1999、“亚伯兰脸伏于地”表示崇拜。这是显而易见的，无需解释。“脸伏于地”是上古教会、因而古人当中的一种崇拜仪式，因为“脸”表示内层，“脸伏于地”代表这些内层的谦卑状态，并由此在犹太代表性教会中成为一种传统礼仪。真正的崇拜，或内心的谦卑必使人拜倒在主面前，脸伏于地，因为这是它自然流露的行为。事实上，内心的谦卑含有承认自己无非是污秽，同时含有承认主对这种污秽的无限怜悯在里面。当这两个承认占据思维时，心智本身就会出于自己的意志而卑微地沉下地狱，并使身体俯伏。它也不会扶起自己，直到被主扶起。一切真谦卑都是这种情形，这种谦卑还伴随着对主以其怜悯提升我们的一种感知。这就是上古教会成员的谦卑；但对不是由内心谦卑产生的崇拜来说，情况就迥然不同了（参看1153节）。
从福音书的圣言可知，主崇拜耶和华祂的父，向祂祷告（马太福音11:25；马可福音14:36；路加福音23:34；约翰福音11:41）；并且祂仿佛对着不同于祂自己的某个人如此行，尽管耶和华实际上就在祂里面。但在这些时候，主所处的状态是其谦卑的状态，该状态的性质在第一卷（1414，1444，1573节）已经讨论了，即：那时，祂处在从母亲遗传而来的软弱人身或人性中。不过，祂越脱去这人身或人性，披上神性，就越进入另一种状态，这种状态被称为祂的荣耀状态。在前一种状态（即谦卑状态）下，祂崇拜耶和华如同崇拜一个不同于祂自己的人，尽管耶和华就在祂里面。因为如前所述，祂的内在就是耶和华。但在后一种状态，也就是祂的荣耀状态下，祂与耶和华说话，如同与祂自己说话，因为祂就是耶和华自己。
然而，这些问题的真相无法理解，除非人知道何为内在，以及内在如何作用于外在；还知道内在与外在如何彼此不同，却又结合在一起。然而，这个问题可通过类似的事，也就是通过人的内在，以及它流入并作用于外在的方式来说明。人有一个内在，一个内层或理性和一个外在（参看1889，1940节）。使得人成为人，有别于动物的，就是人的内在。正是凭借这内在，人死后才会永远活着，并且能被主提升到天使当中。这内在就是在先或最初形式，一个人从这最初形式而变成人，并且是人，主凭借这内在与人结合。最接近主的天堂本身就是由这些人类内在组成的，只是它甚至在至内层天使天堂之上，所以这些内在属于主自己。整个人类以这种方式直接呈现在主的眼目之下，因为诸如出现在地上世界的那种距离在天堂并不存在，在天堂之上更不存在（参看我从经历所获知的，1275，1277节）。
人的这些内在本身没有生命，只是接受主生命的形式。因此，人越陷入邪恶，无论实际的还是遗传的，可以说就越与这属于主并与主同在的内在分离，从而越与主分离。因为尽管这内在与人联结，无法与他分离，但他远离主到何等程度，可以说就与它分离到何等程度（参看1594节）。不过，这种分离不是与它完全隔绝，因为这样此人死后就无法继续活着了；这种分离是指缺乏他在这内在之下的官能那部分，也就是他的理性人和外在人与它的和谐与一致。和谐与一致越不存在，与主就越分离；而和谐与一致越存在，这人就越通过内在与主结合。这种结合取决于他所拥有的爱和仁的量，因为爱和仁产生结合。这是人的情况。
但主的内在是耶和华自己，因为祂从耶和华成孕，而耶和华无法分叉，或像从人父成孕的儿子那样分化为第二个人。与人性不同，神性是不可分割的，是而且始终是那同一个。主将人身或人性本质与这内在合一。此外，由于主的内在是耶和华，所以和人的内在不同，它不是接受生命的形式，而是生命本身。祂的人身或人性本质也通过这合一而变成生命本身，这就是为何主常常说，祂就是生命。如在约翰福音：
因为父怎样在自己有生命，就赐给儿子也照样在自己有生命。（约翰福音5:26）
此外还有其它经文（约翰福音1:4；5:21；6:33，35，48；11:25）。“儿子”表示主的人身或人性本质。因此，主越处在祂从母亲遗传而来的人身或人性中，就越显得与耶和华不同且分离，崇拜耶和华如同崇拜不同于祂自己的某个人。但祂越脱去这人身或人性，就越与耶和华没有分别，而是与祂为一。前一种状态是主的谦卑状态，而后一种状态则是祂的荣耀状态，如前所述。
Potts(1905-1910) 1999
1999. Abram fell upon his faces.* That this signifies adoration, is evident without explication. To fall upon the face was a rite of adoration in the Most Ancient Church, and thence in that of the Ancients, for the reason that the face signified the interiors, and the state of their humiliation was represented by falling upon the face; hence in the Jewish representative church it became a customary ceremonial. True adoration, or humiliation of heart, carries with it prostration to the earth upon the face before the Lord, as a gesture naturally flowing from it. For in humiliation of heart there is the acknowledgment of self as being nothing but filthiness, and at the same time the acknowledgment of the Lord's infinite mercy toward that which is such; and when the mind is kept in these two acknowledgments, the very mind droops in lowliness toward hell, and prostrates the body; nor does it uplift itself until it is uplifted by the Lord. This takes place in all true humiliation, with a perception of being uplifted by the Lord's mercy. Such was the humiliation of the men of the Most Ancient Church; but very different is the case with that adoration which comes not from humiliation of the heart. (See n. 1153.) [2] That the Lord adored and prayed to Jehovah His Father, is known from the Word of the Gospels; and also that He did so as if to one different from Himself, although Jehovah was in Him. But the state in which the Lord was at these times was His state of humiliation, the nature of which has been stated in Part First, namely, that He was then in the infirm human that was from the mother; but insofar as He put this off, and put on the Divine, He was in another state, which is called His state of glorification. In the former state He adored Jehovah as one different from Himself, although in Himself; for, as has been said, His internal was Jehovah; but in the latter, that is, in His state of glorification, He spoke with Jehovah as with Himself, for He was Jehovah Himself. [3] But how the case is with these matters cannot be apprehended unless