10218.“他们被数的时候，各人要为自己的灵魂作赎价奉给耶和华”表通过承认并相信信和爱的一切真理和良善，以及它们依次的安排和布置皆来自主，根本不是来自人而从邪恶中洁净或解脱出来。这从“为自己的灵魂作赎价”和“数以色列”的含义清楚可知：“为自己的灵魂作赎价”是指通过信之真理邪恶中洁净或解脱出来，信之真理在此是指承认一切真理和良善皆来自主；“数以色列”是指它们唯独被主，而不是人按次序安排。所表示是这些事物，这一点从此处关于要奉给耶和华的半舍客勒，和正当数点百姓的时候通过它所作的赎价的阐述明显看出来。因为“圣所的舍客勒”表示唯独属于主的真理；通过它所作的“赎价”表示从邪恶中洁净或解脱出来（参看9506节）；“数以色列人”表示按次序安排并布置教会的一切真理和良善（10217节）。
此处的情形是这样：数算以色列人是被禁止的，因为“数算（或数，数点）”表示按次序安排和布置，而“以色列人”和他们被划分为的各支派表示整体上信和爱的一切真理和良善。由于按次序对这些的安排和布置唯独属于主，不属于人，所以数算他们就越界了，是一种罪过，就像那些声称信之真理和爱之良善是自己的，并对它们依次进行安排和布置，如同他们自己的那样之人所犯的一样。在教会，这些人是什么样子是众所周知的，因为他们就是那些通过将信和爱的一切事物都归功于自己而显明自己有理，从而自认为凭他们所拥有的信仰和他们所做出的行为，他们因自己的努力而配得天堂的人。这种邪恶的思维方式就是就是大卫数点百姓所表示的；对此，我们在撒母耳记下读到：
耶和华的怒气又向以色列发作，就激动大卫对付他们，说，去，数点以色列和犹大。于是王对约押说，你去走遍以色列众支派，数点百姓，我好知道百姓的数目。约押对王说，无论百姓多少，愿耶和华你的神再加增百倍！我主我王何必喜悦行这事呢？但王的话胜过约押和众军长。约押和众军长就出去，数点以色列的百姓。后来大卫就心中自责，就对耶和华说，我作了这事，犯了大罪；耶和华啊，求你除掉你仆人的罪孽，因我所行的甚是愚昧。但先知迦得被差到大卫这里，叫他从三样灾中选择一样；他选了灾祸，于是民间死了七万人。（撒母耳记下24:1ff）
由此明显可知，数点以色列是何等大的罪。倒不是说数点本身是一种罪；确切地说，大卫数点以色列人是一种罪，因为如前所述，大卫的这种行为表示信和爱的一切事物是由自我，而不是由主按次序安排和布置的。“数点”本身表示按次序安排和布置，而“以色列人”表示信和爱的一切真理和良善。因此，为叫他们能从数点以色列人的罪中被解脱出来，就给出半舍客勒作赎价；因为经上说：“他们被数的时候，各人要为自己的灵魂作赎价奉给耶和华，免得被数的时候在他们中间有灾祸”。由此明显可知，这些话表示通过承认信和爱的一切真理和良善，以及按次序对它们的安排和布置皆来自主，而非来自人而从邪恶中洁净或解脱出来。
在教会，这也是众所周知的，也就是说，信和爱的一切良善和真理皆来自神性，而非来自人。同样众所周知的是，将它们归于人自己是邪恶的，那些承认并相信这些事物来自主的人就从这种邪恶的思维方式中被解脱出来；因为那时，他们不索求任何神性之物，或源于神性的任何事物。关于这些问题，可参看前面的说明，即：那些认为他们所行的良善始于自己，而非始于主的人认为他们配得天堂（9974节）；始于自己，而非始于主的良善不是真正的良善，因为那些行始于自己的良善之人出于邪恶的动机来行它们（9975，9980节）；这种人藐视邻舍，若得不到赏赐，就会向神发怒（9976节）；这些人无法将天堂接到自己里面（9977节）；他们决不能与地狱争战；但主为那些承认并相信一切良善和一切真理皆来自祂的人争战（9978节）；唯独主是有功德和公义的（9486，9715，9809，9979-9984，10019，10152节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 10218
10218. Then they shall give everyone an expiation of his soul to Jehovah in numbering them. That this signifies purification or liberation from evil through the acknowledgment and faith that all the truths and goods of faith and love, and their setting in order and disposing, are from the Lord, and not at all from man, is evident from the signification of "giving an expiation of his soul," as being to be purified or liberated from evil by means of the truth of faith, which here is to acknowledge that all truths and goods are from the Lord; and from the signification of "numbering Israel," as being the setting in order and the disposing of them by the Lord alone and not by man. That these things are signified is evident from all that is here said about the half of a shekel that was to be given to Jehovah, and about the expiation by it in numbering the people; for by the "shekel of holiness" is signified the truth which is of the Lord alone; by "expiation thereby" is signified purification or liberation from evil (see n. 9506); and by "numbering the sons of Israel" is signified to set in order and dispose all the truths and goods of the church (n. 10217). [2] The case herein is this. It was forbidden to number the sons of Israel because by "numbering" was signified to set in order and dispose, and by the "sons of Israel" and by the "tribes" into which they were divided, were signified all the truths and goods of faith and love in the complex; and as the setting in order and the disposing of these was of the Lord alone and not of man, therefore to number them was a trespass, such as is made by those who claim for themselves the truths which are of faith and the goods which are of love, and the setting in order and disposing of these, the character of whom is known in the church. For they are such as justify themselves by claiming for themselves as merit all things of faith and love, and consequently believe themselves to have of themselves merited heaven by virtue of their faith and works. This evil was involved in the numbering of the people by David, concerning which we read in the second book of Samuel:
