The Bible

 

Génesis 25

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1 Y ABRAHAM tomó otra mujer, cuyo nombre fué Cetura;

2 La cual le parió á Zimram, y á Joksan, y á Medan, y á Midiam, y á Ishbak, y á Sua.

3 Y Joksan engendró á Seba, y á Dedán: é hijos de Dedán fueron Assurim, y Letusim, y Leummim.

4 E hijos de Midiam: Epha, y Epher, y Enech, y Abida, y Eldaa. Todos estos fueron hijos de Cetura.

5 Y Abraham dió todo cuanto tenía á Isaac.

6 Y á los hijos de sus concubinas dió Abraham dones, y enviólos de junto Isaac su hijo, mientras él vivía, hacia el oriente, á la tierra oriental.

7 Y estos fueron los días de vida que vivió Abraham: ciento setenta y cinco años.

8 Y exhaló el espíritu, y murió Abraham en buena vejez, anciano y lleno de días y fué unido á su pueblo.

9 Y sepultáronlo Isaac é Ismael sus hijos en la cueva de Macpela, en la heredad de Ephrón, hijo de Zoar Hetheo, que está enfrente de Mamre;

10 Heredad que compró Abraham de los hijos de Heth; allí fué Abraham sepultado, y Sara su mujer.

11 Y sucedió, después de muerto Abraham, que Dios bendijo á Isaac su hijo: y habitó Isaac junto al pozo del Viviente que me ve.

12 Y estas son las generaciones de Ismael, hijo de Abraham, que le parió Agar Egipcia, sierva de Sara:

13 Estos, pues, son los nombres de los hijos de Ismael, por sus nombres, por sus linajes: El primogénito de Ismael, Nabaioth; luego Cedar, y Abdeel, y Mibsam,

14 Y Misma, y Duma, y Massa,

15 Hadad, y Tema, y Jetur, y Naphis, y Cedema.

16 Estos son los hijos de Ismael, y estos sus nombres por sus villas y por sus campamentos; doce príncipes por sus familias.

17 Y estos fueron los años de la vida de Ismael, ciento treinta y siete años: y exhaló el espíritu Ismael, y murió; y fué unido á su pueblo.

18 Y habitaron desde Havila hasta Shur, que está enfrente de Egipto viniendo á Asiria; y murió en presencia de todos sus hermanos.

19 Y estas son las generaciones de Isaac, hijo de Abraham. Abraham engendró á Isaac:

20 Y era Isaac de cuarenta años cuando tomó por mujer á Rebeca, hija de Bethuel Arameo de Padan-aram, hermana de Labán Arameo.

21 Y oró Isaac á Jehová por su mujer, que era estéril; y aceptólo Jehová, y concibió Rebeca su mujer.

22 Y los hijos se combatían dentro de ella; y dijo: Si es así ¿para qué vivo yo? Y fue á consultar á Jehová.

23 Y respondióle Jehová: Dos gentes hay en tu seno, Y Dos pueblos serán divididos desde tus entrañas: Y el un pueblo será más fuerte que el otro pueblo, Y el mayor servirá al menor.

24 Y como se cumplieron sus días para parir, he aquí mellizos en su vientre.

25 Y salió el primero rubio, y todo él velludo como una pelliza; y llamaron su nombre Esaú.

26 Y después salió su hermano, trabada su mano al calcañar de Esaú: y fué llamado su nombre Jacob. Y era Isaac de edad de sesenta años cuando ella los parió.

27 Y crecieron los niños, y Esaú fué diestro en la caza, hombre del campo: Jacob empero era varón quieto, que habitaba en tiendas.

28 Y amó Isaac á Esaú, porque comía de su caza; mas Rebeca amaba á Jacob.

29 Y guisó Jacob un potaje; y volviendo Esaú del campo cansado,

30 Dijo á Jacob: Ruégote que me des á comer de eso bermejo, pues estoy muy cansado. Por tanto fué llamado su nombre Edom.