it is known what the internal is, and how the internal acts into the external; and further, in what manner the internal and the external are distinct from each other, and yet are conjoined. This, however, may be illustrated by something that is similar, namely, by the internal in man, and by its influx and operation into the external. That man has an internal, an interior or rational, and an external, may be seen above (n. 1889, 1940). Man's internal is that from which he is man, and by which he is distinguished from brute animals. By means of this internal he lives after death, and to eternity a man, and by means of it he can be uplifted by the Lord among the angels. This internal is the very first form from which a man becomes and is man, and by means of it the Lord is united to man. The very heaven that is nearest the Lord is composed of these human internals; but this is above even the inmost angelic heaven, and therefore these internals belong to the Lord Himself. By this means the whole human race is most present under the Lord's eyes, for there is no distance in heaven, such as appears in the sublunary world, and still less is there any distance above heaven. (See what is said from experience, n. 1275, 1277.) [4] These internals of men have no life in themselves, but are forms recipient of the Lord's life. Insofar therefore as a man is in evil, whether actual or hereditary, so far has he been as it were separated from this internal which is the Lord's and with the Lord, and thereby so far has he been separated from the Lord; for although this internal has been adjoined to man, and is inseparable from him, nevertheless insofar as he recedes from the Lord, so far he as it were separates himself from it. (See n. 1594.) But the separation is not an absolute sundering from it, for then the man could no longer live after death; but it is a dissent and disagreement on the part of those faculties of his which are below, that is, of his rational and of his external man. Insofar as there is dissent and disagreement, there is disjunction from the Lord; but insofar as there is not dissent and disagreement, the man is conjoined with the Lord through the internal, which takes place insofar as the man is in love and charity, for love and charity conjoin. Such is the case with man. [5] But the Lord's internal was Jehovah Himself, because He was conceived from Jehovah, who cannot be divided and become another's, as is the case with a son who is conceived from a human father; for the Divine is not divisible, like the human, but is and remains one and the same. To this internal the Lord united the Human Essence; and because the Lord's internal was Jehovah, it was not a form recipient of life, like the internal of man, but was life itself. His Human Essence also in like manner was made life by the unition, on which account the Lord so often said that He is Life, as in John:
As the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself (John 5:26);
besides other passages in the same gospel (John 1:4; 5:21; 6:33, 35, 48; 11:25). Insofar therefore as the Lord was in the human which He received by inheritance from the mother, so far did He appear distinct from Jehovah and adore Jehovah as one different from Himself. But insofar as the Lord put off this human, He was not distinct from Jehovah, but was one with Him. The former state, as before said, was the Lord's state of humiliation; but the latter was His state of glorification. * "Faces" is in the plural in both the Hebrew and the Latin because man has really as many faces as affections and it is the same with the Lord, and with a country, and the sea and sky. All these have many faces. Even in English we speak of a person having two faces, or being double-faced, and of "making faces" [Reviser.]
