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

 

Arcana Coelestia #3923

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3923. 'Therefore she called his name Dan' means the essential nature of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'name' and 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3421. The particular nature is contained in the name Dan, for he was so called from the verb 'to judge'. But although he was given this name from that verb, it nevertheless includes those things meant in the whole of Rachel's utterance 'God has judged me, and also has heard my voice'. That is, the name Dan holds within it the good of life and the holiness of faith, and also in the highest sense the Lord's righteousness and mercy. This general essential of the Church is meant by Dan and represented by the tribe named after Dan, and it is the first that has to be affirmed and acknowledged before a person can be regenerated or become the Church. Unless such goodness and holiness are affirmed and acknowledged, all the other qualities constituting faith and life cannot possibly be received, nor therefore affirmed, still less acknowledged. For anyone whose affirmation does not go beyond faith to the holiness of faith, which is charity - for charity is the holiness of faith - and does not affirm that holiness of faith through the good of life, that is, through charitable works, can no longer have any enthusiasm for the essence of faith since he rejects it. Acknowledgement as well as affirmation is the first general attainment in a person who is being regenerated but the last with one who has been regenerated. This explains why Dan comes first with one who is to be regenerated and Joseph last, for Joseph is the spiritual man himself, but why Joseph comes first with one who has been regenerated and Dan last. The reason for this is that one who is to be regenerated is at the point of beginning to affirm that these qualities - the holiness of faith and the good of life - are truly such. But one who is regenerate - a spiritual man - has arrived at spiritual good itself, and from here he sees the affirmation of those qualities as that which comes last, because the things that constitute the holiness of faith and the good of life have become firmly established in him.

[2] That 'Dan' means this affirmative attitude which must exist first when a person is being regenerated may also be seen from other places in the Word where Dan is mentioned, for example from the prophecy of Jacob, who by then was Israel, concerning his own sons, Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a serpent on the road, an asp on the path, biting the horse's heels; and its rider falls backwards. I am awaiting Your salvation, O Jehovah. Genesis 49:16-18.

'Dan' in this case stands for an affirmative attitude to truth. This attitude is spoken of as a serpent which will be on the road and an asp on the path when someone reasoning about truth does so from sensory evidence. 'Biting the horse's heels' means when that person resorts to the lowest level of the understanding - namely factual knowledge - and bases his conclusions on this. And the fact that when he does so he is drawn away from the truth is meant by 'its rider falls backwards', as a consequence of which it is said that 'I am awaiting Your salvation, O Jehovah'. For 'a serpent' means one who reasons from sensory evidence and from factual knowledge about Divine arcana, see 195-197; 'road' and 'path' mean truth, 627, 2333; 'the horse's heels' means the lowest level of the understanding, which is factual knowledge, 259 - 'a horse' meaning the understanding, 2761, 2762, the lowest level of which is meant by 'the heel'.

[3] In Moses' prophecy regarding the twelve tribes,

To Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp; he leaps out from Bashan. Deuteronomy 33:22.

'A lion' in the internal sense of the Word means the truth of the Church, on account of its strength, truth being that which fights and overcomes. 'A lion's whelp' therefore stands for the first stage truth passes through, which is one of affirmation and acknowledgement. The phrase 'from Bashan' is used because these begin in the good of the natural. In Jeremiah,

Wash your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that you may be saved. How long are you causing your iniquitous thoughts to lodge within you? For there is a voice of one declaring from Dan, and of one causing iniquity to be heard from Mount Ephraim. Jeremiah 4:14-15.

'From Dan' stands for truth that is to be affirmed, 'from Mount Ephraim' for this being done from the affection for it.

[4] In the same prophet,

Await peace, and no good comes; for a time of healing, and behold, terror! From Dan the snorting of his horses was heard; at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones the whole land quaked. And they came and devoured the land and the fulness of it, the city and those dwelling in it. For behold, I am sending into you poisonous serpents which do not respond to charming; and they will bite you. Jeremiah 8:15-17.

