2709、“成了弓箭手”表示属灵教会成员。这从“枪”、“矛”或“箭”和“弓”的含义清楚可知：“枪”、“矛”或“箭”是指真理；“弓”是指教义（参看2686节）。过去，属灵教会成员被称为“弓箭手”，因为他用真理保卫自己，并辩论真理，完全不同于属天教会成员。属天教会成员被良善保护，不辩论真理（参看2708节）。属灵教会成员保卫自己，进行辩论所用的真理来自他所承认的教义。
过去，属灵人被称为“弓箭手”和“射箭手”，那教义被称为“弓”和“箭袋”，并且教义的真理，确切地说，教义事物被称为“枪”、“矛”和“箭”，这一点从诗篇进一步明显看出来：
以法莲子孙武装着拉弓的人，在作战之日却转身退后。（诗篇78:9）
“以法莲”表示教会的智识（theintellectual，智识是指在知识积累基础上形成的理解力和判断力）。士师记：
骑白驴的、坐华毯（暂译，Middin，含义尚不确定）的、行路的，你们都当思想。因弓箭手的响声在打水人当中，在那里，他们必讨论耶和华公义的作为，就是祂在以色列的村庄公义的作为。（士师记5:10-11）
以赛亚书：
耶和华从子宫中呼召我；从我母腹里祂就提我的名。祂使我的口好似利剑；将我藏在祂手荫之下，又使我成为磨亮的箭，将我藏在祂箭袋之中；对我说，你是我的仆人以色列，我必因你得荣耀。（以赛亚书49:1-3）
“以色列”表示属灵教会。
诗篇：
人年轻时生的儿女，好像勇士手中的箭；箭袋充满箭的人便为有福。（诗篇127:4-5）
“箭袋”表示良善和真理的教义。哈巴谷书：
日月停在本位；它们必在你箭的光下，在你闪烁矛的光耀下而行。（哈巴谷书3:11）
以色列王约阿施按以利沙的吩咐，拿弓从窗户射箭，而以利沙却说“耶和华的救恩箭，耶和华攻打亚兰人的救恩箭”（列王纪下13:16-18），这表示与良善和真理的教义有关的奥秘。
由于在圣言中，大多数事物也一个反面意义，所以“矛”、“枪”、“箭”、“弓”和“弓箭手”也有一个反面意义；它们在反面意义上表示虚假，就是教义的虚假，和那些陷入虚假的人。如摩西五经：
约瑟是多结果子的人，是泉旁多结果子的儿子，女子啊，她跨过墙；弓箭手苦害他，向他射箭，仇恨他。（创世记49:22-23）
耶利米书：
他们用舌头射击，他们的弓是谎言，不是为真理；他们的舌头是加长的箭，说话诡诈。（耶利米书9:3，8）
诗篇：
他们使舌头尖锐如剑，比准了他们的箭，就是苦毒的话，要在暗地里射完全人；他们忽然射他，并不惧怕。他们彼此强作恶事，他们商量暗设网罗。（诗篇64:3-5）
又：
看哪，恶人弯弓，把箭搭在弦上，要在暗中射那心里正直的人。（诗篇11:2）
又：
祂的真理是盾牌和护盾；你必不怕黑夜的惊骇，白日飞的箭。（诗篇91:4-5）
Potts(1905-1910) 2709
2709. And he became a shooter of the bow. That this signifies the man of the spiritual church, is evident from the signification of a "shaft," "dart," or "arrow," as being truth; and from the signification of a "bow," as being doctrine (see above, n. 2686). The man of the spiritual church was formerly called a "shooter of the bow," because he defended himself by truths, and disputed about truths; differently from the man of the celestial church, who is secure by means of good, and does not dispute about truths (see above, n. 2708). The truths by which the man of the spiritual church defends himself, and respecting which he disputes, are from the doctrine which he acknowledges. [2] That the spiritual man was in old time called a "shooter" and an "archer," and that doctrine was called a "bow" and a "quiver," and that the truths of doctrine, or rather doctrinal matters, were called "darts," "shafts," and "arrows," is further evident in David:
The sons of Ephraim, being armed, shooters of the bow, turned back in the day of battle (Ps. 78:9). "Ephraim" denotes the intellectual of the church. In the book of Judges:
Consider, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit upon carpets, and ye that walk by the way; because of the voice of archers among them that draw water, there shall they rehearse the righteousnesses of Jehovah, the righteousnesses toward His villages in Israel (Judg. 5:10-11). In Isaiah:
Jehovah hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name, and He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand hath He hid me, and He hath made me a polished arrow, in His quiver hath He hid me; and He said unto me, Thou art My servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified* (Isa. 49:1-3). "Israel" denotes the spiritual church. [3] In David:
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of the youth; happy is the man that hath filled his quiver with them (Ps. 127:4);
a "quiver" denotes the doctrine of good and truth. In Habakkuk:
The sun and moon stood still in their seat; at the light of Thine arrows shall they go, at the shining of the lightning of Thy spear (Hab. 3:11). That Joash king of Israel shot an arrow from a bow through the window, at the command of Elisha, while Elisha said, "The arrow of the salvation of Jehovah, the arrow of the salvation of Jehovah against the Syrian" (2 Kings 13:16 to 18), signifies arcana concerning the doctrine of good and truth. [4] As most of the things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so likewise have "shafts," "darts," "arrows," "bows," and a "shooter;" and they signify falsities, the doctrine of falsity, and those who are in falsity. Thus in Moses:
Joseph is the son of a fruitful one, the son of a fruitful one by a fountain, of a daughter, she marcheth upon the wall; they grieved him, and shot at him, and the archers hated him (Gen. 49:22, 23). In Jeremiah:
