The Bible

 

Postanak 14

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1 A kad beše Amarfal car senarski, Arion car elasarski, Hodologomor car elamski i Targal car gojimski,

2 Zavojevaše na Valu cara sodomskog, i na Varsu cara gomorskog, i na Senara cara adamskog, i na Simovora cara sevojimskog i na cara od Valake, koja je sada Sigor.

3 Svi se ovi skupiše u dolini sidimskoj koja je sada slano more.

4 Dvanaest godina behu služili Hodologomoru, pa trinaeste godine odmetnuše se.

5 A četrnaeste godine dođe Hodologomor i carevi koji behu s njim, i pobiše Rafaje u Astarotu karnajimskom i Zuzeje u Amu i Omeje u polju kirijatajskom,

6 I Horeje u planini njihovoj Siru do ravnice Faranske pokraj pustinje.

7 Od tuda vrativši se dođoše u En-Mispat, koji je sada Kadis, i isekoše sve koji živehu u zemlji amaličkoj, i Amoreje koji živehu u Asason-Tamaru.

8 Tada iziđe car sodomski i car gomorski i car adamski i car sevojimski i car od Valake, koje je sada Sigor, izađoše na njih u dolinu sidimsku,

9 Na Hodologomora cara elamskog, i na Targala cara gojimskog, i na Amarfala cara senarskog, i na Arioha cara elasarskog, četiri cara na pet.

10 A u dolini sidimskoj beše mnogo rupa iz kojih se vadila smola; i pobeže car sodomski i car gomorski, i onde padoše, a šta osta pobeže u planinu.

11 I uzeše sve blago u Sodomu i Gomoru i svu hranu njihovu, i otidoše.

12 Uzeše i Lota, sinovca Avramovog, i blago njegovo, i otidoše, jer živeše u Sodomu.

13 A dođe jedan koji beše utekao, te javi Avramu Jevrejinu, koji živeše u ravni Mamrija Amorejina, brata Esholu i brata Avnanu, koji behu u veri s Avramom.

14 A kad Avram ču da mu se zarobio sinovac, naoruža sluge svoje, trista osamnaest, koji se rodiše u njegovoj kući, i pođe u poteru do Dana.

15 Onde razdelivši svoje udari na njih noću sa slugama svojim, i razbi ih, i otera ih do Hovala, koji je na levo od Damaska,

16 I povrati sve blago; povrati i Lota sinovca svog s blagom njegovim, i žene i ljude.

17 A car sodomski iziđe mu na susret kad se vrati razbivši Hodologomora i careve što behu s njim, u dolinu Savinu, koje je sada dolina careva.

18 A Melhisedek car salimski iznese hleb i vino; a on beše sveštenik Boga Višnjeg.

19 I blagoslovi ga govoreći: Blagosloven da je Avram Bogu Višnjem, čije je nebo i zemlja!

20 I blagosloven da je Bog Višnji, koji predade neprijatelje tvoje u ruke tvoje! I dade mu Avram desetak od svega.

21 A car sodomski reče Avramu: Daj meni ljude, a blago uzmi sebi.

22 A Avram reče caru sodomskom: Dižem ruku svoju ka Gospodu Bogu Višnjem, čije je nebo i zemlja, zaklinjući se:

23 Ni konca ni remena od obuće neću uzeti od svega što je tvoje, da ne kažeš: Ja sam obogatio Avrama;

24 Osim što su pojeli momci, i osim dela ljudima koji su išli sa mnom, Esholu, Avnanu i Mamriju, oni neka uzmu svoj deo.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1712

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1712. That 'he divided himself against them by night' means the shade which the apparent goods and truths were in is clear from the meaning of 'night' as a state of shade. It is called a state of shade when a person does not know whether good and truth are apparent or genuine. While a person is limited to apparent good and truth he imagines that these are genuine good and truth. It is the evil and falsity present in apparent good and truth that produce the shade and cause them to be seen as genuine. What else can people who are in ignorance know than that the good they do is their own, and that the truth they think is their own? The same applies to people who ascribe the good deeds they do to themselves and place merit in them, unaware of the fact that in this case those deeds are not good though they appear to be so, and that the proprium and the self-merit they place in them are evils and falsities that cause obscurity and darkness. And the same applies in many other instances.

[2] What evil and falsity are like, and how much evil and falsity lie concealed in such deeds, cannot possibly be seen so clearly in the life of the body as in the next life, where these are presented to view altogether as in broad daylight. But it is different if a person acts out of ignorance that has not been confirmed, for in that case those evils and falsities are easily dispersed. But if people confirm themselves in the notion that they are able to do good and to withstand evil by their own powers, and that thus they merit salvation, such a notion remains attached, and causes the good to be evil, and the truth to be falsity. Yet for all this, order requires that a person should do good as though from himself, and ought not therefore to stay his hand and think to himself, 'If I am unable to do anything good at all from myself I must wait for immediate influx' and so remain inactive. This is also contrary to order. Man ought to do good as though from himself; but when he stops to reflect on the good he is doing or has done, let him think, acknowledge, and believe that the Lord present with him has accomplished it.

[3] If by thinking as described he gives up acting as of himself he is not a subject into whom the Lord can operate. The Lord cannot flow into anyone who deprives himself of everything into which power has to be introduced. He is like someone who is not willing to learn anything except through a revelation made to him; or like someone who is not willing to teach anything unless the words are put into his mouth; or like someone who is unwilling to attempt anything unless he is directed as one without a will. But if this were done he would be more indignant still at being like an inanimate object. In fact however that which is animated by the Lord in a person is the very thing which makes it seem as though it were from himself. That man does not live from himself is an eternal truth; yet if he did not appear to do so he could not possibly live at all.

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