The Bible

 

Postanak 2

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1 Tako se dovrši nebo i zemlja i sva vojska njihova.

2 I svrši Bog do sedmog dana dela svoja, koja učini; i počinu u sedmi dan od svih dela svojih, koja učini;

3 I blagoslovi Bog sedmi dan, i posveti ga, jer u taj dan počinu od svih dela svojih, koja učini;

4 To je postanje neba i zemlje, kad postaše, kad Gospod Bog stvori zemlju i nebo,

5 I svaku biljku poljsku, dokle je još ne beše na zemlji, i svaku travku poljsku, dokle još ne nicaše; jer Gospod Bog još ne pusti dažda na zemlju, niti beše čoveka da radi zemlju,

6 Ali se podizaše para sa zemlje da natapa svu zemlju.

7 A stvori Gospod Bog čoveka od praha zemaljskog, i dunu mu u nos duh životni; i posta čovek duša živa.

8 I nasadi Gospod Bog vrt u Edemu na istoku; i onde namesti čoveka, kog stvori.

9 I učini Gospod Bog, te nikoše iz zemlje svakakva drveća lepa za gledanje i dobra za jelo, i drvo od života usred vrta i drvo od znanja dobra i zla.

10 A voda tečaše iz Edema natapajući vrt, i odande se deljaše u četiri reke.

11 Jednoj je ime Fison, ona teče oko cele zemlje evilske, a onde ima zlata,

12 I zlato je one zemlje vrlo dobro; onde ima i bdela i dragog kamena oniha.

13 A drugoj je reci ime Geon, ona teče oko cele zemlje huske.

14 A trećoj je reci ime Hidekel, ona teče k asirskoj. A četvrta je reka Efrat.

15 I uzevši Gospod Bog čoveka namesti ga u vrtu edemskom, da ga radi i da ga čuva.

16 I zapreti Gospod Bog čoveku govoreći: Jedi slobodno sa svakog drveta u vrtu;

17 Ali s drveta od znanja dobra i zla, s njega ne jedi; jer u koji dan okusiš s njega, umrećeš.

18 I reče Gospod Bog: Nije dobro da je čovek sam; da mu načinim druga prema njemu.

19 Jer Gospod Bog stvori od zemlje sve zveri poljske i sve ptice nebeske, i dovede k Adamu da vidi kako će koju nazvati, pa kako Adam nazove koju životinju onako da joj bude ime;

20 I Adam nadede ime svakom živinčetu i svakoj ptici nebeskoj i svakoj zveri poljskoj; ali se ne nađe Adamu drug prema njemu.

21 I Gospod Bog pusti tvrd san na Adama, te zaspa; pa mu uze jedno rebro, i mesto popuni mesom;

22 I Gospod Bog stvori ženu od rebra, koje uze Adamu, i dovede je k Adamu.

23 A Adam reče: Sada eto kost od mojih kosti, i telo od mog tela. Neka joj bude ime čovečica, jer je uzeta od čoveka.

24 Zato će ostaviti čovek oca svog i mater svoju, i prilepiće se k ženi svojoj, i biće dvoje jedno telo.

25 A behu oboje goli. Adam i žena mu, i ne beše ih sramota.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #120

Study this Passage

  
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120. Like Egypt, the Euphrates too means knowledge or facts, and also sensory evidence from which facts are obtained. This is clear from the Word in the Prophets, as in Micah, She, my enemy, said, Where is Jehovah your God? A day on which He will build your walls. On that day what has been determined will be absent afar off. That day also He will come to you from Asshur, and to the cities of Egypt and to the River (the Euphrates) Micah 7:10-12.

The Prophets spoke in this way when referring to the coming of the Lord, who was going to regenerate man so that he would become as a celestial man. In Jeremiah,

What have you to do with the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? And what have you to do with the way to Asshur, to drink the waters of the River (the Euphrates)? Jeremiah 2:18.

Here similarly 'Egypt' and 'the Euphrates' stand for facts, and 'Asshur' for reasonings based on them. In David,

You did cause a vine to journey out of Egypt. You did cast out the nations, You did plant it. You did send out its shoots even to the sea, and its little branches to the River (the Euphrates) Psalms 80:8, 11.

Here too 'the river Euphrates' stands for sensory evidence and factual knowledge. Indeed the Euphrates was the boundary to Israel's territories in the direction of Asshur, just as factual knowledge in the memory is the boundary of intelligence and wisdom of the spiritual and celestial man. The same is meant by these words addressed to Abraham,

To your seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river, the river Euphrates. Genesis 15:18.

Both of these two boundaries have the same meaning.

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