Elliott(1983-1999) 1999
1999. That 'Abram fell on his face'a means adoration is clear without explanation. Falling on one's face' was the reverent way in which the Most Ancient Church, and as a consequence the ancients, expressed adoration. The reason they expressed it in this way was that 'the face' meant the inward parts, and 'falling on one's face'a represented a state of humiliation of those inward parts; and from this it became in the Jewish representative Church an act of reverence. True adoration or humility of heart entails prostration before the Lord face-downwards on the ground as the natural action resulting from it. Indeed humiliation of heart entails the acknowledgement of oneself as being nothing but uncleanness, and at the same time the acknowledgement of the Lord's infinite mercy towards such. When these acknowledgements are fixed in the mind, the mind itself casts itself down towards hell and prostrates the body. Nor does it raise itself until raised up by the Lord, as happens in all true humiliation, accompanied by a perception that such raising up is of the Lord's mercy. Such was the humiliation of members of the Most Ancient Church. It is different however with adoration which does not flow from humiliation of heart, see 1153.
[2] It is well known from the Word, in the Gospels, that the Lord adored and prayed to Jehovah, His Father, and that He did so as though to Someone other than Himself, even though Jehovah was within Him. But the state that the Lord experienced at such times was the state of His humiliation, the nature of which has been discussed in Volume One, namely this, that at such times as these He was in the infirm human derived from the mother. But to the extent He cast this off and took on the Divine His state was different, which state is called the state of His glorification. In the first state He adored Jehovah as Someone other than Himself, even though He was within Him, for, as has been stated, His Internal was Jehovah. In the latter state however, that is to say, the state of glorification, He spoke to Jehovah as to Himself, since He was Jehovah Himself.
[3] The truth of all this however cannot be grasped unless one knows what the internal is and how the internal operates into the external, and furthermore how the internal and external are distinct and separate and yet joined together. The matter may be illustrated however by means of something similar, namely by means of the internal with man and of its influx and operation into the external with him. For the fact that man has an internal, an interior or rational, and an external, see what has appeared already in 1889, 1940. Man's internal is that which makes him human and distinguishes him from animals. It is by means of this internal that man lives on after death and for ever, and by means of it the Lord can raise him up among angels. It is the prior or primary form from which anyone becomes and is a human being, and it is by means of this internal that the Lord is united to man. The heaven itself that is nearest to the Lord consists of these human internals, but being above even the inmost angelic heaven these internals therefore belong to the Lord Himself. In this way the entire human race is directly present beneath the eyes of the Lord. Distance, a visible feature of this sublunary world, does not exist in heaven, still less above heaven - see what has been mentioned from experience in 1275, 1277.
[4] These inward aspects of men possess no life in themselves but are recipient forms of the Lord's life. To the extent then that anyone is under the influence of evil, both that of his own doing and that which is hereditary, he has been so to speak separated from this internal which is the Lord's and resides with the Lord, and so has been separated from the Lord. For although that human internal is joined to the person and cannot be separated from him, yet to the extent he moves away from the Lord he does in a way separate himself from it, see 1594. But such separation is not a complete severance from that human internal - for if it were, man would no longer be able to live after death; but it is a lack of harmony and agreement with it on the part of his capacities which are beneath it, that is, of his rational and external man. Insofar as disharmony and disagreement are present there is no conjunction, but insofar as they are absent man is joined to the Lord by means of the internal, which is achieved in the measure that he is moved by love and charity, for love and charity effect conjunction. Such is the situation with man.
[5] But the Lord's Internal was Jehovah Himself, since He was conceived from Jehovah, who cannot be divided or become the relative of another, like a son who has been conceived from a human father. For unlike the human, the Divine is not capable of being divided but is and remains one and the same. To this Internal the Lord united the Human Essence. Moreover because the Lord's Internal was Jehovah it was not, like man's internal, a recipient form of life, but life itself. Through that union His Human Essence as well became life itself. Hence the Lord's frequent declaration that He is Life, as in John,
As the Father has Life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have Life in Himself. John 5:26.
And elsewhere besides this in the same gospel 1:4; 5:21; 6:33, 35, 48; 11:25.'The Son' is used to mean the Lord's Human Essence. To the extent therefore that the Lord was in the human which He received by heredity from the mother, He appeared to be distinct and separate from Jehovah, and worshipped Jehovah as Someone other than Himself. But to the extent He cast off this human, the Lord was not distinct and separate from Jehovah but one with Him. The first state, as has been mentioned, was the state of the Lord's humiliation, but the second the state of His glorification.
