1154、 “亚实基拿、利法、陀迦玛”是指如此多的民族，这种敬拜就存在于这些民族当中，他们还表示如此多的教义，也就是源于歌篾所采用的外在敬拜的仪式。这从先知书清楚可知，那里也提到这些民族。在每个地方，它们都表示教义或仪式；并且如通常那样，它们在两种意义上表示教义或仪式，有时在正面意义上来表示，有时在反面意义上来表示。耶利米书提到“亚实基拿”：
要在地上竖起旗帜，在各族中吹角；祝圣列族攻击巴比伦，使亚拉腊、米尼、亚实基拿各国听从攻击她。（耶利米书51:27）
此处论述的主题是巴比伦的毁灭，“亚实基拿”表示它的偶像崇拜，或脱离内在敬拜的外在敬拜，这种敬拜摧毁了巴比伦。“亚实基拿”尤表虚假的教义；因此，它用于反面意义。以西结书提到“陀迦玛”：
雅完人，土巴人，米设人都与你交易人灵魂的；他们拿铜器兑换你的货物。陀迦玛族用马和马兵并骡子兑换你的货物。（以西结书27:13-14）
这论及推罗，推罗代表那些拥有属天和属灵事物的知识或认知的人。“雅完人，土巴人，米设人”在此和前面一样，表示各种代表性或相对应的仪式；“陀迦玛族”也是。前者的外在仪式涉及属天事物，后者或“陀迦玛族”的外在仪式涉及属灵事物，这一点从他们所交易的货物的含义明显看出来。在这种情况下，陀迦玛族用于正面意义。同一先知书：
歌篾人和他所有的侧翼，并北方极处的陀迦玛族和他所有的侧翼也都与他们在一起。（以西结书38:6）
此处它们表示歪曲的教义，这也是“北方极处”所表示的。此处这些民族的名字用于反面意义。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1154. Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah were individual nations where this form of worship existed, and they also symbolize individual doctrinal systems that consisted in rituals derived from the outward worship adopted by Gomer. This can be seen in the prophets, where the same nations are mentioned again. In each instance, as usual, they symbolize doctrinal systems or rituals in one of two senses — sometimes in a positive sense and sometimes in a negative.
Ashkenaz is mentioned in Jeremiah:
Raise a banner in the land! Blow a horn among the nations! Consecrate the nations against [Babylon]! Cause the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz to hear [the call] against it! (Jeremiah 51:27)
This is about the destruction of Babylon, and Ashkenaz stands for its idolatrous worship, that is, for the outward form separated from inward content, which destroyed Babylon. More narrowly, Ashkenaz stands for false doctrines. So it is being used in its negative sense.
Togarmah is mentioned in Ezekiel:
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your dealers in human souls; and vessels of bronze they sold as your merchandise. Horses and riders and mules from Beth-togarmah they sold in exchange for your provisions. (Ezekiel 27:13-14)
This is about Tyre,{*1} which represented those who possessed the knowledge of heavenly and spiritual things. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech once again are different kinds of ritual that had a representative or correspondential meaning,{*2} while Beth-togarmah stands for something similar. The outward ritual of the former relates to heavenly matters, but that of the latter (Beth-togarmah) relates to spiritual matters, as shown by the symbolism of the commodities in which they dealt. Here their meaning is a positive one. In the same author:
There is Gomer and all its wings; Beth-togarmah — the flanks of the north — with all its wings too.{*3} (Ezekiel 38:6)
These stand for doctrines that have been perverted, which is what the flanks of the north are as well. Here the sense is negative.
