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<< Genesis 12: Call of Abram >>
 ABRAM was a man who lived a long time ago. His first home was at Ur by the Euphrates River, not far from the Persian Gulf, but there are only ruins now to show where the city was. Abram had left his home and journeyed with his father and brother and all their family and flocks of sheep and goats and herds of cattle far up the Euphrates River to a town called Haran. A brother of Abram named Haran had died in Ur. The other brother Nahor and his father died at Haran, and Abram was then the head of the tribe.
The people of that country worshipped idols, and the Lord called Abram to come to another land, the land of Canaan, where he and his family could learn to obey and worship the Lord. So Abram journeyed on with his wife Sarai and Lot his brother Haran's son, and a company of men and women and children and flocks and herds. There were camels for the journey, and when they stopped they pitched their black goats' hair tents.
They crossed the Euphrates River at some ford and came by the old city Damascus and down the east side of the Jordan. They crossed the Jordan and now they were in the land of Canaan. They spread their tents by the oak or terebinth tree of Moreh, by the town of Shechem, near the middle of the land, in a beautiful plain where there was pasture for their flocks. Abram was the priest as well as the chief of the tribe, and wherever they stayed he built an altar to the Lord who had called him and was leading him.
They journeyed on towards the south and camped next upon the hill between Bethel and Ai, or Hai, where you can look westward to the sea and eastward across the Jordan. From here they still journeyed south, and, because there was a famine in the land, they went down into Egypt. Egypt was a great rich country, and the river Nile watered its farms and gardens when other countries were dry for lack of rain. You have seen pictures of the great pyramids in Egypt. They were there when Abram came and were already very old. We shall learn more about Egypt and see more pictures of it by and by.
Then Abram and Lot came back from Egypt to the land of Canaan. They came up through the great sunny pastures that were called "the South Country" to the high hills of Bethel. Abram and Lot both had large flocks and herds. So they separated, ;and Lot lived in the rich meadows by the Jordan where the cities Sodom and Gomorrah and Zoar were, and Abram made his home by the oaks of Mamre or Hebron, which was an old city high up among the hills. There is an old tree near Hebron which is still called "Abram's Oak," and perhaps it may be descended from trees that were there in those days. Listen while we read the story.
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land....
And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.:7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly. And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.---Genesis XII. 1-10; XIII.
Author: William L. Worcester 1904
Spiritual Correspondences
Spiritual Meaning
GENESIS XII
1. And Jehovah said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy land, and from thy birth, and from thy father's house, to the land that I will cause thee to see.
These and the things which follow occurred historically, as they are written; but the historicals are representative, and each word is significative. By "Abram" in the internal sense is meant the Lord, as has been said before. By "Jehovah said unto Abram," is signified the first mental advertence of all; "get thee out of thy land," signifies the corporeal and worldly things from which He was to recede; "and from thy birth," signifies the more exterior corporeal and worldly things; "and from thy father's house," signifies the more interior of such things; "to the land that I will cause thee to see," signifies the spiritual and celestial things that were to be presented to view.
2. And I will make thee into a great nation; and I will bless thee, and will make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.
"I will make thee into a great nation" signifies the kingdom in the heavens and on the earth; it is said "a great nation," from things celestial and from goods; "and I will bless thee," signifies the fructification of celestial things and the multiplication of spiritual things; "and will make thy name great," signifies glory; "and thou shalt be a blessing," signifies that from the Lord are all things both in general and in particular.
3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and will curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all the families of the ground be blessed.
"I will bless them that bless thee," signifies all happiness to those who acknowledge the Lord from the heart; "and will curse him that curseth thee," signifies unhappiness to those who do not acknowledge Him; "and in thee shall all the families of the ground be blessed," signifies that all things true and good are from the Lord.
4. And Abram went as Jehovah spoke unto him; and Lot went with him. And Abram was a son of five years and seventy years when he went forth out of Haran.
