10396.“百姓见摩西迟延不下山”表以色列民族，那时他们没有在圣言中辨别出来自天堂的任何事物。这从“见”、“迟延不下”和“西乃山”的含义，以及“摩西”的代表清楚可知：“见”，当论及对圣言的理解时，是指辨别（参看2150，3764，3863，4567，4723，5400节）；“摩西”是指圣言（参看9372节提到的地方）；“迟延不下”当论及对从圣言所获得的神性真理的辨别时，是指不流入，因为流入并与一个人同住的神性真理可以说是从天堂下来的；“西乃山”是指神性真理方面的天堂（参看9420节）。此处的“百姓”在字面上是指以色列民族；因为本章论述的是这个民族，论述该民族在辨别从圣言所获得的神性真理，以及辨别在耶和华从西乃山上通过摩西吩咐给以色列人的事（这些事包含在25-31章中）里面被代表的内层事物方面的品质。由此明显可知，“百姓见摩西迟延不下山”表示以色列民族，那时他们没有在圣言中辨别出来自天堂的任何事物，因此也没有辨别出在从西乃山上所吩咐的事里面被代表的任何事物，也就是内层事物。
此处的情形是这样：前几章论述的主题是耶和华吩咐给以色列人的律例、典章和律法，以及一个教会将要在他们当中建立。这些规定当中的每一个都是代表某种内在事物的外在事物，如对那些章节的解释所示。但以色列民族具有这样的性质，他们根本不想知道关于被代表的内在事物的任何东西，只想知道用来代表它们的外在事物。这个民族之所以具有这样的性质，是因为他们完全被肉体和世俗的爱主宰了；对那些被这些爱主宰的人来说，他们那原本向天堂敞开的内层关闭了。每个人都有一个内在和一个外在；内在是为天堂存在的，外在是为世界存在的。当外在掌权时，尘世、肉体和世俗的事物就掌权；但当内在掌权时，天上的事物就掌权。然而，人以这种方式被造，是为了让外在能从属于内在，因而他里面的世界能从属于天堂；因为如前所述，外在是为世界存在的，内在是为天堂存在的。因此，当外在掌权时，内在就关闭，因为那时，人从天堂和主转向世界和自我；他转向哪里，他的心就在哪里，因而他的爱，连同与这爱同在的他的整个生命也在哪里，因为人的生命就在于他的爱。
提及这些事是为了叫人们知道那些被肉体和世俗的爱主宰的人是何情形，即：这些人的内层关闭了；那些内层关闭的人不承认任何内在事物，声称只有那些他们亲眼看见、亲手摸到的事物才是存在的，而他们没有亲眼看见、新手摸到的其它一切事物都是不存在的。所以他们根本不信天堂、死后生命的存在，或不信教会所教导的内层事物。这就是以色列民族，本章要说明，他们就是这个样子。
人若不知道构成与人同在的教会的，是内层事物，而不是没有它们的外层事物，就只会以为这个民族优先于其它一切民族而被耶和华拣选并喜爱。但事实完全不是这样。这个民族被接受，是因为他们坚持被接受；然而，这不是为了有什么教会能存在于他们当中，仅仅为了能有一个教会的代表，以便圣言能够写成，因为这类事物构成圣言的最低层。在圣言中，这个民族之所以被称为耶和华的百姓，是祂所拣选和喜爱的民族，是因为在圣言中，“犹大”表示属天教会，“以色列”表示属灵教会，雅各的每个儿子都表示教会的某个方面。此外，亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各表示自己，摩西、亚伦和大卫也表示主自己。不过，由于这一整章论述的主题都是这个民族，以及他们当中不可能建立起一个教会，只能建立一个教会的代表的事实，所以在进一步介绍之前，请先参看前面关于这个民族的阐述和说明，即：这个民族当中没有教会，只有一个教会的代表（4281，4288，4311，4500，4899，4912，6304，7048，9320节）；因此，他们没有被拣选，只是被接受，因为他们坚持被接受（4290，4293，7051，7439节）；他们完全局限于没有任何内在事物的外在事物（4293，4311，4320，4459e，4834，4844，4847，4865，4868，4874，4903，4913，9373，9380，9381节）；他们的敬拜纯粹是外在的（3147，3479，8871节）；他们不想知道敬拜和圣言的内在事物（3479，4429，4433，4680节）；因此，他们未被允许知道这些事物（301-303，2520，3769节）；他们若知道，就会亵渎它们（3398，3489，4289节）；然而，通过他们当中的敬拜的外在事物，也就是内在事物的代表，仍会有与天堂的联系，以及以哪种方式有这种联系（4311，4444，6304，8588，8788，8806节）；当他们进行敬拜时，他们那污秽的内层就关闭（3480，9962节）；这在这个民族当中是可能的，这就是为何他们得以保存，直到今天（3479，4281，6588，9377节）；他们虽敬拜耶和华，但只拜祂的名（3732e，4299，6877节）；他们心里是偶像崇拜者（4208，4281，4820，5998，6877，7401，8301，8882节）；总的来说，他们是最坏的民族（4314，4316，4317，4444，4503，4750，4751，4815，4820，4832，5057，7248，8819，9320节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 10396
10396. And the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain. That this signifies the Israelitish nation when they did not notice in the Word anything from heaven, is evident from the signification of "seeing," when said of the understanding of the Word, as being notice (see n. 2150, 3764, 3863, 4567, 4723, 5400); from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (see the places cited in n. 9372); from the signification of "delaying to come down," when said of the noticing of Divine truth from the Word, as being not to flow in, for the Divine truth which flows in with man is said to come down from heaven; and from the signification of "Mount Sinai," as being heaven in respect to Divine truth (see n. 9420). By "the people" is here meant the Israelitish nation in the proper sense, because in this chapter the quality of that nation is described in respect to the noticing of Divine truth from the Word, and in respect to the noticing of the interior things which were represented in what had been commanded the sons of Israel by Jehovah through Moses from Mount Sinai, as related in the preceding chapters (25 to 31 inclusive). From all this it is evident that by the words "the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain," is signified the Israelitish nation when they did not notice in the Word anything from heaven, thus not anything which was represented in the things commanded from Mount Sinai, which are interior things. [2] The case herein is this. In the preceding chapters there have been treated of the statutes, the judgments, and the laws which were commanded by Jehovah to the sons of Israel, with whom a church was to be instituted. Each and all of these were external things which represented internal, as has been shown in the explications of these chapters. But the Israelitish nation was of such a nature that they did not at all desire to know anything about the internal things