1182、“巴别、以力、亚甲、甲尼，都在示拿地”表示这类敬拜就存在于那个地区；同时这些民族还表示敬拜本身，其外在显得神圣，但其内层是亵渎的。这从“巴别”和“示拿地”的含义清楚可知。圣言大量论述了“巴别”，“巴别”处处都表示这种敬拜，也就是说，外在显得神圣，而内层却是亵渎的。但由于下一章论述巴别，所以那里将证明，巴别表示这类事物；这种敬拜一开始不像后来那样亵渎。因为外在敬拜的真实性质完全取决于它的内层：内层越清白无邪，外在敬拜就越清白无邪；但内层越污秽，外在敬拜就越污秽；内层越是亵渎的，外在敬拜也越是亵渎的。简言之，一个处于这种外在敬拜的人越是爱世界、爱自己，他的敬拜就越没有生命和神圣在里面；他对自己和世界的爱越有对邻舍的仇恨在里面，他的敬拜就越有亵渎在里面；他的仇恨越有恶意在里面，他的敬拜就越有更多的亵渎在里面；他的恶意越有欺骗在里面，他的敬拜就越有还要更多的亵渎在里面。这些爱和这些恶就是“巴别”所表示的外在敬拜的内层，如下一章所论述的（1317，1326:1节）。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1182. Babel, Erech, Accad, Calneh, in the land of Shinar, means that those were the places it was located; the same nations also symbolize the worship itself, whose outward forms appear holy but whose inner depths are profane. This can be seen from the symbolism of Babel and of the land of Shinar. The Word has many things to say about Babel, [or Babylon,]{*1} and in each instance it symbolizes this kind of worship — that is to say, worship in which the outward forms appear holy but the inward content is profane. Since the next chapter speaks of Babel, however, the proof that it symbolizes these things will appear there. So too will a demonstration of the fact that such worship was not so profane at first as it became later.{*2} Outward worship depends completely on the depths within it for its nature. The more blameless the qualities within it are, the more innocent the outward practice of worship is. But the more disgusting the inner qualities are, the more profane the outward practice is. To put it briefly, the more materialism and self-love there are in a person worshiping outwardly, the less a living, sacred quality lies within the worship. The more hatred for others there is within the self-love and materialism, the more profanity lies within the worship. If malevolence exists within the hatred, the profanation is even greater. And if deceit exists within the malevolence, the profanation is greater still. All these attributes are the inner depths of external worship that Babel symbolizes, as described in the next chapter [1317, 1326:1].
Footnotes:
{*1} The name of the main city of the ancient region known as Babylonia is translated into English both as "Babel" and as "Babylon" (Hebrew בָּבֶל [bāḇel]; Latin Babel). [LHC]
{*2} Chapter 11 of Genesis contains the story of the Tower of Babel. Sections 1283-1328 below discuss the religious developments symbolized by Babel. For the symbolism of Babel itself, see 1326, 1327:5-8. For a description of the increasingly profane nature of the worship in question, see 1292:1-2. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 1182
1182. Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. That these signify that such worships were in that region, and that at the same time they signify the worships themselves, the externals of which appear holy while the interiors are profane, is evident from the signification of "Babel," and of "the land of Shinar." Babel is much treated of in the Word, and everywhere such worship is signified by it, that is to say that the externals appear holy while the interiors are profane. But as the following chapter treats of Babel, it will be shown there that such things are signified by Babel; and that in the beginning such worship was not so profane as it became afterwards. For the quality of external worship is precisely in accordance with the interiors; the more innocent the interiors are, the more innocent is the external worship; but the more foul the interiors are, the more foul is the external worship; and the more profane the interiors are, the more profane is the external worship. In a word, the more of the love of the world and of self there is in a man who is in this external worship, the less there is that is living and holy in his worship; the more hatred toward the neighbor there is in his love of himself and of the world, the more profanity there is in his worship; the more malice in his hatred, the more still of profanity there is in his worship; and the more deceit in his malice, the more profanity yet is there in his worship. Those loves and these evils are the interiors of the external worship which is signified by "Babel," concerning which in the following chapter.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1182
1182. 'Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar' means that these types of worship existed in those areas, and that at the same time these same nations mean types of worship themselves, whose external features appear holy but whose interiors are unholy. This is clear from the meaning of 'Babel' and of 'the land of Shinar'. In the Word much reference is made to Babel, and wherever it occurs it means such worship, that is to say, worship whose exteriors look holy but whose interiors are unholy. But since Babel is the subject in the next chapter it will be shown there that Babel means such things, and also that such worship in the beginning was not as unholy as it became subsequently. For the real nature of external worship is determined entirely by its interiors. The more undefiled the interiors are, the more undefiled is the external worship, but the more foul the interiors the more foul the external worship. And the more unholy the interiors are, the more unholy is the external worship. To put it briefly, the more love of the world and self-love exist in someone with whom external worship exists, the less life and holiness his worship has within it. The more hatred towards the neighbour there is present within his self-love and love of the world, the more unholiness his worship has within it. The more wickedness there is present within his hatred, the more unholiness still his worship has within it. And the more deceit that wickedness contains, the more unholiness still his worship has within it. These types of love and these forms of evil are the interior features of the external worship meant by 'Babel', which is dealt with in the next chapter.
Latin(1748-1756) 1182
1182. Quod 'Babel, Erech, Accad, Calneh, in terra Shinar' significent quod ibi loci fuerint tales cultus, et quod per easdem simul significentur ipsi cultus quorum externa apparent sancta sed interiora sunt profana, constat a significatione 'Babelis et terrae Shinar'; in Verbo multum agitur de Babele, et per eam ubivis significatur cultus talis, nempe quod externa appareant sancta sed interiora (x)sint profana; sed quia de Babele agitur in capite sequenti, ibi ostendendum venit quod per Babelem talia significentur; tum quod cultus talis in principio non ita profanus fuerit ac postea factus est; cultus enim externus se prorsus habet secundum interiora; quo magis insontia sunt interiora, eo magis insons est cultus externus; at quo magis foeda sunt interiora, eo magis foedus est cultus externus; et quo magis profana sunt interiora, eo magis profanus est cultus externus; ut res paucis dicatur, quo plus amoris mundi et sui est apud hominem qui est in cultu illo externo, eo minus vivum et sanctum inest ejus cultui; quo plus odii erga proximum in amore sui et mundi, eo magis profanum inest cultui; quo plus malitiae in odiis, eo adhuc magis profanum inest cultui; et quo plus doli in malitia, eo adhuc magis profanum inest cultui; illa et haec sunt interiora cultus externi qui significatur per 'Babel,' de quo in capite sequente.