1416、“我要使你成为一个大民族”表示天上和地上的国，这从“民族”的含义清楚可知：“民族”在内义上是指爱的属天品质或实体和由此产生的良善，因而是指全世界所有拥有爱和仁的属天元素的人。由于此处在内义上论述的主题是主，所以它表示一切属天品质和由此产生的一切良善，因而表示祂的国，这国就存在于那些拥有爱和仁的人里面。就至高意义而言，主本身就是“一个大民族”，因为祂是属天之物本身和良善本身。爱和仁的一切良善唯独源于祂，这也解释了为何主构成祂自己的国度，也就是说，祂是其国度全部中的全部，如天上的一切天使所承认的那样。由此清楚可知，“我要使你成为一个大民族”表示主在天上和地上的国度。
就内义而言，凡论述主和爱的属天事物的地方，“民族”（nation）都表示主和一切属天事物，这一点从前面（1258，1259节）关于“民族”（nation）和“列族或多族”（nations）含义的引证清楚可知。这一点也可从以下经文进一步得到证实。论到亚伯拉罕，经上说：
你的名不再叫亚伯兰，你的名要叫亚伯拉罕，因为我已立你为多族之父。（创世记17:5）
“亚伯拉罕”这个名字中的字母“h”发音柔和，取自耶和华的名，因为他代表耶和华或主。同样，经上论到撒莱说：
不可再称她的名为撒莱，她的名要叫撒拉。我必赐福给她，也要从她赐一个儿子给你。我要赐福给他，他也要成为多族；必有万民的君王从她而出。（创世记17:15-16）
此处“多族”表示爱的属天事物，“百姓的君王”表示源于这爱的信之属灵事物，它们唯独属于主。
论到雅各说：
你的名不再叫雅各，以色列才是你的名；就给他起名叫以色列。神说，我是雷神（译注：即希伯来语中的沙代神），你要繁殖增多，必有一个民族和一众民族从你而来，又有列王从你两腰而出。（创世记35:10-11）
此处“以色列”表示主，如一些人所熟知的，主自己就是至高意义上的以色列。当祂是“以色列”时，很明显，“一个民族和一众民族”，以及“从他两腰而出的列王”表示爱的属天和属灵事物，因而表示所有拥有爱的属天和属灵事物的人。论到亚伯兰和夏甲的儿子以实玛利，经上说：
至于这婢女的儿子，我必使他成为一个民族，因为他是你的种。（创世记21:13，18）
至于以实玛利代表什么，可参看那节经文所给出的解释；“亚伯兰的种”表示爱本身，“民族”这个词由此而与从以实玛利出生的人有关。
“民族”（nation）表示爱的属天事物，这一点清楚可见于摩西五经：
你们若实在听从我的声音，遵守我的约，就要在众民中作属我的宝贵产业；你们要归我作祭司的国度，为神圣的民族。（出埃及记19:5-6）
“祭司的国度”，就是主在天上和地上的国度，凭爱的属天事物而被公开称为“神圣的民族”；而主来自其王权的国度凭爱的属灵事物而被如此描述，被称为“神圣的人民或圣洁的民”；因此，上述经文中“从两腰而出的列王”是指属灵事物。耶利米书：
耶和华说，这些定例若能从我面前背离，以色列的种也就在我面前永远不再是一个民族。（耶利米书31:36）
“以色列的种”表示仁之属天品质或实体，当这种不复存在时，主面前就不再有一个民族。
以赛亚书：
在黑暗中行走的百姓，看见了大光。你使这民族繁多。（以赛亚书9:2-3）
这尤其论及各民族（译注：新世纪版本，非犹太民族）当中的教会，但一般论及所有虽没有知识，但却过着仁爱生活的人。这些人是一个“民族”，因为他们是主国度的成员。诗篇：
使我见你选民的善，乐你民族的乐，因你的产业而荣耀。（诗篇106:5）
此处“民族”明显表示主的国。“民族”表示爱的属天品质或实体和由此产生的良善，上古教会成员正是出于对“民族”这一含义的感知才划分为单独的家庭、宗族和民族。他们通过这种划分来感知主的国度，因而感知属天之物本身。由这种感知产生了具有灵义的东西，或说产生了象征，由具有灵义的东西或象征又产生了代表。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1416. The symbolism of I will make you into a great nation as a kingdom in the heavens and on earth can be seen from the symbolism of a nation. In an inner sense a nation is the heavenly quality of love and the good that comes out of it, so it is everyone everywhere who has the heavenly gift of love and charity. Here, because the subject in an inner sense is the Lord, it means every heavenly quality and all the resulting good. So it is the Lord's kingdom, which exists in people who have love and charity in them.
