The Bible

 

Postanak 24

Study

   

1 A Avram beše star i vremenit, i Gospod beše blagoslovio Avrama u svemu;

2 I reče Avram sluzi svom najstarijem u kući svojoj, koji beše nad svim dobrom njegovim: Metni ruku svoju pod stegno moje,

3 Da te zakunem Gospodom Bogom nebeskim i Bogom zemaljskim da nećeš dovesti žene sinu mom između kćeri ovih Hananeja, među kojima živim;

4 Nego da ćeš otići u zemlju moju i u rod moj i dovesti ženu sinu mom Isaku.

5 A sluga mu reče: i ako devojka ne htedbude poći sa mnom u ovu zemlju; hoću li odvesti sina tvog u zemlju iz koje si se iselio?

6 A Avram mu reče: Pazi da ne odvedeš sina mog onamo.

7 Gospod Bog nebeski, koji me je uzeo iz doma oca mog i iz zemlje roda mog, i koji mi je rekao i zakleo mi se govoreći: Semenu ću tvom dati zemlju ovu, On će poslati anđela svog pred tobom da dovedeš ženu sinu mom odande.

8 Ako li devojka ne htedbude poći s tobom, onda da ti je prosta zakletva moja; samo sina mog nemoj odvesti onamo.

9 I metnu sluga ruku svoju pod stegno Avramu gospodaru svom, i zakle mu se za ovo.

10 Tada sluga uze deset kamila između kamila gospodara svog da ide, jer sve blago gospodara njegovog beše pod njegovom rukom; i otišavši dođe u Mesopotamiju do grada Nahorovog.

11 I pusti kamile da poležu iza grada kod studenca pred veče kad izlaze građanke da zahvataju vode;

12 I reče: Gospode Bože gospodara mog Avrama, daj mi sreću danas i učini milost gospodaru mom Avramu.

13 Evo, ja ću stajati kod ovog studenca, a građanke će doći da zahvataju vode.

14 Kojoj devojci kažem: Nagni krčag svoj da se napijem, a ona reče: Na pij, i kamile ću ti napojiti; daj to da bude ona koju si namenio sluzi svom Isaku; i po tome da poznam da si učinio milost gospodaru mom.

15 I on još ne izgovori, a to Reveka, kći Vatuila sina Melhe žene Nahora brata Avramovog, dođe s krčagom na ramenu.

16 I beše vrlo lepa, još devojka, još je čovek ne beše poznao. Ona siđe na izvor, i natoči krčag, i pođe;

17 A sluga iskoči pred nju, i reče; daj mi da se napijem malo vode iz krčaga tvog.

18 A ona reče: Na pij, gospodaru. I brže spusti krčag na ruku svoju, i napoji ga.

19 I kad ga napoji, reče: i kamilama ću tvojim naliti neka se napiju.

20 I brže izruči krčag svoj u pojilo, pa opet otrča na studenac da nalije, i nali svim kamilama njegovim.

21 A čovek joj se divljaše, i ćutaše, neće li poznati je li Gospod dao sreću putu njegovom ili nije.

22 A kad se kamile napiše, izvadi čovek zlatnu grivnu od po sikala i metnu joj oko čela, i dve narukvice metnu joj na ruke od deset sikala zlata.

23 I reče: Čija si kći? Kaži mi. Ima li u kući oca tvog mesta za nas da prenoćimo?

24 A ona mu reče: Ja sam kći Vatuila sina Melšinog, koga rodi Nahoru.

25 Još reče: Ima u nas mnogo slame i piće i mesta za noćište.

26 Tada čovek savivši se pokloni se Gospodu,

27 I reče: Blagosloven da je Gospod Bog gospodara mog Avrama, što ne ostavi milost svoju i veru svoju prema gospodaru mom, i putem dovede me Gospod u dom rodbine gospodara mog.

28 A devojka otrča i sve ovo kaza u domu matere svoje.

29 A Reveka imaše brata, kome ime beše Lavan; i istrča Lavan k čoveku na studenac,

30 Kako vide grivnu i narukvice na rukama sestre svoje i ču gde Reveka sestra mu reče: Tako mi kaza čovek; dođe k čoveku; a on stajaše kod kamila na studencu.

31 I reče: Hodi, koji si blagosloven od Gospoda; što bi stajao napolju? Spremio sam kuću, ima mesta i za kamile.

32 I dovede čoveka u kuću, i rastovari kamile; i dodaše slame i piće kamilama, i donesoše vode za noge njemu i ljudima što behu s njim;

33 I postaviše mu da jede; ali on reče: Neću jesti dokle ne kažem stvar svoju. A Lavan mu reče: Govori.

34 Tada reče: Ja sam sluga Avramov.

35 A Gospod je blagoslovio gospodara mog veoma, te je postao velik, i dao mu je ovaca i goveda, i srebra i zlata, i sluga i sluškinja, i kamila i magaraca.

