The Bible

 

Postanak 7

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1 I reče Gospod Noju: Uđi u kovčeg ti i sav dom tvoj; jer te nađoh pravedna pred sobom ovog veka.

2 Uzmi sa sobom od svih životinja čistih po sedmoro, sve mužjaka i ženku njegovu; a od životinja nečistih po dvoje, mužjaka i ženku njegovu,

3 Takođe i od ptica nebeskih po sedam, mužjaka i ženku njegovu, da im se sačuva seme na zemlji.

4 Jer ću do sedam dana pustiti dažd na zemlju za četrdeset dana i četrdeset noći, i istrebiću sa zemlje svako telo živo, koje sam stvorio.

5 I Noje učini sve što mu zapovedi Gospod.

6 A beše Noju šest stotina godina kad dođe potop na zemlju.

7 I uđe Noje u kovčeg i sinovi njegovi i žena njegova i žene sinova njegovih s njim radi potopa.

8 Od životinja čistih i od životinja nečistih i od ptica i od svega što se miče po zemlji,

9 Uđe k Noju u kovčeg po dvoje, muško i žensko, kao što beše Bog zapovedio Noju.

10 A u sedmi dan dođe potop na zemlju.

11 Kad je bilo Noju šest stotina godina, te godine drugog meseca, sedamnaesti dan toga meseca, taj dan razvališe se svi izvori velikog bezdana, i otvoriše se ustave nebeske;

12 I udari dažd na zemlju za četrdeset dana i četrdeset noći.

13 Taj dan uđe u kovčeg Noje i Sim i Ham i Jafet, sinovi Nojevi, i žena Nojeva i tri žene sinova njegovih s njima;

14 Oni, i svakojake zveri po vrstama svojim, i svakojaka stoka po vrstama svojim, i šta se god miče po zemlji po vrstama svojim, i ptice sve po vrstama svojim, i šta god leti i ima krila,

15 Dođe k Noju u kovčeg po dvoje od svakog tela, u kome ima živa duša,

16 Muško i žensko od svakog tela uđoše, kao što beše Bog zapovedio Noju; pa Gospod zatvori za njim.

17 I bi potop na zemlji za četrdeset dana; i voda dođe i uze kovčeg, i podiže ga od zemlje.

18 I navali voda, i usta jako po zemlji, i kovčeg stade ploviti vodom.

19 I navaljivaše voda sve većma po zemlji, i pokri sva najviša brda što su pod celim nebom.

20 Petnaest lakata dođe voda iznad brda, pošto ih pokri.

21 Tada izgibe svako telo što se micaše na zemlji, ptice i stoka, i zveri i sve što gamiže po zemlji, i svi ljudi.

22 Sve što imaše dušu živu u nosu, sve što beše na suvom, pomre.

23 I istrebi se svako telo živo na zemlji, i ljudi i stoka i šta god gamiže i ptice nebeske, sve, velim, istrebi se sa zemlje; samo Noje osta i šta s njim beše u kovčegu.

24 I stajaše voda povrh zemlje sto pedeset dana.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #482

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482. Until now nobody has known what the years and the numbers of years occurring in this chapter mean in the internal sense. People who stay within the sense of the letter imagine that they are no more than chronological years. But none of the content from here down to Chapter 12 is history as it seems to be in the sense of the letter, for every single detail contains something of a different nature. What applies to names applies to numbers as well. In the Word the number three occurs frequently, and so does the number seven; and in every instance they mean something holy or inviolable as regards those states which the periods of time or whatever else that is mentioned embody or represent. This applies as much to the shortest as to the longest time-intervals; for just as parts makeup the whole, so do the shortest make up the longest. For a similarity must exist in order that a whole may emerge satisfactorily out of the parts, or that which is largest out of that which is smallest.

[2] As in Isaiah,

Jehovah has now spoken, saying, In three years, according to the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab will be rendered worthless. Isaiah 16:14.

In the same prophet,

The Lord said to me, Within yet a year, according to the years of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar will be brought to an end. Isaiah 21:6.

Here both the shortest as well as the longest time-intervals are meant. In Habakkuk,

O Jehovah, I have heard Your fame; I was afraid. O Jehovah, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years do You make it known. Habakkuk 3:2.

Here 'the midst of the years' stands for the Lord's Coming. If the intervals are shorter this stands for every coming of the Lord, as when a person is being regenerated; but if longer it stands for the rising anew of the Lord's Church. It is also called in Isaiah 'the year of the redeemed', The day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come. Isaiah 63:4.

So too 'the thousand years' for which Satan is to be bound, Revelation 20:2-3, 7, and 'the thousand years' associated with the first resurrection, Revelation 20:4-6. These in no way mean a thousand years but the states associated with them. For just as 'days, as shown 'already, are interpreted as a state, so too are 'years', and the states are described by the number of the years. From this it becomes clear that periods of time in this chapter also embody states, for every Church experienced a different state of perception from the next, according to differences of disposition resulting from inherited and acquired characteristics.

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