By "Abram," as already said, is represented the Lord as to His Human Essence. "And Abram went as Jehovah spoke unto him" signifies His progression toward Divine things; "and Lot went with him," signifies what is sensuous; by "Lot" is represented the Lord as to His sensuous and corporeal man; "and Abram was a son of five years and seventy years," signifies that as yet there was not very much of the Divine; "when he went forth out of Haran," signifies an obscure state of the Lord.
5. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gotten, and the soul that they had gained in Haran: and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
"And Abram took Sarai his wife," signifies good to which truth has been adjoined; by "Abram," as has been said, is meant the Lord; here, when He was a child; by Sarai" as a "wife," is meant truth: "and Lot his brother's son," signifies sensuous truth, thus the first that is insinuated into a child; "and all their substance that they had gotten," signifies all things that are sensuous truths; "and the soul that they had gained in Haran," signifies every living essential that was possible in that obscure state; "and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan," signifies that He thus advanced to the celestial things of love; "and into the land of Canaan they came," signifies that He attained to the celestial things of love.
6. And Abram passed through the land, even unto the place Shechem, even unto the oak-grove Moreh: and the Canaanite was then in the land.
"Abram passed through the land, even unto the place Shechem" signifies the Lord's second state, when the celestial things of love became apparent to Him, which are signified by "Shechem;" "even unto the oak-grove Moreh," signifies the third state, namely, the first perception, which is "the oak-grove Moreh;" "and the Canaanite was then in the land," signifies the evil heredity from the mother in His external man.
7. And Jehovah was seen of Abram, and said, To thy seed will I give this land. And there he built an altar to Jehovah, who was seen of him.
"Jehovah was seen of Abram," signifies that Jehovah appeared to the Lord while yet a child; "and said, To thy seed will I give this land," signifies that celestial things should be given to those who should have faith in Him; "and there he built an altar to Jehovah, who was seen of him," signifies the first worship of His Father from the celestial of love.
8. And he removed from thence into the mountain on the east of Bethel, and spread his tent; having Bethel toward the sea, and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to Jehovah, and called on the name of Jehovah.
"He removed from thence into the mountain on the east of Bethel," signifies the Lord's fourth state when a child, namely, the progression of the celestial things of love, signified by being transferred to a mountain on the east of Bethel; "and spread his tent," signifies the holy things of faith; "having Bethel toward the sea, and Ai on the east," signifies that His state was still obscure; "and there he built an altar to Jehovah," signifies the external worship of His Father from that state; "and called on the name of Jehovah," signifies the internal worship of His Father from that state.
9. And Abram journeyed, going and journeying toward the south.
"And Abram journeyed, going and journeying," signifies further progression; "toward the south," signifies into goods and truths, and thus into a state of light as to the interiors.
10. And there was a famine in the land. And Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; because the famine was grievous in the land.
"There was a famine in the land," signifies a scarcity of knowledges as yet with the Lord when a child; "and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn," signifies instruction in knowledges from the Word; "Egypt" is the memory-knowledge of knowledges [scientia cognitionum]; "to sojourn" is to be instructed; "because the famine was grievous in the land," signifies much scarcity in His external man.
GENESIS III
l. And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, toward the south.
In the internal sense, the things here stated, and those which follow in this chapter, also represent the Lord; there being a continuation of His life from childhood. "Abram went up out of Egypt," signifies from memory-knowledges, which left the Lord. In the internal sense, "Abram" is the Lord, here the Lord when still a child; "Egypt," here as before, is memory-knowledge; "he and his wife," signifies the celestial truths that were then with the Lord; "and all that he had" signifies all things that were of the celestial "things; "and Lot with him" signifies what is sensuous; "toward the south," signifies into celestial light.
2. And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
"Abram was very rich in cattle," signifies the goods with which the Lord was then enriched; "in silver," signifies the truths; "and in gold," signifies the goods from truths.
3. And he went according to his journeys, from the south and even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent was at the first, between Bethel and Ai.
"He went according to his journeys," signifies according to order; "from the south and even to Bethel," signifies from the light of intelligence into the light of wisdom; "unto the place where his tent was before," signifies to the holy things which there were before He was imbued with knowledges; "between Bethel and Ai," signifies here, as before, the celestial things of knowledges, and worldly things.