36 I još Sara žena gospodara mog rodi sina gospodaru mom u starosti njegovoj, i on mu dade sve što ima.

37 A mene zakle gospodar moj govoreći: Nemoj dovesti sinu mom žene između kćeri ovih Hananeja, među kojima živim;

38 Nego idi u dom oca mog i u rod moj, da dovedeš ženu sinu mom.

39 A ja rekoh gospodaru svom:

40 Može biti da devojka neće hteti poći sa mnom.

41 A on mi reče: Gospod, po čijoj volji svagda živeh, poslaće anđela svog s tobom, i daće sreću tvom putu da dovedeš ženu sinu mom od roda mog, iz doma oca mog.

42 Onda će ti biti prosta zakletva moja, kad otideš u rod moj; ako ti je i ne dadu, opet će ti biti prosta zakletva moja.

43 I kad dođoh danas na studenac, rekoh: Gospode Bože gospodara mog Avrama, ako si dao sreću putu mom, kojim idem,

44 Evo, ja ću stajati kod studenca: koja devojka dođe da zahvati vode, i ja joj kažem: Daj mi da se napijem malo vode iz krčaga tvog,

45 A ona mi odgovori: i ti pij i kamilama ću tvojim naliti; to neka bude žena koju je namenio Gospod sinu gospodara mog.

46 Ja još ne izgovorih u srcu svom, a dođe Reveka s krčagom na ramenu, i sišavši na izvor zahvati; i ja joj rekoh: Daj mi da se napijem.

47 A ona brže spustivši sa sebe krčag reče: Na pij, i kamile ću ti napojiti. I kad se napih, napoji i kamile moje.

48 I zapitah je govoreći: Čija si kći? A ona odgovori: Ja sam kći Vatuila sina Nahorovog, kog mu rodi Melha. Tada joj metnuh grivnu oko čela i narukvice na ruke;

49 I padoh i poklonih se Gospodu, i zahvalih Gospodu Bogu gospodara mog Avrama, što me dovede pravim putem da nađem kćer brata gospodara svog za sina njegovog.

50 Ako ćete dakle učiniti ljubav i veru gospodaru mom, kažite mi; ako li nećete, kažite mi, da idem na desno ili na levo.

51 A Lavan i Vatuilo odgovarajući rekoše: Od Gospoda je ovo došlo; mi ti ne možemo kazati ni zlo ni dobro. Eto, Reveka je u tvojoj vlasti, uzmi je pa idi, i neka bude žena sinu tvog gospodara, kao što kaza Gospod.

52 A kad ču sluga Avramov reči njihove, pokloni se Gospodu do zemlje;

53 I izvadi zaklade srebrne i zlatne i haljine, i dade Reveci; takođe i bratu njenom i materi njenoj dade darove.

54 Potom jedoše i piše on i ljudi koji behu s njim, i prenoćiše. A kad ujutru ustaše, reče sluga: Pustite me gospodaru mom.

55 A brat i mati njena rekoše: Neka ostane devojka kod nas koji dan, barem deset dana, pa onda neka ide.

56 A on im reče: Nemojte me zadržavati, kad je Gospod dao sreću mom putu; pustite me da idem gospodaru svom.

57 Tada rekoše: Da zovemo devojku, i upitamo šta ona veli.

58 I dozvaše Reveku i rekoše joj: Hoćeš ići s ovim čovekom? A ona odgovori: Hoću.

59 I pustiše Reveku sestru svoju i dojkinju njenu sa slugom Avramovim i ljudima njegovim.

60 I blagosloviše Reveku i rekoše joj: Sestro naša, da se namnožiš na hiljade hiljada, i seme tvoje da nasledi vrata svojih neprijatelja!

61 I podiže se Reveka s devojkama svojim, i posedaše na kamile, i pođoše s čovekom; i sluga uzevši Reveku otide.

62 A Isak iđaše vraćajući se od studenca Živoga koji me vide jer življaše u južnom kraju;

63 A beše izašao Isak u polje pred veče da se pomoli Bogu; i podigavši oči svoje ugleda kamile gde idu.

64 I Reveka podigavši oči svoje ugleda Isaka, te skoči s kamile,

65 I reče sluzi: Ko je onaj čovek što ide preko polja pred nas? A sluga reče: Ono je gospodar moj. I ona uze pokrivalo i pokri lice.

