1299、“又拿柏油当灰泥”表示他们用源于恶欲的邪恶代替良善，这从圣言中“柏油”和“灰泥”的含义清楚可知。由于此处论述的主题是巴别塔的建造，所以所提到的材料是建筑用的那种。此处之所以提到柏油，是因为它含有硫磺，易燃；在圣言中，这类事物表示恶欲，尤表属于自我之爱的恶欲。“柏油”在此既表示源于恶欲的邪恶，也表示由此产生的虚假；这些也是建造下一节所描述的巴别塔的邪恶。所表示的是这类事物，这一点清楚可见于以赛亚书：
耶和华的报仇之日！ 她的溪河要变为柏油，她的尘土要变为硫磺，她的陆地要变为燃烧的柏油。（以赛亚书34:8-9）
“柏油（或沥青）”和“硫磺”表示源于恶欲的虚假和邪恶。除此之外还有其它例子。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1299. The fact that tar they had in place of mortar means that they had the evil they craved, instead of goodness, can be seen from the symbolism of tar and the symbolism of mortar, or clay, in the Word.{*1} Since the theme here is the building of the Babylonian tower, building materials are used to express the message. Tar is sulfurous and flammable, and in the Word sulfur and fire symbolize cravings, especially those that come of self-love. So tar here symbolizes the evil they craved, as well as the resulting falsity, which is also an evil. These went into the construction of the tower described in the next verses. It can be seen in Isaiah that this is the symbolism:
A day of vengeance for Jehovah! [Zion's] watercourses will turn into pitch, and its dirt into sulfur, and its land will become burning pitch. (Isaiah 34:8-9)
The pitch and sulfur stand for the falsity and evil associated with our cravings. There are other instances elsewhere.{*2}
Footnotes:
{*1} On the symbolism of tar, see 1666, 1688, 6724; on that of clay, see 1300, 6669. [SS]
{*2} For Scripture passages mentioning tar, pitch, and sulfur, see Genesis 14:10; Exodus 2:3; and the quotations in 2446. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 1299
1299. And bitumen had they for mortar. That this signifies that they had the evil of cupidity instead of good, is evident from the signification in the Word of "bitumen" and of "mortar." As the subject here treated of is the building of the Babylonish tower, such things are set forth as are used in building; here, bitumen, because it is sulfurous* and inflammable, and in the Word by such things there are signified cupidities, especially those which belong to the love of self. Here, "bitumen" signifies both the evils of cupidities and the derivative falsities; which also are the evils wherewith the tower was built; concerning which hereafter. That such things are signified, is evident in Isaiah:
The day of vengeance of Jehovah; the torrents shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into sulfur, and the land thereof shall be burning pitch (Isa. 34:8-9). "Pitch" and "sulfur" denote the falsities and evils of cupidities. And so in other places. * Swedenborg uses the term "sulfureous" in the sense of combustible, and includes under the term "sulfur" other fiery, inflammable, and combustible products, such as resin. Shakespeare has a similar usage. And to this day the miners in coal-pits use the term in much the same way, speaking of the inflammable gas therein as "sulfur." [Reviser.]
Elliott(1983-1999) 1299
1299. 'They had bitumen for clay' means that they had evil springing from evil desire in place of good. This is clear from the meaning in the Word of 'bitumen' and of 'clay'. Since the subject here is the building of the tower of Babel, the materials mentioned are such as are used in building. Bitumen is mentioned because of its sulphurous and combustible qualities, which in the Word mean evil desires, chiefly those that belong to self-love. Here 'bitumen' means the evils springing from evil desires, as well as the resulting falsities, as these too are the evils from which the tower described below was constructed. That such things are meant is clear in Isaiah,
The day of Jehovah's vengeance - her streams will be turned into pitch, and her dust into sulphur; and her land will become burning pitch. Isa 34:8, 9.
'Pitch' and 'sulphur' stand for falsities and evils that spring from evil desires. And there are further examples besides these.
Latin(1748-1756) 1299
1299. Quod 'bitumen fuit iis pro luto' significet quod malum cupiditatis pro bono, constat ex significatione 'bituminis' et ex significatione 'luti' in Verbo: hic quia agitur de aedificatione tum Babylonicae, praedicantur talia quae aedificationi inserviunt, tu bitumen quia sulphureum et igneum, quibus significantur in Verbo cupiditates imprimis quae sunt amoris sui; hic per 'bitumen' mala cupiditatum ut et falsa inde, quae etiam sunt mala quibus turris, de qua in sequentibus, exstruitur; quod talia significentur, constat apud Esaiam, Dies ultionis Jehovae;... convertentur torrentes ejus in picem, et pulvis ejus in sulphur; et erit terra ejus in picem ardentem, xxxiv 8, 9;'pix et sulphur' pro falsis et malis cupiditatum: praeter alibi.