3398、“万一百姓中有一人和你的女人同寝，那你就给我们带来罪过了”表示神性真理可能会被玷污，因而被亵渎。这从“同寝”、“百姓中有一人”、“女人”和“罪过”的含义清楚可知：“同寝”是指被败坏或玷污；“百姓中有一人”是指属于教会，也就是说，属于属灵教会的某个人（2928节）；“女人”，即此处的利百加，是指神性真理，如前所述；“罪过”是指亵渎真理的责任。由此明显可知，“万一百姓中有一人和你的女人同寝，那你就给我们带来罪过了”表示教会里的某个人可能会很容易玷污神性真理，从而招致亵渎真理的责任。前面（3386节）说明，亚伯拉罕两次称自己的妻子撒拉为妹子，第一次在埃及，第二次在与亚比米勒共同居住的基拉耳；以撒同样称自己的女人利百加为妹子，并且那时也是与亚比米勒住在一起；这三次都被记录在圣言中，其中的原因是一个极深的奥秘。包含在这些话中的实际奥秘在内义中是显而易见的，即：“妹子”表示理性真理，“女人”表示神性真理；神性真理（即以撒的女人利百加）被称为理性真理（即妹子），是为了防止神性真理（在此被称为“女人”，即利百加）被玷污，从而遭到亵渎。
至于对真理的亵渎，情况是这样：神性真理只能被那些曾经承认它的人亵渎。因为这些人首先通过承认和相信进入真理，从而被引入真理。如果后来他们背离这真理，那么他们里面仍留有它的永久印记；每当虚假和邪恶被忆起时，这印记就会与之一同被忆起。这时，这真理因附着于虚假和邪恶而遭到亵渎。因此，有这种情况的人总有遣责或诅咒他们的某种东西在自己里面，因而有他们自己的地狱。事实上，当地狱里的人接近良善和真理所在的气场时，他们立刻就感觉到自己的地狱，因为他们陷入他们所仇恨的东西，因而陷入折磨。因此，那些亵渎真理的人不断与折磨他们的东西，或说折磨的源头住在一起；折磨的强度取决于亵渎的程度。正因如此，主最小心翼翼的是防止神性良善和真理遭到亵渎。尤其对那些忍不住亵渎真理和良善的人，主使用的主要方法是，尽可能地使他们不去承认和相信真理和良善。因为如前所述，只有曾经承认并相信它们的人才能亵渎它们。
这就是为何内在真理没有透露给雅各的后代，就是以色列人和犹太人。甚至连人里面有任何内在事物，因而有任何内在敬拜也没有向他们公开说明；关于死后生活和主的天国，或他们所期盼的弥赛亚的任何事也几乎没有告诉他们。原因在于，他们具有这种禀性，如所预见到的，一旦这些真理透露给他们，他们就会忍不住亵渎它们，因为他们只渴望世俗事物。这些后代，或说这个种族因具有这种性质，并且直到今天还是那样，所以仍被允许完全不相信内在真理。他们若承认了，后来又反悔了，就必然给自己招致最糟糕的地狱。
这也是为何主没有降世，并揭示圣言的内在事物，直到良善，甚至连属世良善都在他们中间荡然无存。这时，他们不能再以内在承认来接受任何真理（因为接受真理的，是良善），从而不能亵渎它。这就是先知书多次提到的“日期满了”、“时代的完结”和“末日”所表示的状态。出于同样的原因，圣言内义的奥秘如今正在被揭开，因为如今几乎没有任何信仰了，因为没有任何仁爱；因此，时代的完结到来了。当这种情况发生时，这些奥秘就能被揭开而不会有亵渎的危险，因为它们没有从内层被承认。
这个奥秘解释了为何圣言提到，亚伯拉罕和以撒在与亚比米勒一起住在基拉耳时，都称他们的妻子为妹子。关于这个主题，可进一步参看前面的阐述和说明，大意是：能亵渎的，是那些承认的人，而不是那些不承认的人，更不是那些不知道的人（593， 1008， 1010， 1059节）。亵渎圣物和圣言何等危险（571， 582节）。教会之内的人能亵渎圣物，教会之外的人不能（2051节）。主小心翼翼防止亵渎的情况出现（1001， 2426节）。敬拜变得外在，是为了防止内在敬拜遭到亵渎（1327， 1328节）。人们被保守在无知中，是为了防止信之真理遭到亵渎（301-303节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 3398
3398. That one of the people might lightly have lain with thy woman, and thou wouldst have brought guilt upon us. That this signifies that Divine truth might have been adulterated and thus profaned, is evident from the signification of "lying with," as being to be perverted or adulterated; from the signification of "one of the people," as being some one of the spiritual church (n. 2928); from the signification of "woman" who here is Rebekah, as being Divine truth (concerning which see above); and from the signification of "guilt," as being the blame of the profanation of truth; so that by "one of the people might lightly have lain with thy woman, and thou wouldst have brought guilt upon us," is signified that someone of the church might easily have adulterated Divine truth, and have brought upon himself the blame of the profanation of truth. It was said above (n. 3386) that as Abraham twice called his wife Sarah his sister, first in Egypt, and afterwards in Gerar with Abimelech; and that as Isaac in like manner called his woman Rebekah his sister, also with Abimelech; and as these three cases are recorded in the Word, there must be some very deep secret involved thereby. This very secret is seen in the internal sense, namely, that by "sister" is signified rational truth, and by "woman" Divine truth; and this was called rational truth (that is, "sister"), lest Divine truth (here called the "woman" who was Rebekah) should be adulterated, and thus profaned. [2] In regard to the profanation of truth the case is this: Divine truth cannot possibly be profaned except by those who have first acknowledged it; for when those who have first entered into truth by acknowledgment and belief, and have thus been initiated into it, afterwards recede from it, there continually remains an impression of it stamped within, which is recalled at the same time with the falsity and evil; and hence by adhering to these the truth is profaned. Therefore those with whom this is the case have continually in themselves that which condemns them; thus their own hell; for when the infernals approach a sphere where good and truth are, they are instantly sensible of their own hell, because they come into that which they hold in hatred, consequently into torment. Therefore those who have profaned truth dwell continually with that which torments them, and this according to the degree of the profanation. For this reason it is most especially provided by the Lord that Divine good and truth may not be profaned; and this is provided chiefly by the circumstance that the man who is such that he