3768.“因为他们饮羊群，都是用那井里的水”表由此，即由圣言获得的记忆知识。这从“井”、“饮”或“给水喝”和“羊群”的含义清楚可知：“井”是指圣言（3765节）；“饮”或“给水喝”是指接受教导（3069节）；“羊群”是指教义事物的记忆知识（参看3767节）。从这些含义明显可知，“用井水饮羊群”表示关于良善与真理的教义事物的记忆知识是从圣言获得的。就至高意义而言，下面关于雅各的所有内容都是论述主，即祂如何使祂的属世层变成神性，本章则论述这一过程的开始。就内在的代表意义而言，所论述的主题则是那些正在重生的人，即主如何使更新他们的属世人，本章则论述这一过程的开始。故此处所论述的主题是圣言和由此获得的教义，因为这一过程的开始和重生的进行都是通过取自圣言的教义实现的。正是由于这些事物由“井”和“三群羊”来表示，所以经上才会提及这些历史细节。它们若没有这种含义，就太微不足道了，不值得在神性圣言中被提及。显然，它们所包含的内容是，关于良善与真理的一切记忆知识和教义都来自圣言。
诚然，属世人能认识、还能理解何为良善和真理，但只能认知和理解属世和社会的良善和真理。他无法认识属灵的良善和真理，因为这一切必须从启示，因而从圣言而来。例如，人能通过人人都拥有的理性层知道当爱邻舍，当拜神；但至于如何爱邻舍，如何拜神，因而何为属灵的良善与真理，他就只能通过圣言知晓了。若不通过圣言，他不可能知道良善本身就是邻舍，因而那些处于良善的人就是邻舍，并且照着他们所在的良善而成为邻舍。他也不可能知道良善之所以是邻舍，是因为主存在于良善中，因此，爱良善就是爱主。
那些没有圣言的人同样不可能知道一切良善来自主，它流入人内，形成人对良善的情感，这种情感被称为仁爱。那些没有圣言的人也不可能知道谁是宇宙之神；宇宙之神就是主这一真理向他们隐藏起来，然而，情感或仁爱的至内在部分、因而良善的至内在部分必须关注祂。由此可见何为属灵良善，关于这善的知识若不通过圣言，无从知晓。至外邦人，只要还在这个世上，他们确实不认识属灵良善。不过，他们若过着彼此仁爱的生活，就会由此获得这样的能力：在来世，他们能学习这类事物，还能毫无困难地接受并吸收它们（参看2589-2604节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 3768
3768. For out of that well they watered the droves. That this signifies that the memory-knowledge is thence derived-that is, from the Word-is evident from the signification of a "well," as being the Word (n. 3765); and from the signification of "watering," or "giving to drink," as being to be instructed (n. 3069); and from the signification of "droves" as being the memory-knowledge of doctrinal things (see n. 3767). Hence it is evident that by "watering the droves out of the well" is signified that the memory-knowledge of the doctrinal things of good and truth is from the Word. In what now follows concerning Jacob, the Lord is treated of in the supreme sense-how He made His natural Divine, and in this chapter the initiation is treated of; and in the internal representative sense those who are being regenerated are treated of-how the Lord renews their natural man, and in this chapter the initiation is treated of; therefore the subject here treated of is the Word and the doctrine thence derived; for initiation and regeneration are effected by means of doctrine from the Word. And inasmuch as these things are signified by a "well" and by "three droves of the flock," therefore these are mentioned historically, which would have been of too trifling import to be mentioned in the Divine Word unless they had signified such things. What they enfold is evident, namely, that all the memory-knowledge and doctrine of good and truth are from the Word. [2] The natural man can indeed know, and also perceive, what good and truth are, but only natural and civic good and truth; but spiritual good and truth he cannot know, because this must come from revelation, thus from the Word. For example: a man may know from the rational that is possessed by everyone that his neighbor ought to be loved, and that God ought to be worshiped; but how the neighbor is to be loved, and how God is to be worshiped, thus what spiritual good and truth are, can be known only from the Word-as that good itself is the neighbor, consequently they who are in good, and this according to the good in which they are; and that good is the neighbor because the Lord is in good, and therefore in the love of good the Lord is loved. [3] In like manner they who have not the Word cannot know that all good is from the Lord, and that it inflows with man, and causes the affection of good, and that this affection is called charity; neither can they who have not the Word know who is the God of the universe; and that He is the Lord is hidden from them; when yet the inmost of affection or of charity, consequently the inmost of good, must look to Him. From this it is evident what spiritual good is, and that this cannot be known except from the Word. With regard to the Gentiles, so long as they are in the world they indeed do not know this, nevertheless while they live in mutual charity with one another, they thence derive such a capacity that in the other life they can be instructed concerning such matters, and they also easily receive and become imbued therewith. (See n. 2589-2604.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 3768
