2179、“亚伯拉罕又跑到牛群里”表示属世良善，这从稍后解释的牛群中公牛和牛犊的含义清楚可知。牛羊群中的牲畜表示诸如人里面的那类事物或人的属性，这一点从第一卷的说明（45-46，142-143，246，714-715，719，776节），以及关于用于献祭的牲畜的阐述（1823节）明显看出来。可能令每个人感到惊讶的是，圣言提到的动物，以及在祭祀中献上的动物表示良善和真理，或也可说，表示属天和属灵事物；让我简要说一下为什么会这样。
各种代表出现在灵人界，动物也经常出现在那里的灵人眼前。它们包括各种装饰的马匹，还有公牛，绵羊，羔羊，以及其它各种动物，有时是地上从未见过的；但它们都只是代表。这些动物也被先知们看见过，如圣言所描述的，并且来自同一源头。出现在灵人界的动物是对良善和真理的情感的代表，也是对邪恶和虚假的情感的代表。善灵十分清楚那些动物表示什么，还从中搜集天使们正在彼此谈论的东西，因为天使们的交谈在降至灵人界时，有时会以这种方式显现。例如，当马出现时，善灵就知道天使们正在谈论理解力的事物；当公牛和牛犊出现时，天使们谈论的是属世良善；当绵羊出现时，谈论的是理性良善和诚实正直；当羔羊出现时，谈论的则是更内在的良善，以及纯真，等等。
上古教会成员与灵人和天使交流，不断享有诸如先知们所拥有的那种异象和梦。因此，一看见动物，他们就会形成对该动物所表之物的概念。这就是代表和象征或有意义的符号如何起源的；在那些上古时代之后，它们存留了很长时间，最终因其古老而备受尊崇，以至于作家们以纯粹的代表来写作。事实上，不以这种风格写成的书都因没什么价值而不很受重视；即便是教会里写的，也不被视为神圣。出于这个和其它隐藏的原因（蒙主的神性怜悯，2558，6516，9407节将给出其它原因），圣言的书卷也是以这种风格来写的。
Potts(1905-1910) 2179
2179. Abraham ran unto the herd. That this signifies natural good, is evident from the signification of the oxen and bullocks of the herd-to be explained presently. That the beasts of the herd and of the flock signify such things as are in man, is evident from what has been shown in volume 1 (n. 45-46, 142-143, 246, 714-715, 719, 776), and also from what was said concerning the beasts used in the sacrifices (n. 1823). It may seem surprising that the animals named in the Word, and also those offered in the sacrifices, should signify goods and truths, or what is the same, things celestial and spiritual, but the reason of this may be briefly stated. [2] In the world of spirits various representatives are presented to view, and withal animals are often presented before the eyes of the spirits there, such as horses variously caparisoned, oxen, sheep, lambs, with other animals of various kinds, sometimes such as are never seen on the earth, but are only representative. Such animals were also seen by the prophets, as described in the Word, and were from the same source. The animals that appear in the world of spirits are representative of affections of good and truth, and also of evil and falsity. Good spirits know perfectly well what they signify, and thus also gather from them what the angels are conversing about; for the speech of angels, passing down into the world of spirits, is sometimes presented in this way. For example, when horses appear, they know that the speech of the angels is about the things of the understanding; when oxen and bullocks, that it is about natural goods; when sheep, that it is about rational goods, and probity; when lambs, that it is about goods still more internal and about innocence; and so on. [3] As the men of the Most Ancient Church had communication with spirits and angels, and constantly had visions and also dreams such as the prophets had, the consequence was that whenever they saw any beast, there occurred to them the idea of what it signified. Representatives and significatives originated in this way, and remained long after their times; and at length became so venerated from their antiquity that men wrote by mere representatives; books not so written being held in no esteem; and those written within the church being of no sanctity. From this and other hidden causes, concerning which of the Lord's Divine mercy elsewhere, the books of the Word also were so written.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2179
2179. 'Abraham ran to the herd' means natural good. This is clear from the meaning of 'oxen' and 'young burls' which are members of 'the herd', dealt with in the next paragraph. That beasts which were members of the herd and those which were members of the flock mean such things as reside with man becomes clear from what has been shown in Volume One, in 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, in addition to which, see what has been stated in 1823 about the beasts used in sacrifices. It may come as a surprise to everyone that the creatures mentioned in the Word, and also those offered in the sacrifices, meant goods and truths, or what amount to the same, celestial and spiritual things; but let the origin of this surprising fact be stated briefly.
