10062.“又抹在他们右手的大拇指上”表由此而来的中间天堂的理解能力。这从“手的大拇指”的含义清楚可知，“手的大拇指”是指良善通过真理所行使的能力，或在其能力中的源于良善的真理，以及由此而来的理解能力，如下文所述。它之所以表示中间天堂的理解能力，是因为抹在手的大拇指上的“血”表示天堂里从主的神性良善发出的神性真理（参看10060节），因而在此表示由此而来的理解能力。“在右耳垂上的血”表示至内层天堂的觉察能力；因此，“右手的大拇指上的血”表示中间天堂的理解能力；而抹在“右脚的大脚趾上”的表示末后和最低层天堂的理解能力。事实上，头和头的各个部分表示属于至内层天堂的事物，故“右耳”在此表示该天堂的觉察能力，因为耳朵是头上的一部分。身体和身体的各个部分表示那些属于中间天堂的事物，故“右手”在此表示理解能力；而脚和脚的各个部分表示那些属于最低层天堂的事物。关于天堂与人的这种对应关系，可参看前文（1003节，以及该节所提到的地方）。此外，存在于至内层天堂的，是对源于良善的真理的觉察能力；然而，存在于中间天堂的，不是对真理的觉察能力，只是对真理的理解能力；存在于最低层天堂的，也是对真理的理解能力（参看9277，9596，9684节所提到的地方）。
至于右手的大拇指表示在其能力中的源于良善的真理，以及由此而来的中间天堂的理解能力，诚然，大拇指似乎是太过低级的事物，微不足道，不足以表示天堂；因为或许有人会问，大拇指如何具有如此重大的含义呢？但是，要知道，身体任何部位的末后和最低，或最外在的部分都具有和整个部位一样的含义。“手”表示身体的整个能力，因为身体所拥有的能力通过手臂和手来行使。关于末后或最外在之物表示全部或整体，与最初和最高之物一样，可参看前文（10044节）。
“手”表示能力，一切能力皆属源于良善的良善（参看10019节所提到的地方）；“右手”表示源于良善的真理的能力，“左手”表示良善到来所经由的真理（10061节）。
之所以表示理解能力，是因为一切理解能力都是由真理形成的，而一切意愿能力都是由良善形成的。事实上，世界和天堂里的一切事物都与真理和良善有关，人的理解力是为了真理而赐下的，意愿是为了良善而赐下的。因此，“手”因表示在其能力中的真理，故也表示理解力。
由于和“手”一样，“手的大拇指”表示真理从良善所拥有的能力，所以在古时的列族，以及以色列人当中，砍掉仇敌之手的大拇指和脚的大脚趾是惯常的做法（士师记1:6，7）；这代表夺去一切能力。此外，手的主要能力也在于大拇指，因为当大拇指被砍掉时，手就再也没有力量在战场上打仗了。正如大拇指表示能力，“指头”也表示能力，如在下列经文：
耶和华教导我的手争战，教导我的指头打仗。（诗篇144:1）
诗篇：
我观看诸天，你的指头所造的。（诗篇8:3）
路加福音：
耶稣说，我若靠着神的指头赶鬼，这定是神的国临到你们了。（路加福音11:20）
Potts(1905-1910) 10062
10062. And upon the thumb of their right hand. That this signifies the understanding thence derived in the middle heaven, is evident from the signification of "the thumb of the hand," as being the power of good through truth, or truth in its power from good, and the understanding thence derived (of which below). That it denotes the understanding in the middle heaven is because by the "blood" which was put on the thumb of the hand, is signified the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord's Divine good in the heavens (see above n. 10060), here therefore the understanding thence derived; for by the "blood on the lap of the right ear" is signified the perceptivity in the inmost heaven; consequently by the "blood on the thumb of the right hand" is signified the understanding in the middle heaven; and by the "great toe of the right foot" is signified the understanding in the ultimate heaven; for the things that belong to the inmost heaven are signified by the head, and by the things of the head, here therefore its perceptivity, by the "right ear," for this belongs to the head; and the things that belong to the middle heaven are signified by the body, and by the things of the body, here therefore the understanding, by the "right hand;" and the things that belong to the ultimate heaven are signified by the feet, and by the things of the feet. (That such is the correspondence of the heavens with man, see above, n. 10030, and in the places there cited.) Moreover, in the inmost heaven there is perceptivity of truth from good; but in the middle heaven there is no perceptivity of truth, but understanding of it, and so in the ultimate heaven (see the places cited in n. 9277, 9596, 9684). [2] As to the thumb of the right hand signifying truth from good in its power and the consequent understanding in the middle heaven, this does indeed appear too low a thing and not of sufficient importance to signify heaven, for it may be thought, whence has the thumb such and so important a signification? But be it known that the ultimate or extreme part of any member signifies the same as the whole member, and the "hand" the whole power of the body, for the body has power by means of the arms and hands (that the ultimate or extreme part signifies all and the whole, in like manner as does what is first and highest, see n. 10044). [3] (That the "hands" signify power, and that all power is of truth from good, see the places cited in n. 10019; and that the "right hand" signifies the power of truth from good, and the "left hand," the truth through which is good, n. 10061.) The understanding is meant because all the understanding is formed from truths, and all the will from goods; for all things in the world and in heaven bear relation to truth and to good, and the understanding of man was given for truths, and the will for goods; therefore as by the "hand" is signified truth in its power, the understanding is also signified. [4] As the "thumb of the hand," in like manner as the "hand," signified the power which truth has from good, therefore in ancient times among the nations, and also with the Israelitish people, it was usual to cut off the thumbs of the hands and the great toes of the feet of their enemies (Judges 1:6, 7), by which was represented taking away all power; in the thumb also is the primary power of the hand, for when that is cut off, the hand is no longer of any avail in war. [5] Like the thumb, the "fingers" also signify power, as in these passages:
