъ Беэр-лахай-рои; ибо жилъ онъ въ землј полуденной.

63 При наступленіи вечера, Исаакъ вышелъ въ поле для размышленія; и возвелъ очи свои, и видитъ: вотъ, идутъ верблюды.

64 Ревекка возвела очи свои, и, увидя Исаака, соскочила съ верблюда,

65 и сказала рабу: кто зтотъ человјкъ, идущій по полю на встрјчу намъ? рабъ отвјчалъ: зто господинъ мой. Тогда она взяла покрывало, и покрылась.

66 Рабъ же разсказалъ Исааку все, что сдјлалъ.

67 И ввелъ ее Исаакъ въ шатеръ Сарры, матери своей; и взялъ Ревекку, и она сдјлалась ему женою, и онъ возлюбилъ ее; и утјшился Исаакъ въ печали по матери своей.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3021

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3021. 'Put now your hand under my thigh' means being bound, as regards its power, to the good of conjugial love. This is clear from the meaning of 'the hand' as power, dealt with in 878, and from the meaning of 'the thigh' as the good of conjugial love, dealt with in what follows. A binding of this good to that power is indeed the meaning, as is clear from the consideration that those who were bound by an obligation to carry out some matter connected with conjugial love put their hand, according to ancient custom, under the thigh of the one to whom they were so bound, and in so doing swore by him. This was done because 'the thigh' meant conjugial love, and 'the hand' power, or the full extent of whatever one's capability might be. For all parts of the human body correspond to spiritual and celestial things in the Grand Man, which is heaven, as shown in 2996, 2998, and will in the Lord's Divine mercy be shown more extensively later on. The thighs themselves, together with the loins, correspond to conjugial love. Those things were well known to the most ancient people, and for that reason so many customs came down from them, including that of putting their hands under the thigh when being bound by an obligation to carry out something connected with the good of conjugial love. Their knowledge of such things, which was valued most highly by the ancients, and belonged among the chief things that constituted their knowledge and intelligence, is totally lost today, so much so that not even the existence of any such correspondence is known, and for this reason people will probably be astounded that such things are meant by that custom. Here, because the subject is the betrothal of Isaac his son to another member of Abraham's family, and the oldest servant was called on to perform that task, this custom was therefore followed.

[2] It has been stated that 'the thigh', because of its correspondence, means conjugial love, and this may also be seen from other places in the Word, for example, from the procedure to be followed when a woman was accused by her husband of adultery, in Moses,

The priest shall make the woman take the oath of a curse, and the priest shall say to the woman, Jehovah will make you a curse and an oath in the midst of your people, when Jehovah makes your thigh fall away and your belly swell. When he has made her drink the water, then it will happen, if she has defiled herself and committed a trespass against her husband, that the water causing the curse will enter into her and become bitter, and her belly will swell, and her thigh will fall away; and the woman will be a curse in the midst of her people. Numbers 5:21, 27.

'The falling away of the thigh' means the evil of conjugial love, which is adultery. Every other detail in the same procedure had some specific meaning, so that not even the smallest detail fails to embody something, though anyone reading the Word who has no concept of its sacredness will wonder why such things are included there. It is because 'the thigh' means the good of conjugial love that the expression 'those coming out of the thigh' is used frequently, as in a reference to Jacob,

Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will go out from your thighs. Genesis 35:11.

And elsewhere in the same author,

Every soul coming with Jacob to Egypt, who came out of his thigh. Genesis 46:26; Exodus 1:5.

And in a reference to Gideon, Gideon had seventy sons, who came out of his thigh. Judges 8:30.

[3] Since 'the thigh' and 'the loins' mean the things that belong to conjugial love they also mean those that belong to love and charity, the reason being that conjugial love underlies every other kind of love, see 686, 2733, 2737-2739. These all have the same source - the heavenly marriage - which is a marriage of good and truth, regarding which see 2727-2759. For 'the thigh' means the good of celestial love and the good of spiritual love, as may be seen from the following places: In John,

He who sat on the white horse had on His robe and on His thigh the name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:16.

'He who sat on the white horse' is the Word, and so the Lord, who is the Word, see 2760-2762. 'Robe' means Divine Truth, 2576, and for that reason He is called 'King of kings', 3009. From this it is evident what 'the thigh' means, namely the Divine Good which flows from His love, on account of which He is also named 'Lord of lords', 3004-3011. And this being the Lord's essential nature, it is said that He had a name written on His robe and on His thigh, for 'name' means essential nature, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006.