[2] In the world of spirits various representatives manifest themselves. On many occasions animals too manifest themselves before the eyes of spirits, such as horses wearing varying decorative trappings, oxen, sheep, lambs, and different kinds of other animals; and sometimes animals such as have never been seen on earth but are purely representative. Such animals seen also by the prophets and mentioned in the Word had the same origin. Animals which appear in that world are representative of affections for good and truth, and also of affections for evil and falsity. Good spirits have full knowledge of what those animals mean, and also when they see them, they gather what it is that angels are discussing with one another, for when the conversation of those angels passes down into the world of spirits it sometimes manifests itself in this manner. For example, when horses appear, the spirits know that the angels are talking about matters of the understanding; when oxen and young bulls appear, that they are talking about natural goods; when sheep appear, about rational goods and about integrity; when lambs appear, about still more interior goods and about innocence; and so on.
[3] Because the members of the Most Ancient Church had communication with spirits and angels, constantly having visions and also dreams such as the prophets had, they consequently formed a concept of what any beast meant the moment they saw it. This was how representatives and meaningful signs originated. These remained in existence for a long time after those most ancient times, and at length were so venerated because of their antiquity that writers employed mere representatives. Indeed books that were not written in that style were not very highly regarded, nor if written within the Church considered to be holy. For the same and also other hidden reasons, which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be given elsewhere, the books of the Word too were written in that style.
Latin(1748-1756) 2179
2179. `Ad armentum cucurrit Abraham': quod significet bonum naturale, constat a significatione boum et {1} juvencorum, qui sunt `armenti,' de qua mox: quod `bestiae' quae fuerunt armenti et quae fuerunt gregis significent talia quae sunt apud hominem, constare potest ab illis quae in Parte Prima, n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, ostensa sunt, et praeterea videantur quae de bestiis in sacrificiis, n. 1823 dicta: quisque mirari potest quod animalia nominata in Verbo, tum {2} oblata in sacrificiis, significaverint bona et vera, seu quod idem, caelestia et spiritualia, sed paucis licet dicere unde est. [2] Repraesentativa sistuntur in mundo spirituum varia, et ibi coram oculis spirituum multoties etiam animalia, sicut equi varie phalerati, boves, oves, agni, et diversi generis alia, quandoque quae nusquam visa in tellure sed sunt modo repraesentativa; (m)talia quoque visa sunt prophetis, de quibus {3} in Verbo, quae etiam fuerunt inde;(n) animalia quae ibi apparent, sunt repraesentativa affectionum boni et veri, tum (o)etiam mali et falsi; spiritus boni quam optime sciunt quid significant, tum etiam colligunt inde quid inter se loquuntur angeli, nam sermo angelorum {4} cum delabitur in mundum spirituum, aliquoties ita sistitur; ut pro exemplis, cum apparent equi, sciunt quod sermo angelis sit de intellectualibus; cum boves ac juvenci, quod de bonis naturalibus; cum oves, quod de bonis rationalibus ac de probitate cum agni, quod de bonis adhuc interioribus ac de innocentia, et sic porro. [3] Antiquissimae Ecclesiae homo quia communicabat cum spiritibus et angelis, ac visiones tum somnia jugiter habuit, qualia {5} prophetae, inde ut primum viderunt aliquam bestiam, obvenit illis idea quid significaret; ex illis orta (t)sunt primum repraesentativa et significativa; post illorum tempora manserunt illa diu; et tandem venerata ex antiquitate ita ut per mera repraesentativa scriberent, et qui libri non ita scripti nullius aestimationis essent, immo qui intra Ecclesiam, nullius sanctitatis; inde, ut et ex arcanis aliis causis de quibus, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, alibi, etiam libri Verbi ita scripti sunt. @1 tum.$ @2 i quae.$ @3 i passim.$ @4 i eorum.$ @5 quales.$