The Bible

 

Postanak 19

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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 #468

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468. THE INTERNAL SENSE.

From what has been said and shown in the foregoing chapter, it is evident that by names are signified heresies and doctrines. Hence it may be seen that by the names in this chapter are not meant persons, but things, and in the present instance doctrines, or churches, which were preserved, notwithstanding the changes they underwent, from the time of the Most Ancient Church even to “Noah.” But the case with every church is that in course of time it decreases, and at last remains among a few; and the few with whom it remained at the time of the flood were called “Noah.”

[2] That the true church decreases and remains with but few, is evident from other churches which have thus decreased. Those who are left are in the Word called “remains” and a “remnant” and are said to be “in the midst” or “middle” “of the land.” And as this is the case in the universal, so also it is in the particular, or as it is with the church, so it is with every individual man; for unless remains were preserved by the Lord in everyone, he must needs perish eternally, since spiritual and celestial life are in the remains. So also in the general or universal-if there were not always some with whom the church, or true faith, remained, the human race would perish; for, as is generally known, a city, nay, sometimes a whole kingdom, is saved for the sake of a few. It is in this respect with the church as it is with the human body; so long as the heart is sound, life is possible for the neighboring viscera, but when the heart is enfeebled, the other parts of the body cease to be nourished, and the man dies. The last remains are those which are signified by “Noah;” for (as appears from Genesis 6:12, as well as from other places) the whole earth had become corrupt.

[3] Of remains as existing in each individual as well as in the church in general, much is said in the Prophets; as in Isaiah:

He that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy to Him, even everyone that is written unto lives in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have washed away the bloods of Jerusalem from the midst thereof (Isaiah 4:3-4),

in which passage holiness is predicated of the remains, by which are signified the remains of the church, and also of a man of the church; for “those left” in Zion and Jerusalem could not be holy merely because they were “left.” Again:

It shall come to pass in that day, that the remains of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them, but shall stay upon Jehovah the Holy One of Israel in truth. The remains shall return, the remains of Jacob, unto the mighty God (Isaiah 10:20-21).

In Jeremiah:

In those days, and in that time, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found; for I will pardon him whom I shall make a remnant (Jeremiah 50:20).

In Micah:

The remains of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples, as the dew from Jehovah, as the showers upon the grass (Micah 5:7).

[4] The residue or remains of a man, or of the church, were also represented by the tenths, which were holy; hence also a number with ten in it was holy, and “ten” is therefore predicated of remains; as in Isaiah:

Jehovah shall remove man, and many things [shall be] left in the midst of the land; and yet in it [shall be] a tenth part, and it shall return, and shall be for exterminating; as an oak, and an ilex, when the stock is cast forth from them, the holy seed is the stock thereof (Isaiah 6:12-13); where the residue is called a “seed of holiness.” And in Amos:

Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, The city that goeth forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which goeth forth a hundred shall have ten left to the house of Israel (Amos 5:3).

In these and many other passages, in the internal sense are signified the “remains” of which we have been speaking. That a city is preserved for the sake of the remains of the church, is evident from what was said to Abraham concerning Sodom:

Abraham said, Peradventure ten may be found there; and He said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake (Genesis 18:32).

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

The Bible

 

Jeremiah 50:20

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20 In those days, and in that time, says Yahweh, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I leave as a remnant.