The Bible

 

Postanak 12

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1 I reče Gospod Avramu: Idi iz zemlje svoje i od roda svog i iz doma oca svog u zemlju koju ću ti ja pokazati.

2 I učiniću od tebe velik narod, i blagosloviću te, i ime tvoje proslaviću, i ti ćeš biti blagoslov.

3 Blagosloviću one koji tebe uzblagosiljaju, i prokleću one koji tebe usproklinju; i u tebi će biti blagoslovena sva plemena na zemlji.

4 Tada pođe Avram, kao što mu kaza Gospod, i s njim pođe Lot. A beše Avramu sedamdeset i pet godina kad pođe iz Harana.

5 I uze Avram Saru ženu svoju i Lota sina brata svog sa svim blagom koje behu stekli i s dušama koje behu dobili u Haranu; i pođoše u zemlju hanansku, i dođoše u nju.

6 I pođe Avram tu zemlju do mesta Sihema i do ravnice moreške; a behu tada Hananeji u toj zemlji.

7 I javi se Gospod Avramu i reče: Tvom semenu daću zemlju ovu. I Avram načini onde žrtvenik Gospodu, koji mu se javio.

8 Posle otide odande na brdo, koje je prema istoku od Vetilja, i onde razape šator svoj, te mu Vetilj beše sa zapada a Gaj s istoka; i onde načini Gospodu žrtvenik, i prizva ime Gospodnje.

9 Odande otide Avram dalje idući na jug.

10 Ali nasta glad u onoj zemlji, te Avram siđe u Misir da se onde skloni; jer glad beše velika u onoj zemlji.

11 A kad se približi da većuđe u Misir, reče Sari ženi svojoj: Gle, znam da si žena lepa u licu.

12 Zato kad te vide Misirci reći će: Ovo mu je žena. Pa će me ubiti, a tebe će ostaviti u životu.

13 Nego hajde kaži da si mi sestra, te će meni biti dobro tebe radi i ostaću u životu uz tebe.

14 I kad dođe Avram u Misir, videše Misirci ženu da je vrlo lepa.

15 I videše je knezovi Faraonovi, i hvališe je pred Faraonom. I uzeše je u dvor Faraonov.

16 I on činjaše dobro Avramu nje radi, te imaše ovaca i goveda i magaraca i sluga i sluškinja i magarica i kamila.

17 Ali Gospod pusti velika zla na Faraona i na dom njegov radi Sare žene Avramove.

18 Tada dozva Faraon Avrama i reče mu: Šta mi to učini? Zašto mi nisi kazao da ti je žena?

19 Zašto si kazao: Sestra mi je? Te je uzeh za ženu. Sad eto ti žene, uzmi je, pa idi.

20 I Faraon zapovedi ljudima za nj, te ga ispratiše i ženu njegovu i šta god imaše.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1502

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1502. From these considerations it is now evident that Abram's sojourning in Egypt represents and means nothing else than the Lord, in particular His instruction during childhood. This is also confirmed by what is stated in Hosea,

Out of Egypt I called My son. Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:15.

And further still from what is said in Moses,

The dwelling of the sons of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And it happened at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, on that very day it happened that all the hosts of Jehovah went out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:40-41.

Those four hundred and thirty years were measured not from the time that Jacob entered Egypt but from Abram's sojourning in Egypt. Thus 'My son out of Egypt' in Hosea 11:1 means, in the internal sense, the Lord. The matter gains further confirmation from the fact that 'Egypt' in the Word means nothing other than knowledge, as shown in 1164, 1165, 1462.

[2] And that these arcana are contained in this section may become additionally clear from the fact that similar things are said of Abram when he sojourned in Philistia, namely that he called his wife his sister, Genesis 20:1-end, and also of Isaac, who, when he too sojourned in Philistia, called his wife his sister, Genesis 26:6-13. These actions would never have been recorded in the Word, and set in almost identical circumstances, unless these arcana had been lying hidden within. Furthermore this is the Word of the Lord which cannot possibly have any life unless there is an internal sense which has regard to Him.

[3] The arcana which lie hidden in this section, and in those regarding Abram and Isaac in Philistia, have to do with the way in which the Lord's Human Essence was joined to His Divine Essence, or what amounts to the same, how the Lord became Jehovah as regards His Human Essence also. They also have to do with the fact that His initiation, which is the subject in this chapter, began in childhood. Besides all this these descriptions also embody more arcana than anyone can possibly believe, and those that can be mentioned are so few as to be scarcely anything at all. In addition to the very deep arcana concerning the Lord, they also embody arcana concerning the instruction and regeneration of a person so that he may become celestial, as well as his instruction and regeneration so that he may become spiritual; and not only concerning the individual in particular but also concerning the Church in general. The descriptions here also embody arcana regarding the instruction of young children in heaven. In short they have to do with all who become images and likenesses of the Lord. These arcana are not at all clearly visible in the sense of the letter, the reason being that historical details engulf and obscure them; but they are clearly visible in the internal sense.

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