In the highest sense, the Lord himself is a great nation, because he is heavenliness itself, and goodness itself, since all the good growing out of love and charity comes from him alone. As a result, the Lord also is his actual kingdom; that is, he is the all in all of his kingdom, as every angel in heaven acknowledges. This shows, then, that "I will make you into a great nation" symbolizes the Lord's kingdom in the heavens and on earth.
[2] Passages illustrating the symbolism of a nation and of "the nations" and quoted in 搂搂1258, 1259, also demonstrate that wherever the discussion centers on the Lord and on the heavenly aspects of love, a nation in an inner sense symbolizes the Lord and everything that is heavenly. The following quotations offer further confirmation. Concerning Abraham, in a later passage:
No longer will your name be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, because I have made you father of an abundance of nations. (Genesis 17:5)
From Jehovah's name came the word particle h in Abraham, because of Abraham's representation of Jehovah, or the Lord. Likewise concerning Sarai:
You shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah is her name. And I will bless her and also give you a son from her. So I will bless her, and she will become nations; monarchs of various peoples will come from her. (Genesis 17:15-16)
The nations stand for the heavenly qualities of love, while the monarchs of various peoples stand for the spiritual aspects of faith that develop out of those qualities, both of which are the Lord's alone.
[3] Again, concerning Jacob:
"Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel will be your name;" and [God] called his name Israel. And God said, "I am God the Thunderer.{*1} Grow and multiply! A nation and a throng of nations will develop out of you, and monarchs will come from your genitals." (Genesis 35:10-11)
Israel stands for the Lord. Some people realize that he is Israel in the highest sense, and since he is, obviously the nation and throng of nations, and the monarchs from his genitals, are the heavenly and spiritual qualities of love. Consequently they are also the people who possess the heavenly and spiritual qualities of love. Concerning Ishmael, Abram's son by Hagar:
The slave's son 钬?I will make him into a nation, since he is your seed. (Genesis 21:13, 18)
For Ishmael's representation, see the explanation given at that verse.{*2} "Abram's seed" is the actual love whose presence allows the word nation to be used in connection with Ishmael's birth.
[4] The fact that a nation symbolizes the heavenly attributes of love can be seen in Moses:
If you listen closely to my voice and keep my pact, you will be a personal possession to me, out of all the peoples, and you will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to me. (Exodus 19:5-6)
The kingdom of priests, which is the Lord's kingdom in the heavens and on earth, is explicitly being called a holy nation. Reference to the Lord's kingdom on the basis of his kingship, however, has to do with the spiritual attributes of love, and this kingdom is called a holy people.{*3} So "monarchs from his genitals," as in the quotation above, are spiritual entities. In Jeremiah:
"If these statutes depart from before me," says Jehovah, "the seed of Israel will also cease to be a nation before me all its days." (Jeremiah 31:36)
The seed of Israel stands for the heavenly quality of neighborly love, and when this ceases, it is no longer a nation before the Lord.
[5] In Isaiah:
The people walking in darkness have seen great light. You have multiplied the nation. (Isaiah 9:2-3)
This is talking about the church among non-Jewish nations{*4} in particular and about everyone in general who lives without knowledge but with love for others. These people are a nation, because they belong to the Lord's kingdom. In David:
... so that I can see the good of your chosen people; so that I can rejoice in the joy of your nation; so that I can boast of your inheritance. (Psalms 106:5)
The nation clearly stands for the Lord's kingdom.
The symbolism of a nation as the heavenly quality of love, and the good that comes of it, rose out of a certain way of seeing things: The people of the earliest church were divided into households, clans, and nations and this was their model for the Lord's kingdom. Since it was their model for the Lord's kingdom, it was their model for the nature of heaven itself. From this point of view rose the symbolism, and from the symbolism rose the representation.
