The Bible

 

Postanak 16

Study

   

1 Ali Sara žena Avramova ne rađaše mu dece. A imaše robinju Misirku, po imenu Agara.

2 Pa reče Sara Avramu: Gospod me je zatvorio da ne rodim; nego idi k robinji mojoj, ne bih li dobila dece od nje. I Avram prista na reč Sarinu.

3 I Sara žena Avramova uze Agaru Misirku robinju svoju, i dade je za ženu Avramu mužu svom posle deset godina otkako se nastani Avram u zemlji hananskoj.

4 I on otide k Agari, i ona zatrudne; a kad vide da je trudna, ponese se od gospođe svoje.

5 A Sara reče Avramu: Uvreda moja pade na tebe; ja ti metnuh na krilo robinju svoju, a ona videvši da je trudna ponese se od mene. Gospod će suditi meni i tebi.

6 A Avram reče Sari: Eto, robinja je tvoja u tvojim rukama, učini s njom šta ti je volja. I Sara je stade zlostavljati, te ona pobeže od nje.

7 Ali anđeo Gospodnji nađe je kod studenca u pustinji, kod studenca na putu u Sur.

8 I reče joj: Agaro, robinjo Sarina, otkud ideš, kuda li ideš? A ona reče: Bežim od Sare gospođe svoje.

9 A anđeo joj Gospodnji reče: Vrati se gospođi svojoj, i pokori joj se.

10 Opet joj reče anđeo Gospodnji: Umnožiću veoma seme tvoje, da se neće moći prebrojati od množine.

11 Još joj reče anđeo Gospodnji: Eto si trudna, i rodićeš sina, i nadeni mu ime Ismailo; jer je Gospod video muku tvoju.

12 A biće čovek ubica; ruka će se njegova dizati na svakog a svačija na njega, i nastavaće na pogledu svoj braći svojoj.

13 Tada Agara prizva ime Gospoda koji govori s njom: Ti si Bog, koji vidi. Jer govoraše: Zar još gledam iza Onog koji me vide?

14 Toga radi zove se studenac onaj studenac Živoga koji me vidi; a on je između Kadisa i Varada.

15 I rodi Agara Avramu sina; i nadede Avram sinu svom, kog mu rodi Agara, ime Ismailo.

16 A beše Avramu osamdeset i šest godina kad mu Agara rodi Ismaila.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1940

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

1940. That 'I will multiply your seed greatly' means the fruitfulness of the rational man when it submits itself to the controlling power of the interior man allied to good is clear from the meaning of 'seed' as love and faith, dealt with already in 1025, 1447, 1610. Here however 'multiplying seed' means the fruitfulness within the rational of the celestial things of love when the rational has submitted itself to truth that is interior or Divine. 'Being multiplied' has reference to truths but 'being fruitful' to goods, as is clear from what has been stated and shown already in 43, 55, 913, 983. But as the subject is the Lord, 'being multiplied' means being fruitful for the reason that all truth within His Rational became good and so Divine; and this is what is being referred to here. In man's case it is different - his rational is formed by the Lord from truth or the affection for truth. This affection is in him good from which he acts.

[2] As regards multiplication and fruitfulness within man's rational, this cannot be understood unless one knows about influx, regarding which the following may be said of it in general: Within everybody, as stated already, there is the internal man, the rational man, which is in the middle, and the external man. The internal man is the inmost part of him by virtue of which he is a human being and which makes him distinct and separate from animals, which do not possess that inmost part. The internal man is so to speak the door or entrance for the Lord, that is, for celestial and spiritual things that are the Lord's, to come into a person. What goes on there the individual cannot comprehend since it is entirely above his rational from which he thinks. To this inmost or internal man the rational which appears as the person's own is subordinate. Into this rational by way of that internal man flow heavenly things of love and faith from the Lord; and by way of this rational they flow on into the facts that belong to the external man. But how these things flowing in are received depends on the individual person's state.

[3] Unless the rational is submissive to goods and truths that are the Lord's this rational either stifles, or rejects, or perverts the things that flow in, the more so when they flow into facts in the memory that are derived from sensory evidence. These things when so received are meant by the seed that falls either on the pathway, or over stony ground, or among thorns, as the Lord teaches in Matthew 13:3-7; Mark 4:3-7; Luke 8:5-7. But when the rational is submissive and believes the Lord, that is, His Word, the rational is like the ground or good soil into which the seed falls and bears much fruit.

  
/ 10837  
  

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