4598# “以色列起行”象征此时属天之属灵的自然，源自于“起行”的意义，即连续或渐进（参4375，4554节），这里更指向内在；而“以色列”的象征则表现出属天之属灵的自然（参4286节）。此前已解释，属天之属灵的自然即为通过信仰之真理所体现的仁义之良善。什么是向内在的进展，在世上知之甚少；这不是在知识上的进展，因为知识上的进展常常发生而没有任何向内在的进展，而且经常伴随向外的退步。也不是在成熟判断力上的进展，这有时也伴随着与内在的分离；也不是在对内在真理的认知上的进展，因为认知本身若人不被其所感动则无济于事；向内在的进展是通过被植入对真理的情感中的真理认知，也就是通过情感，向着天堂和主的进展。
【2】向内在的进展是什么样子，在世上不显现给任何人，但在来世则明显可见，那是从某种阴云向光明的转变。那些只停留在外在事物中的人相对处于阴云之中，天使们也看见他们在阴云中；而那些处于内在事物中的人则在光明中，因此也在智慧中，因为那里的光就是智慧。
奇妙的是，那些在阴云中的人无法看见那些在光明中的人是处于光明中，但那些在光明中的人却能看见那些在阴云中的人是处于阴云中。由于这里论述的是主的神性向内在的进展，雅各在此被称为以色列；但当不涉及这种进展时，他就被称为雅各，如本章前面的第20节和最后一节所示。
4598.“以色列起行前往”表这时属世层的属天-属灵层。这从“起行”的含义和“以色列”的代表清楚可知：“起行”是指一个进一步的阶段，或一个延续物（参看4375，4554节），在此是指朝向更内层的事物；“以色列”在此是指属世层的属天-属灵层（4286节）。前面已经解释了何为属世层的属天-属灵层，即：它是真理之良善，或通过信之真理所获得的仁之良善。在世上，很少有人知道何为向着内层事物的发展。它不是一种进入记忆知识或事实知识的发展，因为无需任何朝向内层事物的发展，就经常取得这种发展（即朝向记忆知识的发展）；并且这种发展更是经常伴随着与这些内层事物的一种远离。它也不是一种在判断力成熟上的发展，因为这种发展有时也伴随与内层事物的一种远离。它亦不是进入对内层真理的认知的一种发展；因为如果一个人对这些认知没有任何情感，它们一文不值。朝向内层事物的发展是一种通过被植入对其情感的真理认知，因而通过情感靠近天堂和主的发展。
至于朝向内层事物的发展的性质是什么，这对世上的任何人来说都不明显；但在来世，这种发展是显而易见的，因为在那里，它是一种从一种迷雾进入光明的发展；事实上，与其他人相比，那些唯独处于外在事物的人便生活在一种迷雾中，并且在天使看来的确在迷雾中；而那些处于内在事物的人则居于光中，因而居于智慧中，因为那里的光就是智慧。说来奇妙，那些居于迷雾中的人看不见那些居于光中的人就在光中；而那些居于光中的人则能看到那些居于迷雾中的人就在迷雾中。由于此处所论述的主题是主的神性朝向内层事物的发展，故雅各在此被称为“以色列”；但在主题不是这种发展的地方，他叫“雅各”，如在本章20和29节经文。
Potts(1905-1910) 4598
4598. And Israel journeyed. That this means the celestial spiritual of the natural at this time, is evident from the signification of "journeying," as being what is successive or continuous (see n. 4375, 4554), here more toward interior things; and from the representation of "Israel" here, as being the celestial spiritual of the natural (n. 4286). What the celestial spiritual of the natural is, has been explained before, namely, that it is the good of truth, or the good of charity procured by means of the truth of faith. What advancement toward interior things is, is little known in the world. It is not an advancement into memory-knowledges, for this frequently exists without any advancement toward interior things, and very frequently with a departure from them. Neither is it an advancement into the judgment of manhood, for this also sometimes exists together with a departure from interior things. Nor is it an advancement into knowledges of interior truth, for these knowledges avail nothing unless the man is affected with them. An advancement toward interior things is an advancement toward heaven and the Lord by means of the knowledges of truth implanted in the affection of them, thus by means of affections. [2] What is the nature of an advancement toward interior things is not apparent to anyone in this world; but in the other life it is plainly apparent, for there it is an advancement from a kind of mist into light, because they who are in exterior things alone are relatively in a mist, and by the angels are seen to be in one; whereas they who are in interior things are in light, and consequently are in wisdom, for the light there is wisdom; and wonderful to say, they who are in a mist cannot see those who are in light as in light, but they who are in light can see those who are in a mist as in a mist. As the subject here treated of is the advancement of the Lord's Divine toward interior things, Jacob is here called "Israel," but at other times he is called "Jacob," as in the preceding verse of this chapter, and in the last verse.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4598
