The Bible

 

Postanak 32

Study

   

1 A Jakov otide svojim putem; i sretoše ga anđeli Božiji;

2 A kad ih ugleda Jakov, reče: Ovo je logor Božji. I prozva ono mesto Mahanaim.

3 I Jakov posla pred sobom glasnike k Isavu bratu svom u zemlju Sir, krajinu edomsku.

4 I zapovedi im govoreći: Ovako kažite gospodaru mom Isavu: Sluga tvoj Jakov ovako kaže: Bio sam došljak kod Lavana i bavio se do sad.

5 A imam volova i magaraca, ovaca i sluga, i sluškinja, i poslah da javim tebi gospodaru svom, eda bih našao milost pred tobom.

6 I vratiše se glasnici k Jakovu i rekoše mu: Idosmo do brata tvog Isava, i eto on ti ide na susret s četiri stotine momaka.

7 A Jakov se uplaši jako i zabrinu se; pa razdeli svoje ljude i ovce i goveda i kamile u dve čete.

8 I reče: Ako Isav udari na jednu četu i razbije je, da ako druga uteče.

9 I reče Jakov: Bože oca mog Avrama i Bože oca mog Isaka, Gospode, koji si mi kazao: Vrati se u zemlju svoju i u rod svoj, i ja ću ti biti dobrotvor!

10 Nisam vredan tolike milosti i tolike vere što si učinio sluzi svom; jer samo sa štapom svojim pređoh preko Jordana, a sada sam gospodar od dve čete.

11 Izbavi me iz ruke brata mog, iz ruke Isavove, jer se bojim da ne dođe i ubije mene i mater s decom.

12 A Ti si kazao: Zaista ja ću ti biti dobrotvor, i učiniću seme tvoje da bude kao peska morskog, koji se ne može izbrojati od množine.

13 I zanoći onde onu noć, i uze šta mu dođe do ruke, da pošalje na dar Isavu bratu svom,

14 Dvesta koza s dvadeset jaraca, dvesta ovaca s dvadeset ovnova,

15 Trideset kamila dojilica s kamiladima, četrdeset krava s desetoro teladi, dvadeset magarica s desetoro magaradi.

16 I predade ih slugama svojim, svako stado napose, i reče slugama: Idite napred preda mnom, ostavljajući dosta mesta između jednog stada i drugog.

17 I zapovedi prvom govoreći: Kad sretneš Isava, brata mog, pa te zapita: Čiji si? I kuda ideš? I čije je to što goniš pred sobom?

18 A ti reci: Sluge tvog Jakova, a ovo šalje na dar gospodaru svom Isavu, a eto i sam ide za nama.

19 Tako zapovedi i drugom i trećem i svima koji iđahu za stadom, i reče: Tako kažite Isavu kad naiđete na nj.

20 I još kažite: Eto, Jakov sluga tvoj ide za nama. Jer govoraše: Ublažiću ga darom koji ide preda mnom, pa ću mu onda videti lice, da ako me lepo primi.

21 Tako otide dar napred, a on prenoći onu noćkod čete svoje.

22 I po noći usta, i uze obe žene i dve robinje i jedanaestoro dece svoje; i prebrodi brod Javok.

23 A pošto njih uze i prevede preko potoka, preturi i ostalo što imaše.

24 A kad osta Jakov sam, tada se jedan čovek rvaše s njim do zore.

25 I kad vide da ga ne može svladati, udari ga po zglavku u stegnu, te se Jakovu iščaši stegno iz zglavka, kad se čovek rvaše s njim.

26 Pa onda reče: Pusti me, zora je. A Jakov mu reče: Neću te pustiti dokle me ne blagosloviš.

27 A čovek mu reče: Kako ti je ime. A on odgovori: Jakov.

28 Tada mu reče: Odsele se nećeš zvati Jakov, nego Izrailj; jer si se junački borio i s Bogom i s ljudima, i odoleo si.

29 A Jakov zapita i reče: Kaži mi kako je tebi ime. A On reče: Što pitaš kako mi je ime? I blagoslovi ga onde.

30 I Jakov nadede ime onom mestu Fanuil; jer, veli, Boga videh licem k licu, i duša se moja izbavi.

31 I sunce mu se rodi kad prođe Fanuil, i hramaše na stegno svoje.

32 Zato sinovi Izrailjevi ne jedu krajeve od mišića na zglavku u stegnu do današnjeg dana, što se Jakovu povrediše krajevi od mišića na zglavku u stegnu.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #4430

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

4430. And Shechem saw her. That this signifies truth, is evident from the representation of Shechem as being truth, here the truth of the church from ancient time. That this is represented by Shechem is because there still were remains of the church with that nation to which Shechem belonged. That this was one of the well-disposed nations is manifest from the sincerity with which Hamor and Shechem spoke to Jacob and his sons (verses 8-12), and from the condescension that Shechem might take Dinah for a wife (verses 18-24); for which reason the truth of the church was represented by them. And besides, the city Shechem was Abram’s first station when he came from Syria into the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:6); and was now also Jacob’s first station in coming from Syria, in which he spread his tent, made booths, and erected an altar (Genesis 33:17-20). That by the journeys or sojournings of Abraham and Jacob were represented progressions into the truths of faith and goods of love which in the supreme sense relate to the Lord and in the relative sense to the man who is being regenerated by the Lord, has been repeatedly shown. Hence by the “city Shechem” was signified the first of light (n. 1440, 1441), consequently interior truth, for this is the first of light.

[2] But in this chapter in the internal sense the descendants of Jacob are treated of—how they extinguished in themselves this first of light, or interior truth. In this sense, which is the internal historical sense, the sons of Jacob signify all his descendants; for in the internal sense of the Word the things of the Lord’s kingdom are exclusively treated of, thus the things of His church. The sons of Jacob themselves did not constitute any church, but their descendants, and this only after they had gone out of Egypt, and in actuality only after they came into the land of Canaan.

[3] Moreover as regards this city named from Shechem, it was anciently called “Shalem,” as is evident in the foregoing chapter:

Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan (Genesis 33:18).

That by “Shalem” is signified tranquillity, and by the “city of Shechem” the interior truths of faith, and that when a man comes to these truths he comes into a tranquil state, may be seen above (n. 4393). But the same city was afterwards called “Shechem,” as may be seen in Joshua:

The bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel caused to go up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in the portion of the field which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred kesitah (Josh. 24:32).

And in the book of Judges:

Gaal the son of Ebed said to the citizens of Shechem, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is not he the son of Jerubbaal, and Zebul is his officer? Serve ye the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, and why should we serve this man? (Judg. 9:28).

[4] The same city was afterwards called “Sychar,” as is evident in John:

Jesus came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near to the field which Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob’s spring was there (John 4:5-6).

That by this city is signified interior truth, is evident from these passages, and also from others where it is named, as in Hosea:

Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, it has been befouled with blood; and as troops wait for a man, a companionship of priests, on the way to Shechem they kill, because they have wrought wickedness; in the house of Israel I have seen a foul thing (Hos. 6:8-10); where “on the way to Shechem they kill” signifies that they extinguish truths even to those which are interior, thus all external truths. The extinction of interior truth is also signified by Abimelech’s destroying that city and sowing it with salt (Judges 9:45).

  
/ 10837  
  

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