4. Unto the place of the altar which he had made there in the beginning; and there Abram called on the name of Jehovah.
"Unto the place of the altar," signifies the holy things of worship; "which he had made in the beginning," signifies which He had when a child; "and there Abram called on the name of Jehovah," signifies the internal worship in that state.
5. And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flock and herd, and tents.
"And Lot also, who went with Abram," signifies the external man that was in the Lord; "had flock and herd, and tents," signifies those things in which the external man abounds; "flock and herd" are the external man's possessions; "tents" are his worship: these things were separating themselves from the internal man.
6. And the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together, because their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
"The land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together," signifies that the things belonging to the internal celestial things could not be together with the others; "because their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together," signifies that the things that had been acquired by the internal man could not agree with those acquired in the external man.
7. And there was strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle; and the Canaanite and the Perizzite were then dwelling in the land.
"There was strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle," signifies that the internal man and the external man did not agree; "the herdmen of Abram's cattle," are the celestial things; "the herdmen of Lot's cattle," are the sensuous things; "and the Canaanite and the Perizzite were then dwelling in the land," signifies evils and falsities in the external man.
8. And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no contention, I pray, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen, for we are men brethren.
"Abram said unto Lot," signifies that the internal man said thus to the external. "Let there be no contention, I pray, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen," signifies that there ought to be no disagreement between the two; "for we are men brethren," signifies that in themselves they were united.
9. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate, I pray, from me; if to the left hand, then I will go to the right; and if to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
"Is not the whole land before thee?" signifies all good. "Separate, I pray, from me," signifies that the good cannot appear unless what is discordant is made none; "if to the left hand, then I will go to the right; and if to the right hand, then I will go to the left," signifies separation.
10. And Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was all well watered, before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt in coming to Zoar.
"And Lot lifted up his eyes," signifies that the external man was illuminated by the internal; "and saw all the plain of Jordan," signifies the goods and truths that are in the external man; "that it was all well watered," signifies that these can increase there; "before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah," signifies the external man destroyed by the cupidities of evil and the persuasions of falsity; "like the garden of Jehovah," signifies its rational things; "like the land of Egypt in coming to Zoar," signifies memory-knowledges from the affections of good. These things signify that the external man appeared to the Lord such as it is in its beauty when conjoined with the internal man.
11. And Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed from the east; and they were separated, a man from his brother.
"And Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan," signifies the external man, that it was such; "and Lot journeyed from the east," signifies the things in the external man that recede from celestial love; "and they were separated, a man from his brother," signifies that those things cause the separation.
12. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent as, far as Sodom.
"Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan," signifies that the internal man was in the celestial things of love; "and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain," signifies that the external man was in memory-knowledges; "and pitched his tent as far as Sodom," signifies extension to cupidities.
14. And Jehovah said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up, I pray, thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward.
"Jehovah said unto Abram," signifies that Jehovah spoke thus to the Lord; "after that Lot was separated from him," signifies when the cupidities of the external man had been removed so as not to impede; "Lift up, I pray, thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art," signifies the state in which the Lord then was, from which He could perceive things that were to come; "northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward," signifies all men, as many as there are in the universe.
15,16. For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever.And I will make thy seed as the just of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
"For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it," signifies the heavenly kingdom, that it should be the Lord's; "and to thy seed forever," signifies those who should have faith in Him.
17. Arise, walk through the land, in the length of it, and in the breadth of it; for unto thee will I give it.
"Arise, walk through the land," signifies that He should survey the heavenly kingdom; "in the length of it, and in the breadth of it," signifies its celestial and its spiritual: "for unto thee will I give it," signifies that it was to be His.
18. And Abram pitched his tent, and came and dwelt in the oak-groves of Mamre that are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to Jehovah.
"Abram pitched his tent, and came and dwelt in the oak-groves of Mamre that are in Hebron," signifies that the Lord came to a perception still more internal; this is the sixth state; "and there he built an altar to Jehovah," signifies worship from that state. [AC 1408-1618]
Author: Emanuel Swedenborg
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