which were represented; but only about the external things in which was the representation. The reason why they were of such a nature was that they were altogether in bodily and earthly loves, and with those who are in these loves the interiors, which otherwise would be open into heaven, are closed. For man has an internal and an external; his internal is for heaven, and his external is for the world. When the external reigns, then worldly, bodily, and earthly things reign; and when the internal reigns, then heavenly things reign. But man has been so created that the external in him may be subordinated to the internal, thus the world to heaven; for as before said, the external is for the world and the internal for heaven. When therefore the external reigns, the internal is closed, for the reason that the man then turns himself from heaven and from the Lord to the world and to himself, and his heart is where he turns himself, consequently his love, and with his love the whole of his life, because the life of man is his love. [3] These things have been said in order that it may be known how the case is with those who are in bodily and earthly loves; namely, that the interiors with them are closed; and those with whom the interiors have been closed do not acknowledge anything internal, saying that only those things exist which they see with their eyes and touch with their hands, and that all other things which they do not see with their eyes and touch with their hands, have no existence. Consequently they have no faith in the existence of heaven, of the life after death, or that the interior things which the church teaches are anything. Such was the Israelitish nation, and that it was such is described in this chapter. [4] He who does not know that interior things make the church with man, and not exterior things without interior, cannot know otherwise than that this nation was chosen and also loved by Jehovah above all other nations. But the real fact is very different. That nation was received because it was urgent to be received, yet not in order that any church might be with them, but only the representative of a church, to the end that the Word might be written which should have in such things an ultimate form. The reason why that people is called in the Word the people of Jehovah, the chosen and beloved nation, is that by "Judah" in the Word is meant the celestial church; by "Israel," the spiritual church; and by all the sons of Jacob, something of the church; likewise by "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," the Lord Himself; as also by "Moses," "Aaron," and "David." But as that nation is the subject treated of in this whole chapter (that a church could not be instituted with it, but only the representative of a church); therefore before proceeding further, see what has been already said and shown concerning that nation; namely, That there was no church among them, but only the representative of a church (n. 4281, 4288, 4311, 4500, 4899, 4912, 6304, 7048, 9320): Thus that they were not chosen; but received, because they insisted (n. 4290, 4293, 7051, 7439): That they were wholly in externals without anything internal (n. 4293, 4311, 4320, 4459, 4834, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4868, 4874, 4903, 4913, 9373, 9380, 9381): That their worship was merely external (n. 3147, 3479, 8871): That they did not wish to know the internal things of worship and of the Word (n. 3479, 4429, 4433, 4680): That on this account it was not granted them to know these things (n. 301-303, 2520, 3769): That if they had known them, they would have profaned them (n. 3398, 3489, 4289); that nevertheless by means of the externals of worship with them, which were representative of things interior, there was communication with heaven; and in what manner (n. 4311, 4444, 6304, 8588, 8788, 8806): That when they were in worship their interiors which were unclean were closed (n. 3480, 9962): That this could be done with that nation, and that on this account they have been preserved even to this day (n. 3479, 4281, 6588, 9377): That they worshiped Jehovah merely in respect to the name (n. 3732, 4299, 6877): That at heart they were idolaters (n. 4208, 4281, 4820, 5998, 6877, 7401, 8301, 8882): In general, that it was the worst nation (n. 4314, 4316, 4317, 4444, 4503, 4750, 4751, 4815, 4820, 4832, 5057, 7248, 8819, 9320).
