The Bible

 

Genesis 25

Study

   

1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

2 And she bore him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim and Leummim.

4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

5 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac.

6 But to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son (while he yet lived) eastward, to the east country.

7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, a hundred and seventy five years.

8 Then Abraham expired, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;

10 The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.

11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac: and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi.

12 Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham.

13 And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The first-born of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,

15 Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:

16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

17 And these are the years of the life of Ishmael; a hundred and thirty and seven years: and he expired and died, and was gathered to his people.

18 And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest towards Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.

19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac:

20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

21 And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22 And the children struggled together within her: and she said, If it is so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.

23 And the LORD said to her, Two nations are in thy womb, and Two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels: and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25 And the first was born red, all over like a hairy garment: and they called his name Esau.

26 And after that his brother was born, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man dwelling in tents.

28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he ate of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 And Jacob boiled pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint.

30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

31 And Jacob said, Sell to me this day thy birth-right.

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birth-right bring to me?

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he swore to him: and he sold his birth-right to Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way: thus Esau despised his birth-right.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3110

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

3110. 'He said, Whose daughter are you?' means further investigation concerning innocence. This is clear from the question 'whose daughter?' as an investigation, a further investigation in this case, as is evident from what has been stated already in 3088, 3101. Its being an investigation concerning innocence that is meant is clear from the meaning of 'a girl' as affection that has innocence within it, dealt with in 3067. Here, it is true, the word 'girl' is not used, but because Rebekah is called 'a girl' in verses 14 and 16 above and she is the one to whom the question is addressed here, nothing else is meant here by 'you' than the girl. As for the subject itself - namely that truth was investigated to see what innocence it held within it, and shortly after that what charity, before it was introduced into good and then joined to it - this must inevitably seem extraordinary to those who have no knowledge of the matter. However let such persons recognize that an absolutely thorough investigation occurs in everyone when truth is to be introduced into and joined to good, an investigation which is such that it goes far beyond the full extent of his belief.

[2] None but perfect truth is ever allowed to be with perfect good. When anything less than perfect truth approaches, this does not join itself to perfect good but to some variety of good that is not in itself good yet seems as if it were good. If falsity approaches, the good retires to an inward position and the falsity joins itself outwardly to some evil which it believes to be good. This Divine ordering is effected by the Lord by means of spirits and angels, and is completely hidden in this world, but fully known in the next. Anyone also of sound reason is able to know this and at least to comprehend it. For evil and falsity constitute hell and flow in from hell, whereas good and truth constitute heaven, and also flow in by way of heaven from the Lord. This being so, evil and truth can no more be joined together than hell to heaven. For this reason a more delicate balance is preserved in these matters than anyone can possibly believe. This then is what is meant by investigation.

  
/ 10837  
  

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