They have shot out their tongue, their bow is a lie, and not for truth; their tongue is a lengthened arrow, it speaketh deceit (Jer. 9:3, 8). In David:
They have sharpened their tongue like a sword, they have aimed their arrow, a bitter word, to shoot in secret places at the perfect; suddenly will they shoot at him, and will not fear. They will make strong for themselves an evil word, they will tell of the hiding of snares (Ps. 64:4-6). In the same:
Lo, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, to shoot in the darkness at the upright in heart (Ps. 11:2). In the same:
His truth is a shield and buckler; thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, for the arrow that flieth by day (Ps. 91:4-5). * Quia in te gloriabor; but in quo gloriosus reddar, n. 3441. [Rotch ed.]
Elliott(1983-1999) 2709
2709. 'And was an archer' means the member of the spiritual Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'darts, arrows, or shafts' as truth, and from the meaning of 'a bow' as doctrine, dealt with above in 2686. The member of the spiritual Church was in former times called 'an archer' because such a member uses truths to defend himself, and discusses truths, unlike the member of the celestial Church who is protected by good and does not discuss truths, see above in 2708. The truths which the member of the spiritual Church uses to defend himself and which he discusses are derived from the doctrine he acknowledges.
[2] The fact that the spiritual man was in former times called 'an archer' and 'a bowman', and that doctrine was called a bow and a quiver, and the truths of doctrine, or rather matters of doctrine, were called arrows, darts, and shafts, is further clear in David,
The children of Ephraim who were armed (they were archers) turned back on the day of battle. Ps 78: 9.
'Ephraim' stands for the intellectual side of the Church. In the Book of Judges,
You who ride white she-asses, you who sit on Middin,a and you who walk along the way, may you ponder. From the voice of the bowmen among those drawing water, there they will discuss the righteous acts of Jehovah, the righteous acts of His village in Israel. Judg 5: 10, 11.
In Isaiah.
Jehovah called me from the womb, from my mother's bodyb He made mention of my name and set my mouth like a sharp sword. In the shadow of His hand He hid me and turned me into a polished arrow; in His quiver He hid me, and He said to me, You are My servant Israel, for I will be glorified in you. Isa 49: 1-3.
'Israel' stands for the spiritual Church.
[3] In David,
Like arrows in the hand of a powerful man so are the children of the days of one's youth. Blessed is the man who has filled his quiver with them. Ps 127: 4, 5.
'A quiver' stands for the doctrine of good and truth. In Habakkuk,
The sun, the moon, stood still in their place. At the light of Your arrows they will go, at the flash of Your glittering spear. Hab 3: 11.
In the reference to Joash king of Israel who at Elisha's command shot the arrow from the bow through the window, with Elisha saying as he shot it, Jehovah's arrow of salvation, Jehovah's arrow of salvation against the Syrian, 2 Kings 13: 16-18, arcana to do with the doctrine of good and truth are meant.
[4] Since most things in the Word also possess a contrary sense, darts, arrows, shafts, bows, and archers accordingly possess such. In that contrary sense they mean falsities, doctrine that teaches what is false, and those who are under the influence of falsity, as in Moses,
The son of a fruitful one is Joseph, the son of a fruitful one beside a spring, O daughters,c he trails over the wall; and they bitterly grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him did the archers. Gen. 49: 22, 23.
In Jeremiah,
They shot with their tongue, their bow is a bow of lies and not used for truth. Their tongue is a shaft extended; it speaks deceit. Jer 9: 3, 8.
