The Bible

 

Postanak 20

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1 A Avram otide odande na jug, i stani se između Kadisa i Sura; i živeše kao došljak u Geraru.

2 I govoraše za ženu svoju Saru: Sestra mi je. A car gerarski Avimeleh posla te uze Saru.

3 Ali dođe Bog Avimelehu noću u snu, i reče mu: Gle, poginućeš sa žene koju si uzeo, jer ima muža.

4 A Avimeleh ne beše se nje dotakao, i zato reče: Gospode, eda li ćeš i pravedan narod pogubiti?

5 Nije li mi sam kazao: Sestra mi je? A i ona sama kaza: Brat mi je. Učinio sam u čistoti srca svog i u pravdi ruku svojih.

6 Tada mu reče Bog u snu: Znam da si učinio u čistoti srca svog, zato te sačuvah da mi ne sagrešiš, i ne dadoh da je se dotakneš.

7 A sada vrati čoveku ženu njegovu, jer je prorok, i moliće se za te, te ćeš ostati živ. Ako li ne vratiš, znaj da ćeš umreti ti i svi tvoji.

8 I ujutru rano usta Avimeleh, i sazva sve sluge svoje, i kaza im sve ovo da čuju. I uplašiše se ljudi veoma.

9 Tada Avimeleh dozva Avrama i reče mu: Šta si nam učinio? Šta li sam ti zgrešio, te navuče na me i na carstvo moje toliko zlo? Učinio si mi šta ne valja činiti.

10 I još reče Avimeleh Avramu: Šta ti je bilo, te si to učinio?

11 A Avram odgovori: Govorih: jamačno nema straha Božjeg u ovom mestu, pa će me ubiti radi žene moje.

12 A upravo i jeste mi sestra, kći oca mog; ali nije kći moje matere, pa pođe za me.

13 A kad me Bog izvede iz doma oca mog, ja joj rekoh: Učini dobro, i kaži za me gde god dođemo: Brat mi je.

14 Tada Avimeleh uze ovaca i goveda i sluga i sluškinja, te dade Avramu, i vrati mu Saru ženu njegovu.

15 I reče Avimeleh Avramu: Evo, zemlja ti je moja otvorena, živi slobodno gde ti je volja.

16 A Sari reče: Evo dao sam tvom bratu hiljadu srebrnika; gle, on ti je očima pokrivalo pred svima koji budu s tobom; i to sve da ti je za nauku.

17 I Avram se pomoli Bogu, i isceli Bog Avimeleha i ženu njegovu i sluškinje njegove, te rađahu.

18 Jer Gospod beše sasvim zatvorio svaku matericu u domu Avimelehovom radi Sare žene Avramove.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1502

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1502. From these considerations it is now evident that Abram's sojourning in Egypt represents and means nothing else than the Lord, in particular His instruction during childhood. This is also confirmed by what is stated in Hosea,

Out of Egypt I called My son. Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:15.

And further still from what is said in Moses,

The dwelling of the sons of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And it happened at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, on that very day it happened that all the hosts of Jehovah went out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:40-41.

Those four hundred and thirty years were measured not from the time that Jacob entered Egypt but from Abram's sojourning in Egypt. Thus 'My son out of Egypt' in Hosea 11:1 means, in the internal sense, the Lord. The matter gains further confirmation from the fact that 'Egypt' in the Word means nothing other than knowledge, as shown in 1164, 1165, 1462.

[2] And that these arcana are contained in this section may become additionally clear from the fact that similar things are said of Abram when he sojourned in Philistia, namely that he called his wife his sister, Genesis 20:1-end, and also of Isaac, who, when he too sojourned in Philistia, called his wife his sister, Genesis 26:6-13. These actions would never have been recorded in the Word, and set in almost identical circumstances, unless these arcana had been lying hidden within. Furthermore this is the Word of the Lord which cannot possibly have any life unless there is an internal sense which has regard to Him.

[3] The arcana which lie hidden in this section, and in those regarding Abram and Isaac in Philistia, have to do with the way in which the Lord's Human Essence was joined to His Divine Essence, or what amounts to the same, how the Lord became Jehovah as regards His Human Essence also. They also have to do with the fact that His initiation, which is the subject in this chapter, began in childhood. Besides all this these descriptions also embody more arcana than anyone can possibly believe, and those that can be mentioned are so few as to be scarcely anything at all. In addition to the very deep arcana concerning the Lord, they also embody arcana concerning the instruction and regeneration of a person so that he may become celestial, as well as his instruction and regeneration so that he may become spiritual; and not only concerning the individual in particular but also concerning the Church in general. The descriptions here also embody arcana regarding the instruction of young children in heaven. In short they have to do with all who become images and likenesses of the Lord. These arcana are not at all clearly visible in the sense of the letter, the reason being that historical details engulf and obscure them; but they are clearly visible in the internal sense.

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