3166# "将宝物送给她兄弟"象征由此而来的灵性之物给予自然的良善。这一解释基于以下几点：首先，"宝物"象征属灵之物（稍后会详细解释）；其次，"兄弟”象征自然层面的良善（参3160节）；再者，"拉班"（此处指"兄弟"）象征自然人中对良善的情感（参3129，3130节）。
"宝物"象征属灵之物，这一点在圣经其它章节中也有体现。例如，摩西在谈到约瑟时说：
愿他的地蒙耶和华赐福，得天上的宝物、甘露，以及地里所藏的泉水；得太阳所晒熟的美果，月亮所产的宝物……得上古之山的至宝，永世之岭的宝物，得地和其中所充满的宝物。（申命记33:13-16）
在这段经文中，"天上的珍宝""太阳所晒熟的美果""月亮所产的宝物""上古之山的至宝"和"地的宝物"都象征着各种属灵之物。此外，宝石、珍珠、香膏和香料等被称为贵重之物，这些也都象征着属灵的事物。
【2】关于属灵之物的定义，我们之前已多次讨论过。在主的王国中，存在着属天的和属灵的两个层面。属天的代表良善，而属灵的则源于良善并代表真理。事实上，宇宙中的一切都与良善和真理息息相关。所有有益且富有生命力的事物都与良善有关，而主要涉及实用性和生命的教义与知识则与真理相关。换句话说，属于意志范畴的被称为善或恶，而属于理智范畴的则被称为真或伪。
因此，单纯源于仁爱与仁义，并由主直接灌输的良善被视为属天的，而由此衍生的真理则被视为属灵的。至于为什么给兄弟"宝物"，而给作为新娘的妹妹"银器、金器和衣服"，其中的原因在于：“兄弟”象征着自然人中的良善。当真理在理性层面与良善结合时，这种自然人中的良善就会得到启发。实际上，自然人中一切良善和真理的启发都源于这种结合。
3166、“又将宝物送给她哥哥”表示属灵事物从那里传给属世良善。这从“宝物”和“她哥哥”的含义清楚可知：“宝物”是指属灵事物，如下文所述；“她哥哥”是指属世良善（参看3160节）；而拉班，也就是此处的哥哥，是指属世人中对良善的情感（参看3129， 3130节）。“宝物”表示属灵事物，这一点从圣言中的其它经文明显看出来，如摩西五经论到约瑟的地方：
愿他的地蒙耶和华赐福，得天上的宝物、甘露，以及下面的深渊；得太阳所出产的宝物，月亮所产出的宝物，得永世之岭的宝物，得地和其中所充满的宝物。（申命记33:13-16）
此处“天上的宝物”、“太阳所出产的宝物”、“月亮所产出的宝物”、“永世之岭的宝物”和“地的宝物”表示各种属灵事物。此外，“宝”这个词也适用于宝石、珍珠、香膏、香料等等，它们都表示属灵事物。
前面多次阐述了属灵事物的定义，即：主的国度包含属天事物和属灵事物；属天事物与良善有关，或说是良善的形式，属灵事物与从良善而来的真理有关，或说是这真理的形式。宇宙中的一切事物无不关乎良善和真理：凡与功用和生活有关的，都关乎良善；而凡与教义和记忆知识，尤其涉及功用和生活的教义和记忆知识有关的，都关乎真理。或也可说，凡属于意愿的，都被称为良善或邪恶；凡属于理解力的，都被称为真理或虚假。因此，只与爱和仁有关，并从主流入的良善是属天的；源于良善的真理是属灵的。当“银器、金器和衣服”被送给成为新娘的妹子时，“宝物”之所以被送给哥哥，是因为“哥哥”表示属世人中的良善，并且当真理被引入理性中的良善时，这良善就被光照。事实上，对属世人中的良善和真理的一切光照都由这种联系产生。
Potts(1905-1910) 3166
3166. He gave also precious things to her brother. That this signifies spiritual things thence for natural good, is evident from the signification of "precious things," as being spiritual things, whereof we shall speak presently; and from the signification of her "brother," as being natural good (see n. 3160); Laban also, who is here the brother, is the affection of good in the natural man (see n. 3129, 3130). That "precious things" signify spiritual things, is evident from other passages in the Word, as where Joseph is treated of, in Moses:
Blessed of Jehovah be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep lying beneath; and for the precious things of the produce of the sun, and for the precious things of the growth of the months, and for the precious things of the hills of eternity, and for the precious things of the earth, and of the fullness thereof (Deut. 33:13-16);
where by the "precious things of heaven, the precious things of the produce of the sun, the precious things of the growth of the months, the precious things of the hills of eternity, and the precious things of the earth," are signified various kinds of spiritual things. Moreover the things called precious were precious stones, pearls, balsams, spices, and the like, all which signify spiritual things. [2] What spiritual things are, has been frequently stated above, namely, that in the Lord's kingdom there are celestial things and spiritual things, and that celestial things are of good, and spiritual things are of the derivative truth. There is nothing in the universe that does not refer to good and truth; whatever is of use, and of life, refers to good; but whatever is of doctrine and memory-knowledge, especially concerning use and life, refers to truth; or what is the same, whatever is of the will, is called good or evil; but whatever is of the understanding is called truth or falsity; and therefore good, which is solely of love and charity, and which flows in from the Lord, is celestial; whereas truth, which is therefrom, is spiritual. The reason why precious things were given to the brother, when vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and garments were given to the sister, on her becoming a bride, is that the "brother" signified good in the natural man, and this good is enlightened when truth is being initiated into good in the rational; for all the enlightenment of good and of truth in the natural man is thence.