In David,
They sharpened their tongue like a sword, they aimed their shaft, a bitter word, to shoot in secret places at the upright; they will shoot suddenly and will not fear him. They will make strong for
themselves an evil matter; they will tell of laying snares secretly. Ps. 64: 3-5.
In the same author,
Behold, the evil bend the bow, they make ready their shaft upon the string, to shoot in thick darkness itself at the upright in heart. Ps. 11: 2.
In the same author,
His truth is a shield and buckler; you will not be afraid of the terror of the night, of the shaft that flies by day. Ps. 91: 4, 5.
Latin(1748-1756) 2709
2709. `Et fuit jaculator arcus': quod significet spiritualis Ecclesiae hominem, constat a significatione `jaculi, teli, seu sagittae' quod {1} sit verum, et a significatione `arcus' quod sit doctrina, de quibus supra n. 2686. Spiritualis Ecclesiae homo olim `jaculator arcus' est dictus, quia per vera se defendit, et de veris disserit, secus ac caelestis Ecclesiae homo, qui ex bono tutus est, ac de veris non disserit, videatur supra n. 2708; vera per quae spiritualis Ecclesiae homo se defendit, et de quibus disserit, sunt ex doctrina quam agnoscit: [2] quod spiritualis homo olim dictus sit `jaculator' et `sagittarius,' et doctrina dicta (o)sit (t)arcus et pharetra, et vera doctrinae, seu potius doctrinalia, (o)dicta sint tela, jacula et sagittae, constat porro apud Davidem, Filii Ephraimi armati, jaculatores arcus, averterunt se in die praelii, Ps. lxxviii 9;`Ephraim' pro intellectuali Ecclesiae: in Libro Judicum, Equitantes asinas candidas, sedentes super Middim {2}, et ambulantes super via, meditemini; a voce sagittariorum inter haurientes, ibi disserent justitias Jehovae, justitias villae ejus in Israel, v 10, 11:
apud Esaiam, Jehovah ab utero vocavit me, a visceribus matris meae memorare fecit nomen meum, et posuit os meum sicut gladium acutum; in umbra manus Suae abscondidit me, et posuit me in sagittam purgatam, in pharetra Sua occultavit me, et dixit mihi, Servus Meus tu Israel, quia in te gloriabor, xlix 1-3;
[3] `Israel pro Ecclesia spirituali': apud Davidem, Sicut sagittae in manu potentis, ita filii pueritiarum; beati quisque qui implevit pharetram suam ex illis, Ps. cxxvii 4 [A.V.5];
`pharetra' pro doctrina boni et veri: (m)apud Habakkuk, Sol, luna, stetit sede sua, ad lucem sagittarum tuarum ibunt, ad splendorem fulguris hastae, iii 11:(n) quod Joash rex Israelis ex jussu Elishae jaculatus sit sagittam arcus trans fenestram, dicente tunc Elisha, Sagitta salutis Jehovae, sagitta salutis Jehovae in Syrum, 2 Reg. xiii 16-18, [4] significat arcana de doctrina boni et veri. Sicut pleraque in Verbo etiam oppositum sensum habent, ita quoque `jacula, tela, sagittae, arcus, jaculator,' et significant falsa, doctrinam falsi, et illos qui in falso sunt, ut apud Mosen, Filius fecundae Josephus, filius fecundae juxta fontem filiarum, incedit super murum, et amaritudine affecerunt cum, et jaculati sunt; et oderunt eum sagittarii, Gen. xlix 22, 23:
apud Jeremiam, Jaculati {3} sunt linguam suam, arcum suum mendacium, et non ad veritatem,... sagitta extensa lingua eorum, dolum loquitur, ix (x)2, 7 [A.V.3, 8]:
apud Davidem, Acuerunt sicut gladium linguam suam, tetenderunt sagittam suam verbum amarum, ad jaculandum in occultis integrum, subito jaculabuntur, et non timebunt eum; roborabunt sibimet verbum malum, narrabunt ad occultandum laqueos, Ps. lxiv 4-6 [A.V. 3-5]:
apud eundem, Ecce mali tendunt arcum, parant sagittam suam super nervo {4}, ad jaculandum in ipsa caligine rectos corde, Ps. xi 2:
apud eundem, Scutum et clypeus veritas ejus, non timebis a pavore noctis, a sagitta volat interdiu, Ps. xci 4, 5. @1 in Verbo.$ @2 Heb. [ ] (middin). RV translates `on rich carpets,' AV `in judgement.' Sch has Middin, so A, but I has Middim here though Middin in 2781.$ @3 Ejaculati.$ @4 nervum.$