The Bible

 

Postanak 29

Study

   

1 Tada se podiže Jakov i otide u zemlju istočnu.

2 I obzirući se ugleda studenac u polju; i gle, tri stada ovaca ležahu kod njega, jer se na onom studencu pojahu stada, a veliki kamen beše studencu na vratima.

3 Onde se skupljahu sva stada, te pastiri odvaljivahu kamen s vrata studencu i pojahu stada, i posle opet privaljivahu kamen na vrata studencu na njegovo mesto.

4 I Jakov im reče: Braćo, odakle ste? Rekoše: Iz Harana smo.

5 A on im reče: Poznajete li Lavana sina Nahorovog? Oni rekoše: Poznajemo.

6 On im reče: Je li zdrav? Rekoše: Jeste, i evo Rahilje kćeri njegove, gde ide sa stadom.

7 I on reče: Eto još je rano, niti je vreme vraćati stoku; napojte stoku pa idite i pasite je.

8 A oni rekoše: Ne možemo, dokle se ne skupe sva stada, da odvalimo kamen s vrata studencu, onda ćemo napojiti stoku.

9 Dok on još govoraše s njima, dođe Rahilja sa stadom oca svog, jer ona pasaše ovce.

10 A kad Jakov vide Rahilju kćer Lavana ujaka svog, i stado Lavana ujaka svog, pristupi Jakov i odvali kamen studencu s vrata, i napoji stado Lavana ujaka svog.

11 I poljubi Jakov Rahilju, i povikavši zaplaka se.

12 I kaza se Jakov Rahilji da je rod ocu njenom i da je sin Revečin; a ona otrča te javi ocu svom.

13 A kad Lavan ču za Jakova sina sestre svoje, istrča mu na susret, i zagrli ga i poljubi, i uvede u svoju kuću. I on pripovedi Lavanu sve ovo.

14 A Lavan mu reče: Ta ti si kost moja i telo moje. I osta kod njega ceo mesec dana.

15 Tada reče Lavan Jakovu: Zar badava da mi služiš, što si mi rod? Kaži mi šta će ti biti plata?

16 A Lavan imaše dve kćeri: starijoj beše ime Lija, a mlađoj Rahilja.

17 I u Lije behu kvarne oči, a Rahilja beše lepog stasa i lepog lica.

18 I Jakovu omile Rahilja, te reče: Služiću ti sedam godina za Rahilju, mlađu kćer tvoju.

19 A Lavan mu reče: Bolje tebi da je dam nego drugom; ostani kod mene.

20 I odsluži Jakov za Rahilju sedam godina, i učiniše mu se kao nekoliko dana, jer je ljubljaše.

21 I reče Jakov Lavanu: Daj mi ženu, jer mi se navrši vreme, da legnem s njom.

22 I sazva Lavan sve ljude iz onog mesta i učini gozbu.

23 A uveče uze Liju kćer svoju i uvede je k Jakovu, i on leže s njom.

24 I Lavan dade Zelfu robinju svoju Liji kćeri svojoj da joj bude robinja.

25 A kad bi ujutru, gle, ono beše Lija; te reče Jakov Lavanu: Šta si mi to učinio? Ne služim li za Rahilju kod tebe? Zašto si me prevario?

26 A Lavan mu reče: Ne biva u našem mestu da se uda mlađa pre starije.

27 Navrši nedelju dana s tom, pa ćemo ti dati i drugu za službu što ćeš služiti kod mene još sedam godina drugih.

28 Jakov učini tako, i navrši s njom nedelju dana, pa mu dade Lavan Rahilju kćer svoju za ženu.

29 I dade Lavan Rahilji kćeri svojoj robinju svoju Valu da joj bude robinja.

30 I tako leže Jakov s Rahiljom; i voljaše Rahilju nego Liju, i stade služiti kod Lavana još sedam drugih godina.

31 A Gospod videći da Jakov ne mari za Liju, otvori njoj matericu, a Rahilja osta nerotkinja.

32 I Lija zatrudne, i rodi sina, i nadede mu ime Ruvim, govoreći: Gospod pogleda na jade moje, sada će me ljubiti muž moj.

33 I opet zatrudne, i rodi sina i reče: Gospod ču da sam prezrena, pa mi dade i ovog. I nadede mu ime Simeun.

34 I opet zatrudne, i rodi sina, i reče: Da ako se sada većpriljubi k meni muž moj, kad mu rodih tri sina. Zato mu nadeše ime Levije.

35 I zatrudne opet, i rodi sina, i reče: Sada ću hvaliti Gospoda. Zato mu nadede ime Juda; i presta rađati.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3778

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

3778. 'And he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?' means, Did they possess good from that stock? This is clear from the representation of 'Laban' as a parallel good springing from a common stock, dealt with in 3612, 3665, and from the representation of 'Nahor' as that common stock from which the good meant by 'Laban' springs - 'knowing' meaning, in the internal sense, from that source, as is evident from the train of thought. Let a brief statement be made about the representation of a parallel good by means of Nahor, Bethuel, and Laban. Terah who was the father of three sons - Abram, Nahor, and Haran, Genesis 11:27 - represents the common stock from which the Churches sprang. Terah himself was in fact an idolater, but representatives have no regard to the person, only to the actual subject represented by him, see 1361. And since the Jewish representative Church had its beginnings in Abraham and was re-established among his descendants from Jacob, Terah and his three sons take on the representation of Churches. Abram takes on the representation of the genuine Church as it exists among those who possess the Word, while Nahor his brother takes on that of the Church as it exists among gentiles who do not possess the Word. The Lord's Church is spread throughout the whole world, existing also among gentiles who lead charitable lives, as is evident from what has been shown in various places regarding the gentiles.

[2] This then is why Nahor, his son Bethuel, and Bethuel's son Laban represent a parallel good that springs from a common stock, that is, the good which exists with people who belong to the Lord's Church among the gentiles. This good differs from good coming in a direct line from the common stock, in that those gentiles do not have genuine truths which are joined to their good. Instead they have for the most part external appearances which are called illusions of the senses, for they do not possess the Word from which they may receive light. Actually good is in essence a single entity, but it acquires a specific character from the truths implanted in it and in this way is made various. The truths that are seen by gentiles as truths are in general the idea that they should worship some God from whom they seek their own good and to whom they attribute it - though they do not know so long as they live in this world that that God is the Lord; also the idea that they should adore their God under images which they hold sacred; besides many other ideas. But these ideas do not make it any less possible for them to be saved than for Christians, provided that they lead lives in which love to their God and love towards the neighbour are present. For by leading such lives they have the ability to receive interior truths in the next life, see 932, 1032, 1059, 2049, 2051, 2284, 2589-2604, 2861, 2863, 3263. This shows what is meant by a parallel good that springs from a common stock. For Nahor represents those outside the Church who by virtue of good are bound together as brethren, see 2863, 2864, 2868; Bethuel represents good as it exists with those who make up a first group of gentiles, 2865, 3665; and Laban represents the affection for external or bodily good, strictly speaking a parallel good springing from a common stock, 3612, 3665.

[3] This good is such that first of all it serves a person as a means for acquiring spiritual good, for it is external and bodily and derives from external appearances which in themselves are illusions of the senses. In childhood a person acknowledges nothing other than these as truth and good, and although taught what internal good and truth are he still has no more than a bodily concept of it. This being his concept at first, this kind of good and truth is the initial means by which interior truths and goods are brought in. This is the arcanum which Jacob and Laban represent here.

  
/ 10837  
  

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