The Bible

 

Genesis 30

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1 At nang makita ni Raquel, na hindi siya nagkakaanak kay Jacob, ay nainggit si Raquel sa kaniyang kapatid; at sinabi kay Jacob, Bigyan mo ako ng anak, o kung hindi ay mamamatay ako!

2 At nagningas ang galit ni Jacob laban kay Raquel; at nagsabi, Ako ba'y nasa kalagayan ng Dios, na nagkait sa iyo ng bunga ng bahay-bata?

3 At sinabi niya, Narito ang aking alilang si Bilha, sumiping ka sa kaniya; upang manganak sa ibabaw ng aking mga tuhod, at magkaroon din naman ako ng anak sa pamamagitan niya.

4 At ibinigay niyang asawa si Bilha na kaniyang alila: at sinipingan ni Jacob.

5 At naglihi si Bilha, at nagkaanak kay Jacob, ng isang lalake.

6 At sinabi ni Raquel, Hinatulan ako ng Dios, at dininig din naman ang aking tinig, at binigyan ako ng anak: kaya't pinanganlang Dan.

7 At si Bilhang alila ni Raquel ay naglihi uli at ipinanganak ang kaniyang ikalawang anak kay Jacob.

8 At sinabi ni Raquel, Ako'y nakipagbaka ng malaking pakikipagbaka sa aking kapatid, at ako'y nanaig: at siya'y pinanganlang Nephtali.

9 Nang makita ni Lea, na siya'y hindi na nanganganak, ay kinuha si Zilpa na kaniyang alila at ibinigay na asawa kay Jacob.

10 At si Zilpa na alila ni Lea ay nagkaanak ng isang lalake kay Jacob.

11 At sinabi ni Lea, Kapalaran! at pinanganlang Gad.

12 At ipinanganak ni Zilpa na alila ni Lea, ang kaniyang ikalawang anak kay Jacob.

13 At sinabi ni Lea, Mapalad ako! sapagka't tatawagin akong mapalad ng mga babae: at tinawag niya ang kaniyang pangalan na Aser.

14 At yumaon si Ruben nang panahon ng paggapas ng trigo, at nakasumpong ng mga mandragoras sa bukid, at dinala sa kaniyang inang kay Lea. Nang magkagayo'y sinabi ni Raquel kay Lea, Ipinamamanhik ko sa iyo na bigyan mo ako ng mga mandragoras ng iyong anak.

15 At kaniyang sinabi, Kakaunti pa bang bagay na iyong kinuha ang aking asawa? at ibig mo pa ring kunin ang mga mandragoras ng aking anak? At sinabi ni Raquel, Kaya't sisiping siya sa iyo ngayong gabi, dahil sa mga mandragoras ng iyong anak.

16 At si Jacob ay umuwing galing sa bukid ng hapon, at sinalubong siya ni Lea, at sa kaniya'y sinabi, Sa akin ka dapat sumiping; sapagka't tunay na ikaw ay aking inupahan ng mga mandragoras ng aking anak. At sumiping siya sa kaniya ng gabing yaon.

17 At dininig ng Dios si Lea: at siya'y naglihi at kaniyang ipinanganak kay Jacob ang kaniyang ikalimang anak.

18 At sinabi ni Lea, Ibinigay sa akin ng Dios ang aking kaupahan, sapagka't ibinigay ko ang aking alila sa aking asawa: at kaniyang pinanganlang Issachar.

19 At naglihi uli si Lea, at kaniyang ipinanganak ang kaniyang ikaanim na anak kay Jacob.

20 At sinabi ni Lea, Binigyan ako ng Dios ng isang mabuting kaloob; ngayo'y makikisama na sa akin ang aking asawa, sapagka't nagkaanak ako sa kaniya ng anim na lalake: at kaniyang pinanganlang Zabulon.

21 At pagkatapos ay nanganak siya ng babae, at kaniyang pinanganlang Dina.

22 At naalala ng Dios si Raquel, at dininig ng Dios, at binuksan ang kaniyang bahay-bata.

23 At siya'y naglihi at nanganak ng lalake; at kaniyang sinabi, Inalis ng Dios sa akin ang kakutyaan ko:

24 At kaniyang tinawag ang pangalan niya na Jose, na sinasabi, Dagdagan pa ako ng Panginoon ng isang anak.

25 At nangyari, nang maipanganak ni Raquel si Jose, na sinabi ni Jacob kay Laban, Papagpaalamin mo ako upang ako'y makaparoon sa aking dakong tinubuan at sa aking lupain.

