2504、“寄居在基拉耳”表示由此而来的在信之属灵事物上的教导。这从“寄居”和“基拉耳”的含义清楚可知：“寄居”是指接受教导（参看1463，2025节）；“基拉耳”是指信的属灵之物。创世记的几个地方（如10:19，26:1，6，17，20，26）提到基拉耳，它在这些地方表示信。原因在于，基拉耳在非利士境内，而“非利士”表示信之认知的纯记忆知识，或说宗教概念的知识（参看1197，1198节）。基拉耳也是非利士王所住的地方，这就是为何“基拉耳”表示信本身（1209节）。“基拉耳王”表示信之真理本身，因为“王”在内义上是指真理（1672，2015，2069节）。因此，“亚比米勒”表示信之教义，如下文所论述的（2509-2510节）。
一般来说，有信的直觉事物，信的理性事物和信的记忆知识或事实事物，或说有我们通过更高直觉所明白的信之事物，我们理性理解的信之事物，和只是知道的信之事物。三者按照它们从内层到外层的顺序行进。信的至内在事物或方面被称为直觉的；从它们或从那里传下来或发展出来的事物是信的理性事物；从理性事物传下来或发展出来的的事物是信的记忆知识或事实事物。用学术术语来说，它们彼此的关系犹如在先之于在后，或也可说，高之于低，或内层之于外层。诚然，在人看来，似乎信的记忆知识或事实知识是首先的，然后理性从该知识中生长出来，最后直觉从理性中出来，因为人自童年时期起就是这么发展的。而事实上，更高的直觉不断流入理性，理性不断流入认识的官能或事实层面，尽管人没有意识到这一点。在童年时期，这种流注是模糊的；在成年时期，会更明显；最后，当这个人重生时，它就非常清楚了。一旦他重生，这种顺序就非常明显了，在来世则更明显（参看1495节）。这一切事物都被称为“属灵事物”，它们以这种方式分为各个层级，并按这种顺序彼此跟随。信的属灵事物就是源于良善，也就是源于一个属天源头的一切真理。凡从属天之物分支出来的，都是信的一个属灵事物或元素。
Potts(1905-1910) 2504
2504. And he sojourned in Gerar. That this signifies instruction thence in the spiritual things of faith, is evident from the signification of "sojourning," as being to be instructed (see n. 1463, 2025); and from the signification of "Gerar," as being what is spiritual of faith. Gerar is named in several places in Genesis (as chapter 10:19, 26:1, 6, 17, 20, 26); and in these it signifies faith, and this for the reason that Gerar was in Philistia; and by "Philistia" is signified the mere memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith (see n. 1197, 1198); and it was Gerar where the king of the Philistines dwelt. Hence it is that faith itself is signified by "Gerar" (n. 1209); and by the "king of Gerar," the truth itself of faith; for "king" in the internal sense is truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069). Thus by "Abimelech" is signified the doctrine of faith, concerning which in what follows. [2] In general there are intellectual things of faith, rational things of faith, and memory-knowledges of faith. They thus proceed in their order from interiors to exteriors. The things of faith which are inmost are called intellectual; those which proceed from them or thence are the rational things of faith; and those which proceed again from these are the memory-knowledges of faith. They are-to use the language of the learned-as prior to posterior, or what is the same, as higher to lower, that is, as interior to exterior. It indeed appears to man as if the memory-knowledge of faith were first, and that the rational then came forth from it, and at length the intellectual; and this for the reason that man advances in this way from his childhood. Nevertheless, although man is not aware of it, the intellectual flows in continually into the rational, and this into the faculty of knowing;* but in childhood obscurely, in adult age more evidently, and at last in full light when the man has been regenerated. Then it is apparent that this is the order, and still more fully in the other life (see n. 1495). All these are called "spiritual things;" which are distinguished in this way into degrees, and succeed one another in such an order. The spiritual things of faith are all the truths which are from good, that is, from a celestial origin. Whatever is derived from the celestial is a spiritual thing of faith. * See n. 1901 at the end as compared with n. 1902. [Reviser.]
