The Bible

 

Postanak 8

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1 A Bog se opomenu Noja i svih zveri i sve stoke što behu s njim u kovčegu; i posla Bog vetar na zemlju da uzbije vodu.

2 I zatvoriše se izvori bezdanu i ustave nebeske, i dažd s neba prestade.

3 I stade voda opadati na zemlji, i jednako opadaše posle sto pedeset dana;

4 Te se ustavi kovčeg sedmog meseca dana sedamnaestog na planini Araratu.

5 I voda opadaše sve većma do desetog meseca; i prvog dana desetog meseca pokazaše se vrhovi od brda.

6 A posle četrdeset dana otvori Noje prozor na kovčegu, koji beše načinio;

7 I ispusti gavrana, koji jednako odletaše i doletaše dokle ne presahnu voda na zemlji.

8 Pa pusti i golubicu da bi video je li opala voda sa zemlje.

9 A golubica ne našavši gde bi stala nogom svojom vrati se k njemu u kovčeg, jer još beše voda po svoj zemlji; i Noje pruživši ruku uhvati je i uze k sebi u kovčeg.

10 I počeka još sedam dana, pa opet ispusti golubicu iz kovčega.

11 I pred veče vrati se k njemu golubica, i gle, u kljunu joj list maslinov, koji beše otkinula; tako pozna Noje da je opala voda sa zemlje.

12 Ali počeka još sedam dana, pa opet ispusti golubicu, a ona mu se više ne vrati.

13 Šest stotina prve godine veka Nojevog prvi dan prvog meseca usahnu voda na zemlji; i Noje otkri krov na kovčegu, i ugleda zemlju suvu.

14 A drugog meseca dvadeset sedmog dana beše sva zemlja suva.

15 Tada reče Bog Noju govoreći:

16 Izađi iz kovčega ti i žena tvoja i sinovi tvoji i žene sinova tvojih s tobom;

17 Sve zveri što su sa tobom od svakog tela, ptice i stoku i šta god gamiže po zemlji, izvedi sa sobom, neka se raziđu po zemlji, i neka se plode i množe na zemlji.

18 I iziđe Noje i sinovi njegovi i žena njegova i žene sinova njegovih s njim.

19 Sve zveri, sve sitne životinje, sve ptice i sve što se miče po zemlji po svojim vrstama iziđoše iz kovčega.

20 I načini Noje žrtvenik Gospodu, i uze od svake čiste stoke i od svih ptica čistih, i prinese na žrtveniku žrtve paljenice.

21 I Gospod omirisa miris ugodni, i reče u srcu svom: Neću više kleti zemlje s ljudi, što je misao srca čovečijeg zla od malena; niti ću više ubijati sve što živi, kao što učinih.

22 Od sada dokle bude zemlje, neće nestajati setve ni žetve, studeni ni vrućine, leta ni zime, dana ni noći.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #586

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586. The imagination of the thoughts of the heart was only evil every day, signifies that there was no perception of truth and good, for the reason, as before said and shown, that they immersed the doctrinal things of faith in their filthy cupidities, and when this occurred all perception was lost, and in place thereof a dreadful persuasion succeeded, that is, a most deep-rooted and deadly phantasy, which was the cause of their extinction and suffocation. This deadly persuasion is here signified by “the imagination of the thoughts of the heart;” but by “the imagination of the heart” without the word “thoughts” is signified the evil of the love of self, or of cupidities, as in the following chapter, where Jehovah said, after Noah had offered a burnt offering: “I will not again curse the ground for man’s sake, because the imagination of the heart of man is evil from his childhood” (Genesis 8:21). An “imagination” is that which man invents for himself, and of which he persuades himself; as in Habakkuk:

What profiteth a graven image, that the fashioner thereof hath graven it? the molten image and teacher of lies, that the fashioner trusteth to his imagination, to make dumb idols (Habakkuk 2:18)

A “graven image” signifies false persuasions originating in principles conceived and hatched out by one’s self; the “fashioner” is one who is thus self-persuaded, of whom this “imagination” is predicated.

In Isaiah:

Your overturn: shall the potter be reputed as the clay, that the work should say to him that made it, He made me not; and the thing fashioned say to him that fashioned it, He had no understanding? (Isaiah 29:16)

the “thing fashioned” here signifies thought originating in man’s Own, and the persuasion of what is false thence derived. A “thing fashioned” or “imagined” in general, is what a man invents from the heart or will, and also what he invents from the thought or persuasion, as in David:

Jehovah knoweth our fashioning [figmentum], He remembereth that we are dust (Psalms 103:14).

In Moses:

I know his imagination that he doeth this day, before I bring him into the land (Deuteronomy 31:21).

586a. verse 6. And it repented Jehovah that He made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. That He “repented” signifies mercy; that He “grieved at the heart” has a like signification; to “repent” has reference to wisdom; to “grieve at the heart” to love.

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