1988、“亚伯兰是个九十九岁的人”表示在主将内在人与理性人完全结合之前的时间。这从“九”或“九十九”的含义清楚可知，只需想一想九比十少一，或九十九比一百少一，因为当给亚伯兰生以撒时，亚伯兰一百岁了。圣言内义的性质尤其从出现在圣言中的数字，就像从名字那样清楚看出来。凡圣言提到的数字都表示真实事物，和名字一样，因为凡没有神性，也就是没有内义在里面的事物都不存在于圣言中。至于内义距离字义何等遥远，这尤其从数字和名字明显看出来，因为在天堂，他们不关注任何名字和数字，只关注它们所表示的事物。例如，每当数字“七”出现时，天使的脑海里立刻出现神圣的概念，而不是数字七，因为“七”基于以下事实而表示神圣，即：属天人是“第七日”或“安息日”，因而是主的“安息”（84-87，395，433，716，881节）。这同样适用于其它数字，如数字十二。每当“十二”出现时，对属于信的一切事物的观念就会涌入天使的脑海，因为以色列的“十二支派”就表示属于信的一切事物（577节）。在圣言中，数字表示真实事物，这一点在第一卷已经说明（482，487，488，493，575，647，648，755，813，893节）。
数字“九十九”也一样。这个数字表示在主将内在人与理性人完全结合之前的时间，这从“一百岁”的含义清楚看出来，“一百岁”是给亚伯兰生以撒时亚伯兰的年龄，因为以撒代表并表示与主的内在人，也就是与神性结合的主的理性人。在圣言中，“一百”和“十”所表相同，因为一百是十与十的乘积，而“十”表示余剩，如第一卷所示（576节）。至于人里面的余剩是什么，可参看前文（468，530，561，660，1050节），以及主里面的余剩是什么（参看1906节）。这些奥秘无法进一步解释，不过，一旦明白余剩是什么（因为如今余剩不为人知），谁都能就这个主题形成一个结论，只要知道，对主来说，余剩是指祂凭自己的能力为自己获得的神性良善，祂通过这神性良善将人身或人性本质与神性本质合一。
由此可见“九十九”表示什么。这个数字因在一百之前，或比一百少一，故表示在主将内在人与理性人完全结合之前的时间。对主来说，最初理性由以实玛利来代表；该理性的性质在前面足以充分说明（16章；1911，1936，1948-1951，1964节）。但以撒代表主的神性理性，这从下文清楚可知（2632，2658节）。谁都能看出某个奥秘体现在以下情况中，即：亚伯兰在迦南地待了很长一段时间（到现在是二十四年，也就是说，以实玛利出生前十年和出生后十三年），而他的妻子撒莱一 直没有给他生出一个儿子；这时，他首先得到应许：等他年满九十九岁的时候就赐给他一个儿子，当这个儿子出生时，他就一百岁了。这个奥秘是，通过这些经历，他可以代表主的神性本质与其人身或人性本质的合一；事实上，代表祂的内在人，也就是耶和华，与其理性人的合一。
Potts(1905-1910) 1988
1988. Abram was a son of ninety years and nine years. That this signifies the time before the Lord had fully conjoined the internal man with the rational, is evident from the signification of "nine" when regarded as coming before ten; or what is the same, of "ninety-nine" before a hundred, for Abram was a hundred years old when Isaac was born to him. The nature of the internal sense of the Word may be seen in an especial manner from the numbers, as well as from the names, that occur in the Word; for the numbers therein, whatever they may be, signify actual things, as do the names also; for there is absolutely nothing in the Word that has not what is Divine within it, or that does not possess an internal sense; and how remote this is from the sense of the letter is especially manifest from the numbers and the names; for in heaven no attention is given to these, but to the things that are signified by them. For example, whenever the number "seven" occurs, instead of seven there at once comes to the angels what is holy, for "seven" signifies what is holy, and this from the fact that the celestial man is the "seventh day," or "Sabbath," and thus the Lord's "rest" (n. 84-87, 395, 433, 716, 881). The case is similar with the other numbers, as for example with twelve. Whenever "twelve" occurs, there comes to the angels the idea of all things that belong to faith, for the reason that these were signified by the "twelve tribes" (n. 577). That in the Word numbers signify actual things, may be seen demonstrated in Part First (n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 893). [2] The case is the same with the number "ninety-nine;" and that this number signifies the time before the Lord had fully conjoined the internal man with the rational, is evident from the signification of a "hundred years," which was Abram's age when Isaac was born to him; for by Isaac is represented and signified the Lord's rational man that is conjoined with His internal man, that is, with the Divine. In the Word, a "hundred" signifies the same as "ten," for it is formed by the multiplication of ten into ten and "ten" signifies remains (as shown in Part First, n. 576). What the remains in man are, may be seen above (n. 468, 530, 561, 660, 1050), also what the remains in the Lord were (n. 1906). These arcana cannot be set forth further, but everyone may form a conclusion on the subject after he has first made himself acquainted with what remains are (for what they are is at this day unknown), provided it be known that in the Lord's case remains mean the Divine goods that He procured