Elliott(1983-1999) 2504
2504. 'And he sojourned in Gerar' means consequent instruction in the spiritual things of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'sojourning' as receiving instruction, dealt with in 1463, 2025, and from the meaning of 'Gerar' as the spiritual entity of faith. Gerar is mentioned in several places in Genesis, as in Chapter 10: 19; 26: 1, 6, 17, 20, 26, and in those places it means faith, the reason being that Gerar was in Philistia, and 'Philistia' means knowledge of the cognitions of faith, see 1197, 1198. Gerar was also the place where the king of the Philistines used to live. Consequently 'Gerar' means faith itself, 1209, and 'the king of Gerar' the truth itself of faith, for 'a king' in the internal sense is truth, 1672, 2015, 2069. Thus 'Abimelech' who is the subject in what follows means the doctrine of faith.
[2] In general there are intellectual things of faith, rational things of faith, and factual things of faith. In relation to one another they accordingly pass from more interior to more exterior. The inmost things of faith are called intellectual; those which pass down from them or from there are the rational things of faith; and those in turn which pass down from these are the factual things of faith. They are interrelated, to use the language of the learned, as prior to posterior, or what amounts to the same, as superior to inferior, that is, as more interior to more exterior. It does indeed seem to man as though the factual degree of faith is first and that the rational then arises from that, and after this the intellectual from that, for the reason that this is the way a human being develops from childhood onwards. But in fact the intellectual is constantly flowing; into the rational, and the rational into the factual, though man is not directly conscious of it. In childhood the influx is obscure; in adult years it is more noticeable; and when at length the individual has been regenerated it is quite manifest. Once he is regenerate this order is quite apparent, and still more fully so in the next life, see 1495. All of these things, distinguished as described into separate degrees and existing in relation to one another in the order shown, are called spiritual. The spiritual things of faith constitute all truths that stem from good, that is, from a celestial origin. Whatever derives from the celestial is one of the spiritual things of faith.
Latin(1748-1756) 2504
2504. `Et peregrinatus est in Gerar': quod significet instructione inde in spiritualibus fidei, constat a significatione `peregrinari' quod sit instrui, de qua n. 1463, 2025; et a significatione `Geraris' quod spirituale fidei: Gerar nominatur aliquibus in locis in Generi, ut x 19; xxvi 1, 6, 17, 20, 26, ac in illis significat fidem, et hoc ex causa quia Gerar erat in Philistaea, et per `Philistaeam' significatur scientia cognitionum fidei, videatur n. 1197, 1198; et Gerar erat ubi ipse rex Philistaeorum habitabat, inde est quod per `Gerarem' significetur ipsa fides, n. 1209; perque `regem Geraris' ipsum verum fidei, nam `rex' in sensu interno est verum, n. 1672, 2015, 2069; ita per `Abimelechum' doctrina fidei, de quo in sequentibus. Sunt in genere intellectualia fidei, sunt rationalia fidei, et sunt scientifica fidei; ordine sibi ita ab interioribus ad exteriora procedunt; quae fidei intima sunt vocantur intellectualia; quae ex illis aut inde procedunt, sunt fidei rationalia; quae ex his iterum sunt fidei scientifica; se habent illa ut cum eruditis loquendum, sicut prius ad posterius, aut quod idem, sicut superius ad inferius, hoc est, sicut interius ad exterius: apparet quidem homini, sicut scientificum fidei sit primum, et ex illo dein existat rationale, et demum intellectuale, et hoc ex causa quia homo ita a pueritia procedit, sed usque intellectuale continue influit rationale, et hoc in scientificum, quod homo nescit; sed in pueritia obscure, in adultiore aetate evidentius, et tandem cum regeneratus est homo luculenter; apud hunc apparet quod talis ordo sit, et adhuc plenius in altera vita, videatur n. 1495; haec omnia vocantur spiritualis, quae distinguuntur ita in gradus, et ordine tali succedunt; spiritualia fidei sunt omnia vera quae ex bono, hoc est, ex origine caelesti; quicquid est ex caelesti derivatum, est spirituale fidei.