De Bijbel

 

Postanak 21

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1 Jahve se sjeti Sare kako je rekao i učini joj kako je obećao:

2 Sara zače i rodi Abrahamu sina u njegovoj starosti - u vrijeme koje je Bog označio.

3 Abraham nadjene ime Izak svome sinu što mu ga Sara rodi.

4 I poslije osam dana obreza Abraham svoga sina Izaka, kako mu je Bog naredio.

5 Abrahamu bijaše stotinu godina kad mu se rodio sin Izak.

6 Sara reče: "Dade mi Bog da se nasmijem, i tko god to čuje nasmijat će mi se."

7 Još doda: "Tko bi ikad rekao Abrahamu: djecu će ti Sara dojiti! Ipak sina mu rodih u starosti".

8 Dijete je raslo i bilo od sise odbijeno. A u dan u koji Izak bijaše od sise odbijen Abraham priredi veliku gozbu.

9 Jednom opazi Sara gdje se sin koga je Egipćanka Hagara Abrahamu rodila igra s njezinim sinom Izakom,

10 pa reče Abrahamu: "Otjeraj tu sluškinju i njezina sina, jer sin sluškinje ne smije biti baštinik s mojim sinom - s Izakom!"

11 To je Abrahamu bilo nemilo, jer je i Jišmael bio njegov sin.

12 Ali Bog reče Abrahamu: "Nemoj se uznemirivati zbog dječaka i zbog svoje sluškinje; sve što ti kaže Sara poslušaj, jer će Izakovo potomstvo tebi ovjekovječiti ime.

13 I od sina tvoje sluškinje podići ću velik narod, jer je tvoj potomak."

14 Rano ujutro Abraham uze kruha i mješinicu vode pa dade Hagari; stavi to na njezina ramena, zajedno s dječakom, te je otpusti. Vrludala je amo-tamo po pustinji Beer Šebe.

15 Potrošivši vodu iz mješinice, ostavi dijete pod jednim grmom,

16 a sama ode i sjede nasuprot, daleko koliko luk može dobaciti. Govorila je u sebi: "Neću da vidim kako dijete umire." Sjedeći tako, udari u jecanje.

17 Bog ču plač dječaka te anđeo Božji zovne s neba Hagaru i reče joj: "Što ti je, Hagaro? Ne boj se! Jer je Bog čuo plač dječaka u njegovoj nevolji.

18 Na noge! Digni dječaka i utješi ga, jer od njega ću podići velik narod."

19 Tada joj Bog otvori oči pa ona opazi studenac. Ode i napuni vodom mješinicu pa napoji dječaka.

20 Bog je bio s dječakom te je rastao i odrastao. Živio je u pustinji te postao vješt u strijeljanju iz luka.

21 Dom mu bijaše u pustinji Paranu; a njegova mu majka dobavi ženu iz zemlje egipatske.

22 U to vrijeme Abimelek - koga je pratio Fikol, zapovjednik njegove vojske - reče Abrahamu: "Bog je s tobom u svemu što radiš.

23 Stoga mi se ovdje i sada zakuni Bogom da nećeš varati ni mene ni moju rodbinu i prijatelje nego da ćeš se prema meni i prema zemlji u kojoj sad boraviš ponašati pošteno, kao što sam se ja prema tebi ponio."

24 "Kunem se", odgovori Abraham.

25 Onda Abraham prekori Abimeleka zbog zdenca vode što su ga Abimelekove sluge bile prisvojile.

26 A Abimelek reče: "Ne znam tko je to učinio; ni ti me nisi o tome obavijestio, niti sam ja o tome čuo, osim danas."

27 Abraham uzme ovaca i goveda pa ih dade Abimeleku te njih dvojica sklope savez.

28 Potom Abraham razluči napose sedam janjaca od stada.

29 Nato Abimelek zapita Abrahama: "Što znači ovih sedam janjaca koje si na stranu stavio?"

30 A on odgovori: "Primi ovih sedam janjaca iz moje ruke da mi bude dokazom da sam ja iskopao ovaj zdenac."

31 Zato se ono mjesto nazvalo Beer Šeba; jer se njih dvojica ondje zakleše.

32 Pošto su sklopili savez kod Beer Šebe, Abimelek i zapovjednik njegove vojske Fikol odu i vrate se u zemlju Filistejaca.

33 Abraham zasadi kod Beer Šebe tamarisku i ondje zazove ime Jahve - Boga Vječnoga.

34 Dugo je vremena Abraham proveo u zemlji filistejskoj kao pridošlica.

   

Van Swedenborgs Werken

 

Arcana Coelestia #2712

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2712. 'He dwelt in the wilderness of Paran' means the life of the spiritual man as regards good. This is clear from the meaning of 'dwelling' as being used in reference to good residing in truth, which is spiritual good, that is, good present with the spiritual man. The essential nature of that good is described by his dwelling in the wilderness of Paran, dealt with immediately below. That 'dwelling' is used in reference to good residing in truth, or to the affection for truth, is clear from many places in the Word where it is said of cities, which mean truths, that they will be without any inhabitant, by whom good is meant, 2268, 2449, 2451; for truths are inhabited by good, and truths devoid of good are like a city that has no one dwelling in it, as in Zephaniah,

I have laid their streets waste, so that none passes through; their cities are desolate, so that there is no one dwelling in them. Zephaniah 3:6.

[2] In Jeremiah,

Jehovah was leading us through the wilderness. No man passed through in that [land], and no one dwelt there. They have turned his land into a solitary place, his cities have been burned, so that none is dwelling there. Jeremiah 2:6, 15.