4598. 'Israel travelled on' means the celestial-spiritual of the natural then. This is clear from the meaning of 'travelling on' as a further stage or a continuation, dealt with in 4375, 4554, in this case towards aspects more interior still, and from the representation of 'Israel' here as the celestial-spiritual of the natural, dealt with in 4286. What the celestial-spiritual of the natural is has been explained already, namely the good of truth, or the good of charity arrived at through the truth of faith. Little knowledge exists in the world of what an advance towards more interior aspects is. It is not an advance into knowledge of facts, for that kind of advance is often made without any advancement towards interior things, and more often still is accompanied by a movement away from these. Neither is it an advance in maturity of judgement, for this too is sometimes accompanied by a movement away from interior things. Nor yet is it an advance made into cognitions of interior truth, for these count for nothing if a person does not have any affection for them. An advance towards interior things is an advance nearer to heaven and the Lord made by means of the cognitions of truth which have been implanted in an affection for them, and so is an advance made by means of the affections.
[2] What an advance towards interior things is like is not apparent to anyone in the world; but in the next life it is plain to see. In that life it is an advance out of a kind of haze into light; for compared with others people who are concerned solely with more external things live in a haze, and are also seen by the angels to do so, whereas those who have a concern for more internal things dwell in light, and consequently in wisdom since the light there is wisdom. And what is amazing, those living in the haze cannot see that those in light are in light, whereas those dwelling in light can see that those in the haze are in a haze. Since the subject is the advance made by the Lord's Divine towards more interior aspects, Jacob is called Israel here; but where that advance is not the subject he is called Jacob, as in verse 20 immediately before this, and in the final verse of this chapter.
Latin(1748-1756) 4598
4598. `Profectus Israel': quod `sit caeleste spirituale naturalis nunc, constat (c)a significatione `proficisci' quod sit successivum seu continuum, de qua n. 4375, 4554, hic versus interiora magis; et ex repraesentatione `Israelis' hic quod sit caeleste spirituale naturalis, de qua n. 4286; quid caeleste spirituale naturalis, prius explicatum est, quod nempe sit bonum veri, seu bonum charitatis comparatum per verum fidei. (s)Quid progressio versus interiora, parum scitur in mundo; non est progressio in scientifica, haec enim progressio saepe datur absque ulla progressione versus interiora, et saepenumero cum egressione; nec est progressio in virile judicium, hoc etiam quandoque datur cum egressione ab interioribus; nec est in cognitiones veri interioris, nam cognitiones nihil faciunt nisi homo afficiatur illis; est progressio versus interiora progressio versus caelum et Dominum per cognitiones veri implantatas affectioni earum, ita per affectiones:[2] qualis progressio versus interiora est, non apparet alicui in mundo, sed in altera vita manifeste, est ibi a quodam nimbo in lucem; qui enim solum in exterioribus sunt {2}, respective in nimbo sunt {2}, et quoque ab angelis videntur {2} in nimbo; at qui in interioribus sunt {2}, in luce sunt, proinde in sapientia, nam lux ibi est sapientia; et mirum, qui in nimbo sunt, non videre possunt illos qui in luce quod in luce sint, at qui in luce sunt, videre possunt illos qui in nimbo, quod in nimbo sint.(s) Quia agitur de progressione Divini Domini versus interiora, Jacob hic vocatur Israel; at ubi non de progressione illa, vocatur Jacob {3}, ut in versu hujus capitis mox praecedente 20, et in ultimo. @1 significet$ @2 All singular in A$ @3 i ille$