for Himself by His own power, and by means of which He united the Human Essence to the Divine Essence. [3] From all this we may see what is signified by "ninety-nine," for this number, because it precedes a hundred, signifies the time before the Lord had fully conjoined the internal man with the rational. In the Lord's case, the first rational was represented by Ishmael; and the nature of this rational has been sufficiently shown above (in the preceding chapter 16). But by Isaac is represented the Lord's Divine rational, as will appear in what follows. From Abram's staying so long in the land of Canaan (now twenty-four years, that is, ten years before Ishmael was born, and thirteen years after that) without his as yet having a son by his wife Sarai, and from the promise of a son being first given when he was ninety-nine years old, everyone can see that some arcanum is involved. The arcanum was, that he might thereby represent the union of the Lord's Divine Essence with His Human Essence; and in fact the union of His internal man, which is Jehovah, with His rational.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1988
1988. 'Abram was a son of ninety-nine years' means the period of time before the Lord fully joined the Internal Man to the Rational Man. This is clear from the meaning of 'nine' when thought of as one less than ten, or what amounts to the same, of 'ninety-nine' when thought of as one less than a hundred; for when Isaac was born to him Abram was a hundred years old. The nature of the internal sense of the Word is made especially clear by the numbers that are used, as it is by the names. Any numbers whatever, as also any names, that are mentioned in the Word mean real things; for nothing ever exists in the Word that does not have that which is Divine within it, that is, which does not have an internal sense within it. How remote this sense is from the sense of the letter is especially evident from the names and numbers, for in heaven they pay no attention whatever to names and numbers but to things meant by the names or numbers. For example, whenever the number seven occurs, holiness instantly suggests itself to angels instead of the number seven, for 'seven' means holiness from the fact that the celestial man is the seventh day or the sabbath, and so the Lord's rest, 84-87, 395, 433, 716, 881. The same applies to all other numbers, for example, to the number twelve. Whenever twelve occurs the idea of everything belonging to faith suggests itself to angels, for the reason that the twelve tribes of Israel meant everything belonging to faith, 577. That numbers mean real things in the Word has been shown in Volume One; see 482, 487, 488, 493, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 893.
[2] It is similar with the number 'ninety-nine'. That this number means the period of time before the Lord fully joined the Internal Man to the Rational Man is clear from the meaning of 'a hundred years', Abram's age when Isaac was born to him, for Isaac represents and means the Lord's Rational Man which was joined to His Internal, that is, to the Divine. In the Word 'a hundred' has the same meaning as ten, for that number is the product of ten multiplied by ten, and 'ten' means remnants, as shown in Volume One, in 576. For what remnants residing with man are, see 468, 530, 561, 660, 1050, and for what remnants residing with the Lord were, 1906. These arcana cannot be explained any further, but anyone can find out for himself once he has acquainted himself with what remnants are - for nowadays what they are is not known - provided it is realized that by remnants residing with the Lord are meant the Divine Goods which He acquired to Himself by His own power, and by which He united the Human Essence to the Divine Essence.