Elliott(1983-1999) 10396
10396. 'And the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain' means the Israelite nation, when they did not discern in the Word anything from heaven. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing', when it refers to the understanding of the Word, as discernment, dealt with in 2150, 3764, 3863, 4567, 4723, 5400; from the representation of 'Moses' as the Word, dealt with in the places referred to in 9372; from the meaning of 'delaying to come down', when this refers to discernment of Divine Truth obtained from the Word, as not flowing in, for Divine Truth which flows in and resides with a person is said to come down from heaven; and from the meaning of 'Mount Sinai' as heaven in respect of Divine Truth, dealt with in 9420. 'The people' is used here literally to mean the Israelite nation; for this chapter deals with that nation, with what it was like in its discernment of Divine Truth obtained from the Word, and in its discernment of the inner realities that were represented within the things which Jehovah commanded the children of Israel from Mount Sinai through Moses - the things contained in the previous chapters, 25-31 inclusive. From all this it is clear that 'the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain' means the Israelite nation, when they did not discern in the Word anything from heaven, nor for this reason anything that was represented in the measures commanded from Mount Sinai, that is, the inner realities.
[2] The situation in all this is that the subject in the chapters immediately before has been the statutes, judgements, and laws which Jehovah commanded the children of Israel, among whom a Church was to be established. Each one of these was an external regulation representing something internal, as has been shown in the explanations of those chapters. But the character of the Israelite nation was such that they did not wish to know anything whatever about the inner realities that were represented, only about the outward forms that served to represent them. The reason why that nation was like this was that they were ruled completely by bodily and earthly kinds of love; and with those who are ruled by those kinds of love their interiors, which would otherwise lie open to heaven, are closed off. Everyone has an internal and an external; the internal exists for heaven's purposes, and the external for the world's purposes. When the external is dominant, worldly, bodily, and earthly interests reign; but when the internal is dominant, heavenly ones do so. The human being has been created in such a way however that the external may be subordinate to the internal, thus the world within him may be subordinate to heaven; for as has been stated, the external exists for the world's purposes, and the internal for heaven's. When therefore the external is dominant the internal is closed, because then a person turns himself away from heaven and the Lord towards the world and self; and the place he turns to is where his heart is, consequently where his love is and together with that love the whole of his life, since a person's life consists in his love.
[3] These things have been mentioned in order that people may know what the situation is with those who are ruled by bodily and earthly kinds of love, namely that such people's interiors are closed off; and those whose interiors are closed off do not acknowledge anything internal. Only those things which they see with their eyes or touch with their hands they say exist, and all else which they do not see with their eyes or touch with their hands they say do not exist. Consequently they have no belief at all in the existence of heaven, in life after death, or in the inner realities taught by the Church. This was what the Israelite nation was like; and the present chapter shows that they were such.