31 Y Jacob respondió: Véndeme en este día tu primogenitura.

32 Entonces dijo Esaú: He aquí yo me voy á morir; ¿para qué, pues, me servirá la primogenitura?

33 Y dijo Jacob: Júrame lo en este día. Y él le juró, y vendió á Jacob su primogenitura.

34 Entonces Jacob dió á Esaú pan y del guisado de las lentejas; y él comió y bebió, y levantóse, y fuése. Así menospreció Esaú la primogenitura.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3240

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3240. 'And Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan' means the derivatives from the first division. This is clear from the representation of 'Jokshan' and his sons 'Sheba and Dedan' dealt with below. Since they are mere names here and they mean states and derivatives of the Lord's spiritual Church, something about what they are in general must be stated. The celestial Church differs from the spiritual Church in that in those who belong to the celestial Church and who are called celestial, love - that is to say, the good and truth of love - is present; but in those who belong to the spiritual Church and who are called spiritual, faith - that is to say, the good and truth of faith - is present. Good as it exists with those who are celestial consists in love to the Lord, and truth as it exists with them in love towards the neighbour. But good as it exists with those who are spiritual consists in charity towards the neighbour, and truth as it exists with them in faith insofar as this is doctrine concerning charity. From this it may be seen that good and truth are present in the Lord's spiritual kingdom, as they are in His celestial kingdom, yet are considerably different.

[2] It should be recognized in addition that the inhabitants of those kingdoms are distinguished from one another by means of good and truth for the reason that some are governed more by good, others more by truth. And it is from this that derivatives arise, that is to say, derivatives of good and derivatives of truth. The derivatives of good in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are those which are represented by the sons of Jokshan, who are referred to in this verse, but the derivatives of truth there are those which are represented by the sons of Midian, who are referred to in the next verse. Now because there are two categories of spiritual people - those governed more by good and those governed more by truth - two varieties of doctrine therefore exist among them, namely matters of doctrine concerning charity and matters of doctrine concerning faith. Matters of doctrine concerning charity exist for the sake of those governed by the good of faith, who are meant here by the sons of Jokshan. But matters of doctrine concerning faith exist for the sake of those governed by the truth of faith, who are meant by the sons of Midian.

[3] Sheba and Dedan are those who constitute the first category, that is, people in the Lord's spiritual kingdom who are governed by the good of faith and with whom matters concerning charity exist. This explains why Sheba and Dedan mean the cognitions of celestial things, or what amounts to the same, those with whom such cognitions exist, that is, with whom matters of doctrine concerning charity exist, for matters of doctrine are cognitions, and that which is celestial with the spiritual man is charity. For Sheba and Dedan mean those cognitions, as has been shown in Volume One, in 117, 1168, 1171, 1172, though there they are the great-grandsons of Ham, and are called the sons of Raamah. It should be realized however that Ham, like Japheth and Shem also, never was an actual person, but that those who belonged to the Church after the Flood called Noah were distinguished as regards goods and truths into three groups, and these groups were referred to by those names, 736, 1062, 1065, 1140, 1141, 1162, and in various other places. Nevertheless there were nations which were so called, but these were descended from different individuals, as is evident here from Sheba and Dedan who were descended from Jokshan, Abraham's son by Keturah.

[4] As regards 'Sheba' meaning those with whom cognitions of celestial things exist - thus those governed by the good of faith - this is clear from the places introduced in 117, 1171. 'Dedan' has a similar meaning, as is clear from the texts quoted in 1172, as well as from the following: In Isaiah,

The prophecy concerning Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will spend the night, O bands of Dedanites. To the thirsty bring water; O inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet with his bread the fugitive, for they will flee before the swords, before the drawn sword. Isaiah 21:13-15.

'Spending the night in the forest in Arabia' stands for being made desolate as regards good. For 'Arabia' means those with whom celestial things exist, that is, the goods of faith, so that 'spending the night there in the forest' is when goods exist no longer, and therefore means desolation, which is also described by 'fleeing before the swords, before the drawn sword'. Celestial things, that is, the goods of faith - or what amount to the same, the works of charity - which are theirs, are meant by 'bringing water to the thirsty, and with bread meeting the fugitive'.

[5] In Jeremiah,

I took the cup from Jehovah's hand and made all the nations to whom Jehovah sent me drink it - Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and its kings and its princes, to turn them into a desolation; Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people; all the kings of Tyre and all the kings of Sidon; Dedan and Tema, and Buz, and all who have cut the corners [of their hair] all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media, and all the kings of the north. Jeremiah 25:17-19, 22-23, 25-26.

