The Bible

 

Postanak 19

Study

   

1 A uveče dođoše dva anđela u Sodom; a Lot seđaše na vratima sodomskim; i kad ih ugleda, ustade te ih srete, i pokloni se licem do zemlje,

2 I reče: Hodite, gospodo, u kuću sluge svog, i prenoćite i operite noge svoje; pa sutra rano kad ustanete pođite svojim putem. A oni rekoše: Ne, nego ćemo prenoćiti na ulici.

3 Ali on navali na njih, te se uvratiše k njemu i uđoše u kuću njegovu, i on ih ugosti, i ispeče hlebova presnih, i jedoše.

4 I još ne behu legli, a građani Sodomljani slegoše se oko kuće, staro i mlado, sav narod sa svih krajeva,

5 I vikahu Lota i govorahu mu: Gde su ljudi što dođoše sinoćk tebi? Izvedi ih k nama da ih poznamo.

6 A Lot iziđe k njima pred vrata zatvorivši vrata za sobom,

7 I reče im: Nemojte, braćo, činiti zla.

8 Evo imam dve kćeri, koje još ne poznaše čoveka; njih ću vam izvesti, pa činite s njima šta vam je volja; samo ne dirajte u ove ljude, jer su zato ušli pod moj krov.

9 A oni rekoše: Hodi amo. Pa onda rekoše: Ovaj je sam došao amo da živi kao došljak, pa još hoće da nam sudi; sad ćemo tebi učiniti gore nego njima. Pa navališe jako na čoveka, na Lota, i stadoše istavljati vrata.

10 A ona dva čoveka digoše ruke, i uvukoše Lota sebi u kuću, i zatvoriše vrata.

11 A ljude što behu pred vratima kućnim ujedanput oslepiše od najmanjeg do najvećeg, te ne mogahu naći vrata.

12 Tada ona dva čoveka rekoše Lotu: Ako imaš ovde još koga svog, ili zeta ili sina ili kćer, ili koga god svog u ovom gradu, gledaj nek idu odavde;

13 Jer hoćemo da zatremo mesto ovo, jer je vika njihova velika pred Gospodom, pa nas posla Gospod da ga zatremo.

14 I iziđe Lot, i kaza zetovima svojim, za koje htede dati kćeri svoje, i reče im: Ustajte, idite iz mesta ovog, jer će sada zatrti Gospod grad ovaj. Ali se zetovima njegovim učini da se šali.

15 A kad zora zabele, navališe anđeli na Lota govoreći: ustani, uzmi ženu svoju, i dve kćeri svoje koje su tu, da ne pogineš u bezakonju grada tog.

16 A on se stade ščinjati, te ljudi uzeše za ruku njega i ženu njegovu i dve kćeri njegove, jer ga beše žao Gospodu i izvedoše ga i pustiše ga iza grada.

17 I kad ih izvedoše napolje, reče jedan: Izbavi dušu svoju i ne obziri se natrag i u celoj ovoj ravni da nisi stao; beži na ono brdo da ne pogineš.

18 A Lot im reče: Nemoj, Gospode!

19 Gle, sluga tvoj nađe milost pred Tobom, i milost je Tvoja prevelika koju mi učini sačuvavši mi život; ali ne mogu uteći na brdo da me ne stigne zlo i ne poginem.

20 Eno grad blizu; onamo se može uteći, a mali je; da bežimo onamo; ta mali je, te ću ostati živ.

21 A on mu reče: Eto poslušaću te i zato, i neću zatrti grada, za koji reče.

22 Brže beži onamo; jer ne mogu činiti ništa dok ne stigneš onamo. Zato se prozva onaj grad Sigor.

23 I kad sunce ogranu po zemlji, Lot dođe u Sigor.

24 Tada pusti Gospod na Sodom i na Gomor od Gospoda s neba dažd od sumpora i ognja,

25 I zatre one gradove i svu onu ravan, i sve ljude u gradovima i rod zemaljski.

26 Ali žena Lotova beše se obazrela idući za njim, i posta slan kamen.

27 A sutradan rano ustavši Avram, otide na mesto gde je stajao pred Gospodom;

28 I pogleda na Sodom i Gomor i svu okolinu po onoj ravni, i ugleda, a to se dizaše dim od zemlje kao dim iz peći.

29 Ali kad Bog zatiraše gradove u onoj ravni, opomenu se Bog Avrama, i izvede Lota iz propasti kad zatre gradove gde živeše Lot.