66 I pripovedi sluga Isaku sve što je svršio.

67 I odvede je Isak u šator Sare matere svoje; i uze Reveku, i ona mu posta žena, i omile mu. I Isak se uteši za materom svojom.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3081

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

3081. 'A virgin, and no man had known her' means pure from everything false. This is clear from the meaning of 'a virgin'. The word 'virgin' occurs in various places in the Word, where it means the Lord's kingdom, and also the Church, and therefore means every person who is the Lord's kingdom or who is the Church; and it receives this meaning from conjugial love which exists in chaste virgins. Conjugial love in the spiritual sense is the affection for good present in truth, and the affection for truth grounded in good, from which affections, when joined so to speak in marriage, conjugial love flows, see 2508, 2618, 2727-2729. And because conjugial love, as has been stated, is seen in a virgin, the Lord's kingdom, which is also compared to and actually called a marriage, is called a virgin. The reason 'no man had known her' means pure from everything false is that 'a man' (vir) in the Word means not only rational truth but also in the contrary sense falsity, see 265, 749, 1007, so that 'known by a man' means defiled by falsity, and 'not known by a man' pure from falsity. The word 'man' (vir) is not used here in the sense of a husband.

[2] 'A virgin' in the Word means those who are in the Lord's kingdom, or what amounts to the same, who have the Lord's kingdom within them. This is clear in John,

These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins, these are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes; for they are spotless before God's throne. Revelation 14:4-5.

[3] Plainly, these are called 'virgins, who follow the Lamb', that is, who are in the Lord's kingdom; and they are also said to be 'spotless'. In the proper sense they are 'virgins' who are governed by love to the Lord - that is, who are celestial - and so who are moved by an affection for good. They too are called 'virgins' who are governed by charity towards the neighbour - that is, who are spiritual - and so are moved by the affection for truth, as becomes clear from the following places in the Word: In Isaiah,

She has spurned you, she has scorned you, the virgin daughter of Zion; she wags her head behind you, the daughter of Jerusalem. Isaiah 37:22.

These words are addressed to the king of Asshur. 'The virgin daughter of Zion' stands for the celestial Church, 'the daughter of Jerusalem' for the spiritual Church.

[4] In Jeremiah,

Again I will build you, and you will be built, O virgin of Israel! Again you will adorn yourself with your timbrels and will go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. And their life 1 will become like a watered garden, and they will not sorrow any more: Then will the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together. Jeremiah 31:4, 12-13.

'Virgin of Israel' stands for the spiritual Church. The affection for truth which springs from good which exists with that Church is described here and elsewhere as 'timbrels' and 'dances'. In the same prophet,

The roads of Zion mourn, her priests groan, her virgins are dejected. The Lord has trodden the winepress for the virgin daughter of Judah. See my grief - my virgins and my young men have gone into captivity. Lamentations 1:4, 15, 18.

'Virgins' stands for affections for good and truth. Elsewhere in the same prophet,

Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah. Lamentations 5:11.

'Virgins' stands for affections for good.

[5] In Amos,

They will run to and fro to seek the Word of Jehovah, and will not find it. On that day the beautiful virgins and the young men will faint for thirst. Amos 8:12-13.

'The beautiful virgins' stands for affections for truth, 'the young men' for truths, or what amounts to the same, those with whom truths exist, of whom it is said that 'they will run to and fro to seek the Word of Jehovah, and will not find it', and so 'will faint for thirst'.

[6] In Zechariah,

Jehovah their God will save them on that day; as a flock - His people. For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! Grain will make the young men flourish, and new wine the virgins. Zechariah 9:16-17.

'The young men' stands for truths, 'the virgins' for affections. In David,

All glorious is the king's daughter within, in her clothing with gold interweavings; in embroidered robes she is led to the king. Virgins following her, her friends, have been brought to You. Psalms 45:13-14.

'The king's daughter' stands for the Lord's spiritual kingdom. 'Virgins following her, her friends' stands for affections for truth.

[7] In the same author,

They have seen Your goings, O God, the goings of my God in the sanctuary. The singers went before, players of the stringed instrument after, in the midst of the young women playing timbrels. Psalms 68:24-25.

'The young women playing timbrels' also stands for affections for truth. But young women are distinguished from virgins by innocence, the word 'virgins' being used because of conjugial love, thus of those in whom innocence is present since conjugial love is innocence itself, see 2736. This explains why in the verses quoted from John they are said 'to follow the Lamb wherever He goes', for 'the Lamb' is used to mean the Lord's innocence. Furthermore all in heaven are called virgins from the innocence present in their good. According to the amount and particular nature of the innocence present in that good 'they follow the Lamb'.

Footnotes:

1. literally, soul

  
/ 10837  
  

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