Arcana Coelestia #1701
1701. That 'one who had escaped came and told it to Abram the Hebrew' means that the Lord perceived from His Interior Man is clear from the meaning of 'Abram the Hebrew' as the Interior Man when joined to the Internal Man, dealt with just below. As in the internal sense these descriptions have reference to the Lord, and the historical details are representative, it is evident that 'one who had escaped came and told it' means nothing else than that the Lord perceived. The Interior Man perceives what is going on in the External Man, just as if someone were to tell of that activity. The Lord, who had a perception of all things that were taking place, knew very clearly the nature and the origin of the things that were occurring with Himself. For example, if something evil was taking possession of the affections of the External Man or if something false was taking possession of its cognitions, He inevitably knew the nature and the origin of it. He even knew which evil spirits were activating those things and how they did it, and many other things besides. For matters such as these, and countless others, do not lie hidden from angels, and scarcely so from men who have celestial perception. Still less were they hidden from the Lord.
Genesis 14
1
It happened in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goiim,
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that they made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, and Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar).
3
All these joined together in the valley of Siddim (the same is the Salt Sea).
4
Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year, they rebelled.
5
In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who were with him, and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
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and the Horites in their Mount Seir, to Elparan, which is by the wilderness.
7
They returned, and came to En Mishpat (the same is Kadesh), and struck all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that lived in Hazazon Tamar.
8
The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim;
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against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.
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Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and those who remained fled to the hills.
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They took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food, and went their way.
12
They took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
13
One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. Now he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were allies of Abram.
14
When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.
15
He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
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He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative, Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
17
The king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).
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Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High.
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He blessed him, and said, "blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth:
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and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." Abram gave him a tenth of all.
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The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people, and take the goods to yourself."
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Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
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that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.'
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I will accept nothing from you except that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion."
