The Bible

 

Postanak 18

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1 Posle mu se javi Gospod u ravnici mamrijskoj kad seđaše na vratima pred šatorom svojim u podne.

2 Podigavši oči svoje pogleda, i gle, tri čoveka stajahu prema njemu. I ugledavši ih potrča im u susret ispred vrata šatora svog, i pokloni se do zemlje;

3 I reče: Gospode, ako sam našao milost pred Tobom, nemoj proći sluge svog.

4 Da vam donesem malo vode i operite noge, te se naslonite malo pod ovim drvetom.

5 I izneću malo hleba, te potkrepite srce svoje, pa onda pođite, kad idete pored sluge svog. I rekoše: Učini šta si kazao.

6 I Avram otrča u šator k Sari, i reče: Brže zamesi tri kopanje belog brašna i ispeci pogače.

7 Pa otrča ka govedima i uhvati tele mlado i dobro, i dade ga momku da ga brže zgotovi.

8 Pa onda iznese masla i mleka i tele koje beše zgotovio, i postavi im, a sam stajaše pred njima pod drvetom dokle jeđahu.

9 I oni mu rekoše: Gde je Sara žena tvoja? A on reče: Eno je pod šatorom.

10 A jedan između njih reče: Dogodine u ovo doba opet ću doći k tebi, a Sara će žena tvoja imati sina. A Sara slušaše na vratima od šatora iza njega.

11 A Avram i Sara behu stari i vremeniti, i u Sare beše prestalo šta biva u žena.

12 Zato se nasmeja Sara u sebi govoreći: Pošto sam ostarela, sad li će mi doći radost? A i gospodar mi je star.

13 Tada reče Gospod Avramu: Što se smeje Sara govoreći: Istina li je da ću roditi kad sam ostarela?

14 Ima li šta teško Gospodu? Dogodine u ovo doba opet ću doći k tebi, a Sara će imati sina.

15 A Sara udari u bah govoreći: Nisam se smejala. Jer se uplaši. Ali On reče: Nije istina, nego si se smejala.

16 Potom ustaše ljudi odande, i pođoše put Sodoma; a Avram pođe s njima da ih isprati.

17 A Gospod reče: Kako bih tajio od Avrama šta ću učiniti,

18 Kad će od Avrama postati velik i silan narod, i u njemu će se blagosloviti svi narodi na zemlji?

19 Jer znam da će zapovediti sinovima svojim i domu svom nakon sebe da se drže puteva Gospodnjih i da čine što je pravo i dobro, da bi Gospod navršio na Avramu šta mu je obećao.

20 I reče Gospod: Vika je u Sodomu i Gomoru velika, i greh je njihov grdan.

21 Zato ću sići da vidim eda li sve čine kao što vika dođe preda me; ako li nije tako, da znam.

22 I ljudi okrenuvši se pođoše put Sodoma; ali Avram još stajaše pred Gospodom,

23 I pristupiv Avram reče: Hoćeš li pogubiti i pravednog s nepravednim?

24 Može biti da ima pedeset pravednika u gradu; hoćeš li i njih pogubiti, i nećeš oprostiti mestu za onih pedeset pravednika što su u njemu?

25 Nemoj to činiti, ni gubiti pravednika s nepravednikom, da bude pravedniku kao i nepravedniku; nemoj; eda li sudija cele zemlje neće suditi pravo?

26 I reče Gospod: Ako nađem u Sodomu pedeset pravednika u gradu, oprostiću celom mestu njih radi.

27 A Avram odgovori i reče: Gle, sada bih progovorio Gospodu, ako i jesam prah i pepeo.

28 Može biti pravednika pedeset manje pet, hoćeš li za onih pet potrti sav grad? Odgovori: Neću, ako nađem četrdeset i pet.

29 I stade dalje govoriti, i reče: Može biti da će se naći četrdeset. Reče: Neću radi onih četrdeset.

30 Potom reče: Nemoj se gneviti, Gospode, što ću reći; može biti da će se naći trideset. I reče: Neću, ako nađem trideset.

31 Opet reče: Gle sada bih progovorio Gospodu; može biti da će se naći dvadeset. Reče: Neću ih pogubiti za onih dvadeset.

32 Najposle reče: Nemoj se gneviti, Gospode, što ću još jednom progovoriti; može biti da će se naći deset. Reče: Neću ih pogubiti radi onih deset.

33 I Gospod otide svršivši razgovor sa Avramom; a Avram se vrati na svoje mesto.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2258

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2258. 'Will not the Judge of the whole earth execute judgement?' means that Divine Good cannot effect this in the manner of truth separated from good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the Judge of the whole earth', and also from the meaning of 'judgement'. 'The Judge of the whole earth' means in the internal sense good itself from which truth goes forth. This was also represented in the representative Church by the priests being at the same time judges. As priests they represented Divine Good, and as judges Divine Truth. But 'the Judge of the whole earth' means both, and this from the meaning of 'the earth', dealt with in various places in Volume One. But to confirm these matters at this point from the representatives of that Church would take too long. 'Judgement' however means truth, as shown above in 2235. From the meaning of these words, and at the same time from the train of thought in the internal sense, it becomes clear that 'will not the Judge of the whole earth execute judgement?' means that Divine Good cannot effect this in the manner of truth separated from good.

[2] To understand these matters it should be recognized that there are two things which constitute the order of the whole of heaven and are from there present in the universe, namely good and truth. Good is the essential constituent of order, and all aspects of it are forms of mercy. Truth is the secondary constituent of order, and all its aspects are truths. Divine Good adjudges all people to heaven, but Divine Truth condemns them all to hell. Consequently if the Lord's mercy, which is the very nature of Good, were not eternal, all men - however many these may be - would be condemned. This is what is meant here by the statement that Divine Good cannot effect this thing in the manner of truth separated from good. See also what is stated on these matters in Volume One, in 1728. But the reason the evil are condemned to hell is not that Divine Good is separated from Divine Truth, but that man separates himself from Divine Good; for the Lord in no way sends anyone down to hell, but man sends himself down, as stated frequently already. Also, seeing that the Divine Good is joined to Divine Truth, it should be recognized that unless the evil were separated from the good, the evil would do harm to the good and would be constantly endeavouring to destroy order. Thus the prevention of the good from suffering harm is an act of mercy. It is the same in earthly kingdoms. If evils went unpunished a whole kingdom would be steeped in evils, and this being so it would perish. For that reason kings and judges are showing greater mercy when they punish evils and remove from society those who commit them than when they show undue leniency towards the same.

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