The Bible

 

Postanak 20

Study

   

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 #2552

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

2552. Abraham said. That this signifies a perception which is an answer, is evident from the signification of “saying” in the historicals of the Word, as explained many times before (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2061, 2080, 2238, 2260, 2271, 2287). With regard to the Lord’s thought from the doctrine of faith being signified by the words “Abimelech said to Abraham;” and the perception which was an answer being meant by “Abraham said,” the case is this: perception is a higher thing, and the Lord had it from the Divine Itself; whereas thought is a lower thing, and the Lord had it from the intellectual itself; and as it was perception from which He had the thought, so the answer of the thought was from perception. This may be illustrated by something similar with man. The celestial man cannot think except from perception, nor the spiritual man except from conscience (n. 2515). The perception of the former, like the conscience [of the latter] is from the Lord, and it is not apparent to the man himself whence it is; but his thought is from the rational, and appears to him as from himself. And so again, when a man is thinking concerning any subject from the rational, then the conclusion of the thought, or the answer, comes either from perception or from conscience; consequently an answer is given him by the Lord in accordance with his state of life, his affection, and the truth of doctrine implanted or impressed in agreement therewith.

  
/ 10837  
  

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