Jehovah teacheth my hands fighting, and my fingers war (Ps. 144:1). When I view the heavens, the work of Thy fingers (Ps. 8:3). Jesus said, If I by the finger of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come unto you (Luke 11:20).
Elliott(1983-1999) 10062
10062. 'And on the thumb of their right hand' means the resulting power of understanding in the middle heaven. This is clear from the meaning of 'the thumb' as the power of good exercised through truth, or truth in its power springing from good, and the resulting power of understanding, dealt with below. The reason why the power of understanding in the middle heaven is meant is that 'the blood' which was put on the thumb means Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good in the heavens, dealt with above in 10060, at this point therefore the resulting power of understanding. For 'the blood on the tip of the right ear' means the power of perception in the inmost heaven; as a result 'the blood on the thumb of the right hand' means the power of understanding in the middle heaven, while [that on] 'the big toe of the right foot' means the power of understanding in the last and lowest heaven. For the things that belong to the inmost heaven are meant by the head and parts of the head, and therefore this heaven's power of perception is meant here by 'the right ear', since the ear is part of the head. The things that belong to the middle heaven are meant by the body and parts of the body, and therefore the power of understanding is meant here by 'the right hand', while those things that belong to the lowest heaven are meant by the feet and parts of the feet. Regarding such correspondence of the heavens with the human being, see above in 10030 and the places referred to there. In the inmost heaven furthermore exists the ability to perceive truth springing from good; in the middle heaven however no ability to perceive truth exists, only the ability to understand it. And the like is so in the lowest heaven, see the places referred to in 9277, 9596, 9684.
[2] 'The thumb of the right hand' - which means truth in its power springing from good, and the resulting power of understanding in the middle heaven - seems, it is true, to be something too small and insignificant to mean heaven; for how, it may be asked, can the thumb come to have so great and significant a meaning? But it should be remembered that the last and lowest or outermost part of any member of the body has the same meaning as the whole member. 'The hand' means the whole power of the body, and the power which the body possesses is exercised through the arms and hands. Regarding what is last or outermost, that it means all or the whole, in the same way as what is first and highest, see above in 10044.
[3] For the meaning of 'the hands' as power and the fact that all power belongs to truth springing from good, see the places referred to in 10019; and for the meaning of 'the right hand' as the power of truth springing from good, and 'the left hand' as truth through which comes good, 10061. The reason why the power of understanding is what should be understood is that all the power of understanding is composed of truths, whereas all the power of will is composed of forms of good. For everything in the world and in heaven has connection with truth and with good, and the human understanding has been provided for truths and the will for forms of good. Therefore since truth in its power is meant by 'the hands', the understanding as well is meant by them.