'From Dan the snorting of horses was heard' stands for reasoning about truth from an unaffirmative attitude. 'The land which quaked' and 'they devoured the fulness of it' stand for the Church and all things constituting the Church. For people who reason about truth from an unaffirmative or negative attitude destroy everything that is part of faith. 'Poisonous serpents' stands for reasonings, as above.

[5] In Ezekiel,

Dan and Javan came and exchanged wrought iron at your fairs, cassia and calamus were in your trading. Ezekiel 27:19.

This refers to Tyre, which means cognitions of truth and good, 1201. 'Dan' stands for the first truths that are affirmed, 'fairs and tradings' for acquisitions of truth and good, 2967, 'wrought iron' stands for natural truth, which is primary, 425, 426, 'cassia and calamus' for the same, but natural truth from which good flows.

[6] In Amos,

On that day the beautiful virgins and the young men will faint for thirst. Those swearing to the offence of Samaria, who say, Your God lives, O Dan, and the way of Beersheba lives, they will both fall and not rise again. Amos 8:13-14.

'Your God lives, O Dan, and the way of Beersheba lives' stands for their negative attitude towards everything that constitutes faith and its doctrine - 'way' meaning truth, 627, 2333, and 'Beersheba' doctrine, 2723, 2858, 2859, 3466. The reason a negative attitude towards everything constituting faith is meant is that Dan was the last boundary of the land of Canaan, and Beersheba the first; that is, it was situated in the middle or inmost part of the land. For the land of Canaan represented and meant the Lord's kingdom, and so the Church, 1607, 3038, 3481, and therefore every detail of love and faith, since these constitute the Lord's kingdom and Church. Consequently everything in the land of Canaan was representative, being determined by the distances, positions, and boundaries there, 1585, 1866, 3686.

[7] The first - that is, the central or inmost - point of reference to the land, before Jerusalem became such, was Beersheba; for this was where Abraham and also Isaac lived. But the outermost point of reference or the last boundary was Dan. Consequently when everything in its entirety was meant the phrase 'Dan even to Beersheba' was used, as in the second Book of Samuel,

To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba. 2 Samuel 3:10:.

In the same book,

David said to Joab, Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan even to Beersheba. 2 Samuel 24:2, 15.

In the first Book of Kings,

Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every one under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba. 1 Kings 4:25.

This phrase is used in the historical sense to mean every part of the land of Canaan, but in the internal sense everything constituting the Lord's kingdom, and also everything constituting the Church.

[8] Dan means the first boundary, and also - as stated above - the last boundary, for the reason that the affirmative attitude towards truth and good is the first requirement of all when faith and charity begin to be present in a person, but the last when charity and consequently faith are established in him. This is also why the last lot fell to Dan when the land of Canaan was divided up for inheritance, Joshua 19:40 and following verses; for the lot was cast before Jehovah, Joshua 18:6.

[9] That lot fell therefore according to what each tribe represented. And since the lot to Dan did not fall among the inheritances of all the other tribes but beyond their boundaries, Judges 18:1, that tribe was also left out of the description in John, in Revelation 7:5-8, concerning each twelve thousand who had been sealed. For those who merely affirm truth and also good, but go no further, are not within the Lord's kingdom, that is, among those who have been sealed. Even very wicked people may know truths and goods, and may also affirm them; but the true nature of their affirming is recognized from the life they lead.

[10] Dan is also referred to as a boundary in Genesis 14:14, in which verse it is said that Abraham pursued his enemies as far as there, and in which verse Dan has a similar meaning. The city called Dan, it is true, had yet to be built by Dan's descendants at a later time, Joshua 19:47; Judges 18:29; but even at that time it was referred to as the first boundary when one was entering the land of Canaan but the last when one was leaving it, the inmost part of the land being Hebron, and later on Beersheba, where Abraham and Isaac lived.

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