[4] In David,

Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One, in Your glory and honour! Psalms 45:3.

This refers to the Lord. 'Sword' stands for truth engaged in conflict, 2799, 'thigh' for the good of love. 'Girding the sword on the thigh' means that the truth which He was to use in the fight was allied to the good of love. In Isaiah,

Righteousness will be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His thighs. Isaiah 11:5.

This too refers to the Lord. Because 'righteousness' has reference to the good that flows from love, 2235, it is called 'the girdle of His loins', while 'truth' because it comes from good, is called 'the girdle of His thighs'. Thus 'loins' is used in reference to the love within good, and 'thighs' to the love within truth.

[5] In the same prophet'

None will be weary, and none will stumble in Him. He will not slumber nor sleep. Nor has the girdle of His thighs been loosed, nor the thong of His shoes torn away. Isaiah 5:27.

This refers to the Lord. 'The girdle of His thighs' stands, as above, for the love within truth. In Jeremiah Jehovah told the prophet to buy a linen girdle and put it over his loins but not dip it in water. He was then told to go away to the Euphrates and hide it in a cleft of the rock. When he went back at a later time to retrieve it from that place it was spoiled, Jeremiah 13:1-7. 'A linen girdle' stands for truth, but the placing of it over his loins was representative of the fact that truth was the outward expression of good. Anyone may see that these actions are representative. Their meaning however cannot be known except from correspondences, which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with at the ends of certain chapters further on.

[6] It is similar with the meaning of the things seen by Ezekiel, Daniel, and Nebuchadnezzar: Ezekiel saw,

Above the firmament that was above the heads of the cherubim, in appearance like a sapphire stone, there was the likeness of a throne, and above the likeness of a throne, there was a likeness, as the appearance of a Man (Homo) upon it above. And I saw as it were the shape of fiery coals, as the shape of fire, within it round about. From the appearance of His loins and upwards, and from the appearance of His loins and downwards, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, whose brightness was round about it like the appearance of the rainbow which is in the cloud on the day of rain; so was the appearance of the brightness round about, thus was the appearance of the likeness of the Glory of Jehovah. Ezekiel 1:26-28.

This scene was clearly representative of the Lord and His kingdom. 'The appearance of His loins upwards and the appearance, of His loins downwards' is descriptive of His love, as is evident from the meaning of 'fire' as love, 934, and from the meaning of 'brightness' and of 'the rainbow' as wisdom and intelligence from that love, 1042, 1043, 1053.

[7] Daniel saw,

A man clothed in linen whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz, and whose body was like tarshish, 1 and whose face was like the appearance of lightning and whose eyes were like fiery torches, and whose arms and feet were like the shine of burnished bronze. Daniel 10:5-6.

What each of these expressions means - the loins, the body, the face, the eyes, the arms, and the feet - does not become clear to anyone except from representations and correspondences involved in these. From these it is evident that in what Daniel saw the Lord's heavenly kingdom was represented, in which Divine Love constitutes the loins, and 'the gold of Uphaz' with which He was girded, the good resulting from wisdom that is grounded in love, 113, 1551, 1552.

[8] In Daniel: Nebuchadnezzar saw a statue whose head was fine gold, breast and arms silver, belly and thighs bronze, feet partly iron, partly clay, Daniel 2:32-33. This statue represented consecutive states of the Church. The head of gold represented the first state, which was celestial because it was a state of love to the Lord; the breast and arms of silver represented the second state, which was spiritual because it was a state of charity towards the neighbour; the belly and thighs of bronze represented the third state, which was a state of natural good meant by 'bronze', 425, 1551 - natural good being love or charity towards the neighbour as this exists on a lower level than spiritual good - while the feet of iron and clay were the fourth state, which was a state of natural truth meant by 'iron', 425, 426, and also a state involving complete lack of cohesion with good, which is meant by 'clay'.

From all this one may see what is meant by the thighs and loins, namely conjugial love primarily, and from this love every genuine kind of love, as is evident from the places quoted and also from Genesis 32:25, 31-32; Isaiah 20:2-4; Nahum 2:1; Psalms 69:23; Exodus 12:11; Luke 12:35-36. The thighs and loins also mean in the contrary sense those loves that are the reverse of conjugial love and all genuine loves, namely self-love and love of the world, 1 Kings 2:5-6; Isaiah 32:10-11; Jeremiah 30:6; 48:37; Ezekiel 29:7; Amos 8:10.

Footnotes:

1. A Hebrew word for a particular kind of precious stone, possibly a beryl.

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