Footnotes:
{*1} Swedenborg follows Schmidt 1696 here in using "the Thunderer" (Latin fulminator) to represent the Hebrew epithet "Shaddai" (砖讈址赞旨址讬 [拧adday]). Contrast the discussion of this verse (Genesis 35:11) in 搂搂4566, 4572, where he simply transliterates the term, as he has already done in this volume (搂1356:2). For more on this epithet, see note 3 in 搂97. [LHC, Editors]
{*2} For Swedenborg's description of Ishmael's representation in Genesis 21:13, 18, see 搂搂2669, 2697. For a more extended discussion of his representation, see 搂搂1949-1951. [LHC]
{*3} The phrase "holy people" occurs in Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2, 21; 26:19; Isaiah 62:12; 63:18; Daniel 8:24; 12:7. [LHC]
{*4} By the "church among non-Jewish nations" here (ecclesia gentium, in the Latin), Swedenborg seems to mean the early Christian church as expanded by the apostles to include non-Jews. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 1416
1416. I will make thee into a great nation. That this signifies the kingdom in the heavens and on the earth, is evident from the signification of a "nation," as being in the internal sense the celestial of love and the derivative good, thus all in the universe in whom is the celestial of love and of charity; and as in the internal sense the Lord is here treated of, there is meant all the celestial and all the derivative good, thus His kingdom, which is with those who are in love and charity. In the supreme sense the Lord is Himself the "great nation," because He is the celestial itself, and good itself; for all the good of love and of charity is from Him alone; and therefore the Lord is His kingdom itself, that is, He is the all in all of His kingdom, as is also acknowledged by all the angels in heaven. Hence now it is evident that "I will make thee into a great nation," signifies the Lord's kingdom in the heavens and on earth. [2] That in the internal sense, where the Lord and the celestial things of love are treated of, a "nation" signifies the Lord and all celestial things, is evident from the things adduced above concerning the signification of a "nation," and of "nations" (n. 1258, 1259). This may also be further confirmed by the following passages. Concerning Abraham it is said:
Thy name shall not any more be called Abram, and thy name shall be Abraham, for the father of a multitude of nations have I given thee (Gen. 17:5). The letter h in "Abraham" was taken from the name Jehovah, on account of his representation of Jehovah or the Lord. In like manner it is said of Sarai:
Thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and also give thee a son of her; thus I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall be of her (Gen. 17:15-16);
where "nations" denote the celestial things of love, and "kings of peoples" the spiritual things of faith thence derived, which belong to the Lord alone. [3] Concerning Jacob in like manner:
Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name, and He called his name Israel: and God said, I am God the thunderer; increase and multiply; a nation and a congregation of nations shall be from thee, and kings shall go forth out of thy loins (Gen. 35:10-11);
where "Israel" denotes the Lord, and that He Himself is "Israel" in the supreme sense, is well known to some; and when He is "Israel," it is evident that "a nation" and "an assemblage of nations," and "kings out of His loins," are the celestial and the spiritual things of love, and therefore all who are in the celestial and the spiritual things of love. Concerning Ishmael, Abram's son by Hagar, it is said:
The son of the handmaid I will make him into a nation, because he is thy seed (Gen. 21:13, 18). What is represented by Ishmael will be seen in its place; the "seed" of Abram is love itself, and from this the term "nation" is used for those begotten of Ishmael. [4] That a "nation" signifies the celestial things of love, is evident in Moses:
If hearing ye will hear My voice, and will keep My covenant, ye shall also be a peculiar treasure unto Me out of all peoples, and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation (Exod. 19:5, 6);
where "a kingdom of priests," which is the Lord's kingdom in the heavens and on earth, being so named from the celestial things of love, is manifestly called "a holy nation;" whereas the Lord's kingdom from His kingly function was named from the spiritual things of love, and is called "a holy people;" and for this reason "kings out of the loins," in the passage quoted above, are spiritual things. In Jeremiah:
If these statutes have departed from before Me, saith Jehovah, the seed of Israel also shall cease, that it be not a nation before Me all the days (Jer. 31:36);
"the seed of Israel" denotes the celestial of charity; and when this ceases, there is no longer a nation before the Lord. [5] In Isaiah:
The people that walk in darkness have seen a great light; Thou hast multiplied the nation (Isa. 9:2-3). This is said of the church of the nations specifically; but in general of all who are in ignorance and live in charity; these are a "nation," because they are of the Lord's kingdom. In David:
That I may see the good of Thy chosen; that I may be glad in the gladness of Thy nation, that I may glory in Thine inheritance (Ps. 106:5). Here "nation" plainly denotes the Lord's kingdom. As the signification of "nation" is the celestial of love and the derivative good, there originated, from a perception of this signification, the fact that the men of the Most Ancient Church were distinguished into households, families, and nations; and thereby they perceived the Lord's kingdom, and consequently the celestial itself. From this Perceptive arose the Significative, and from this the Representative.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1416
1416. That 'I will make you into a great nation' means a kingdom in heaven and on earth becomes clear from the meaning of 'nation' in the internal sense as the celestial entity of love and the good which flows from this, thus all throughout the world in whom the celestial element of love and charity is present. Since the subject here in the internal sense is the Lord, everything of the celestial and of the good deriving from it, thus His kingdom, is meant - which exists with those in whom love and charity are present. In the highest sense the Lord Himself is 'the great nation' since He is the Celestial itself and Good itself. For all good that flows from love and charity originates in Him alone, which also explains why the Lord comprises His own kingdom, that is, He is the All in all of His kingdom, as also all angels in heaven acknowledge. From this it is now clear that 'l will make you into a great nation' means the Lord's kingdom in heaven and on earth.
