The Bible

 

Postanak 4

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1 Iza toga Adam pozna Jevu ženu svoju, a ona zatrudne i rodi Kajina, i reče: Dobih čoveka od Gospoda.

2 I rodi opet brata njegovog Avelja. I Avelj posta pastir a Kajin ratar.

3 A posle nekog vremena dogodi se, te Kajin prinese Gospodu prinos od roda zemaljskog;

4 A i Avelj prinese od prvina stada svog i od njihove pretiline. I Gospod pogleda na Avelja i na njegov prinos,

5 A na Kajina i na njegov prinos ne pogleda. Zato se Kajin rasrdi veoma, i lice mu se promeni.

6 Tada reče Gospod Kajinu: Što se srdiš? Što li ti se lice promeni?

7 Nećeš li biti mio, kad dobro činiš? A kad ne činiš dobro, greh je na vratima. A volja je njegova pod tvojom vlašću, i ti si mu stariji.

8 Posle govoraše Kajin s Aveljem bratom svojim. Ali kad behu u polju, skoči Kajin na Avelja brata svog, i ubi ga.

9 Tada reče Gospod Kajinu: Gde ti je brat Avelj? A on odgovori: Ne znam; zar sam ja čuvar brata svog?

10 A Bog reče: Šta učini! Glas krvi brata tvog viče sa zemlje k meni.

11 I sada, da si proklet na zemlji, koja je otvorila usta svoja da primi krv brata tvog iz ruke tvoje.

12 Kad zemlju uzradiš, neće ti više davati blaga svog. Bićeš potukač i begunac na zemlji.

13 A Kajin reče Gospodu: Krivica je moja velika da mi se ne može oprostiti.

14 Evo me teraš danas iz ove zemlje da se krijem ispred Tebe, i da se skitam i potucam po zemlji, pa će me ubiti ko me udesi.

15 A Gospod mu reče: Zato ko ubije Kajina, sedam će se puta to pokajati. I načini Gospod znak na Kajinu da ga ne ubije ko ga udesi.

16 I otide Kajin ispred Gospoda, i naseli se u zemlji naidskoj na istoku prema Edemu.

17 I pozna Kajin ženu svoju, a ona zatrudne i rodi Enoha. I sazida grad i prozva ga po imenu sina svog Enoh.

18 A Enohu rodi se Gaidad; a Gaidad rodi Maleleila: a Maleleilo rodi Matusala; a Matusal rodi Lameha.

19 I uze Lameh dve žene: jednoj beše ime Ada a drugoj Sela.

20 I Ada rodi Jovila; od njega se narodiše koji žive pod šatorima i stoku pasu.

21 A bratu njegovom beše ime Juval; od njega se narodiše gudači i svirači.

22 A i Sela rodi Tovela, koji beše vešt kovati svašta od bronze i od gvožđa; a sestra Tovelu beše Noema.

23 I reče Lameh svojim ženama, Adi i Seli: Čujte glas moj, žene Lamehove, poslušajte reči moje: ubiću čoveka za ranu svoju i mladića za masnicu svoju.

24 Kad će se Kajin osvetiti sedam puta, Lameh će sedamdeset i sedam puta.

25 A Adam opet pozna ženu svoju, i ona rodi sina, i nade mu ime Sit, jer mi, reče, Bog dade drugog sina za Avelja, kog ubi Kajin.

26 I Situ se rodi sin, kome nadede ime Enos. Tada se poče prizivati ime Gospodnje.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #395

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395. That the words “whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold” signify that to do violence to faith even when thus separated would be sacrilege, is evident from the signification of “Cain” which is faith separated from charity, and from the signification of “seven” which is what is sacred. The number “seven” was esteemed holy, as is well known, by reason of the six days of creation, and of the seventh, which is the celestial man, in whom is peace, rest, and the sabbath. Hence this number occurs so frequently in the rites of the Jewish Church, and is everywhere held sacred, and hence also both greater and less periods of time were distinguished into sevens, and were called “weeks” such as the great intervals of time to the coming of the Messiah (Daniel 9:24-25); and the time of seven years called a “week” by Laban and Jacob (Genesis 29:27-28). For the same reason, wherever it occurs, the number seven is accounted holy or inviolable. Thus we read in David:

Seven times a day do I praise Thee (Psalms 119:164).

In Isaiah:

The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days (Isaiah 30:26),

where the “sun” denotes love, and the “moon” faith from love, which should be as love. As the periods of man’s regeneration are distinguished into six, before the seventh arrives, that is, the celestial man, so also are the periods of his vastation, up to the time when nothing celestial remains. This was represented by the several captivities of the Jews, and by the last or Babylonish captivity, which lasted seven decades, or seventy years. It is also said several times that the earth should rest on its sabbaths. The same is represented by Nebuchadnezzar, in Daniel:

His heart shall be changed from man, and a beast’s heart shall be given unto him, and seven times shall pass over him (Daniel 4:16, 23, 32).

And in John, concerning the vastation of the last times:

I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels, having the seven last plagues (Revelation 15:1, 6-8);

and that:

The Gentiles should tread the holy city under foot forty and two months, or six times seven (Revelation 11:2).

And again:

I saw a book written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals (Revelation 5:1).

For the same reason the severities and augmentations of punishment were expressed by the number seven; as in Moses:

If ye will not yet for all this obey Me, then I will chastise you sevenfold for your sins (Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28).

And in David:

Render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom (Psalms 79:12).

Now as it was a sacrilege to do violence to faith-since as has been said it was to be of service-it is said that “whosoever should slay Cain, vengeance should be taken on him sevenfold.”

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