In the same prophet,

Every city has been forsaken, with no one dwelling in them. Jeremiah 4:29.

In the same prophet,

In the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate there is no human being, no inhabitant, no beast. Jeremiah 33:10.

'Streets' stands for truths, 2336, 'no human being' for no celestial good, 'no inhabitant' for no spiritual good, 'no beast' for no natural good. In the same prophet,

The cities of Moab will become a desolation, with no one dwelling in them. Jeremiah 48:9.

[3] With each particular expression in the Prophets there exists the marriage of truth and good. Consequently when 'a city' is said to be desolate, the phrase 'no one dwelling in it' is also added, the reason being that 'a city' means truths and 'one dwelling in it' good. Otherwise it would be superfluous to say 'no one dwelling in it' when it has been stated that the city is desolate. In a similar way certain terms occur consistently to mean things that belong to celestial good, others that belong to spiritual good, and others also that belong to truths, as in Isaiah,

Your seed will possess the nations, and they will dwell in the desolate cities. Isaiah 54:3

Here 'possessing' has reference to celestial good, 'dwelling in' to spiritual good. In the same prophet,

My chosen ones will possess it, and My servants will dwell there. Isaiah 65:9.

Here the meaning is similar.

[4] In David,

God will save Zion and will build the cities of Judah; and they will dwell there and possess it, and the seed of His servants will inherit it, and those loving His name will dwell in it. Psalms 69:35-36.

'Dwelling there' and at the same time 'possessing' has reference to celestial good, 'dwelling in' to spiritual good. In Isaiah,

He who says to Jerusalem, You will be dwelt in; and to the cities of Judah, You will be built. Isaiah 44:26.

Here 'dwelling in' has reference to the good of the spiritual Church, which is Jerusalem. To such an extent do the terms used in the Word have reference to their own goods and their own truths that simply from a knowledge of that usage of terms one may recognize what the subject is in general that is being dealt with.

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

Van Swedenborgs Werken

 

Arcana Coelestia #2336

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2336. That 'the street' means truth becomes clear from many places in the Word, as in John where the New Jerusalem is referred to,

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate was one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. Revelation 21:21.

[2] 'The New Jerusalem' is the Lord's kingdom which because it is being described as regards good and truth is described by walls, gates, and streets. By the last of these -'the streets' - are meant all avenues of truth which lead to good, that is, all those of faith which lead to love and charity. And because truths in this way become part of good, and so are made transparent from good, it is said that 'the street was pure gold, like transparent glass'. In the same book,

Out of the middle of the street of it, and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life bearing twelve fruits. Revelation 22:2.

This also refers to the New Jerusalem or the Lord's kingdom. 'The middle of the street' is the truth of faith, by means of which good comes and which after that stems from good. 'The twelve fruits' are those called the fruits of faith, for 'twelve' means all things of faith, as shown in 577, 2089, 2129, 2130.

[3] In Daniel,

Know and perceive that from the going forth of the Word to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Leader, there will be seven weeks - and sixty-two weeks; and it will be restored and built with street and moat. Daniel 9:25.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord, 'it will be restored with street and moat' meaning that there will be truth and good at that time. The fact that Jerusalem was not restored and built at that time is well known; and that it is not to be restored and built anew anyone may also know provided he does not fix his ideas on a worldly kingdom but on a heavenly kingdom meant in the internal sense by Jerusalem.

[4] In Luke,

The householder said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. Luke 14:21.

People who confine themselves to the sense of the letter gain nothing more from this verse than the idea that the servant was to go everywhere, and that this is what is meant by 'streets and lanes', and that he was to fetch in everybody, and that this is what is meant by 'the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind'. But each and all of these words, being the Lord's, embody arcana within them. The command that he should go out into the streets and lanes means that he was to search everywhere for some genuine truth, that is, for truth which shines out of good, or through which good shines. The command that he should bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, means that such people were to be brought in as had in the Ancient Church been called the poor, maimed, lame, or blind - that is, he was to bring in those who were such as regards faith but who had led good lives, and who for this reason ought to be taught about the Lord's kingdom - thus to bring in gentiles who were as yet uninformed.

[5] Because 'streets' meant truths it was a representative custom among the Jews to teach in the streets, as is evident from Matthew 6:2, 5, and Luke 13:26-27. Wherever 'streets' are mentioned in the Prophets they mean in the internal sense either truths or things contrary to truths, as in Isaiah,

Judgement is cast away backwards, and justice stands afar off, for truth has stumbled in the street, and uprightness cannot come in. Isaiah 59:14.

In the same prophet,

Your sons fainted and lay at the head of every street. Isaiah 51:20.

In Jeremiah,

Death has come up into our windows, it has entered our palaces, cutting off the small child from the street and the young men from the lanes. Jeremiah 9:21.

[6] In Ezekiel,

By means of the hoofs of his horses Nebuchadnezzar will trample all your streets. Ezekiel 26:11.

This refers to Tyre, which means cognitions of truth, 1201. 'The hoofs of the horses' are facts which pervert the truth. In Nahum,

In the streets the chariots rage; they rush about in the lanes. Nahum 2:4.

'Chariots' stands for the doctrine of truth, which is said 'to rage in the streets' when falsity has replaced truth. In Zechariah,

Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem. And the streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in the streets. Zechariah 8:4-5.

This refers to affections for truth, and consequent forms of joy and gladness. There are other places besides these, such as Isaiah 24:11; Jeremiah 5:1; 7:34; 49:26; Lamentations 2:11, 19; 4:8, 14; Zephaniah 3:6.

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