Latin(1748-1756) 1999
1999. `Cecidit Abram super facies suas': quod significet adorationem, constat absque explicatione. Cadere super facies, fuit ritus adorandi Antiquissimae Ecclesiae, et inde antiquorum, ex causa quia `facies' significabat interiora, quorum humiliationis status repraesentabatur per `cadere super facies'; inde in Ecclesia repraesentativa Judaica sollemne factum; adoratio vera seu humiliatio cordis prostrationem ad terram super facies coram Domino, ut gestum naturaliter inde profluentem, secum habet; in humiliatione enim cordi: est agnitio sui, quod nihil nisi spurcum sit, et simul agnitio infinitae misericordiae Domini erga tale; in quibus agnitionibus cum tenetur mens, ipsa mens versus infernum se demittit et prosternit corpus, nec se elevat priusquam a Domino elevatur; quod fit in omni ver humiliatione cum perceptione elevationis ex misericordia Domini; tali fuit humiliatio hominum Antiquissimae Ecclesiae; sed aliter se habet cum adoratione quae non ex humiliatione cordis, videatur n. 1153. [2] Quod Dominus (x)adoraverit et (x)oraverit Jehovam Patrem Suum, ex Verbo apud Evangelistas notum est, et hoc sicut Alium a Se, tametsi Jehovah in Ipso; sed status in quo tunc Dominus fuerat, status humiliationis Ipsius fuit, qui qualis fuit, in Parte Prima dictum est, nempe quod tunc in infirmo humano, quod a matre fuit {1}; at quantum hoc exuit et Divinum induit, tantum in alio statu fuit qui status dicitur status glorificationis Ipsius; in priore statu adoravit Jehovam sicut Alium a Se, tametsi in Se, nam, ut dictum, Internum Ipsius fuit Jehovah; sed in hoc, nempe statu glorificationis, locutus est cum Jehovah ut cum Se, nam fuit Ipse Jehovah. [3] At quomodo haec se habent, non capi potest nisi sciatur quid internum, et quomodo internum agit in externum; et porro quomodo internum et externum inter se distincta sunt, et usque conjuncta; sed tamen hoc illustrari potest per simile, nempe per internum apud hominem et ejus influxum et operationem in externum apud cum; quod homo internum habeat, quod interius seu rationale, et quod externum, videatur prius n. 1889, 1940; internum hominis est ex quo homo est homo et per quod distinguitur a brutis animalibus; per hoc internum vivit homo post mortem et in aeternum, et per illud a Domino inter angelos potest elevari; est ipsa prima forma ex qua homo fit et est homo; per internum hoc Dominus unitur homini; ipsum caelum Domino proximum est ab internis his humanis, sed usque supra caelum intimum angelicum, quare illa sunt Ipsius Domini; (m)ita omne humanum genus est praesentissimum sub oculis Domini; distantia quae apparet in sublunari orbe, nulla est in caelo, minus supra caelum, videantur quae ab experientia n. 1275, 1277(n): [4] interna illa hominum non habent vitam in se, sed sunt formae recipientes vitae Domini; quantum nunc homo est in malo, tam actuali quam hereditario, tantum quasi separatus est ab hoc interno quod est Domini et apud Dominum, ita tantum a Domino; nam illud tametsi adjunctum est homini, et ab eo inseparabile, usque tamen homo quantum recedit a Domino, (o)tantum se quasi separat ab illo, videatur n. 1594; sed separatio non est evulsio ab illo, tunc enim homo non amplius potuisset vivere post mortem, sed est dissensus et dissidium illarum ejus facultatum quae infra sunt, hoc est, rationalis et externi ejus hominis ab illo; (x)quantum est dissensus et dissidium, tantum disjungitur, at quantum non est dissensus et dissidium, tantum conjungitur homo per internum Domino, quod fit quantum est in amore et charitate, nam amor et charitas conjungit; [5] ita se habet apud hominem. Sed Domini Internum fuit Ipse Jehovah, quoniam conceptus a Jehovah, Qui non dividi et fieri alterius potest, sicut filius {2} qui conceptus a patre homine; Divinum {3} enim sicut humanum, non dividuum est, sed unum et idem est et manet; cum hoc Interno Dominus univit Essentiam Humanam; et quia Domini Internum fuit Jehovah, non fuit forma recipiens vitae, sicut internum hominis, sed fuit ipsa vita: Ipsius quoque Humana Essentia per unitionem similiter facta est vita, quare toties Dominus dixit quod sit Vita, ut apud Johannem, Quemadmodum Pater habet Vitam in Se Ipso, ita dedit Filio habere Vitam in Se Ipso, v 26;praeter alibi apud eundem i 4; v 21, vi 33, 35, 48; xi 25; `per `Filium' intelligitur Humana Domini Essentia'; quantum itaque Dominus in humano fuit quod hereditario accepit a matre, tantum apparuit distinctus a Jehovah, et adoravit Jehovam sicut Alium a Se; at quantum exuit hoc humanum, tantum fuit Dominus non distinctus a Jehovah sed unus cum Ipso; ille status fuit, sicut dictum, status humiliationis Domini, hic vero status glorificationis Ipsius. @1 in quod natus fuit.$ @2 filii.$ @3 So A but with Humanum. Both A and I seem ambiguous, but the context and careful examination of A suggest that the meaning is Divinum enim non est dividuum, sicut est humanum.$