1661、“当暗拉非作示拿王、亚略作以拉撒王、基大老玛作以拦王、提达作戈印王的日子”表示如此多种表面良善和真理，它们本身不是良善和真理，存在于主的外在人中，这从所有这些王在内义上的含义和下文清楚可知。因为所论述的主题是主与邪恶和虚假的争战；在此论述的是发生在祂童年时期和青少年初期（译注：新世纪版本为青春期和成年初期）的第一次争战。祂充满（世俗和宗教的）知识和认知之后，首先面对并经历这种争战；这就是为何经上在此说“当这些王的日子”。
在知道如何认识邪恶和虚假，因而在接受教导之前，没有人能与邪恶和虚假争战。一个人在能自主理解和判断之前，并不知道何为邪恶，更不知道何为虚假，这就是为何一个人直到成年才进入试探的原因。因此，每个人都是成年后才受到试探，但主早在童年时期或青春期就受到试探。
每个人首先掌握的武器就是他通过知识或认知所获得的良善和真理；他利用它们作为判断邪恶和虚假的基础和手段。此外，当每个人首先开始争战时，他以为他争战所凭借的这些良善和真理是他自己的，也就是说，他将它们归于自己，同时将他抵抗的能力也归于自己。这是允许的，因为那时一个人不知道别的。人在重生之前不可能知道，从而能说他知道、承认并相信：没有任何良善或真理来自他自己，一切良善和真理都来自主；他也不可能知道他并不能凭自己的能力抵抗任何邪恶或虚假；因为他的确不知道是恶灵激活并植入邪恶和虚假；更不知道他通过恶灵与地狱相通；地狱压在他身上，就像大海压在堤坝的每个部分上，他靠自己的力量决不能抵抗地狱的这种压力。然而，由于他在重生之前只会以为他靠自己的力量抵抗，所以这也是允许的；在这种情况下，他被引入争战或试探。然而，随后他会越来越被光照。
当一个人处于这种状态，即：他以为良善和真理源于他自己，抵抗的能力也是他自己的时，他与邪恶和虚假争战所凭借的良善和真理就不是真正的良善和真理，无论它们看上去多么是良善和真理；因为它们有他自己的东西在里面，他将自我功德置于胜利中，并进行夸耀，仿佛是他战胜了邪恶和虚假；而事实上，唯独主争战并得胜。只有那些正在通过试探重生的人才知道，事实的确如此。
主在童年早期或青少年早期就被引入与邪恶和虚假的最严厉的争战，所以那时不可避免地会这样想。这种情况之所以发生，既因为按照神性秩序，祂的人性或人身本质要通过不断的争战和得胜而被引入神性本质，并与之合一，还因为祂与邪恶和虚假争战所凭借的良善和真理属于外在人。这些良善和真理因不完全是神性，故被称为良善和真理的表象。祂的神性本质以这种方式把祂的人性或人身本质引入它自己，以便它可以凭自己的能力来战胜。然而，此处的奥秘比所能描述的还要多。简言之，在最初的争战中，主里面用来争战的良善和真理充满从母亲那里遗传来的东西；只要充满从母亲那里遗传来的东西，它们就不是神性。不过，随着祂战胜邪恶和虚假，它们逐渐被洁净并变成神性。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1661. And it happened in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar; Arioch, king of Ellasar; Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; and Tidal, king of Goiim, symbolizes just so many different categories of apparent goodness and truth (which are not good or true in and of themselves) in the Lord's outer self. This can be seen from the inner-level symbolism of all these kings, as well as from what follows. The subject is the Lord's combat with evil and falsity, and here it is about his first struggle, which took place in his adolescence and at the dawn of his adulthood. It was a struggle that he first faced and underwent after he had been trained in both secular and religious knowledge. That is why the verse says that it happened in the days of these kings.
[2] None of us can possibly fight evil and falsity until we know how to recognize them and consequently until we have been educated. We do not know what evil is, still less what falsity is, until we come into the capacities of intellect and judgment. That is the reason we do not undergo spiritual trials until we reach adult age 钬?the age of majority in our case, of adolescence in the Lord's.