Again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and therefore He incited David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah. And the king said to Joab, Go through all the tribes of Israel, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. And Joab said unto the king, Jehovah thy God add unto the people how many soever they be, a hundred-fold, but why doth my lord the king desire this word? But the king's word prevailed against Joab, and against the princes of the army; wherefore they went out to number the people Israel. Afterward David's heart smote him, wherefore he said unto Jehovah, I have sinned exceedingly in that I have done; nevertheless, O Jehovah, put away, I beseech thee, the iniquity of Thy servant, for I have done very foolishly. But Gad the prophet was sent to David, that he might choose one evil out of three; and he chose the pestilence, whereof seventy thousand men died (2 Sam. 24). [3] From all this it is evident how great a sin it was to number Israel; not that regarded in itself the numbering was a sin, but because, as already said, the numbering of the sons of Israel by David signified the setting in order and disposing of all things of faith and love by self and not by the Lord, the "numbering" itself signifying setting in order and disposing, and "the sons of Israel" signifying all the truths and goods of faith and love. To the intent therefore that they might be delivered from sin in numbering the sons of Israel, the half of a shekel was given for an expiation; for it is said, "they shall give everyone an expiation of his soul to Jehovah in numbering them, that there be no plague in them in numbering them." From this it is evident that by these words is signified purification or liberation from evil by the acknowledgment that all the truths and goods of faith and love, and their setting in order and disposing, are from the Lord and not at all from man. [4] That this is so, namely, that all the goods and truths of faith and love are from the Divine and not at all from man, is also known in the church, and likewise that it is evil for man to attribute them to himself; and that those are delivered from this evil who acknowledge and believe that these are from the Lord, for so they claim for themselves nothing which is Divine and from the Divine. But see what has been shown above on this subject, namely, that those who believe that they do good of themselves and not from the Lord, believe that they merit heaven (n. 9974); that goods from self and not from the Lord are not good, because those who do goods from themselves do them from evil (n. 9975, 9980); that such despise the neighbor, and are angry with God Himself if they do not receive a reward (n. 9976); that such persons cannot receive heaven into themselves (n. 9977); that they cannot possibly fight against the hells; but that the Lord fights for those who acknowledge and believe that all goods and truths are from Him (n. 9978); and that the Lord alone is merit and righteousness (n. 9486, 9715, 9809, 9979-9984, 10019, 10152).
Elliott(1983-1999) 10218
10218. 'They shall give - each one - an expiation for his soul when they are numbered' means purification or deliverance from evil through the acknowledgement and belief that all the truths and forms of the good of faith and love come from the Lord, not at all from man, as does their being arranged in order. This is clear from the meaning of 'giving an expiation for his soul' as being purified or delivered from evil by means of the truth of faith, which here consists in acknowledging that all truths and forms of good come from the Lord; and from the meaning of 'numbering Israel' as their being arranged in order by the Lord alone and not by man. The fact that these things are meant is clear from all that has been stated here about the half shekel which had to be given to Jehovah and about expiation by means of it when the people were being numbered. For 'the shekel of holiness' means truth that is the Lord's alone; 'expiation by means of it' means purification or deliverance from evil, 9506; and 'numbering the children of Israel' means arranging and setting all of the Church's truths and forms of good in order, 10217.