[2] That 'nation' in the internal sense, where the Lord and celestial things of love are the subject, means Him and all celestial things may become clear also from what has been introduced in 1258, 1259, regarding the meaning of a nation and nations. This matter may be confirmed further still from the following places: In reference to Abraham further on,
No longer will your name be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. Gen 17:5.
The soft 'h' sound in Abraham was taken from Jehovah's name because he represented Jehovah, that is, the Lord. Similarly in reference to Sarai,
You will not call her name Sarai, but Sarah will be her name, and I will bless her, and I will also give you a son by her; thus will I bless her, and she will become nations; kings of peoples will be from her. Gen 17:15, 16.
'Nations' here stands for the celestial things of love, and 'kings of peoples' for the spiritual things of faith deriving from that love, which are the Lord's alone.
[3] In reference to Jacob likewise,
Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel will be your name. And He called his name Israel, and God said, I am God Almighty,a increase and multiply; a nation and an assembly of nations will come into being from you, and kings will go out from your loins. Gen 35:10, 11.
Here 'Israel' stands for the Lord, who Himself, as is well known to some, is in the highest sense Israel. And when He is meant by 'Israel' it is evident that 'a nation and an assembly of nations' and 'kings from his loins' mean the celestial and spiritual things of love, and therefore all in whom the celestial and spiritual things of love are present. In reference to Ishmael, Abram's son by Hagar, it is said,
The son of the servant-girl I will make into a nation, because he is your seed. Gen 21:13, 18.
What Ishmael represents will be seen in that place. 'The seed of Abram' means love itself, and because of this the word nation is used for those begotten from Ishmael.
[4] That 'nation' means the celestial things of love is clear in Moses,
If you will surely hearken to My voice, and keep My covenant and be a peculiar treasure to Me from among all peoples, you will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Exod 19:5, 6.
Here 'a kingdom of priests', a phrase used to describe the Lord's kingdom in heaven and on earth, springing from the celestial things of love, is openly called 'a holy nation'. But the Lord's kingdom springing from His Royalty is described as such by virtue of the spiritual things of love and is called 'a holy people'. 'Kings from the loins' therefore, as above,b is spiritual things. In Jeremiah,
If these ordinances depart from before Me, said Jehovah, the seed of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me for ever.c Jer 31:36.
'Seed of Israel' stands for the celestial entity of charity, and when this ceases to exist there is no longer a nation before the Lord.
[5] In Isaiah,
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. You have multiplied the nation. Isa 9:2, 3.
Specifically this refers to the Church of the nations,d, but in general to all who are without knowledge but lead charitable lives. These are 'the nation' because they are members of the Lord's kingdom. In David,
O that I may see the good of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the joy of Your nation, that I may glory in Your heritage. Ps 106:5.
Here 'nation' plainly stands for the Lord's kingdom. It was from an ability to perceive that 'a nation' meant the celestial entity of love and the good which flows from this that members of the Most Ancient Church came to be distinguished into separate houses, families, and nations. By this distinguishing they gained a perception of the Lord's kingdom; and because they had a perception of the Lord's kingdom they had a perception of the celestial itself. From that ability to perceive there arose that which held a spiritual meaning, and from this that which was representative.