[3] These considerations show what is meant by 'ninety-nine'. Being one less than a hundred, that number means the period of time before the Lord fully joined the Internal Man to the Rational Man. 'Ishmael' represented the first rational with the Lord, the nature of which has been shown adequately enough above in the previous chapter. But 'Isaac' represents the Lord's Divine Rational, as will be clear later on. Anyone may see that an arcanum is embodied within the following circumstance: Abram having remained such a long time in the land of Canaan - twenty-four years now, ten before Ishmael's birth, and thirteen after- and not as yet having had a son by Sarai his wife, he then first received the promise of a son, when he had now reached ninety-nine and would be a hundred when this son was born. The arcanum is that by means of these experiences he might represent the union of the Lord's Divine Essence with His Human Essence, and in fact of His Internal Man, which was Jehovah, with His Rational.
Latin(1748-1756) 1988
1988. `Fuit Abram filius nonaginta annorum et novem annorum': quod significet tempus antequam Dominus plene conjunxit Internum Hominem cum Rationali, constat a significatione `novem' cum praecedunt ante decem, seu quod idem, `nonaginta novem' ante centum; nam Abram cum ei natus Isacus, erat aetate centum annorum. Qualis sensus internus Verbi est, constare imprimis potest a numeris sicut `nominibus; numeri quicumque sunt, in Verbo significant res, sicut etiam nomina, nam nihil usquam in Verbo est in quo non Divinum (o)est, seu quod non internum sensum habet; qui quam remotus sit a sensu litterae, cumprimis inde patet; nomina enim et numeri in caelo nusquam attenduntur, sed illa quae per nomina et numeros significantur; sicut pro exemplo, quoties numerus `septem' occurrit, ilico loco septem, sanctum obvenit angelis, nam `septem' significant sanctum ex eo quod caelestis homo sit septimus dies seu sabbatum, ita quies Domini, n. 84-87, 395, 433, 716, 881 similiter se habet cum reliquis numeris, sicut cum `duodecim,' quoties duodecim occurrunt, obvenit angelis idea omnium quae sunt fidei, ex causa quia duodecim tribus [Israelis] illa significabant, n. 577 quod numeri significent res in Verbo, in Parte Prima ostensum videatur n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 893. [2] Similiter se habet cum numero `nonaginta {1} novem,' qui quod significet tempus antequam Dominus plene conjunxit Internum Hominem cum Rationali, constat a significatione `centum annorum,' quos habuit Abram cum ei natus [est] Isacus, per quem repraesentatur et significatur Rationalis Homo Domini qui conjunctus Interno Ipsius, hoc est, Divino; `centum' significant (t)idem in Verbo' quod decem, quia (c)ille numerus compositus est a decem in decem multiplicatis, et `decem' significant reliquias, quod in Parte Prima ostensum, n. 576; quid reliquiae apud hominem, videatur n. 468, 530, 561, 660, 1050, et quid reliquiae apud Dominum, n. 1906. Arcana haec non ulterius possunt exponi, sed quisque concludere potest, dum prius sibi notum fecerit quid sunt reliquiae; hodie enim quid sunt, ignoratur: modo hoc sciatur quod reliquiae apud Dominum significent Divina Bona quae Ipse sibi propria potentia comparavit, per quae Humanum Essentiam univit Divinae: [3] ex his constare potest quid significatur per `nonaginta novem,' quae quia praecedunt centum, significant tempus antequam Dominus plene conjunxit Internum Hominem cum Rationali; per `Ismaelem' repraesentatum est primum rationale apud Dominum, quod quale fuit, ostensum satis superque in capite praecedente xvi; at per `Isacum' repraesentatur Rationale Domini Divinum, ut in {2} sequentibus constabit. Quod Abram tam diu moratus in terra Canaane, nunc viginti quattuor annis, decem annis antequam natus Ismael, et postea tredecim annis, et nondum ex Sarai uxore habuit filium, sed quod tunc primum promissio facta de filio cum {3} nonaginta novem annorum esset, [et quod filius nasceretur cum esset centum annorum,] quisque videre potest quod arcanum involvat; arcanum erat quod repraesentaret per illa unionem Divinae Essentiae Domini cum Ipsius Humana, et quidem Ipsius Interni Hominis, Qui Jehovah, cum Ipsius Rationali. @1 et.$ @2 a.$ @3 i ex Sarai.$