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.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #4292

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4292. In the internal historical sense by “he said, Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel,” is signified that they could not represent as Jacob, but as from a new quality given them. This may be seen from the meaning of “Jacob” in the Word, as being his posterity (see n. 4281); and from the signification of a “name,” as being quality (s ee just above, n. 4291). The new quality itself is “Israel” in the internal sense; for “Israel” is the celestial spiritual, thus the internal man (n. 4286). And because “Israel” is the celestial spiritual and thus the internal man, “Israel” is also the internal spiritual church; for whether you speak of the spiritual man or the spiritual church, it is the same thing; because the spiritual man is a church in particular, and a number are a church in general. If a man were not a church in particular, there would not be any church in general. A congregation in general is what in common speech is called a church, but in order that there may be any church, everyone in this congregation must be such as is the church in general, because every general involves parts similar to itself.

[2] As regards the matter itself (that they could not represent as Jacob, but as from a new quality given them, which is “Israel”) the case is this. It was specifically Jacob’s posterity who represented the church, but not Isaac’s specifically; for Isaac’s posterity were not from Jacob only, but also from Esau. Still less was it Abraham’s posterity specifically; for Abraham’s posterity were not from Jacob only, but also from Esau, and likewise from Ishmael, as also from his sons by his second wife Keturah—thus from Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah, and their sons (see Genesis 25:1-4). Now as Jacob’s posterity insisted on being representative (as shown just above n. 4290), they could not represent as Jacob, nor as Isaac, nor as Abraham. That they could not as Jacob was because Jacob represented the external of the church, but not its internal; and they could not as Isaac at the same time, nor as Abraham at the same time, for the reason just adduced.

[3] There was therefore no other way by which they could represent the church than by a new name being given to Jacob, and thereby a new quality; which new quality should signify the internal spiritual man, or what is the same, the internal spiritual church. This new quality is “Israel.” Every church of the Lord is internal and external, as has been repeatedly shown. The internal church is what is represented, and the external is what represents. Moreover the internal church is either spiritual or celestial. The internal spiritual church was represented by Israel, and the internal celestial church was afterwards represented by Judah. Therefore also a division was made, and the Israelites were a kingdom by themselves, and the Jews were a kingdom by themselves; but on this subject of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter. Hence it is evident that Jacob (that is, the posterity of Jacob) could not represent a church as Jacob, for this would be to represent only the external of a church; but must also do so as Israel, because “Israel” is the internal.

[4] That the internal is what is represented, and the external what represents, has been shown before, and may likewise be seen from man himself. Man’s speech represents his thought, and his action represents his will. Speech and action are man’s externals, and thought and will are his internals. Furthermore, man’s face itself, by its varying looks, represents both his thought and his will. That the face by its looks represents, is known to everyone; for with the sincere their interior states may be seen from the looks of the face. In a word, all things of the body represent what is of the animus and of the mind.

[5] The case is similar with the externals of the church, for these are like a body, and the internals are like a soul—as the altars and the sacrifices upon them, which as is known were external things; in like manner the showbreads; also the lampstand with its lights; and likewise the perpetual fire: that these represented internal things may be known to everyone; and it is the same with the rest of the rites. That these external things could not represent external but internal things, is evident from what has been adduced. Thus Jacob could not represent as Jacob, because “Jacob” is the external of the church; but Jacob could represent as Israel, because “Israel” is its internal. This is what is meant by the new quality given in order that the posterity of Jacob might represent.

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