Elliott(1983-1999) 3166
3166. 'And he gave precious things to her brother' means spiritual things passing from there to natural good. This is clear from the meaning of 'precious things' as spiritual things, dealt with in what follows, and from the meaning of 'a brother' as natural good, dealt with in 3160, and also of 'Laban', to whom 'her brother' refers here, as the affection for good in the natural man, dealt with in 3129, 3130. It is also clear from other parts of the Word that 'precious things' means spiritual things, for example, from the reference to Joseph in Moses,
Blessed by Jehovah is his land, in regard to the precious things of heaven, to the dew, and to the deep lying beneath, and to the precious things of the fruits of the sun, and to the precious things of the produce of the months, and to the precious things of the eternal hills, and to the precious things of the earth and of its fulness. Deut 33:13-16.
Here 'the precious things of heaven', 'the precious things of the fruits of the sun', 'the precious things of the produce of the months', 'the precious things of the eternal hills', and 'the precious things of the earth' mean various kinds of spiritual things. The word 'precious' was also applied to precious stones, pearls, balms, spices, and similar commodities, which all mean spiritual things.
[2] What spiritual things are has been stated many times already, namely that in the Lord's kingdom there are celestial things and there are spiritual things. Celestial things are forms of good, spiritual things forms of truth from that good. Nothing exists in the universe that is unrelated to good or to truth. Everything to do with use and life is related to good, whereas everything to do with doctrine and knowledge, in particular concerning use and life, is related to truth. Or what amounts to the same, that which belongs to the will is called good or evil, whereas that which belongs to the understanding is referred to as truth or falsity. Good therefore, being that alone which is the expression of love and charity and which flows in from the Lord, is celestial, whereas truth, being that which springs from good, is spiritual. The reason 'precious things' were given to the brother when 'vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and garments' were given to the sister when she became a bride was that the brother meant good in the natural man, and this good is enlightened when truth is introduced into good in the rational. Indeed this is the origin of all enlightenment of good and truth in the natural man.
Latin(1748-1756) 3166
3166. `Et pretiosa dedit fratri ejus': quod significet spiritualia bono naturali inde, constat ex significatione `pretiosorum' quod sint spiritualia, de qua sequitur, et ex significatione `fratris' quod sit bonum naturale, de qua n. 3160; ut et {1}`Labani' qui hic est `frater' quod sit affectio {2}boni in naturali homine, de qua n. 3129, 3130; quod `pretiosa' significent spiritualia, constat ex verbo etiam alibi, ut ubi agitur de Josepho, {3}apud Mosen, Benedicta a Jehovah terra ejus, de pretioso caeli, de rore, et de abysso jacente subter: et de pretioso proventuum solis; et de pretioso producti mensium;...et de pretioso collium aeternitatis, et de pretioso terrae et plenitudinis ejus, Deut. xxxiii 13-16;ibi per `pretiosum caeli, pretiosum proventuum solis, pretiosum producti mensium, pretiosum collium aeternitatis, et pretiosum terrae' significantur varia genera spiritualium: praeterea pretiosa dicebantur lapides pretiosi, margaritae, balsama, aromata, ac similia, quae omnia significant spiritualia. [2] Quid spiritualia, prius multoties dictum est, nempe quod in regno Domini sint caelestia et sint spiritualia, et quod caelestia sint boni, ac spiritualia veri inde; nihil `in universo est', quod non ad bonum et ad verum se refert; omne quod est usus et vitae, se refert ad bonum, quod autem est doctrinae et scientiae cumprimis de usu et vita, ad verum, seu quod idem, quod est voluntatis, vocatur bonum vel malum, quod autem est intellectus, dicitur verum vel falsum; {4}bonum itaque, quod solum est amoris et charitatis, et a Domino influit, est caeleste, verum autem quod inde, est spirituale. Cur fratri data sunt `pretiosa,' quando sorori cum facta sponsa, `vasa argenti, vasa auri, et vestes,' causa erat quia frater significabat bonum in naturali homine, et quia bonum hoc illustratur cum verum initiatur bono in rationali; omnis enim illustratio boni et veri in naturali homine est inde. @1 Labanus I$ @2 veri AI but see n. 3139$ @3 before agitur$ @4 verum ex bono, quia a Domino influit, est spirituale$