The very first weapons that any of us wield are the good impulses and true concepts we have acquired by learning about them. These we use as the basis and means for evaluating evil impulses and false concepts.
[3] When we first start to fight, we universally believe that the goodness and truth we wield are our own; we take credit for them and also for the power to resist. Such an attitude is acceptable, because at that point we are incapable of knowing any better. Until we have been reborn there is much that we cannot possibly see clearly enough to say that we know, acknowledge, and believe it. We do not see that nothing good or true comes from us, that everything good and true comes from the Lord, and that we have no power of our own to resist anything evil or false. We do not realize that evil spirits stir up the evil and falsity they flood us with. Still less do we realize that evil spirits put us in touch with hell, or that hell exerts as much pressure on us as the ocean does on each stone in a jetty 钬?far too much pressure for us ever to resist by our own strength. Still, since until we regenerate we cannot help supposing the power is ours, we are allowed to think this way and so to be introduced into the battles of spiritual crisis. Later on, though, we start to see the light.
[4] While we are at the stage of imagining that goodness and truth come from ourselves and that the strength to resist is ours, the goodness and truth with which we fight evil and falsity are neither good nor true, even though they seem to be so. An inflated sense of self lurks inside them, and we take credit for the victory. We pride ourselves on having conquered evil and falsity, when it is the Lord alone who fights and wins. No one can see the truth of this but those reborn through times of tribulation.
[5] The Lord was introduced into fearsome struggles against evil and falsity in his early adolescence, and at that time he too could not imagine any differently. This was partly due to the divine plan 钬?that his human side be introduced to and united with his divine side through constant battles and victories. It was also due to the fact that the goodness and truth he used in the combat with evil and falsity belonged to his outer self. So the goodness and truth were not entirely divine, which is why they are called apparent goodness and truth. For all these reasons, his divine side kept introducing his human side into the struggle in such a way that it would win by means of its own power.
The secrets hidden in all this, however, are too manifold ever to describe. To put it briefly, the goodness and truth the Lord had that he used for weapons in his early battles were saturated with his mother's heredity. To the extent that his mother's heredity saturated them, they were not divine, but as he overcame evil and falsity they were gradually purified and became divine.
Potts(1905-1910) 1661
1661. And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim. That these signify so many kinds of apparent goods and truths, which in themselves are not goods and truths, that were in the Lord's external man, may be seen from the signification of all these in the internal sense, and also from what follows. For the Lord's combat against evils and falsities is treated of; here, His first combat, which took place in his childhood and earliest youth; which He then first engaged in and sustained when He had been imbued with knowledges [scientiae et cognitiones], on which account it is here said, "in the days of these." [2] No one can ever fight against evils and falsities until he has learned to know what evil and falsity are, and therefore not until he has been instructed. A man does not know what evil is, still less what falsity is, until he has the full use of his understanding and judgment, which is the reason why a man does not come into temptations until he has arrived at adult age; thus every man in his age of manhood, but the Lord in His childhood. [3] Every man combats first of all from the goods and truths he has received through knowledges; and from them and by them he judges about evils and falsities. Every man also, when he first begins to combat, supposes that the goods and truths from which he combats are his own; that is, he attributes them to himself, and at the same time attributes to himself the power by which he resists. This also is permitted; for the man cannot then know otherwise. Until a man has been regenerated, he cannot possibly know, so as to be able to say that he knows, acknowledges, and believes, that nothing of good and truth is from himself, but that all good and truth are from the Lord; or that he cannot resist any evil and falsity from his own power; for he does not know that evil spirits excite and infuse the evils and falsities; still less that by means of evil spirits he is in communication with hell; and that hell presses upon him as the sea does upon every part of a dike, which pressure of hell no man can possibly resist by his own powers. But as until he has been regenerated a man cannot but suppose that he resists by his own powers, this also is permitted; and thus he is introduced into combats or temptations; but afterwards he is more and more enlightened. [4] When a man is in such a state that he supposes good and truth to be from himself, and that the power of resisting is his own, then the goods and truths from which he combats against evils and falsities are not goods and truths, although they appear so; for there is what is his own in them, and he places self-merit in