The Bible

 

Genesis 25

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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 #3146

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3146. 'And gave straw and fodder to the camels' means instruction in truths and goods. This is clear from the meaning of 'straw' as the truths present in the natural man, and from the meaning of 'fodder' as the goods there, dealt with above in 3114. Since these things are meant by 'straw and fodder' it therefore follows that 'giving straw and fodder' is giving instruction in truths and goods. The purpose of that freedom is this: Possessing the affection for truth and being stirred by that affection, a person may become instructed in such a way that truths are implanted deep within him - within the spiritual man or the soul - where they are joined to good, as may be seen from what has been shown regarding freedom in 2870-2893.

[2] This is the way in which faith - that is, truth which is the truth of faith made to take root; and unless it is coupled to good in the rational the truth of faith never receives any life, nor does any fruit develop from it. For everything called the fruit of faith is the fruit of that good which is the good of love and charity coming by way of truth which is the truth of faith. Unless spiritual warmth, which is the good of love, is actively present in spiritual light, which is the truth of faith, man would be like ground frozen stiff, as in wintertime, when nothing grows, let alone bears any fruit. For just as light devoid of warmth is totally unproductive, so is faith devoid of love.

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