[2] The implications of all this are that numbering the children of Israel was forbidden, because 'numbering' meant arranging and setting in order, and the children of Israel, and the tribes into which they had been divided, meant all the truths and forms of the good of faith and love in their entirety. And since the arrangement and setting of these in order belonged to the Lord alone and not to man, numbering them was a transgression like that committed by those who lay claim to the truths of faith and forms of the good of love as their own and to the arrangement and setting in order of them as their own doing. What these people are like is well known in the Church, for they are those who justify themselves through crediting all matters of faith and love to themselves, and consequently believing that because of the faith they have and the deeds they perform they merit heaven by their own efforts. This bad way of thinking is what David's numbering of the people denoted, spoken of as follows in the second Book of Samuel,
Again the anger of Jehovah flared up in Israel; therefore He moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah. Therefore he said to Joab, Go through all the tribes of Israel and number the people, that I may know the number of the people. Joab said to the king, May Jehovah your God add to the people as many as there are already, as many a hundred times over! Yet why does my lord the king desire this thinga? But the king's word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Consequently they went out to number the people Israel. Afterwards David's heart condemnedb him. Consequently he said to Jehovah, I have sinned greatly [in] what I have done; but nevertheless, O Jehovah, make Your servant's iniquity, I beg you, pass away, for I have done very foolishly. But Gad the prophet was sent to David to choose one bad thing out of three; and he chose the pestilence, from which men died, up to seventy thousand. 2 Sam 24:1ff.
[3] From all this it is evident how great a sin it was to number Israel. Not that the numbering was in itself a sin; rather, David's numbering of the children of Israel was a sin because, as has been stated, the arrangement and setting in order of all matters of faith and love by self and not by the Lord were meant by it. (The actual numbering meant the arranging and setting in order, while the children of Israel meant all the truths and forms of the good of faith and love.) In order therefore that they might be delivered from sin when a numbering of the children of Israel took place half a shekel was given for expiation; for it says,
They shall give - each one - an expiation for his soul to Jehovah when they are numbered, that there may be no plague among them when they are numbered.
From this it is evident that these words mean purification or deliverance from evil through the acknowledgement that all the truths and forms of the good of faith and love come from the Lord, not at all from man, as does their being arranged in order.
[4] It is also well known in the Church that this is so, that is to say, that all the forms of good and the truths of faith and love come from the Divine and not at all from man. It is well known too that attributing them to oneself is bad, and that those people are delivered from that bad way of thinking who acknowledge and believe that these things come from the Lord; for then they do not lay claim to anything that is Divine or that springs from the Divine. But see what has been shown previously on these matters,
Those who think that the good deeds they perform commence in self and not in the Lord think that they merit heaven, 9974. Good deeds that commence in self and not in the Lord are not really good, since those who perform good deeds commencing in self do them from a bad motive, 9975, 9980. They despise the neighbour, and they are irate with God Himself if they do not receive a reward, 9976. Such people cannot receive heaven into themselves, 9977. By no means can they fight against the hells; but the Lord fights on behalf of those who acknowledge and believe that all forms of good and all truths come from Him, 9978. The Lord alone is merit and righteousness, 9486, 9715, 9809, 9979-9984, 10019, 10152.
