1238、至于“希伯”也表示一个民族，这个民族的祖先是希伯，一个叫这个名字的人，这一点要这样来理解：目前所提到的这些人是指古教会存在于其中的民族，他们都被称为闪、含、雅弗和迦南的儿子，因为“闪、含、雅弗、迦南”表示教会的各种不同敬拜。挪亚、闪、含、雅弗和迦南从来不是真实人物；但由于具体的古教会和总体的每个教会具有这种性质：它包括一个真正的内在，一个败坏的内在，一个真正的外在，一个败坏的外在，所以经上采用上述名字，这是为了使所有不同的一般类型能在这些人及其子孙所代表的类别之下进行分类。此外，这里所提到的民族一开始拥有这种敬拜，因此被称为挪亚其中一个儿子的儿子；也由于同样的原因，在圣言中，这些民族的名字表示这类敬拜本身。
挪亚和他的儿子所表示的这第一个古教会并不局限于少数人，而是遍及许多国家，这从所提到的民族清楚看出来，如亚述、美索不达米亚、叙利亚、埃塞俄比亚、阿拉伯、利比亚、埃及、非利士，直到推罗和西顿，还遍及约旦河两侧的整个迦南地。但后来一种外在敬拜在叙利亚开始出现，从那里广泛传播到许多国家，尤其迦南；它不同于古教会的敬拜。由于一个与古教会分离的教会的某种东西以这种方式产生，所以一个新教会可以说从它兴起，因此可被称为第二个古教会。希伯是它的第一个创始人，所以该教会以希伯为名。如前所述（470-471，483:2，1159:3节），那个时代，所有人都分为家庭、宗族和民族。一个民族承认一个祖先，还以他命名，这可见于圣言的各个地方。因此，承认希伯为其祖先的这个民族被称为希伯来民族。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1238. In regard to the fact that Eber too means a nation — one whose ancestor was Eber, an individual called by that name — the case is this: The names mentioned so far were nations among whom the ancient church was present. All of them were called children of Shem, Ham, Japheth, or Canaan because Shem, Ham, Japheth, and Canaan symbolized dissimilar cultures in the church. Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth, and Canaan themselves never existed. But the ancient church in particular (like every religion in general) by its very nature had genuine depths, corrupt depths, genuine externals, and corrupt externals. That is why these names came into being: so that all the different general types could be categorized under the headings represented by these individuals and their offspring.
At their outset, the nations named here also practiced the kind of worship [symbolized by each]. That is why they are called the children of one of Noah's sons, and it is why the names of these nations in the Word symbolize the different cultures themselves.
[2] This first ancient church — the one that Noah and his sons symbolize — did not exist among only a few people but spread out through many countries. One indication is the number of nations mentioned: Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria, Ethiopia, Arabia, Libya, Egypt, Philistia as far as Tyre and Sidon, and the whole land of Canaan on both the far and the near sides of the Jordan.
Afterward, though, a certain shallow kind of worship took hold in Syria, and it eventually spread far and wide through many lands (especially in Canaan). It was at variance with the worship of the ancient church, and since its existence constituted the start of something like a church distinct and separate from the ancient church, a seemingly new church now arose, which can therefore be called the second ancient church. The founder was Eber, so the religion was named after him.
At that period people were all divided into households, clans, and nations, as already noted [470-471, 483:2, 1159:3]. Each nation acknowledged one father, for whom it was named, as the Word demonstrates throughout. So the nation that acknowledged Eber as its father was called the Hebrew nation.