26 Ibigay mo sa akin ang aking mga asawa at ang aking mga anak, na siyang kadahilanan ng ipinaglingkod ko sa iyo, at papagpaalamin mo ako: sapagka't talastas mo ang paglilingkod na ipinaglingkod ko sa iyo.

27 At sinabi sa kaniya ni Laban, Kung ako'y nakasumpong ng biyaya sa harap ng iyong mga mata, matira ka: aking napagkilala, na pinagpala ako ng Panginoon dahil sa iyo.

28 At kaniyang sinabi, Sabihin mo sa akin ang iyong kaupahan, at ibibigay ko sa iyo.

29 At sinabi niya sa kaniya, Nalalaman mo kung paanong pinaglingkuran kita, at kung anong lagay ng iyong mga hayop dahil sa akin.

30 Sapagka't kakaunti ang tinatangkilik mo bago ako dumating, at naging isang karamihan; at pinagpala ka ng Panginoon saan man ako pumihit; at ngayo'y kailan naman ako maghahanda ng sa aking sariling bahay?

31 At sa kaniya'y sinabi, Anong ibibigay ko sa iyo? At sinabi ni Jacob, Huwag mo akong bigyan ng anoman: kung ito'y iyong gawin sa akin, ay muli kong papastulin at aalagaan ang iyong kawan.

32 Dadaanan ko ang lahat mong kawan ngayon, na aking ihihiwalay doon ang lahat ng batikbatik at may dungis, at ang lahat na maitim sa mga tupa, at ang may dungis at batikbatik sa mga kambing: at siyang magiging aking kaupahan.

33 Gayon ako sasagutan ng aking katuwiran sa haharapin, pagparito mo, tungkol sa aking kaupahan, na nasa harap mo; yaong lahat na walang batik at walang dungis sa mga kambing, at hindi maitim sa mga tupa, na masusumpungan sa akin, ay maibibilang mong nakaw.

34 At sinabi ni Laban, Narito, mangyari nawa ayon sa iyong sabi.

35 At inihiwalay ni Laban ng araw ding yaon ang mga lalaking kambing na may batik at may dungis, at ang lahat ng babaing kambing na may batik at may dungis, lahat ng mayroong kaunting puti, at lahat ng maitim sa mga tupa, at ibinigay sa mga kamay ng kaniyang mga anak;

36 At siya'y naglakad ng tatlong araw ang pagitan kay Jacob; at pinakain ni Jacob ang nalabi sa mga kawan ni Laban.

37 At kumuha si Jacob ng mga sanga ng alamo, at almendro at kastano; at pinagbabakbakan ng mga batik na mapuputi, at kaniyang pinalitaw na gayon ang puti na nasa mga sanga.

38 At kaniyang inilagay ang mga sangang kaniyang binakbakan sa mga bangbang, sa harap ng kawan, sa mga pinagpapainuman; na pinaparoonan ng mga kawan upang uminom; at nangaglilihi pagka nagsisiparoon upang uminom.

39 At nangaglilihi ang mga kawan sa harap ng mga sanga at nanganganak ang mga kawan ng mga may guhit, may batik at may dungis.

40 At ang mga korderong ito ay inihihiwalay ni Jacob, at inihaharap ang kawan sa dakong may batik, at ang lahat ng maitim sa kawan ni Laban; sa kaniyang ibinukod ang mga kawan niya rin, at hindi isinama sa kawan ni Laban.

41 At nangyari, na kailan ma't maglilihi ang mga malakas sa kawan, ay inilalagay ni Jacob ang mga sanga sa harap ng mga mata ng kawan sa mga bangbang, upang sila'y papaglihihin sa gitna ng mga sanga.

42 Datapuwa't pagka ang kawan ay mahina ay hindi niya inilalagay, kaya't ang mahina ay nagiging kay Laban at ang malakas ay kay Jacob.

