1034# 启17:2.“地上的诸王与她行淫”表示他们歪曲了教会的一切真理。这从“行淫”和“地上的诸王”的含义清楚可知：“行淫”是指歪曲（参看AE141,161,817c,881节）；“地上的诸王”是指教会的真理，“王”是指真理，“地”是指教会。圣言的许多地方都提到“王”，人们以为由此所指的，是王或他们的国；但在圣言中，“王”表示所有从主处于来自良善的真理之人，在灵义所在的抽象意义上，表示来自良善的真理。这就是“王”的含义（可参看AE29,31,553,624e,625节），这一点可从以下启示录的经文进一步看出来：
耶稣基督，就是地上的诸王元首，使我们作王和祭司。（启示录1:5–6）
又：羔羊叫我们成为君王和祭司，好叫我们在地上掌权。（启示录5:10;16:12,14）
“王”因表示来自良善的真理，故在反面意义上也表示来自邪恶的虚假。因为在圣言中，绝大部分词语也都有反面意义。这就是以下本章经文中的“王”的含义：
那兽的七头是七位王；五位已经倾倒了，一位还在，一位还没有来到；他来的时候，必须暂时存留。（启示录17:10）
又：
你所看见的那十角，就是十王。（启示录17:12）
又：
那女人就是有一国管辖地上众王的大城。（启示录17:18）在接下来的经文中，也是如此，在那里，经上说：那兽，地上的诸王和他们的军队都与骑白马的作战。（启示录19:19）这一切清楚表明，“地上的诸王与坐在众水上的淫妇行淫”表示什么，即表示教会的真理被那些属于巴比伦的人歪曲了。在接下来的经文中，也是如此，在那里，经上说：
地上的诸王与那女人行淫，地上的客商因她极度奢华就发了财。素来与她行淫、一同奢华的地上诸王，就必为她哭泣哀号。（启示录18:3,9,11）
但以理书中的“王”具有相同的含义：至于第四只兽的那十角，就是从这国中必兴起的十王，在他们以后，必有另一个王兴起，与先前的不同，他必制伏三王。（但以理书7:24）
“王”表示那些处于来自良善的真理之人，在抽象意义上表示来自良善的真理，因为主凭神性真理而被称为“王”，凭神性良善而被称为“祭司”；因此，神性真理在其中掌权作王的天堂被称为“祂的宝座”。这就是为何从主处于来自良善的真理的天上天使和地上的人被称为“王的儿子或王子”，以及“天国之子”和“继承人”；因此，他们就是在主被称为“万王之王”的地方（如启17:14和19:16，以及其它地方），“王”所指的人。
1034. (Verse 2) With whom the kings of the earth have committed whoredom. That this signifies that they have falsified all the truths of the church, is evident from the signification of committing whoredom, as denoting to falsify (concerning which see n. 1:5, 6).
Again:
"The Lamb hath made us kings and priests, that we might reign upon the earth" (5:10; also 16:12, 14).
[2] Because by kings are signified truths from good, they also signify, in the opposite sense, falsities from evil. For most expressions in the Word have also an opposite sense. Such is the signification of kings in the following parts of this chapter:
The seven heads of the beast "are also seven kings, five have fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come, and when he doth come he must abide but a short time" (ver. 11).
Also:
"The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings" (ver. 12).
As also:
"The woman is the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (ver. 18).
Similarly in the following passages, where it is said,
That the beast, the kings of the earth, and their army, made war with him that sat on the white horse (Apoc. 19:18).
From these things it is evident what is signified by the kings of the earth committing whoredom with the whore sitting upon many waters, namely, the falsification of the truths of the church by those who belong to Babylon. Similarly in the following passages, where it is said,
That the kings of the earth committed whoredom with that woman, "and the merchants of the earth waxed rich, from the abundance of her delicacies."
Likewise:
"The kings of the earth, who have committed whoredom, and lived delicately with her, shall weep over her and bewail her" (Apoc. 18:3, 9, 10).
Similar things are signified by the kings in Daniel:
That the ten horns of the fourth beast "are ten kings, which shall arise from that kingdom, and another after them, who shall be diverse from the former, who shall humble three kings" (7:24).
[3] The reason why kings signify those who are in truths from good, and, abstractedly, truths from good is, that the Lord is called king from Divine truth, and priest from Divine good; and hence the heaven where Divine truth reigns is called "His throne." This is why the angels in the heavens, and men on earth, who are in truths from good from the Lord, are called sons of the king, also sons of the kingdom, and heirs; therefore these are they who are meant by kings where the Lord is called the "King of kings," as in verse 14 of this chapter, and in chapter 19:16, and elsewhere.
1034. Verse 2. With whom the kings of the earth committed whoredom, signifies that they have falsified all the truths of the church. This is evident from the signification of "committing whoredom," as being to falsify (See n. Revelation 1:5-6).
Again:
The Lamb made us kings and priests, that we might reign upon the earth (Revelation 5:10; likewise Revelation 16:12, 14).