cannot but profane is withheld as far as possible from the acknowledgment and belief of truth and good; for as before said no one can profane except the man who has first acknowledged and believed. [3] This was the reason why internal truths were not disclosed to Jacob's descendants the Israelites and Jews, who were not openly told even that there is anything internal in man, thus that there is any internal worship; and scarcely anything was said to them about the life after death, and the Lord's heavenly kingdom; or about the Messiah whom they expected. The reason was that they were of such a character that it was foreseen that if such things had been disclosed to them they could not have helped profaning them, because they desired nothing but earthly things and because that race was of this nature and so remains, it is still permitted that they should be in utter unbelief; for if they had once acknowledged, and had afterwards gone back, they must needs have brought upon themselves the most grievous of all hells. [4] This was also the reason why the Lord did not come into the world and reveal the internal things of the Word until there was no good whatever remaining with them, not even natural good, for they could then no longer receive any truth with internal acknowledgment (because it is good that receives truth), and therefore they could not profane it. Such was the state meant by the "fullness of time," and by the "consummation of the age," and also by the "last day" so much treated of in the Prophets. It is for the same reason that the arcana of the internal sense of the Word are now being revealed; for at this day there is scarcely any faith, because not any charity; thus because it is the consummation of the age and when this is the case, then these arcana can be revealed without danger of profanation, because they are not interiorly acknowledged. [5] It is for this secret reason that it is related in the Word concerning Abraham and Isaac that when in Gerar with Abimelech they called their wives their sisters. (See further what has been stated and shown above on this subject; namely, That those can profane who acknowledge, but not those who do not acknowledge, still less those who do not know, n. 593, 1008, 1010, 1059: What danger there is from a profanation of holy things and of the Word, n. 571, 582: That they who are within the church can profane holy things; but not they who are without the church, n. 2051: That it is provided by the Lord that profanation may not take place, n. 1001, 2426: That worship becomes external in order to prevent internal worship from being profaned, n. 1327, 1328: That men are kept in ignorance, lest the truths of faith should be profaned, n. 301-303.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 3398
3398. 'One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us' means that it could have been adulterated and so profaned. This is clear from the meaning of 'lying wish' as being perverted or adulterated; from the meaning of 'one of the people' as one who belongs to the Church, that is to say, to the spiritual Church, dealt with in 2928; from the meaning of 'wife' - who is Rebekah here - as Divine Truth, dealt with above; and from the meaning of 'guilt' as blame for the profanation of truth. From this it is evident that 'one of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us' means that Divine Truth could easily have been adulterated by someone within the Church and so he would have made himself culpable of the profanation of truth. It has been stated above in 3386 that the reason why Abraham on two occasions spoke of Sarah his wife as his sister - first of all in Egypt, and then, when dwelling with Abimelech, in Gerar - and why Isaac in a similar way spoke of Rebekah his wife as his sister, when he too was dwelling with Abimelech, and why those three occasions are mentioned in the Word, is a very deep arcanum. The actual arcanum contained in these words is evident in the internal sense, and it is this: 'A sister' means rational truth, and 'a wife' Divine Truth; and rational truth is called this - that is, 'a sister' - to prevent Divine Truth, which is 'a wife' (Rebekah in this case) from being adulterated and so perverted.