[4] Anyone who does not know that inner realities compose the Church with a person, and not outward things without them, cannot do other than suppose that this nation was chosen and also loved by Jehovah in preference to all others. But the truth of the matter is entirely different. They were accepted because they insisted on it, yet not in order that any Church might exist among them, only what was representative of a Church, to the end that the Word could be written, with such things constituting its lowest level. The reason why in the Word that nation is called Jehovah's people, the nation chosen and loved [by Him], is that in it Judah is used to mean the celestial Church, Israel the spiritual Church, and each son of Jacob some aspect of the Church. Furthermore Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob serve to mean the Lord Himself, and so do Moses, Aaron, and David. But since the subject in the whole of this chapter is that nation, and the fact that no Church could be established among them, only what was representative of a Church, please see, before anything further is presented, what has been stated and shown previously regarding that nation,
No Church existed with that nation, only what was representative of a Church, 4281, 4288, 4311, 4500, 4899, 4912, 6304, 7048, 9320. Thus they were not chosen, only accepted because they insisted on it, 4290, 4293, 7051, 7439. They were entirely restricted to external things devoid of anything internal, 4293, 4311, 4459(end), 4834, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4868, 4874, 4903, 4913, 9320, 9373, 9380, 9381. Their worship was merely external, 3147, 3479, 8871. Nor did they wish to know about the inner things of worship and of the Word, 3479, 4429, 4433, 4680. Therefore they were not allowed to know those things, 301, 302, 304, 2520, 3769. If they had known them they would have rendered them profane, 3398, 3489, 4289. Nevertheless through the outward things of worship among them, which were representative of inner realities, there was contact with heaven, and in what way, 4311, 4444, 6304, 8588, 8788, 8806. When they were engaged in worship their interiors, which were foul, were closed, 3480, 9962. This was possible among that nation, which is why they have been preserved even to the present day, 3479, 4281, 6588, 9377. They worshipped Jehovah, but no more than His name, 3732(end), 4299, 6877. At heart they were idolaters, 4208, 4281, 4820, 5998, 6877, 7401, 8301, 8882. In general, they were the worst nation, 4314, 4316, 4317, 4444, 4503, 4750, 4751, 4815, 4820, 4832, 5057, 7248, 8819, 9320.
Latin(1748-1756) 10396
10396. {1} `Et videbat populus quod tardaret Moscheh descendere de monte': quod significet gentem Israeliticam cum non in Verbo apperciperet aliquid e caelo, constat ex significatione `videre' cum de intellectu Verbi, quod sit apperceptio, de qua n. 2150, 3764, 3863, 4567, 4723, 5400; ex repraesentatione `Moschis' quod sit Verbum, de qua in locis citatis n. 9372; {2} ex significatione `tardare descendere' cum de apperceptione Divini Veri ex Verbo, quod sit non influere, (m)nam Divinum Verum quod influit apud hominem, dicitur descendere de caelo;(n) et ex significatione `montis Sinai' quod sit caelum quoad Divinum Verum, de qua n. 9420; per `populum' hic intelligitur gens Israelitica in proprio sensu, quoniam in hoc capite de illa agitur, qualis erat quoad apperceptionem Divini Veri ex Verbo, et quoad apperceptionem interiorum quae repraesentabantur in illis quae a Jehovah {3}per Moschen filiis Israelis e monte Sinai mandata sunt, de quibus in capitibus quae praecedunt a xxv ad xxxi inclusive; ex his constat quod per `videbat populus quod tardaret Moscheh descendere de monte' significetur gens Israelitica cum non in Verbo apperciperet aliquid e caelo; ita nec aliquid quod repraesentabatur in illis quae e monte Sinai mandata sunt, quae sunt interiora. [2] Cum his ita se habet: actum est in capitibus quae praecedunt de statutis, judiciis, et legibus, quae a Jehovah mandata sunt filiis Israelis, apud quos Ecclesia instituenda erat; omnia et singula illa erant externa quae repraesentabant interna, ut in explicationibus super