[4] Because the thumb, like the hands, meant the power that belongs to truth springing from good, it was the practice in ancient times among the nations, and also among the Israelite people, to cut off the thumbs and big toes of their enemies, Judg 1:6,7; this represented the removal of all power from them. In the thumb furthermore resides the main power of the hand, for when the thumb has been cut off the hand no longer has the strength to fight in battle. Just as the thumb means power, so do 'the fingers', as in David,
Jehovah trains my hands for conflicts, and my fingers for war. Ps 144:1.
In the same author,
When I look at the heavens, the work of Your fingers ... Ps 8:3.
In Luke,
Jesus said, If I cast out demons by the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come to you. Luke 11:20.
Latin(1748-1756) 10062
10062. `Et super pollicem manus eorum dextrae': quod significet intellectuale inde in caelo medio, constat ex significatione `pollicis manus' quod sit potentia boni per verum, seu verum in sua potentia {1} ex bono, et inde intellectuale, de qua sequitur; quod sit intellectuale in caelo medio, est quia per `sanguinem qui dabatur super pollicem manus' significatur Divinum Verum procedens ex Divino Bono Domini in caelis, de qua supra n. 10,060, hic itaque intellectuale inde; nam per `sanguinem super auriculam auris dextrae' significatur perceptivum in caelo intimo; inde per `sanguinem super pollicem manus dextrae' significatur intellectuale in caelo medio, et per `pollicem pedis dextri' (o)significatur intellectuale in caelo ultimo; nam illa quae sunt caeli intimi significantur per caput et per illa quae capitis sunt, hic itaque perceptivum ejus per `aurem dextram,' nam haec est capitis; et illa quae caeli medii sunt significantur per corpus et per illa quae corporis sunt, hic itaque intellectuale per `manum dextram'; et illa quae caeli ultimi sunt significantur per pedes, et per illa quae pedum {2}; quod talis correspondentia sit caelorum cum homine, videatur supra n. 10,030, (c)ac in locis citatis ibi; in caelo intimo etiam {3} est perceptivum veri ex bono, in caelo (d)autem medio non est perceptivum veri, sed est intellectuale ejus, pariter in caelo ultimo, videantur loca citata n. 9277, 9596, 9684. [2] Quod `pollex manus dextrae' significet verum ex bono in sua potentia, ac inde (x)intellectuale in caelo medio, apparet quidem sicut inferius et non tanti, ut (d)caelum significetur, nam autumari potest unde pollicis tanta et talis significatio; sed sciendum est quod ultimum seu extremum alicujus membri significet idem cum toto membro, et manus {4} totam potentiam corporis, ac corpori potentia est per bracchia et manus; quod ultimum seu extremum significet omne et totum, similiter ac primum et supremum, videatur supra n. 10,044. [3] Quod `manus' significent potentiam, et quod omnis potentia sit veri ex bono, videantur citata n. 10,019, et quod `manus dextra' significet potentiam veri ex bono, et `manus sinistra' verum {5} per quod bonum, n. 10,061; quod intellectuale sit quod intelligitur, est quia omne intellectuale formatum est ex veris, omne autem voluntarium ex bonis, nam omnia in mundo (c)et in caelo se referunt ad verum et ad bonum, ac intellectus hominis datus est pro veris, et voluntas pro bonis; ideo quia per `manus' significatur verum in sua potentia, etiam significatur intellectus. Quia pollex manus, similiter ac manus, {6} significabat potentiam quae est veri ex bono, ideo antiquo tempore apud gentes, et quoque apud populum Israeliticum in usu fuit amputare pollices manuum et pollices pedum ab hostibus suis, Jud. i 6, 7, per quod repraesentabatur ablatio omnis potentiae; in pollice etiam est primaria potentia manus, nam illo amputato, manus {7} non amplius valet ad bellum. Sicut pollex, etiam `digiti' significant potentiam, ut apud Davidem, Jehovah docet manus meas pugnas, et digitos meos bellum, Ps. cxliv 1:apud eundem, Quando aspicio caelos, opus digitorum Tuorum, Ps. viii 4 [A.V. 3]:
apud Lucam, Jesus dixit, Si per digitum Dei ejicio daemonia, utique pervenit ad vos regnum Dei, xi 20. @1 After bono$ @2 , hic itaque per pedem dextrum$ @3 Before in caelo$ @4 i significat$ @5 potentiam veri$ @6 ex correspondentia$ @7 After valet$