[2] With regard to the profanation of truth the position is that Divine Truth cannot possibly be profaned except by those who have already acknowledged it. For these people have first of all, through acknowledgement and faith, come to the truth, and so have been introduced into it. If after this they depart from that truth there remains within them a permanent imprint of it, which is recalled together with falsity and evil whenever these are recalled. And being attached to falsity and evil that truth is consequently made profane. People therefore with whom this happens have within them permanently that which is condemning, and so the hell which is their own. Indeed when those in hell draw near a sphere where good and truth are present they instantly experience their own hell, for they run into that which they hate, and as a consequence into torment. People therefore who have profaned truth dwell permanently with that which torments them - the intensity of torment depending on the degree of profanation. This being so, the Lord makes the greatest provision to prevent Divine Good and Truth being made profane. He does so especially with anyone who is such that he cannot help profaning them, by keeping him as far back as possible from acknowledgement of and faith in truth and good. For as has been stated, no one is able to profane them except him who has already acknowledged and come to believe them.
[3] This was the reason why internal truths were not disclosed to the descendants of Jacob - to the Israelites and Jews. Not even the existence of anything internal within man, nor thus any kind of internal worship was openly declared to them, and scarcely anything about life after death, or about the heavenly kingdom of the Lord or the Messiah whom they awaited. The reason why these truths were not declared was, as foreseen, that if they had been disclosed to them, the Jews and Israelites were such as could not help profaning them; for they had no desire for anything other than what was earthly. And because those descendants were such, and are so still, they are still allowed to remain without any belief at all in internal truths. For if at one point they had given their assent to them and then had withdrawn it they would inevitably have ended up in the worst hell of all.
[4] This was also the reason why the Lord did not come into the world and reveal the internal features of the Word until the time when no good at all, not even natural good, remained with them. For at that point they were no longer capable of receiving any truth and acknowledging it internally - for good is what receives - and so were no longer capable of profaning it. It is this state that is meant by the fulness of time, and by the close of the age, and also by the last day, spoken of many times in the Prophets.
[5] It is for the same reason also that at the present time the arcana belonging to the internal sense of the Word are being revealed, for today scarcely any faith exists because charity is non-existent, so that the close of the age is here. When these conditions prevail these arcana can be revealed without any risk of profanation since they are not acknowledged interiorly. It is for the sake of this arcanum that in the Word mention is made of Abraham and of Isaac, of how, when dwelling in Gerar with Abimelech, each called his wife his sister. See in addition what has been stated and shown already on the same subject, to the effect that those who acknowledge are able to profane, but not those who do not acknowledge, still less those who do not even know, 593, 1008, 1010, 1059. How much danger lies in profaning sacred things and the Word, see 571, 582. People inside the Church are able to profane sacred things, but not those outside, 2051. The Lord provides against the occurrence of profanation, 1001, 2426. Worship may become external to prevent the profaning of internal worship, 1327, 1328. People are kept in ignorance to prevent the truths of faith being made profane, 301-303.
Latin(1748-1756) 3398
3398. `Ut parum cubaret unus populi cum muliere tua, et adduxisses super nos reatum': quod significet quod adulterari potuisset et sic profanari, constat a significatione `cubare' quod sit perverti seu adulterari; a significatione `unius populi' quod sit aliquis ab Ecclesia, nempe spirituali, de qua n. 2928; a significatione `mulieris,' hic Rebeccae, quod sit Divinum Verum, de qua supra; et a significatione `reatus' quod sit culpa profanationis veri; inde patet quod `ut parum cubaret unus populi cum {1}uxore tua, et adduxisses super nos reatum' sit quod Divinum Verum ab aliquo in Ecclesia facile potuisset adulterari, et {2}culpam profanationis veri sibi inducere. Supra n. 3386 dictum, quod quia Abrahamus bis Saram uxorem suam dixerit sororem, primum in Aegypto, et dein in Gerar apud