This also refers to the desolation of the spiritual Church, different elements of which Church are mentioned in order and are meant by Jerusalem, the cities of Judah, Egypt, Tyre, Sidon, Dedan, Tema, Buz, Zimri, Elam, and Media.

[6] In Ezekiel,

Sheba and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, and all its young lions will say to you, Have you come to seize the spoil? Have you assembled your company to carry off plunder, to carry away silver and gold, and to take cattle and possessions, and seize great spoil? Ezekiel 38:13.

This refers to Gog who means external worship separated from internal, which is idolatrous, 1151. 'Sheba and Dedan' stands for the internal aspects of worship, namely the goods of faith, 'Tarshish' for corresponding external worship. The silver, gold, cattle, possessions, and spoil which Gog - or external worship separated from the internal - wishes to 'carry away' are the cognitions of good and truth, which those who are meant by Sheba and Dedan fight for and defend, and who are on that account called 'young lions'. In the proper sense 'Sheba' is those with whom cognitions of good exist, 'Dedan' those with whom cognitions of truth derived from good are present.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #1171

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1171. 'The sons of Raamah' similarly means those who had no internal worship but cognitions of faith, in the mere possession of which they made religion consist; and 'Sheba and Dedan' are nations with whom they existed and by these same nations cognitions themselves are meant in the internal sense. This is evident from the places in the Prophets given below, and from the following in David concerning Seba, Sheba, and Raamah,

The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring a gift, and the kings of Sheba and Seba will offer a present; and all kings will fall down before Him. Psalms 72:10-11.

This refers to the Lord, His kingdom, and the celestial Church. Anyone may see that here 'gift' and 'present' mean types of worship, though exactly which types of worship, and the nature of them, cannot be known unless it is known what 'Tarshish and the islands' and 'Sheba and Seba' are used to mean. The fact that 'Tarshish and the islands' is used to mean forms of external worship corresponding to internal has been shown already, from which it follows that 'Sheba and Seba' is used to mean forms of internal worship - 'Sheba' the celestial things of worship, and 'Seba' the spiritual.

[2] In Isaiah,

I gave Egypt as your expiation, Cush and Seba in place of you. Isaiah 43:3.

Here 'Cush and Seba' stands for the spiritual things of faith. In the same prophet,

The labour of Egypt, and the wares of Cush and of the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you. Isaiah 45:14.

'The labour of Egypt' stands for knowledge, 'the wares of Cush and the Sabeans' for cognitions of spiritual things which serve people who believe in the Lord.

[3] In the same prophet,

A drove of camels will cover you, dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense and will proclaim the praises of Jehovah. The whole Rock of Arabia will be gathered to you. Isaiah 60:6-7.

Here 'Sheba' is used to mean celestial things and the spiritual things deriving from these, described as 'gold and frankincense', which, as now explained, are 'the praises of Jehovah', that is, internal worship.

[4] In Ezekiel,

The traders of Sheba and Raamah, they were your traders in the best of every spice, and in every precious stone, and they gave gold for your resources. Ezekiel 27:22-23.

This refers to Tyre. What 'Sheba and Raamah' means is clear from the commodities in which they are said to have traded - spices, precious stones, and gold. 'Spices' in the internal sense are charity, 'precious stones' are faith deriving from charity, and 'gold' is love to the Lord, all of which are the celestial things meant by 'Sheba'. Strictly, 'Sheba' means the cognitions of those things - and this is why they are here called 'merchandise' - with which those who become members of the Church are endowed, for without cognitions no one is able to become a member of the Church.

[5] Similar things were represented by the Queen of Sheba who came to Solomon and brought him spices, gold, and precious stones, 1 Kings 10:1-3, and also by the wise men from the east who came to Jesus at His birth, and who fell down and worshipped Him, and who opened their treasures, and offered Him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, Matthew 2:1, 11. These gifts meant celestial, spiritual, and natural good. In Jeremiah,

To what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba, and best sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable. Jeremiah 6:20.

Here also it is evident that 'Sheba' stands for cognitions and adoration, meant by 'frankincense and sweet cane', though here they are those things devoid of charity, which are not pleasing.

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