illis capitibus ostensum est; {4}ast gens Israelitica talis erat ut prorsus non aliquid scire vellet de internis quae repraesentabantur, sed solum de externis quae repraesentabant; causa quod tales essent, erat quia prorsus in corporeis et terrestribus amoribus erant; et {5}apud illos qui in illis amoribus sunt, interiora, quae alioquin paterent in caelum, occlusa sunt; apud hominem enim est internum et {6} externum, internum ejus est pro caelo et externum pro mundo; cum externum regnat, tunc mundana, corporea, et terrestria regnant, cum autem internum tunc caelestia; sed homo ita creatus est ut externum subordinatum sit interno, ita mundus apud illum caelo, nam, ut dictum est, externum est pro mundo et internum pro caelo; cum itaque regnat externum, clauditur internum, ex causa quia homo tunc vertit se a caelo et a Domino ad mundum et ad semet, et cor ejus ibi est quo se vertit, proinde ejus amor, et cum amore omne vitae ejus, nam vita hominis est {7}ejus amor. [3] Haec dicta sunt ut sciatur quomodo se habet cum illis qui in amoribus corporeis et terrestribus sunt, quod nempe interiora apud illos occlusa sint; et illi apud quos interiora occlusa sunt non agnoscunt aliquod internum, solum illa quae oculis vident et manibus tangunt dicunt esse, et reliqua quae non oculis vident et manibus tangunt dicunt non esse; inde quoque illis non aliqua fides est quod caelum sit, quod vita post mortem, et quod interiora, quae Ecclesia docet, sint aliquid. Talis fuit gens Israelitica; quod talis esset, describitur in hoc capite. [4] Qui non scit quod interiora faciant Ecclesiam apud hominem et non exteriora absque illis, non aliter scire potest quam quod gens illa prae reliquis gentibus electa fuerit, et quoque a Jehovah amata; sed res {8}se prorsus aliter habet: recepta fuit quia institit, sed non ut aliqua Ecclesia apud illam esset, verum modo repraesentativum Ecclesiae, ob finem ut Verbum {9}posset conscribi, quod in talia ultimo {10}desineret; quod populus ille in Verbo dicatur populus Jehovae, gens electa et amata, est quia per Jehudam ibi intelligitur Ecclesia caelestis, per Israelem Ecclesia spiritualis, et per omnes filios Jacobi aliquid Ecclesiae; etiam per Abrahamum, Jischakum, et Jacobum Ipse Dominus, ut quoque per Moschen, Aharonem, Davidem. Sed quia de gente illa in toto hoc capite agitur {11} quod apud illam non Ecclesia sed modo repraesentativum Ecclesiae potuerit institui; ideo antequam ulterius progredi licet, videantur quae de illa gente prius dicta et ostensa sunt, quod nempe apud illam non Ecclesia fuerit sed modo repraesentativum Ecclesiae, n. 4281, 4288, 4311, 4500, 4899, 4912, 6304, 7048, 9320, ita quod non electi fuerint sed recepti quia institerunt, n. 4290, 4293, 7051, 7439, quod prorsus in externis absque ullo interno fuerint, n. 4293, 4311, 4459 fin., 4834, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4868, 4874, 4903, 4913, (x)9320, (t)9373, 9380, 9381, quod cultus eorum modo externus fuerit, n. 3147, 3479, 8871, {12} quod nec scire voluerint interna cultus et Verbi, n. 3479, 4429, 4433, 4680, quod ideo nec datum sit illis ea scire, n. 301, 302, 304, 2520, 3769, si scivissent, quod profanavissent, n. 3398, 3489, 4289, quod usque per externa cultus apud illos, quae erant repraesentativa interiorum, communicatio fuerit cum caelo, et quomodo, n. 4311, 4444, 6304, 8588, 8788, 8806, quod cum in cultu {13}erant, interiora eorum, quae foeda, clausa fuerint, n. 3480, 9962, quod id apud illam gentem fieri potuerit, et quod ideo conservati, etiam ad hunc diem, n. 3479, 4281, 6588, 9377, quod Jehovam solum quoad nomen coluerint, n. 3732 fin., 4299, 6877, quod corde idololatrae fuerint, n. 4208, 4281, 4820, 5998, 6877, 7401, 8301, 8882, in genere, quod fuerit gens pessima, n. 4314, 4316, 4317, 4444, 4503, 4750, 4751, 4815, 4820, 4832, 5057, 7248, 8819, 9320. @1 See p. ix preliminary note I. A begins here.$ @2 i et$ @3 Moschi in$ @4 sed$ @5 qui in illis sunt, habent$ @6 i est$ @7 ex ejus amore$ @8 After aliter$ @9 i ibi$ @10 desinit altered to desineret then restored desinit$ @11 i et$ @12 i quod in cultu externo fuerint prae aliis gentibus, et quod ideo conservati, n. 3479, 4281, 6588, 9377$ @13 essent$