victory, and glories as if it were he who had overcome the evil and falsity, when yet it is the Lord alone who combats and overcomes. That this is really the case, none can know but they who are being regenerated by means of temptations. [5] And as in his earliest childhood the Lord was introduced into most grievous combats against evils and falsities, neither could He at that time suppose otherwise; and this not only because it was according to Divine order that His Human Essence should be introduced to the Divine Essence and be united to it by means of continual combats and victories, but also because the goods and truths from which He combated against evils and falsities were of the external man; and as these goods and truths were therefore not altogether Divine, they are therefore called appearances of good and truth. His Divine Essence introduced His Human in this manner, in order that it might overcome from its own power. But there are more arcana here than can possibly be described. In a word, in the first combats, the goods and truths in the Lord, from which he combated, were imbued with things inherited from the mother, and so far as they were imbued with things inherited from the mother, they were not Divine; but by degrees, as He overcame the evil and falsity, they were purified and made Divine.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1661
1661. 'And so it was in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim' means just so many kinds of apparent goods and truths which are not in themselves goods and truths, and which were present with the Lord's external Man. This becomes clear from the meaning of all these in the internal sense, and also from what follows. Far the subject is the Lord's conflict against evils and falsities, here His first conflict which came during His childhood and earliest adolescence. That conflict He first entered into and endured after He had been endowed with knowledge and cognitions, hence the expression 'in the days of' these kings.
[2] Nobody can possibly fight against evils and falsities until he knows what evil and falsity are, not therefore until he has received instruction. A person does not know what evil is, still less what falsity is, before he is capable of understanding and of forming judgements for himself, which is the reason why a person does not enter into temptations until he has reached the age of maturity. Thus everyone is tempted in adult life, but the Lord was tempted even in childhood.
[3] Everyone fights first of all from the goods and truths he has received by means of cognitions, and it is from them and by means of them that he forms judgements concerning evils and falsities Everyone furthermore when he first starts to fight imagines that these goods and truths from which he fights are his own, that is, he ascribes them to himself, and at the same time ascribes to himself the power by which he resists. This is allowed because a person cannot at the time know anything different. Before anyone has been regenerated he cannot possibly know, so as to be able to say that he knows, acknowledges, and believes, that no good or truth at all comes from self, but that everything good and true comes from the Lord; nor can he possibly know that he is unable by his own power to resist any evil or falsity. Indeed he does not know that evil spirits are activating and implanting the evils and falsities, still less that he is in communication with hell by means of evil spirits, and that hell presses on him like the sea against every part of a dike, which he can by no means resist by his own strength. Yet because he cannot do otherwise, until he has been regenerated, than imagine that he resists by his own strength, this too is permitted; and in this condition he is admitted into conflicts, or temptations. Subsequently however he becomes more and more enlightened.
[4] When a person's state is such that he imagines that good and truth originate in himself and that the power to resist is his own, the goods and truths from which he fights against evils and falsities are not really goods and truths, however much they appear to be so, for they have that which is his own within them, and he places self-merit in victory, boasting as though it were he that had overcome evil and falsity, when in fact it is the Lord alone who fights and overcomes. That this is indeed so none can know except those who are being regenerated by means of temptations.
[5] Because the Lord in earliest childhood was led into very serious conflicts against evils and falsities it was inevitable that at that time even He should think that way. This happened both because it was according to Divine order that His Human Essence should through continuous conflicts and victories be brought to the Divine Essence and united to it, and because the goods and truths from which He fought against evils and falsities belonged to the External Man. And because those goods and truths were not completely Divine they are for that reason called appearances of good and truth. His Divine Essence brought the Human Essence to itself in this way in order that it might overcome by its own power. The arcana here however are more than can possibly be described. In short, in those first conflicts the goods and truths residing with the Lord from which He fought were permeated by things inherited from the mother, and insofar as they were permeated by things inherited from the mother they were not Divine. Gradually however, as He overcame evil and falsity they were purified and made Divine.
