The Bible

 

Genesis 23

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1 At ang buhay ni Sara ay tumagal ng isang daan at dalawang pu't pitong taon: ito ang naging mga taon ng buhay ni Sara.

2 At namatay si Sara sa Kiriatharba (na siyang Hebron), sa lupain ng Canaan: at naparoon si Abraham na ipinagluksa si Sara at iniyakan.

3 At tumindig si Abraham sa harap ng kaniyang patay, at nagsalita sa mga anak ni Heth, na sinasabi,

4 Ako'y tagaibang bayan at nakikipamayan sa inyo: bigyan ninyo ako ng isang pag-aaring libingan sa gitna ninyo, upang aking ilibing ang aking patay, na malingid sa aking paningin.

5 At ang mga anak ni Heth ay sumagot kay Abraham, na nagsasabi sa kaniya,

6 Dinggin mo kami, panginoon ko: ikaw ay prinsipe ng Dios sa gitna namin: sa pinakahirang sa aming mga libingan ay ilibing mo ang iyong patay; wala sa amin na magkakait sa iyo ng kaniyang libingan, upang paglibingan ng iyong patay.

7 At tumindig si Abraham, at yumukod sa bayan ng lupain, sa mga anak nga ni Heth.

8 At nakiusap sa kanila, na sinasabi, Kung kalooban ninyo na aking ilibing ang aking patay na malingid sa aking paningin, ay dinggin ninyo ako, at pamagitanan ninyo ako kay Ephron, na anak ni Zohar,

9 Upang ibigay niya sa akin ang yungib ng Macpela, na kaniyang inaari, na nasa hangganan ng kaniyang parang; sa tapat na halaga ay ibigay niya sa akin, upang maging pag-aaring libingan sa gitna ninyo.

10 Si Ephron nga ay nakaupo sa gitna ng mga anak ni Heth: at sumagot si Ephron na Hetheo kay Abraham, sa harap ng mga anak ni Heth, na naririnig ng lahat na pumapasok sa pintuan ng bayan, na sinasabi,

11 Hindi, panginoon ko, dinggin mo ako: ang parang ay ibinibigay ko sa iyo, at ang yungib na naroroon ay ibinibigay ko sa iyo; sa harap ng mga anak ng aking bayan, ay ibinigay ko sa iyo: ilibing mo ang iyong patay.

12 At si Abraham ay yumukod sa harapan ng bayan ng lupain.

13 At nagsalita kay Ephron sa harap ng bayan ng lupain, na sinasabi, Maanong ako lamang ay iyong pakinggan: ibibigay ko sa iyo ang halaga ng parang; tanggapin mo sa akin, at ililibing ko roon ang aking patay.

14 At sumagot si Ephron kay Abraham, na sinasabi sa kaniya,

15 Panginoon ko, dinggin mo ako: isang putol ng lupa na ang halaga'y apat na raang siklong pilak: gaano sa akin at sa iyo? ilibing mo nga ang iyong patay.

16 At dininig ni Abraham si Ephron; at tinimbang ni Abraham kay Ephron ang salaping sinabi, sa harap ng mga anak ni Heth, apat na raang siklong pilak, na karaniwang salapi ng mga mangangalakal.

17 Kaya't ang parang ni Ephron na nasa Macpela, na nasa tapat ng Mamre, ang parang at ang yungib na nandoon, at ang lahat ng mga punong kahoy na nasa parang na yaon, na ang nasa buong hangganan niyaon sa palibot, ay pinagtibay

18 Kay Abraham na pag-aari sa harap ng mga anak ni Heth, sa harapan ng lahat ng nagsisipasok sa pintuang daan ng kaniyang bayan.

19 At pagkatapos nito ay inilibing ni Abraham si Sara na kaniyang asawa sa yungib ng parang sa Macpela sa tapat ng Mamre (na siyang Hebron) sa lupain ng Canaan.

20 At ang parang at ang yungib na naroroon, ay pinagtibay kay Abraham ng mga anak ni Heth, na pag-aaring libingan niya.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #6551

Study this Passage

  
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6551. 'Facing Mamre' means nature and extent. This is clear from the meaning of 'Mamre' as the nature and extent of what it is used in connection with, dealt with in 2970, 4613, 6456. Something special is meant when it is said that Abraham had bought the cave of the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, from Ephron the Hittite, as may be recognized from the fact that these details are repeated so often, as in Genesis 23,

The field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah - which was before Mamre - was made over. . . Verse 17.

In addition to this,

After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife at the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre. Verse 19.

And yet again,

The field and the cave which was in it were made over to Abraham as a possession for a grave, from the sons of Heth. Verse 20.

Also in Genesis 25,

They buried Abraham at the cave of Machpelah, at the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which faced Mamre. The field which Abraham bought from the sons of Heth . . . Verses 9, 10.

In Genesis 49,

Bury me in the cave which is in the field of Machpelah, which faces Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a grave. The buying of the field and the cave that was in it was from the sons of Heth. Verses Genesis 49:30-32.

And in the present chapter,

They buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham had bought with the field, as a possession for a grave, from Ephron the Hittite - facing Mamre. Something special is meant by this frequent repetition involving practically the same words, for the following reason: 'Abraham', 'Isaac', and 'Jacob' represent the Lord; 'the burial of them' represents resurrection and restoration to life, 'the field of the cave of Machpelah' the beginning of regeneration, 'Ephron the Hittite' those who receive the good of faith and allow themselves to be regenerated, and 'the sons of Heth' a spiritual Church. Thus because these words in a brief way mean the establishment of a spiritual Church, the same details are repeated so many times.

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

The Bible

 

Genesis 48

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1 It happened after these things, that someone said to Joseph, "Behold, your father is sick." He took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

2 Someone told Jacob, and said, "Behold, your son Joseph comes to you," and Israel strengthened himself, and sat on the bed.

3 Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

4 and said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your seed after you for an everlasting possession.'

5 Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, will be mine.

6 Your issue, who you become the father of after them, will be yours. They will be called after the name of their brothers in their inheritance.

7 As for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and I buried her there in the way to Ephrath (the same is Bethlehem)."

8 Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, "Who are these?"

9 Joseph said to his father, "They are my sons, whom God has given me here." He said, "Please bring them to me, and I will bless them."

10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he couldn't see. He brought them near to him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

11 Israel said to Joseph, "I didn't think I would see your face, and behold, God has let me see your seed also."

12 Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

13 Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near to him.

14 Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn.

15 He blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day,

16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."

17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him. He held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head.

18 Joseph said to his father, "Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."

19 His father refused, and said, "I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a multitude of nations."

20 He blessed them that day, saying, "In you will Israel bless, saying, 'God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh'" He set Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.

22 Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow."