The Bible

 

Postanak 17

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1 A kad Avramu bi devedeset i devet godina, javi mu se Gospod i reče mu: Ja sam Bog Svemogući, po mojoj volji živi, i budi pošten.

2 I učiniću zavet između sebe i tebe, i vrlo ću te umnožiti.

3 A Avram pade ničice. I Gospod mu još govori i reče:

4 Od mene evo zavet moj s tobom da ćeš biti otac mnogim narodima.

5 Zato se više nećeš zvati Avram nego će ti ime biti Avraam, jer sam te učinio ocem mnogih naroda;

6 Daću ti porodicu vrlo veliku, i načiniću od tebe narode mnoge, i carevi će izaći od tebe.

7 A postavljam zavet svoj između sebe i tebe i semena tvog nakon tebe od kolena do kolena, da je zavet večan, da sam Bog tebi i semenu tvom nakon tebe;

8 I daću tebi i semenu tvom nakon tebe zemlju u kojoj si došljak, svu zemlju hanansku u državu večnu, i biću im Bog.

9 I reče Bog Avramu: Ti pak drži zavet moj, ti i seme tvoje nakon tebe od kolena do kolena.

10 A ovo je zavet moj između mene i vas i semena tvog nakon tebe koji ćete držati: da se obrezuju između vas sve muškinje.

11 A obrezivaćete okrajak tela svog, da bude znak zaveta između mene i vas.

12 Svako muško dete kad mu bude osam dana da se obrezuje od kolena do kolena, rodilo se u kući ili bilo kupljeno za novce od kojih god stranaca, koje ne bude od semena tvog.

13 Da se obrezuje koje se rodi u kući tvojoj i koje se kupi za novce tvoje; tako će biti zavet moj na telu vašem zavet večan.

14 A neobrezano muško, kome se ne obreže okrajak tela njegovog, da se istrebi iz naroda svog, jer pokvari zavet moj.

15 I još reče Bog Avramu: A Saru ženu svoju ne zovi je više Sara nego neka joj bude ime Saara.

16 I ja ću je blagosloviti, i daću ti sina od nje; blagosloviću je, i biće mati mnogim narodima, i carevi narodima izaći će od nje.

17 Tada pade Avram ničice i nasmeja se govoreći u srcu svom: Eda će se čoveku od sto godina roditi sin? I Sari? Eda će žena od devedeset godina roditi?

18 I Avram reče Bogu: Neka živ bude Ismailo pred Tobom!

19 I reče Bog: Zaista Sara žena tvoja rodiće ti sina, i nadećeš mu ime Isak; i postaviću zavet svoj s njim da bude zavet večan semenu njegovom nakon njega.

20 A i za Ismaila uslišio sam te; evo blagoslovio sam ga, i daću mu porodicu veliku, i umnožiću ga veoma; i rodiće dvanaest knezova, i načiniću od njega velik narod.

21 A zavet svoj učiniću s Isakom kad ti ga rodi Sara, do godine u ovo doba.

22 I Bog izgovorivši otide od Avrama gore.

23 I Avram uze Ismaila sina svog i sve koji se rodiše u domu njegovom i koje god beše kupio za svoje novce, sve muškinje od domaćih svojih; i obreza okrajak tela njihovog u isti dan, kao što mu kaza Bog.

24 A beše Avramu devedeset i devet godina kad obreza okrajak tela svog.

25 A Ismailu sinu njegovom beše trinaest godina kad mu se obreza okrajak tela njegovog.

26 U jedan dan obreza se Avram i sin mu Ismailo,

27 I svi domašnji njegovi, rođeni u kući i kupljeni za novce od stranaca, biše obrezani s njim.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1909

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1909. That 'he went in to Hagar' means the joining of the internal man to the life of the affection for knowledge is clear from the meaning of 'Hagar' as the life of the exterior or natural man, dealt with above at verse 1; and that this life is the life of the affection for knowledge is clear from the meaning of 'an Egyptian servant-girl', also dealt with above. There are many affections belonging to the exterior man, each one devoted to its own use. Superior to them all however is the affection for cognitions and knowledge when its end in view is that a person may become truly rational, for it then has good and truth as its end in view. The life itself of the internal man flows into all the affections of the natural man, but there it varies according to ends in view. When it flows into affections which have the world as the end in view, that end receives life from that life which is flowing in, and becomes worldly-minded life. When it flows into affections that have self as the end in view, that end receives life from that life which is flowing in, and becomes bodily-minded life. And so it is with all the other affections when life flows into them. It is from this that evil desires and false notions have life, but a life contrary to the affection for good and truth.

[2] As it flows in, life is not directed towards anything except the end in view, for with everyone that end is his love, and it is love alone which is living. All else in him is purely derivative, getting its life from the end in view. Anyone may see what kind of life he possesses, if only he will find out what kind of end he has in view. He does not have to find out the nature of all his ends, for these are countless, as many as his intentions and almost as many as the judgements and conclusions arrived at by his thoughts. These are merely secondary ends derived from the main one or tending towards it. All he has to find out is the end which he prefers above all others, and in comparison with which all others are as nothing. If he has self and the world as his end, let him recognize that his life is that of hell; but if he has the good of the neighbour, the common good, the Lord's kingdom, and above all the Lord Himself as his end, let him recognize that his life is that of heaven.

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