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Genesis 29

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1 Nang magkagayo'y nagpatuloy si Jacob ng kaniyang paglalakbay, at napasa lupain ng mga anak ng silanganan.

2 At siya'y tumingin, at nakakita ng isang balon sa parang, at narito, may tatlong kawan ng mga tupa na nagpapahinga sa tabi roon: sapagka't sa balong yaon pinaiinom ang mga kawan: at ang batong nasa ibabaw ng labi ng balon ay malaki.

3 At doon nagkakatipon ang lahat ng kawan: at kanilang iginugulong ang batong nasa ibabaw ng labi ng balon, at pinaiinom ang mga tupa, at muling inilalagay ang bato sa ibabaw ng labi ng balon, sa dako niyaon.

4 At sinabi sa kanila ni Jacob, Mga kapatid ko, taga saan kayo? At kanilang sinabi, Taga Haran kami.

5 At sinabi niya sa kanila, Nakikilala ba ninyo si Laban na anak ni Nachor? At kanilang sinabi, Nakikilala namin siya.

6 At sinabi niya sa kanila, Siya ba'y mabuti? At, kanilang sinabi, Siya'y mabuti: at, narito, si Raquel na kaniyang anak ay dumarating na dala ang mga tupa.

7 At sinabi niya, Narito, maaga pa, ni hindi oras tipunin ang mga hayop: painumin ninyo ang mga tupa, at inyo silang pasabsabin.

8 At kanilang sinabi, Hindi namin magagawa hanggang sa magkatipon ang lahat ng kawan, at igugulong ang bato mula sa labi ng balon; gayon nga aming pinaiinom ang mga tupa.

9 Samantalang nakikipagusap pa siya sa kanila, ay dumating si Raquel na dala ang mga tupa ng kaniyang ama; sapagka't siya ang nagaalaga ng mga iyon.

10 At nangyari, nang makita ni Jacob si Raquel na anak ni Laban, na kapatid ng kaniyang ina, at ang mga tupa ni Laban na kapatid ng kaniyang ina, na lumapit si Jacob at iginulong ang bato mula sa labi ng balon, at pinainom ang kawan ni Laban, na kapatid ng kaniyang ina.

11 At hinagkan ni Jacob si Raquel; at humiyaw ng malakas at umiyak.

12 At kay Raquel ay sinaysay ni Jacob na siya'y kapatid ni Laban, na kaniyang ama, at anak siya ni Rebeca: at siya'y tumakbo at isinaysay sa kaniyang ama.

13 At nangyari, nang marinig ni Laban ang mga balita tungkol kay Jacob, na anak ng kaniyang kapatid, ay tumakbo siya na kaniyang sinalubong, at kaniyang niyakap at kaniyang hinagkan, at kaniyang dinala sa kaniyang bahay. At isinaysay ni Jacob kay Laban ang lahat ng mga bagay na ito.

14 At sinabi sa kaniya ni Laban, Tunay na ikaw ay aking buto at aking laman. At dumoon sa kaniyang isang buwan.

15 At sinabi ni Laban kay Jacob, Sapagka't ikaw ay aking kapatid ay nararapat ka bang maglingkod sa akin ng walang bayad? sabihin mo sa akin kung ano ang magiging kaupahan mo.

16 At may dalawang anak na babae si Laban: ang pangalan ng panganay ay Lea, at ang pangalan ng bunso ay Raquel.

17 At ang mga mata ni Lea ay mapupungay; datapuwa't si Raquel ay maganda at kahalihalina.

18 At sininta ni Jacob si Raquel; at kaniyang sinabi, Paglilingkuran kitang pitong taon dahil kay Raquel na iyong anak na bunso.

19 At sinabi ni Laban, Magaling ang ibigay ko siya sa iyo, kay sa ibigay ko sa iba: matira ka sa akin.

20 At naglingkod si Jacob dahil kay Raquel, na pitong taon; at sa kaniya'y naging parang ilang araw, dahil sa pagibig na taglay niya sa kaniya.

21 At sinabi ni Jacob kay Laban, Ibigay mo sa akin ang aking asawa, sapagka't naganap na ang aking mga araw upang ako'y sumiping sa kaniya.

22 At pinisan ni Laban ang lahat ng tao roon at siya'y gumawa ng isang piging.

23 At nangyari nang kinagabihan, na kaniyang kinuha si Lea na kaniyang anak at dinala niya kay Jacob, at siya'y sumiping sa kaniya.

24 At sa kaniyang anak na kay Lea ay ibinigay na pinaka alilang babae ang kaniyang alilang si Zilpa.

25 At nangyari, na sa kinaumagahan, narito't si Lea: at kaniyang sinabi kay Laban: Ano itong ginawa mo sa akin? Hindi ba kita pinaglingkuran dahil kay Raquel? Bakit mo nga ako dinaya?