43 At ang lalake ay lumagong mainam; at nagkaroon ng malalaking kawan, at ng mga aliping babae at lalake, at ng mga kamelyo at ng mga asno.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #435

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435. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.- That this signifies the good of life thence, is plain from the representation of the tribe of Gad, which is the good of life, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of twelve thousand sealed, which means that all such are in heaven, and come into heaven. Upon this subject the two preceding articles may be consulted. Before we show from the Word the representation of Gad and of the tribe named after him, something shall be said respecting the meaning of the good of life, which the tribe of Gad here signifies. Good of life is from a celestial origin, from a spiritual origin, and from a natural origin. The good of life from a celestial origin is that which results from the good of love to the Lord by means of truths from that good, the good of life being the effect of these. This good of life is that which is signified here by the tribe of Gad, therefore it is said, the good of life thence, that is to say, from the good of love to the Lord signified by the tribe of Judah, by means of truths from that good, signified by the tribe of Reuben. The good of life from a spiritual origin is the good of life which results from the good of charity towards the neighbour, by means of truths from that good, and this good of life is meant by Manasseh.

[2] The twelve tribes of Israel are here divided into four classes, and there are three tribes in each class. These three tribes in a series signify such things as from beginning to end, or from first to last, form that very essential universal of the church, which is signified by the first tribe in the class. The three tribes first named, that is to say, the tribes of Judah, Reuben, and Gad, signify those things which fully constitute celestial good; but the three following tribes, namely, the tribes of Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh, signify those which fully constitute spiritual good; similarly the tribes which afterwards follow.

[3] There are also three things which fully constitute and form every universal essential, the good of love, truth from that good, and the resulting good of life. The good of life is the effect of the other two. For unless there be a third, the two former have no existence; in other words, the good of love, and truth from that good, cannot exist without the good of life. These three are like the final cause, the efficient cause, and the effect. The good of love is the final cause, truth from that good is the efficient cause or that by means of which good is brought into effect, and the good of life is the effect in which the former causes exist, and without which they have no existence or subsistence. Those three also are like the beating of the heart, the respiration of the lungs, and the action of the body; these make one. For if the body does not act, or suffer itself to be put in action, as is the case when a man dies, the other two cease. The case is similar with the good of love, with truth from that good, and with the good of life. The good of love is like the heart, and is also meant by heart in the Word; truth from that good is like the lungs, and is meant in the Word by spirit and soul; and the good of life is like the body, in which the former act and live. There are three similar conditions in everything that exists, and when the three exist together, the formation is complete.

[4] It shall first be explained what is signified by Gad, or the tribe of Gad, in every sense. Gad, in the highest sense, signifies the Lord as to Omnipotence and Omniscience. In the internal sense, it signifies the good of truth, and in the external sense, works therefrom, which are the good of life. Gad has these significations, because in every part and detail of the Word there is an inmost, an internal, and an external sense. In the inmost sense is the Lord alone, for that sense treats of Him, of the glorification of His Human, of the orderly arrangement of the heavens, of the subjugation of the hells, and of the establishment of the church by Him. Therefore each tribe, in the inmost sense, signifies the Lord in regard to some attribute and work of His. But in the internal sense heaven and the church are treated of, and doctrine is laid down; but the Word in the external sense, is such as it is in the sense of the letter. There are three senses in the Word because there are three heavens; the inmost or celestial sense is for the inmost or third heaven, the internal or spiritual sense for the middle or second heaven, and the external or spiritual-natural sense for the first or ultimate heaven.

[5] The reason why the tribe of Gad, in this passage of the Apocalypse, where the twelve tribes are named, signifies the good of life, is, that it follows in order after Judah and Reuben; and Judah signifies the good of love, Reuben, truth from that good, and therefore Gad, the good of life. For from the good of love, by means of truths from it, the good of life exists, the good of life being the third in order, since it is the effect of the two former, as said above. Because the good of life is the good of the natural man, therefore an inheritance was given to the tribe of Gad beyond Jordan, and also to the tribe of Reuben, and to the half tribe of Manasseh. For the land which was beyond Jordan signified the external church, as shown in the article above, and the things of the external church, are those which proceed from the natural man. The church itself, regarded in itself is in the internal or spiritual man, but the external church is in the external or natural man; these nevertheless act as one, like cause and effect.

[6] That to the tribe of Gad an inheritance beyond Jordan was given is evident in Moses; for all inheritance was given to Reuben, to Gad, and to half the tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan where the land of cattle was; and it was given on the condition that they should cross over armed with the rest to take possession of the land of Canaan (Num. 32:1 to end; 34:14).