Footnotes:
{*1} Tyre was a city of ancient Phoenicia (today's Lebanon) that was noted for its wealth, and particularly for its famed purple-dying industry (see 1232). [RS]
{*2} The earlier place to find the meaning of Javan, Tubal, and Meshech is 1151. [LHC]
{*3} On the "flanks of the north" and the "wings," see note 4 in 1151. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 1154
1154. Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. That these were so many nations among whom there was such worship, and that they signify so many doctrinals which were rituals, derived from the external worship with Gomer, is evident from the Prophets, where the same nations are also mentioned, and by them are everywhere signified doctrinals or rituals-as usual, in each sense, sometimes in the genuine sense, sometimes in the opposite one. "Ashkenaz," in Jeremiah:
Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, consecrate the nations against her, make to hearken against her the kingdoms of Ararath, Minni, and Ashkenaz (Jer. 51:27). The subject here is the destruction of Babel, where "Ashkenaz" denotes its idolatrous worship, or external worship separate from internal, which destroys Babel. Specifically, it denotes false doctrinals, and therefore is mentioned in the opposite sense. "Togarmah," in Ezekiel:
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, these were thy traders in the soul of man, and furnished vessels of brass in thy commerce. They of the house of Togarmah furnished for thine aids, horses, and horsemen, and mules (Ezek. 27:13-14). This is said concerning Tyre, by which they were represented who possessed the knowledges of celestial and spiritual things. "Javan, Tubal, and Meshech," denote, as before, various representative or correspondent rites; "the house of Togarmah" likewise. The external rites of the former have reference to celestial things; and those of the latter, or "the house of Togarmah," to spiritual things, as is evident from the signification of the things in which they traded. Here they are in the genuine sense. In the same:
Gomer and all his hordes, the house of Togarmah the sides of the north, and with all his hordes (Ezek. 38:6);
denoting perverted doctrinals, which are meant also by "the sides of the north." Here the names of these nations are used in the opposite sense.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1154
1154. 'Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah' were just so many nations with whom such worship existed, and who mean just so many types of matters of doctrine which were forms of ritual, derived from the external worship existing with 'Gomer'. This is clear from the Prophets where the same nations are mentioned again. Those nations mean in every instance doctrinal teachings or forms of ritual. And as usual they are meant in both senses, at times in the genuine and at others in the contrary. Ashkenaz is mentioned in Jeremiah,
Set up a standard on the earth, sound the trumpet among the nations; consecrate the nations against her, cause the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz to hear against her. Jer 5:27.
This refers to the destruction of Babel where 'Ashkenaz' stands for its idolatrous worship, that is, for external worship separated from internal, which destroyed Babylon. In particular it stands for doctrines that are false. Thus Ashkenaz is used in the contrary sense. Togarmah is mentioned in Ezekiel,
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your traders in the souls of men, and they gave vessels of bronze for your merchandise. Those of Bethtogarmah gave horses and horsemen, and mules for your resources. Ezek 27:13, 14.
This refers to Tyre which represented people who possessed cognitions of celestial and spiritual things. As previously, 'Javan, Tubal, and Meshech' are various representative rites, that is, ones that correspond; and so also is 'Bethtogarmah'. The external rites of the former have regard to celestial things, but those of the latter, or Bethtogarmah, to spiritual things, as is clear from the meaning of the wares with which they traded. In this case Bethtogarmah is used in the genuine sense. In the same prophet,
Gomer and all on his Ranks; Bethtogarmah, the uttermost parts of the north, together with ale on his flanks. Ezek 38:6.
Here they stand for perverted matters of doctrine, which are also 'the uttermost parts of the north'. In this case Gomer and Bethtogarmah are used in the contrary sense.
Latin(1748-1756) 1154
1154. 'Ashkenaz, Riphath et Togarmah': quod fuerint totidem gentes apud quas talis cultus fuit, et quod per illas significentur totidem doctrinalia, quae fuerunt ritualia, derivata a cultu externo apud Gomerem, constat apud Prophetas, ubi etiam nominantur eaedem gentes; et per eas significantur ubivis doctrinalia aut ritualia in utroque sensu, ut solitum, nunc in genuino, nunc in opposito: Ashkenaz apud Jeremiam, Tollite signum in terra, clangite buccina in gentibus, consecrate contra eam gentes, audire facite contra eam regna Ararat, Minni, et Ashkenaz, li 27;ibi de destructione Babelis, ubi 'Ashkenaz' pro cultu ejus idololatrico, seu pro externo separato ab interno, qui Babelem destruit; in specie pro falsis doctrinalibus; ita in sensu opposito: Togarmah apud Ezechielem, Javan, Tubal et Meshech, hi negotiatores tui, in anima hominis, et vasa aeris dederunt mercatu tuo. De Bethtogarmah equos et equites, et mulos dederunt subsidiis tuis, xxvii 13, 14;
ubi de Tyro, per quam repraesentati sunt qui cognitiones rerum caelestium et spiritualium possederunt; 'Javan, Tubal et Meshech' sunt, ut prius, ritus varii repraesentativi seu correspondentes, 'Bethtogarmah' similiter; illorum ritus externi spectant caelestia, hujus autem seu Bethtogarmae spiritualia, ut constat a significatione rerum cum quibus negotiati sunt: hic in sensu genuino: apud eundem, Gomer et omnes alae ejus; Bethtogarmah latera septentrionis, et cum omnibus alis ejus, xxxviii 6;
pro perversis doctrinalibus, quae sunt quoque 'latera septentrionis': hic in sensu opposito.