The Bible

 

Genesis 25

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1 Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.

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

3 Jokshan became the father of Sheba, and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.

4 The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

5 Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac,

6 but to the sons of Abraham's concubines, Abraham gave gifts. He sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, to the east country.

7 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived: one hundred seventy-five years.

8 Abraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.

9 Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, 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 children of Heth. Abraham was buried there with Sarah, his wife.

11 It happened after the death of Abraham that God blessed Isaac, his son. Isaac lived by Beer Lahai Roi.

12 Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham.

13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to the order of their birth: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa,

15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments: twelve princes, according to their nations.

17 These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people.

18 They lived from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria. He lived opposite all his relatives.

19 This is the history of the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham became the father of Isaac.

20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife.

21 Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22 The children struggled together within her. She said, "If it be so, why do I live?" She went to inquire of Yahweh.

23 Yahweh said to her, "Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples will be separated from your body. The one people will be stronger than the other people. The elder will serve the younger."

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

25 The first came out red all over, like a hairy garment. They named him Esau.

26 After that, his brother came out, and his hand had hold on Esau's heel. He was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27 The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.

28 Now Isaac loved Esau, because he ate his venison. Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished.

30 Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom.

31 Jacob said, "First, sell me your birthright."

32 Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?"

33 Jacob said, "Swear to me first." He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob.

34 Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3267

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3267. In their names, according to their births. That this signifies interior qualities according to the derivations of faith, is evident from the signification of “name,” as being quality, or from the signification of “names,” as being qualities (n. 3266), in this case interior qualities, because it is said, “these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, in their names,” where “names” in the first place denote general qualities, and in the second place the qualities which are within the former, or which are interior in respect to those general qualities; and also because these qualities are according to the derivations of faith which are signified by “according to their births.” (That “births” signify the derivations of faith, thus of the church, may be seen above, n. 1145, 1255, 1330, 3263.)

[2] With the Lord’s spiritual church the case is this: It is scattered throughout the whole world, and everywhere varies as to articles of belief, or the truths of faith; and these varieties are the derivations which are signified by the “births,” and which come forth both at one and the same time and also one after another. It is the very same with the Lord’s spiritual kingdom in the heavens, in which there is variety as to the things of faith, and this to such a degree that there is not one society, nor even one person in a society, that in the things of the truth of faith has an idea altogether in agreement with the ideas of others (n. 3241) but nevertheless the Lord’s spiritual kingdom in the heavens is a one; the reason of which is that with all there charity is the principal thing; for charity makes the spiritual church, and not faith, unless you call charity faith.

[3] He who is in charity loves his neighbor, and when the neighbor differs from him in matters of belief, he excuses it provided that his neighbor lives in good and truth. He also does not condemn the well-disposed Gentiles, although they are ignorant of the Lord, and do not know anything of the faith. For he who is in charity, that is, who lives in good, receives from the Lord truths of such a quality as agree with his good, and Gentiles receive such truths as in the other life may be bent into truths of faith (n. 2599-2603). But he who is not in charity, that is, who does not live in good, can never receive any truth; he may indeed know truth, but it is not implanted in his life; thus he may indeed have it in his mouth, but not in his heart. For truth cannot be conjoined with evil, and therefore those who know the truths which are called the articles of belief, and do not live in charity or in good, although they are in the church because born in it, are yet not of the church, for there is nothing of the church in them, that is nothing of good with which truth may be conjoined.

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