Latin(1748-1756) 1416
1416. 'Faciam te in gentem magnam': quod significet regnum in caelis et in terris, constare potest a significatione 'gentis' quod in sensu interno sit caeleste amoris et bonum inde, ita omnes in universo quibus est caeleste amoris et charitatis; hic quia agitur de Domino in sensu interno, intelligitur omne caeleste et omne bonum inde, ita Ipsius regnum, quod apud illos est qui in amore et charitate sunt in supremo sensu Ipse Dominus est 'gens magna' quia est Ipsum caeleste et Ipsum Bonum; omne enim bonum amoris et charitatis ab Ipso solo, quare etiam Dominus est ipsum Suum regnum, hoc est, Omne in omnibus Sui regni, ut quoque agnoscitur ab omnibus angelis in caelo; inde nunc constat quod 'faciam te in gentem magnam' significet regnum Domini in caelis et in terris. [2] Quod 'gens' in sensu interno ubi agitur de Domino deque caelestibus amoris, significet Ipsum et omnia caelestia, constare quoque potest ab illis quae de significatione gentis et gentium n. 1258, 1259 adducta sunt; quod quoque adhuc ab his confirmari potest; de Abrahamo in sequentibus, Non vocabitur amplius nomen tuum Abram, et erit nomen tuum Abraham, quia patrem multitudinis gentium dedi te Gen. xvii 5;ex Jehovae nomine est sumpta vocula 'h' in Abrahamo, ob repraesentationem Jehovae seu Domini. Similiter de Sarai, Non vocabis nomen ejus Sarai, sed Sarah nomen ejus, et benedicam illi, et etiam dabo ex ea tibi filium, ita benedicam illi, et erit in gentes, reges populorum ex illa erunt, Gen. xvii [15], 16;
ubi 'gentes' pro caelestibus amoris, 'reges populorum' pro spiritualibus fidei inde, quae solius Domini. [3] De Jacobo pariter, Non vocabitur nomen tuum amplius Jacob, sed Israel erit nomen tuum, et vocavit nomen ejus Israel, et dixit Deus, Ego Deus {1}fulminator, cresce et multiplicare, gens et congregatio gentium fiet ex te, et reges ex lumbis tuis exibunt, Gen.xxxv 10, 11;
ubi 'Israel' pro Domino, Qui quod Ipse Israel in supremo sensu, aliquibus notum est, et cum Ipse, patet quod 'gens et congregatio gentium, et reges ex lumbis Ipsius' sint caelestia et spiritualia amoris, quare omnes qui in caelestibus et spiritualibus amoris. De Ismaele, filio Abrami ex Hagare, Filium ancillae in gentem ponam eam, quia semen tuum est, Gen. xxi 13, 18;
quid per Ismaelem repraesentatur, ibi loci videbitur; 'semen Abrami' est ipse amor, ex quo gens de Ismaelis generatione praedicatur. [4] Quod 'gens' significet caelestia amoris, constat apud Mosen, Si audiendo audiveritis vocem Meam, et custodiveritis foedus Meum, et eritis Mihi peculium ex omnibus populis, et vos eritis Mihi regnum sacerdotum, et gens sancta, Exod. xix 5, 6;
ubi 'regnum sacerdotum' quod est regnum Domini in caelis et in terris ex caelestibus amoris praedicatum, appellatur manifeste 'gens sancta'; regnum autem Domini ex Regio Ipsius praedicatum est ex spiritualibus amoris, et appellatur 'populus sanctus,' quare 'reges ex lumbis,' ut supra, sunt spiritualia: apud Jeremiam, Si recesserint statuta haec a coram Me, dictum Jehovae, etiam semen Israelis cessabunt, ut non sit gens coram Me omnibus diebus, xxxi 36;
[5] 'semen Israelis' pro caelesti charitatis, qua cessante non amplius est gens coram Domino: apud Esaiam, Populus ambulantes in tenebris viderunt lucem magnam, multiplicasti gentem, ix 2, 3;
de Ecclesia gentium in specie, in genere de omnibus qui in ignorantia sunt et in charitate vivunt, qui sunt 'gens' quia regni Domini: apud Davidem, Ut videam bonum electorum Tuorum, ut laeter in laetitia gentis Tuae, ut glorier in hereditate Tua, Ps. cvi 5;
ibi manifeste 'gens' pro regno Domini. Significatio gentis, quod sit caeleste amoris et bonum inde, ex perceptivo illo ortum est, quod Antiquissimae Ecclesiae homines distincti essent in domos, familias et gentes, et sic percipiebant regnum Domini, et quia regnum Domini, percipiebant ipsum caeleste; ex perceptivo illo ortum est significativum, ex hoc repraesentativum. @1 This is the form Sch. usually has for Shaddai. S. generally leaves it untranslated.$