Further:

"And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon within the river and the border, and even unto the river Jabbok, the border of the sons of Ammon; the plain also, and Jordan, and the border thereof, from Chinnereth even unto the sea, the plain, the Salt Sea, under the aqueducts of Pisgah eastward" (Deuteronomy 3:16, 17).

And in Joshua:

"And Moses gave unto the sons of Gad that their border should be Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the sons of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before the faces of Rabbah; and from Heshbon unto Ramath of Mizpeh, and Betonim" (13:24, 25, 26).

The signification of Gad is not only evident from the places in the Word where he is mentioned, but also from the lands given to that tribe for an inheritance wherever they are mentioned in the Word, as Heshbon, Jazer, Rabbah, Ramath of Mizpeh, the river of Arnon, Chinnereth, the aqueducts of Pisgah, and others. What those lands signify in the spiritual sense, cannot be known, unless the signification of the tribe of Reuben, of Gad, and of the half tribe of Manasseh be known, to whom those lands were given for a possession; for they denote such things as are signified by those tribes, both in an extended and in a limited sense, as in Jeremiah:

[7] "Against the sons of Ammon, Hath Israel no sons? Hath he no heir? Why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities? Therefore, behold, the days come, in which I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon; and it shall become a heap of desolation, and her daughters shall be burned with fire; and Israel shall inherit their heirs. Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is devastated; cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird ye with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro among the fences; for their king shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together" (49:1-3).

These words cannot be understood, unless it be known what the sons of Ammon, Heshbon, and Rabbah signify. For Rabbah, Heshbon, and half of the land of Ammon, were given to the tribe of Gad for an inheritance; therefore those lands signify specifically such things as are signified by Gad in general; for it is said why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in their cities? For all the names of lands, regions, cities, rivers, and peoples in the Word, signify things of the church. Gad signifies the good of life according to truths of doctrine; Israel, the church as to truth. The sons of Ammon signify the falsifications of truth; Heshbon signifies the fructification of truth in the natural man; while the daughters of Rabbah signify the affections of truth also in the natural man, and Ai signifies the doctrine of truth. When these things are known, the spiritual sense of the whole passage will be seen to follow in the following series: Against the sons of Ammon, signifies against the falsifications of truth. Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? signifies, are there not in the church the knowledges of truth and good? Israel denotes the church, his sons denote truths, and heir denotes the good of truth. Why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities? signifies whence is it that truth falsified has destroyed the good of life, and also perverted the doctrinals which teach the good of life. Behold, the days come, in which I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon; and it shall become a heap of desolation, signifies the destruction of that doctrine, or of falsified truth, and the destruction of those who hold it. And her daughters shall be burned with fire, signifies that the affections of that doctrine shall become lusts of evil. Then shall Israel inherit their heirs, signifies that the church shall perish as to goods. Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is devastated, signifies that there is no longer any fructification of truth from good, because the doctrine of truth is destroyed; Cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird ye with sackcloth, lament, signifies, that the affections of truth are no more; and run to and fro among the fences, signifies thought and life from falsities. For their king shall go into captivity, signifies because truth is no more; and his priests and his princes together, signifies that both goods and the truths of good are no more. From these things it is plain that by the lands of the inheritance of Gad are signified similar things specifically as in general by Gad; and that the significations of the lands mentioned in the Word may be known from the signification of the tribes to whom they were given for an inheritance.

What else is meant by the lands which in Ezekiel are said to be given for an inheritance to the tribe of Gad (48:27)? That the tribe of Gad is not meant, but that attribute of the church which is signified by Gad, is evident; for the tribe of Gad did not then exist, neither will exist.

[8] That Gad signifies the good of life from truths of doctrine, is evident from the blessing of that tribe by Moses:

"To Gad he said, Blessed is he who hath given breadth to Gad; as a lion he dwelleth, and seizeth the arm, yea the crown of the head, and he seeth the first-fruits for himself; for there is the portion of the hidden lawgiver; whence have come the heads of the people; he has executed the justice of Jehovah, and judgments with Israel" (Deuteronomy 33:20, 21).

