3249、“向东往东方之地去”表示朝向信之良善，这从下文所论述的“东”和“东方之地”的含义清楚可知。“东方之地”所表示的信之良善不是别的，正是圣言中那被称为对邻之仁的；而对邻之仁不是别的，正是遵行主诫命的生活。这就是“东方之地”所表示的（参看1250节）。因此，那些拥有信之良善的知识或认知的人被称为“东方之子或东方人”。东方之子或东方人之地就是亚兰或叙利亚，而亚兰或叙利亚表示良善的知识或认知（参看1232， 1234节）；亚兰-纳哈拉姆，或两河的叙利亚表示真理的知识或认知（3051节）。由于“叙利亚人”，或“东方人（或东方之子）”表示那些拥有良善和真理的知识或认知的人，所以他们比其他任何人都更被称为“智者”；如在列王纪上论到所罗门的地方说：
所罗门的智慧超过所有东方人的智慧。（列王纪上4:30）
又如在马太福音，论到耶稣出生时来到祂这里的人，经上说：
有几个智者从东方来到耶路撒冷，说，那生下来作犹太人之王的在哪里？我们在东方看见祂的星，特来拜祂。（马太福音2:1-2）
事实上，古教会最后的余剩就在叙利亚，这就是为何那地仍保留着良善和真理的知识或认知，这也可从巴兰清楚看出来；他不仅敬拜耶和华，还发出关于主的预言，称祂是“从雅各而出的星，从以色列兴起的杖”（民数记24:17）。巴兰属于叙利亚的东方人，这是显而易见的，因为他在题诗歌时论到自己说：
巴勒把我从叙利亚领出来，摩押王引我出东山。（民数记23:7）
亚兰或叙利亚就是东方人生活的地方，这一点从以下事实明显看出来：当雅各去了叙利亚时，经上说他到了“东方人之地”（创世记29:1）。
Potts(1905-1910) 3249
3249. Eastward to the land of the east. That this signifies to the good of faith, is evident from the signification of "the east" and the "land of the east," which will be treated of in what follows. The good of faith which is signified by the "land of the east," is no other than that which in the Word is called charity toward the neighbor; and charity toward the neighbor is nothing else than a life according to the Lord's commandments. That this is signified by the "land of the east" may be seen above (n. 1250); therefore they who were in the knowledges of the good of faith were called "sons of the east." The land of the sons of the east was Aram of Syria. (That Aram or Syria represents the knowledges of good, may be seen above, n. 1232, 1234; and that Aram Naharaim, or Syria of the rivers, represents the knowledges of truth, n. 3051.) And as by the "Syrians" or "sons of the east" were signified those who were in the knowledges of good and truth, they were preeminently called the "wise," as in the first book of Kings, where it is said of Solomon:
The wisdom of Solomon was multiplied above the wisdom of all the sons of the east (1 Kings 4:30);
and as in Matthew, where it is said of those who came to Jesus when He was born:
Wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him (Matt. 2:1-2). For in Syria were the last remains of the Ancient Church, and therefore in that land there still remained the knowledges of good and truth, as can also be seen from Balaam, who not only adored Jehovah, but also prophesied concerning the Lord, and called Him the "Star out of Jacob, and the Scepter out of Israel" (Num. 24:17). That Balaam was of the sons of the east in Syria is manifest, for he says this of himself when he utters the declaration:
From Syria hath Balak brought me, the king of Moab, from the mountains of the east (Num. 33:7). That it was Aram or Syria where the sons of the east dwelt, is evident from the fact that when Jacob went into Syria he is said to have gone "to the land of the sons of the east" (Gen. 29:1).
Elliott(1983-1999) 3249
3249. 'Eastwards to the land of the east' means towards the good of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the east' and 'the land of the east', to be dealt with below. The good of faith which is meant by 'the land of the east' is nothing else but that which in the Word is called charity towards the neighbour. And charity towards the neighbour is nothing else than a life according to the Lord's commandments. This is what 'the land of the east' means, see 1250. Those therefore who possessed cognitions regarding the good of faith were called 'the sons of the east'. The land of the sons of the east was Aram or Syria - Aram or Syria meaning cognitions of good, see 1232, 1234, and Aram Naharaim or Syria of the [Two] Rivers cognitions of truth, 3051. And because the Syrians, or 'the sons of the east' means those who possessed cognitions of good and truth, they above all others were referred to as wise, as in 1 Kings where Solomon is referred to,
The wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east. 1 Kings 4:30.
And in Matthew, in reference to those who came to Jesus at His birth,
Wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him. Matt. 2:1, 2.
[2] Indeed in Syria there existed the final remnants of the Ancient Church, which is why cognitions of good and truth still remained there, as also becomes clear from Balaam who not only worshipped Jehovah but also prophesied concerning the Lord and called Him,
A star out of Jacob and a sceptre out of Israel. Num. 24:17.
The fact that he belonged to the sons of the east in Syria is self-evident, for he says of himself when delivering his discourse,
From Syria Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. Num. 23:7.
The fact that Aram or Syria was where the sons of the east lived is made additionally clear from the consideration that when Jacob went to Syria he is said to have gone to the land of the sons of the east, Gen. 29:1.
Latin(1748-1756) 3249
3249. `Orientem versus, ad terram orientis': quod significet ad bonum fidei, constat ex significatione `orientis et terrae orientis,' de qua sequitur; bonum fidei quod significatur per `terram orientis' non aliud est quam quod in Verbo vocatur charitas erga proximum; et charitas erga proximum non aliud quam vita secundum praecepta Domini; quod per `terram orientis' illud significetur, videatur n. 1250; idcirco qui in cognitionibus boni fidei fuerunt, dicti sunt `filii orientis'; terra filiorum orientis erat Aram seu Syria; quod `Aram seu Syria' sint cognitiones boni, videatur n. 1232, 1234; et `Aram Naharaim seu Syria fluviorum' sint cognitiones veri, n. 3051, et quia per `Syros seu filios orientis' significati sunt qui in cognitionibus boni et veri, illi prae reliquis dicti sunt sapientes, ut in (x)1 Libro Regum, ubi de Salomone, Multiplicata est sapientia Salomonis prae sapientia omnium filiorum orientis, v 10 [A.V. iv 30];et apud Matthaeum, de illis qui venerunt ad Jesum cum natus, Sapientes ab oriente venerunt Hierosolymam, dicentes, Ubi est ille Rex Judaeorum, qui natus est? vidimus enim Ejus stellam in oriente, et venimus ut adoremus Ipsum, ii 1, 2;
[2] in Syria enim erant ultimae reliquiae Ecclesiae Antiquae, quare ibi erant cognitiones boni et veri; ut quoque constare potest a Bileamo, qui non modo adoravit Jehovam, sed etiam de Domino prophetavit ac Ipsum vocavit Stellam e Jacobo, et sceptrum ex Israele, Num. xxiv 17:
quod ille ex filiis orientis in Syria fuerit, patet, ipse enim de se dicit cum edidit enuntiatum suum, E Syria adduxit me Balakus rex Moabi, de montibus orientis, Num. xxiii 7:
quod Aram seu Syria fuerit ubi filii orientis, etiam constare potest ex eo quod, cum Jacobus in Syriam iret, dicitur `ivisse terram filiorum orientis,' Gen. xxix 1.