26 At sinabi ni Laban, Hindi ginagawa ang ganyan dito sa aming dako, na ibinibigay ang bunso, bago ang panganay.

27 Tapusin mo ang kaniyang sanglingo, at ibibigay rin naman namin sa iyo ang isa, dahil sa paglilingkod na gagawin mong pitong taon pa, sa akin.

28 At gayon ang ginawa ni Jacob, at tinapos niya ang sanglingo nito, at ibinigay ni Laban sa kaniya si Raquel na kaniyang anak na maging asawa niya.

29 At sa kaniyang anak na kay Raquel ay ibinigay ni Laban na pinaka alilang babae ang kaniyang alilang si Bilha.

30 At sumiping din naman si Jacob kay Raquel, at kaniya namang inibig si Raquel ng higit kay Lea, at naglingkod siya kay Laban na pitong taon pa.

31 At nakita ng Panginoon na si Lea ay kinapopootan niya, at binuksan ang kaniyang bahay-bata; datapuwa't si Raquel ay baog.

32 At naglihi si Lea, at nanganak ng isang lalake, at tinawag niya ang kaniyang pangalan na Ruben; sapagka't kaniyang sinabi, Sapagka't nilingap ng Panginoon ang aking kapighatian; dahil sa ngayo'y mamahalin ako ng aking asawa.

33 At naglihi uli, at nanganak ng isang lalake; at nagsabi, Sapagka't narinig ng Panginoon na ako'y kinapopootan ay ibinigay rin naman sa akin ito: at pinanganlan niyang Simeon.

34 At naglihi uli at nanganak ng isang lalake; at nagsabi, Ngayo'y masasama na sa akin ang aking asawa, sapagka't nagkaanak ako sa kaniya ng tatlong lalake: kaya't pinanganlan niyang Levi.

35 At muling naglihi at nanganak ng isang lalake, at nagsabi, Ngayo'y aking pupurihin ang Panginoon: kaya't pinanganlang Juda; at hindi na nanganak.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3820

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3820. 'And Leah's eyes were weak' means that the affection for external truth is weak so far as the understanding of it is concerned. This is clear from the representation of 'Leah' as the affection for external truth, dealt with in 3793, and immediately above in 3819; from the meaning of 'the eyes' as the understanding, dealt with in 2701; and from the meaning of 'weak' as its being such in comparison with the affection for internal truth. The fact that affections for external truth are weak so far as the understanding of it is concerned, or what amounts to the same, so far as people governed by those affections are concerned, becomes clear from external - that is, general - ideas which have not yet been filled in with their particular details. They are feeble and shaky ideas, which so to speak allow themselves to be carried along by every puff of wind, that is, to be won over to every opinion. But when those same ideas have been filled in with their particular details they emerge as firm and steadfast ideas, for they then possess the essence and form meant by 'beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance' as Rachel was, who represents the affections for interior truth.

[2] Let the following example show what is meant by external truths and the affections for them, and what by internal truths and the affections for these, and the fact that the former are 'weak eyed' in comparison with the latter, which are 'beautiful in form and appearance': Those governed by external truths know no more than the general truth that good should be done to the poor. They do not know how to tell who are truly the poor, let alone know that in the Word the expression 'the poor' is used to mean those who are so spiritually. Consequently they do good to bad persons and to good ones alike, without realizing that doing good to bad people is doing bad to good, for the bad are then given the opportunity to do bad to those who are good. This is why people possessing this kind of simple zeal are infested so strongly by the crafty and deceitful. But those governed by internal truths know who the poor are, tell one poor person from another, and do good to each according to his individual character.

[3] Take another example. Those governed by external truths know no more than the general truth that the neighbour ought to be loved. They as a consequence believe that every individual is the neighbour in the same degree, and so every individual ought to be embraced with the same love. Believing this, they allow themselves to be misguided. Those however who are governed by internal truths know which degree of the neighbour each person belongs to and that any one person is the neighbour in a different degree from another. Consequently they are aware of countless things which those governed by external truths do not know. They do not therefore allow themselves to be led astray by the mere name of neighbour, or to do what is evil by performing that good which the name alone persuades them to do.

[4] Take yet another example. Those governed by external truths alone imagine that the learned will shine like stars in the next life, and that all who have worked in the Lord's vineyard will have a greater reward than others. But those governed by internal truths know the expressions 'learned', 'wise', and 'intelligent' are used to mean those in whom good is present, whether they possess any human wisdom and intelligence or not, and that it is these who will shine like stars. They also know that those who work in the vineyard receive a reward, each according to the affection for good and truth which motivated him in his work, and that those who work from selfish and worldly motives, that is, from self-aggrandizement and enrichment as motives, have their reward during their lifetime, but in the next life their lot is with the evil there, Matthew 7:22-23.

From these examples it is evident how weak in understanding those people are who are governed by external truths alone, and that internal truths are what give them essence and form, and also what determine the character of the good with them. Nevertheless people governed by external truths, and at the same time when in the world simple good was present in them, receive internal truths and resulting wisdom in the next life, for by virtue of that simple good they are in the right state and have the capacity to receive them.

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