In these words, by Gad are described the good of life according to truths from the Word, and the influx of heaven into that good. The influx of truth into that good from the Lord, is signified by Blessed be he who hath given breadth to Gad. Breadth signifies truth, Gad the good of life; and "blessed" the Lord Himself. As a lion he dwelleth, signifies that he is safe from falsities. He seizeth the arm, yea the crown of the head, signifies that he is nourished by truths external and internal; for arm, and the crown of the head in sacrifices, signified such things. He seeth the first-fruits for himself, signifies that they are from primary things. For there is the portion of the hidden lawgiver signifies truths Divine hidden therein; intelligence thence is signified by whence have come the heads of the people; he executed the justice of Jehovah, signifies the good works thence. And His judgments with Israel, signifies the truths of the church thence.

[9] Gad signifies the good of life because he was named from "troop" (see Genesis 30:10, 11); for Gad in Hebrew signifies a troop, and by a troop, in the spiritual sense, are signified works, and the good of life consists in doing goods which are works. See Arcana Coelestia 3934). But what is signified by Gad in the blessing of his father Israel, which is as follows in Moses:-

"Gad; a troop shall lay him waste; and he shall lay waste the heel" (Genesis 49:19)

may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 6403-6406), and also the signification of the following in Isaiah:

"Ye are they that forsake Jehovah, that forget the mountain of my holiness, that prepare a table for Gad, and fill the drink-offering unto Meni" (65:11) ([AC 6405]).

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3576

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3576. 'And he blessed him' means conjunction thereby. This is clear from the meaning of 'being blessed' as conjunction, dealt with in 3504, 3514, 3530, 3565. From these details which refer to Esau and Jacob it becomes clear that the good of the rational joined itself inmostly to the good of the natural, and then through the good of the natural to the truth there. For 'Isaac' represents the rational as regards good, 'Rebekah' the rational as regards truth, while 'Esau' represents the good of the natural and 'Jacob' the truth of the natural. The idea that the rational as regards good, which is 'Isaac', joined itself inmostly to the good of the natural, which is 'Esau', but not to the truth of the natural, which is 'Jacob', except indirectly, is evident from the consideration that Isaac had Esau in mind when pronouncing the blessing on Jacob. At that time he was not thinking of Jacob but of Esau. When anyone pronounces a blessing he is blessing the person of whom he is thinking, not someone of whom he is not thinking. All blessing comes forth from something interior, for though pronounced with the lips it receives its life from the will and the thought of the person pronouncing it. It belongs essentially therefore to the individual to whom he wishes to impart it and of whom he is thinking. If anyone intercepts it and so makes it his own it is like something stolen which ought to be restored to the other person. The fact that Isaac, when pronouncing the blessing, was thinking of Esau and not of Jacob becomes clear from every single detail that goes before this - from verses 18-19, where Isaac said to Jacob,

Who are you, my son? And Jacob said to his father, I am Esau your firstborn.

Then from verses 21-23,

Isaac said to Jacob, Come near now, and I will feel you, my son, whether you are my son Esau, or not.

And after feeling him he said, The voice is Jacob's voice, and the hands Esau's hands; and he did not recognize him.

Also from verse 24,

And he said. Are you my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

And at length, when kissing him,

He smelled the odour of his clothes.

That is to say, he smelled Esau's clothes, at which point he blessed him and said,

See, the odour of my son.

From all this it is clear that by the son whom he blessed he meant none other than Esau. This also was why when he heard from Esau that it had been Jacob,

Isaac trembled very greatly. Verse 33.

And he said, Your brother came in deceitfully. Verse 35.

The reason why Jacob retained the blessing however, according to what is said in verses 33-37, was that truth represented by 'Jacob' would from the point of view of time apparently have dominion, as shown frequently above.

[2] But once the time of reformation and regeneration is completed good itself which has been Lying hidden in the inmost parts and from there has been disposing every single thing which seemed to be a matter of truth, that is, which truth had ascribed to itself, comes to the fore and openly has dominion. And this is what Isaac's words addressed to Esau mean,

By your sword you will live, and you will serve your brother. And it will be when you have dominion over him, that you will break his yoke from above your neck, Verse 40.

The internal sense of these words is that all the time truth is joined to good, good appears to be in the lower position but will eventually be in the higher. At this point there will be a joining together of the rational with the good of the natural, and through the good of the natural with the truth. Truth will thus become the truth of good. In this case 'Esau' will consequently represent the good itself of the natural and 'Jacob' the truth of the natural, both joined to the rational. Accordingly in the highest sense they will represent the Lord's Divine Natural - 'Esau' as regards the Divine Good there and 'Jacob' as regards the Divine Truth.

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