30 A Lot otide iz Sigora i stani se na onom brdu s dve kćeri svoje, jer se bojaše ostati u Sigoru; i živeše u pećini s dve kćeri svoje.

31 A starija reče mlađoj: Naš je otac star, a nema nikoga na zemlji da dođe k nama, kao što je običaj po svoj zemlji.

32 Hajde da damo ocu vina neka se opije, pa da legnemo s njim, eda bismo sačuvale seme ocu svom.

33 I dadoše ocu vina onu noć; i došavši starija leže s ocem svojim, i on ne oseti ni kad ona leže ni kad ustade.

34 A sutradan reče starija mlađoj: Gle, noćas spavah s ocem svojim. Da mu damo vina i doveče, pa idi ti i lezi s njim, eda bismo sačuvale seme ocu svom.

35 Pa i to veče dadoše ocu vina, i ustavši mlađa leže s njim, i on ne oseti ni kad ona leže ni kad ustade.

36 I obe kćeri Lotove zatrudneše od oca svog.

37 I starija rodi sina, i nadede mu ime Moav; od njega su Moavci do današnjeg dana.

38 Pa i mlađa rodi sina, i nadede mu ime Ven-Amije; od njega su Amonci do današnjeg dana.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2455

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

2455. That 'she became a pillar of salt' means that all good accompanying truth was vastated becomes clear from the meaning of 'a pillar' and from the meaning of 'salt'. In the original language the word used for a pillar means something standing still, not however that used for a pillar which was erected either for worship, or as a sign or for a witness. Consequently 'the pillar of salt' mentioned here means that it - the truth meant by Lot's wife - stood as something vastated, 2454. Truth is said to be vastated when it no longer has any good within it - vastation itself being meant by 'salt'.

[2] As most things in the Word have two meanings, namely the genuine and the contrary to this, so also does 'salt'. In the genuine sense it means the affection for truth, in the contrary sense the vastation of the affection for truth, that is, of the good within truth. That 'salt' means the affection for truth, see Exodus 30:35; Leviticus 2:13; Matthew 5:13; Mark 9:49-50; Luke 14:34-35. That it also means the vastation of the affection for truth, that is, of the good within truth, is clear from the following places: In Moses,

The whole land will be brimstone and salt, a burning; it will not be sown, it will not sprout, nor will any plant come up on it, as at the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, of Admah and Zeboiim. Deuteronomy 29:23.

Here 'brimstone' is the vastation of good, and 'salt' the vastation of truth. That vastation is the meaning is evident from each detail.

[3] In Zephaniah,

Moab will be like Sodom, and the children of Ammon like Gomorrah, a place abandoned to the nettle, and a saltpit, and a desolation for ever. Zephaniah 2:9.

Here 'a place abandoned to the nettle' stands for vastated good, 'a salt pit' for vastated truth; for 'a place abandoned to the nettle' refers to Sodom, which has been shown to mean evil or vastated good, and 'a salt pit' to Gomorrah, which has been shown to mean falsity or vastated truth. That vastation is the meaning is evident from its being called 'a desolation for ever'. In Jeremiah,

He who makes flesh his arm will be like a bare shrub in the solitary place and will not see when good comes; and he will inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited. Jeremiah 17:5-6.

Here 'a parched land' stands for vastated goods, 'a salt land' for vastated truths.

[4] In David,

Jehovah turns rivers into a wilderness, and outgoings of waters into a dryness, a fruitful land into a salty waste because of the wickedness of those inhabiting it. Psalms 107:33-34.

'A fruitful land into a salty waste' stands for the vastation of the good within truth. In Ezekiel,

Its swamps and its marshes are not healed, they will be given up to salt. Ezekiel 47:11.

'Given up to salt' stands for being utterly vastated as regards truth. Because 'salt' meant vastation and 'cities' matters of doctrine concerning truth, as shown in 402, 2268, 2428, 2451, cities that had been destroyed were in former times sown with salt to prevent their being rebuilt, Judges 9:45. The description at this point is of the fourth state of the Church represented by 'Lot', a state in which all truth has been vastated as regards good.

  
/ 10837  
  

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