[2] Because "kings" signify truths from good, they also signify in the contrary sense falsities from evil. For most expressions in the Word have also a contrary sense. Such is the signification of "kings" in the following passages in this chapter:
The seven heads of the beast are seven kings; the five are fallen, and the one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he is come he must continue a little while (Revelation 16:10).
Also:
The ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings (Revelation 16:12).
Again:
The woman is the great city which hath kingship over the kings of the earth (Revelation 16:18).
So, too, in a subsequent passage, where it is said:
That the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, made war with Him that sat on the white horse (Revelation 19:19).
All this makes clear the signification of the words "the kings of the earth committed whoredom with the harlot that sitteth upon many waters," namely, that the truths of the church have been falsified by those who are of Babylon. So again in a subsequent passage, where it is said that:
The kings of the earth committed whoredom with that woman, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich from the abundance of her delicacies. The kings of the earth, who have committed whoredom and lived deliciously with her, shall weep and lament over her (Revelation 18:3, (Revelation 18:9)Revelation 18:11).
"Kings" have a like signification in Daniel:
As for the ten horns of the fourth beast, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise; and another shall arise after them, and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings (Daniel 7:24).
[3] "Kings" signify those who are in truths from good, and in an abstract sense truths from good, because the Lord is called "king" from Divine truth, and "priest" from Divine good; and therefore the heaven where Divine truth reigns is called "His throne." For the same reason angels in the heavens and men on earth who are in truths from good from the Lord are called "sons of the king," also "sons of the kingdom" and "heirs;" consequently such are meant by "kings" where the Lord is called "King of kings" (as in the fourteenth verse of this chapter, and in chapter 19 Revelation 17:17; and elsewhere (Revelation 19:16).
1034. (Vers. 2.) "Cum qua scortati sunt reges terrae." - Quod significet quod falsificaverint omnia vera ecclesiae, constat ex significatione "scortari", quod sit falsificare (de qua (supra), n. 141, 161, 817(c), 881); et ex significatione "regum terrae", quod sint vera ecclesiae ("reges" sunt vera, et "terra" est ecclesia). Plurimis in locis in Verbo dicuntur "reges", et creditur quod per illos intelligantur reges, aut regna illorum; sed per illos in Verbo intelliguntur omnes qui in veris ex bono a Domino sunt, et in sensu abstracto, in quo est sensus spiritualis, vera ex bono; quod haec intelligantur per "reges", videatur supra (n. 29, 31, 553, 624(e), 625); quod adhuc constare potest ex sequentibus his, in Apocalypsi,
Jesus Christus "Princeps regum terrae", qui "fecit nos reges et sacerdotes" (1:5, 6);
alibi,
Agnus fecit "nos reges et sacerdotes, ut regemus super terra" (5:10: similiter cap. 16:12, 14).
[2] Quia per "reges" significantur vera ex bono, etiam per illos in opposito sensu significantur falsa ex malo; nam pleraque in Verbo etiam oppositum sensum habent; haec itaque per "reges" significantur in sequentibus hujus capitis: –
Capita bestiae septem "etiam reges septem sunt; quinque ceciderunt et unus est, alter nondum venit; et quando venerit, brevi illum oportet manere" (vers. 10):
tum,
"Decem cornua quae vidisti, decem reges sunt" (vers. 12);
ut et,
"Mulier ... est urbs magna habens regnum super reges terrae" (vers. 18):
similiter in sequentibus, ubi dicitur,
Quod bestia, reges terrae, et exercitus eorum, facerent bellum cum Sedente super Equo albo (Apocalypsis 19:19).
Ex his patet quid significatur per quod "reges terrae scortati sint cum meretrice sedente super aquis multis", nempe quod vera ecclesiae ab illis qui e Babylonia sunt, falsificata sint. Similiter in sequentibus, ubi dicitur,
Quod reges terrae cum muliere illa scortati sint, "et mercatores terrae ex facultatibus deliciarum ejus ditati." Tum, "Deflebunt eam, et plangent super illa reges terrae, qui cum ea scortati et deliciati sunt" (Apocalypsis 18:3, 9, 11).
Similia per "reges" significantur apud Danielem,
"Quod ad cornua (decem)" bestiae quartae, "ex eo regno decem reges surgent, et alius .. post eos, qui diversus erit a prioribus, qui tres reges humiliabit" (7:24).
[3] Quod "reges" significent illos qui in veris ex bono sunt, et abstracte vera ex bono, est quia Dominus vocatur "Rex" ex Divino Vero, et "Sacerdos" ex Divino Bono; et inde caelum ubi Divinum Verum regnat, vocatur "thronus Ipsius": ex eo est, quod angeli in caelis et homines in terris, qui in veris ex bono a Domino sunt, dicantur "filii Regis", tum "filii regni", ac "heredes"; quare illi sunt qui intelliguntur per "reges, "
ubi Dominus vocatur "Rex regum" (Ut in hujus capitis versu 14; et cap. 19:16; et alibi).