Latin(1748-1756) 1661
1661. 'Et fuit in diebus Amraphelis regis Shinar, Ariochi regis Ellasar, Kedorlaomeri regis Elami, et Tidalis regis Goiim': quod significent totidem genera bonorum et verorum apparentium, quae in se non bona et vera sunt, apud Domini Externum Hominem, constare potest ab omnium horum significatione in sensu interno; tum a sequentibus; agitur enim de pugna Domini contra mala et falsa, hic de prima Ipsius pugna quae fuit in Ipsius pueritia et prima adolescentia; quam tunc primum iniit et sustinuit cum scientiis et cognitionibus imbutus fuit, quare hic dicitur in diebus horum. [2] Nusquam aliquis pugnare potest contra mala et falsa priusquam novit quid malum et falsum, quare non priusquam instructus est; quid malum, non scit homo, minus quid falsum, antequam intellectu et judicio pollet, quae causa est quod homo in tentationes non veniat priusquam ad aetatem adultam venerit; sic omnis homo in aetate sua virili, Dominus autem in puerili: [3] omnis homo omnium primo pugnat ex bonis et veris quae per cognitiones accepit, et ex illis et per illa judicat de malis et falsis; omnis etiam homo cum primum incipit pugnare, putat bona illa et vera ex quibus pugnat, esse sua, hoc est, sibi tribuit illa, et simul sibi tribuit potentiam qua resistit; hoc quoque permittitur, nam homo tunc nihil aliud scire potest; antequam aliquis regeneratus est, nusquam scire potest, usque ut dicere possit quod norit, agnoscat et credat, quod nihil boni et veri a semet, sed omne bonum et verum a Domino; tum quod non ex propria potentia resistere alicui malo et falso possit; non enim novit quod spiritus mali excitent et infundant mala et falsa, minus quod per spiritus malos communicet cum inferno, et quod infernum ita incumbat, sicut mare solet singulis partibus aggeris, cui nequaquam homo potest suis viribus resistere; sed quia usque, antequam regeneratus est, non aliter putare potest quam quod suis viribus, etiam permittitur, et sic introducitur in pugnas seu in tentationes; postea autem magis et magis illustratur: [4] cum homo in tali statu est quod putet bonum et verum esse a semet et potentiam resistendi esse suam, tunc bona et vera ex quibus contra mala et falsa pugnat, non sunt bona et vera, tametsi ita apparent, nam proprium inest, et meritum sui ponit in victoria, et gloriatur sicut is vicerit malum et falsum, cum tamen Dominus solus est Qui pugnat et vincit; quod ita se res habeat, non scire possunt nisi illi qui per tentationes regenerantur. Dominus quia in prima pueritia in gravissimas [5] pugnas contra mala et falsa introductus est, nec aliter tunc potuit autumare, et hoc tam quia secundum ordinem Divinum fuit ut Essentia Ipsius Humana per continuas pugnas et victorias introduceretur ad Essentiam Divinam et Ipsi uniretur, quam quod bona et vera ex quibus pugnavit contra mala et falsa, Externi Hominis essent; et quia bona et vera illa non sic fuerunt prorsus Divina, quare vocantur apparentia boni et veri: Divina Ipsius Essentia ita introducebat Humanam ut ex propria potentia vinceret: sed arcana hic plura sunt quam ut usquam describi queant; verbo, in primis pugnis fuerunt bona et vera apud Dominum ex quibus pugnavit, imbuta hereditariis ex matre, et quantum imbuta hereditariis ex matre, tantum non Divina fuerunt, sed per gradus, ut evicit malum et falsum, purificata sunt et facta Divina.