Potts(1905-1910) 1238
1238. That by "Eber" is signified a nation also, whose father was Eber, one who was called by this name, is to be understood in this way. Those mentioned hitherto were the nations among whom the Ancient Church existed, and were all called sons of Shem, of Ham, of Japheth, and of Canaan, because by Shem, Ham, Japheth, and Canaan are signified the various worships of the church. Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth, and Canaan never existed as men; but because the Ancient Church specifically, and in general every church, is such that it is true internal, corrupt internal, true external, and corrupt external, therefore the above-mentioned names were given in order that all the differences in general might be referred to them and their sons, as to their heads. Moreover the nations here named originally had such worship; and therefore are called the sons of one of the sons of Noah. And for the same reason also, such worships themselves are signified by the names of these nations in the Word. [2] This first Ancient Church, signified by Noah and his sons, was not confined to a few, but extended over many kingdoms, as is evident from the nations mentioned, namely, Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria, Ethiopia, Arabia, Lybia, Egypt, Philistia as far as Tyre and Sidon, and the whole land of Canaan, on this side and beyond Jordan. But afterwards in Syria a kind of external worship began, which from thence spread itself widely around, over many countries, especially over Canaan, and which was different from the worship of the Ancient Church. And as something of a church thus arose that was separate from the Ancient Church, there sprang up thence as it were a new church, which may therefore be called the Second Ancient Church. The first institutor of this was Eber, and therefore this church is called after Eber. At that time, as has been said before, all were distinguished into households, families, and nations. Each nation acknowledged one father, from whom also it was named, as is seen in various places in the Word. Thus the nation which acknowledged Eber as its father was called the Hebrew nation.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1238
1238. As for Eber meaning a nation as well, whose father was thus named Eber, the position is this: Those named so far were nations with whom the Ancient Church existed. All of them were called sons of Shem, Ham, Japheth, or Canaan, because 'Shem, Ham, Japheth, and Canaan' meant differing types of worship in the Church. Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth, and Canaan never were actual people, but because the Ancient Church in particular was such, and every Church in general is such, that it includes a true internal, a corrupted internal, a true external, and a corrupted external, these names were therefore adopted so that all differences in general could be related to those characters and their sons as to their heads. The nations named here also at first possessed such worship, for which reason they are called the sons of one of Noah's sons, and also such forms of worship themselves are meant by the names of these nations in the Word.
[2] This first Ancient Church meant by Noah and his sons was not confined to a few people but was spread throughout many kingdoms, as is clear from the nations mentioned - throughout Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria, Ethiopia, Arabia, Libya, Egypt, Philistia up to Tyre and Sidon, and throughout the whole of the land of Canaan, on this side of the Jordan and on the other side. Subsequently however a certain type of external worship started in Syria which spread far and wide from there and through many countries, particularly Canaan. It was a different form of worship from the worship of the Ancient Church. And because something of a Church arose in this way that was separate from the Ancient Church, a new Church so to speak rose up from it which may therefore be called the second Ancient Church. Eber was its first founder, and therefore this Church took its name from Eber. As stated already, everybody at that time was distinguished into separate houses, families, and nations. One nation recognized one father from whom it also took its name, as is clear throughout the Word, the nation which recognized Eber as its father thus being called the Hebrew nation.
Latin(1748-1756) 1238
1238. Quod per 'Eberum' significetur quoque gens, cujus pater fuit Eberus, ita nomine vocatus, ita se res habet: qui hactenus nominati sunt, fuerunt gentes apud quas Antiqua Ecclesia fuit, quae omnes dictae fuerunt filii Shemi, Hami, Japheti, Canaanis, quia per 'Shemum, Hamum, Japhetum, Canaanem' significati sunt diversi cultus Ecclesiae: Noahus, Shemus, Hamus, Japhetus, Canaan nusquam fuerunt, sed quia Antiqua Ecclesia in specie talis fuit, et omnis Ecclesia in genere talis est, ut sit interna vera, interna corrupta, externa vera, et externa corrupta, ideo haec nomina, ut omnes differentiae in genere ad illos et filios illorum, ut ad sua capita, referri possent: gentes hic nominatae etiam primitus habuerunt talem cultum, et ideo dictae sunt filii unius filiorum Noahi, et ideo etiam ipsi cultus tales per nomina harum gentium in Verbo significantur. [2]Antiqua haec Ecclesia prima per 'Noahum et ejus filios' significata, non intra paucos fuit, sed extensa per plura regna, ut constat a gentibus nominatis, nempe per Assyriam, Mesopotamiam, Syriam, Aethiopiam, Arabiam, Lybiam, Aegyptum, Philistaeam usque ad Tyrum et Zidonem, per totam terram Canaanem trans Jordanem et cis Jordanem. Sed postea in Syria incepit cultus quidam externus, qui deinde late se circumfudit, et quidem per plures terras, imprimis per Canaanem qui cultus diversus fuit a cultu Antiquae Ecclesiae; et quia sic ortum fuit quoddam Ecclesiae, quod separatum ab Ecclesia Antiqua, inde nova quasi Ecclesia exsurrexit, quam ideo vocare licet alteram Ecclesiam Antiquam; Eberus fuit primus ejus institutor, quare Ecclesia haec ab Ebero vocata est. Illo tempore fuerunt omnes distincti in domos, familias et gentes, ut prius dictum; una gens agnoscebat unum patrem, e quo etiam nominabatur, ut a Verbo passim constat, ita gens quae Eberum agnoscebat ut patrem suum, gens Hebraea vocata est.