Abimelechum, et quod Jishakus similiter Rebeccam mulierem suam dixerit sororem etiam apud Abimelechum, et quia tria illa in Verbo quoque memorantur, quod arcanissimum quoddam sit, cur ita; {3}ipsum arcanum in his in sensu interno patet, nempe quia per `sororem' significatur rationale, et per `mulierem' Divinum Verum, et quod rationale dictam, hoc est, `soror,' ne Divinum Verum quod est `mulier,' hic Rebecca, adulteraretur et sic profanaretur. [2] Cum profanatione veri ita se habet quod Divinum Verum nequaquam possit profanari quam ab illis qui prius id agnoverunt, illi enim primum intrarunt per agnitionem et fidem in verum, et sic ei initiati sunt; cum dein recedunt ab illo, tunc continue manet vestigium ejus intus impressum, quod simul revocatur quando falsum et malum, inde verum quia illis adhaerescit, profanatur; ideo illi, apud quos hoc fit, in se continue habent quod damnat, ita sui infernum; infernales enim cum ad sphaeram ubi bonum et verum, approximant, ilico sentiunt suum infernum, nam veniunt in illud quod odio habent, consequenter in cruciatum; qui itaque profanarunt verum, habitant continue cum illo quod eos cruciat, et hoc secundum {4}gradum profanationis: quia ita est, summopere providetur a Domino ne Divinum Bonum et Verum profanetur; et providetur imprimis per id quod homo qui talis est ut non possit aliter quam profanare, detineatur tam procul ab agnitione et fide veri et boni quantum possit, nam, ut dictum, nemo profanare potest quam qui prius agnovit et credidit: [3] illa causa fuit quod posteris Jacobi, Israelitis et Judaeis, non detecta fuerint vera interna, ne quidem aperte dictum quod aliquid internum in homine esset, ita quod aliquis internus cultus sit, et vix aliquid de vita post mortem, et de regno caelesti Domini, seu Messiae quem exspectarunt; causa fuit quia tales erant quod praevisum, quod si illis detecta fuissent, non potuissent aliter quam illa profanavisse, non enim aliud voluerunt quam terrestria; et quia generatio illa talis fuit, et quoque talis est, permittitur etiam adhuc ut sint prorsus in incredulitate; si enim semel agnovissent, et dein recessissent {5}, tunc non potuissent aliter quam {6}inducere sibi omnium gravissimum infernum. [4] Illa quoque causa fuit quod Dominus non prius in mundum venerit, et interna Verbi revelaverit, quam cum prorsus nullum bonum, ne quidem bonum naturale, apud illos residuum {7}esset, tunc enim amplius non recipere potuerunt aliquod verum usque ad agnitionem internam, nam bonum est quod recipit, ita non profanare; {8}talis status erat qui intelligitur per plenitudinem temporum {9}, et per consummationem saeculi, etiam per ultimum diem, de quo (t)multis apud Prophetas: eadem etiam causa est quod nunc revelentur arcana sensus interni Verbi, quia hodie vix aliqua fides est, quia non aliqua charitas, ita quia consummatio saeculi est; [5] et cum haec, tunc revelari possunt {10}absque periculo profanationis, quia non interius agnoscuntur. Propter hoc arcanum est quod in Verbo memoretur de Abrahamo et de Jishako quod uxores suas in Gerare apud Abimelechum vocaverint sorores. Videantur porro illa quae prius de eadem re dicta et ostensa sunt, nempe quod profanare possint qui agnoscunt, non autem qui non agnoscunt, minus qui non sciunt, n. 593, 1008, 1010, 1059: quid periculi a profanatione sanctorum et Verbi, n. 571, 582: quod qui intra Ecclesiam sunt, profanare possint sancta, non autem qui extra, n. 2051: quod provideatur a Domino ne profanatio fiat, n. 1001, 2426: quod cultus fiat externus ne profanetur internus, n. 1327, 1328: quod teneantur in ignorantia, ne profanentur vera fidei, n. 301-303. @1 muliere$ @2 i sic$ @3 A has ipsum arcanum quodnam sit, ex his in sensu interno patet, nempe quia per sororem significatur rationale, et per mulierem Divinum Verum, et quod soror dicta ne Divinum Verum, quod repraesentatur per Rebeccam, adulteraretur, et sic prophanaretur. Cum prophanatione veri ita se habet, quod Divinum Verum nequaquam possit prophanari, quam ab illis qui prius id agnoscunt, illi enim primum intrarunt per agnitionem et fidem in verum ac sic ei initiati sunt, cum dein recedunt ab illo, tunc continue manet vestigium ejus intus impressum, quod simul revocatur, cum falso et malo, inde quia adhaerescit verum falso et malo, nec separari potest, prophanatur, et etiam apud quos hoc fit in se continue habet illud quod damnat, proinde infernum infernales enim cum modo approximant ad caelum, hoc est, ad sphaeram ubi verum et bonum, illico sentiunt suum infernum; nam dum in sphaeram boni et veri, tunc in illud quod odio habent, veniunt, ita in ipsum odium, consequenter in cruciatum, ita qui$ @4 gradus$ @5 i ad Judaismum$ @6 in omnium gravissimum infernum se praecipitare$ @7 fuisset$ @8 id est quod$ @9 i in qua Dominus venit$ @10 quia periculum prophanationis non est, quia non agnoscuntur.$