Latin(1748-1756) 10218
10218. `Et dabunt quisque expiationem animae suae in numerando illos': quod significet purificationem seu liberationem a malo per agnitionem et fidem quod omnia {1}vera et bona fidei et amoris, et eorum ordinatio ac dispositio sint a Domino, et nihil ab homine, constat ex significatione `dare expiationem animae suae' quod sit purificari seu liberari a malo per verum fidei, quod hic est agnoscere quod omnia vera et bona sint a Domino, et ex significatione `numerare Israelem' quod sit ordinatio et dispositio illorum a solo Domino et non ab homine; quod haec significentur, constat ex omnibus illis quae {2}hic dicuntur de dimidio {3}sicli quod daretur Jehovae, et de expiatione per {4}illud in numerando populum, per `siclum' enim `sanctitatis' significatur verum quod solius Domini, per `expiationem per illum' significatur purificatio {5}seu liberatio a malo, n. (x)9506, et per `numerare filios Israelis' significatur ordinare et disponere omnia vera et bona Ecclesiae, n. 10,217. [2] Cum his ita se habet: prohibitum fuit numerare filios Israelis, quoniam per numerare significabatur ordinare et disponere, et per filios Israelis (c)ac per tribus in quas distincti erant, significabantur omnia vera et bona fidei et amoris in complexu; et quia horum ordinatio et dispositio erat solius Domini et non hominis, ideo numerare illos erat praevaricatio qualis est apud illos qui sibi vindicant vera quae fidei et bona quae amoris, ac ordinationem et dispositionem illorum; qui quales sunt, notum est in Ecclesia, sunt enim illi qui {6}semetipsos justificant per id quod sibi pro merito reputent omnia fidei et amoris, et consequenter credant se ex fide et ex operibus a semet mereri caelum; hoc malum involvebat numeratio populi a Davide, de qua ita in Libro 2 Samuelis, Addidit ira Jehovae exardescere in Israelem; ideo {7}incitabat Davidem contra eos, dicendo, Abi, numera Israelem et Jehudam; dixit itaque ad Joabum, Pervagare {8} omnes tribus Israelis et {9}numerate populum, ut noverim numerum {10}populi; dixit Joabus ad regem, Addat Jehovah Deus tuus ad populum totidem totidemque centenis vicibus; at dominus meus rex, cur desiderat verbum hoc? sed praevaluit verbum regis contra Joabum et contra principes exercitus; quare exiverunt ad numerandum populum Israelem. Post percussit cor Davidis illum, quare dixit ad Jehovam, Peccavi valde quod feci; verumtamen, Jehovah, transire fac quaeso iniquitatem servi Tui, quia stulte egi valde. Sed missus est Gad propheta ad Davidem ut eligeret unum malum ex tribus; ac elegit pestem, qua mortui sunt viri ad septuaginta milia, xxiv 1 seq.;[3] ex his patet quam grande peccatum fuit numerare Israelem; non quod numeratio in se spectata fuerit {11}peccatum, sed quia, ut dictum est, numeratio filiorum Israelis a Davide significabat ordinationem et dispositionem omnium fidei et amoris a semet et non a Domino, ipsa numeratio ordinationem et dispositionem, ac filii Israelis omnia vera et bona fidei et amoris; ut itaque liberarentur {12}a peccato in numerando filios Israelis, dabatur dimidium sicli pro expiatione, nam dicitur Dabunt quisque expiationem animae suae Jehovae in numerando illos, ne sit in illis plaga in numerando illos; inde patet quod per haec verba significetur purificatio seu liberatio a malo per agnitionem quod omnia {13}vera et bona fidei et amoris, (c)ac eorum ordinatio (c)et dispositio sint a Domino et nihil ab homine. [4] Quod ita sit, nempe quod omnia bona et vera fidei et amoris sint a Divino et nihil ab homine, etiam notum est in Ecclesia; et quoque quod {14}malum sit {15}sibi tribuere illa; et quod liberati sint {16}ab illo malo qui agnoscunt et credunt quod illa a Domino sint, nam sic {17} nihil quod Divinum est, et quod ex Divino sibi vindicant; (d)sed videantur quae de his prius ostensa sunt, quod nempe, {18}qui credunt bona ex se facere et non (c)a Domino, credant mereri caelum, n. 9974; quod bona ex se et non (c)ex Domino non sint bona, {19}quoniam qui bona ex se faciunt ex malo faciunt, n. 9975, 9980: quod illi contemnant proximum, et quod irascantur ipsi Deo si non mercedem accipiunt, n. 9976: quod tales caelum in se (t)non recipere possint, n. 9977: quod nequaquam pugnare possint contra inferna; at qui agnoscunt et credunt quod a Domino omnia {20}bona et vera, quod Dominus pro illis pugnet, n. 9978: quod solus Dominus sit meritum et justitia, {21}n. 9486, 9715, 9809, 9979-9984, 10,019, 10,152. @1 bona et vera$ @2 sequuntur$ @3 siclo qui$ @4 illum$ @5 d et i and d seu i et$ @6 semet$ @7 incitavit$ @8 i age$ @9 numera$ @10 ejus$ @11 d peccatum i malum$ @12 ab hoc malo$ @13 bona et vera$ @14 peccatum$ @15 tibi IT$ @16 a peccato$ @17 i sibi$ @18 After caelum,$ @19 quia$ @20 vera et bona$ @21 n. 9979 ad 9984, et quoque n. 9486, 9715, 9809$