3768. 'For out of that well they watered the droves' means knowledge obtained from there, that is to say, from the Word. This is clear from the meaning of 'a well' as the Word, dealt with just above in 3765, from the meaning of 'watering', or giving a drink, as receiving instruction, dealt with in 3069, and from the meaning of 'droves' as knowledge of matters of doctrine, also dealt with just above, in 3767. From these meanings it is evident that 'out of the well they watered the droves' means that from the Word knowledge of matters of doctrine concerning what is good and true was obtained. In all that appears below regarding Jacob the subject in the highest sense is the Lord - how He made Divine His Natural, this chapter dealing with the inception of this process. And in the internal representative sense the subject is those who are being regenerated - how the Lord renews their natural man, this chapter dealing with the inception of that process. Here therefore the subject is the Word and doctrine obtained from it, for it is by means of doctrine drawn from the Word that the process is begun and regeneration takes place. And it is because these are meant by 'a well' and by 'three droves of a flock' that these historical details are mentioned at all. Unless they had that meaning they would be too trivial to be mentioned in the Divine Word. What they embody is clear, namely that all knowledge and doctrine concerning what is good and true is derived from the Word.
[2] The natural man, it is true, can know and also perceive what good and truth are, but only the natural and social variety of good and truth. Spiritual good and truth he cannot know or perceive. Knowledge of these has to come from revelation, and so from the Word. For example, from the rational present in everyone a person may know that he ought to love his neighbour and to worship God; but how he ought to love his neighbour and worship God, and so what constitutes spiritual good and truth, he cannot know except from the Word. Except from the Word he cannot know that good itself is the neighbour, and that consequently those governed by good are the neighbour and in the measure that it governs them. Nor can he know that good is therefore the neighbour because the Lord is present in good, and that accordingly when good is loved the Lord is loved.
[3] In the same way those who do not possess the Word cannot know that all good comes from the Lord, and that it flows in with man and forms his affection for good, and that that affection is called charity. Those who do not possess the Word cannot know who is the God of the universe. The truth that He is the Lord is hidden from them, yet the inmost part of affection or charity, and therefore the inmost part of good must have Him in view. From this one may see what spiritual good is and that there can be no knowledge of it except from the Word. As regards gentiles, as long as they are in this world they do not indeed know that good. Yet when they lead charitable lives one with another they thereby have an ability to learn such things in the next life, and also do receive them and adopt them without difficulty, see 2589-2604.
Latin(1748-1756) 3768
3768. `Quia e puteo illo potarunt catervas': quod significet quod inde scientia, nempe ex Verbo, constat a significatione `putei' quod sit Verbum, de qua mox supra n. 3765; (c)a significatione `potare' seu facere bibere quod sit instrui, de qua n. 3069; et (c)a significatione `catervarum' quod sint scientia doctrinalium, de qua etiam mox supra n. 3767; ex his patet quod per `e puteo potarunt catervas' significetur quod ex Verbo scientia doctrinalium boni et veri. In his quae sequuntur de Jacobo, in sensu {1}supremo agitur de Domino, quomodo Ipse Naturale Suum Divinum fecit, et in hoc capite de initiatione; {c}ac in sensu interno repraesentativo de illis qui regenerantur, quomodo Dominus naturalem eorum hominem renovat, et in hoc capite de initiatione; ideo hic {2}agitur de Verbo et de doctrina inde, nam per doctrinam e Verbo initiatio et regeneratio: et quia haec significantur per `puteum' et per `tres catervas gregis,' ideo haec historice memorantur; quae nisi illa significarent, leviora forent quam ut in Verbo Divino memorarentur:quid involvunt, constare potest, quod nempe omnis scientia et doctrina boni et veri sit ex Verbo: [2] naturalis homo quidem scire potest, et quoque percipere quid bonum et verum, sed modo bonum et verum naturale et civile, at bonum et verum spirituale non potest;
hoc ex revelatione erit, ita ex Verbo; ut pro exemplo, homo scire potest {4}ex rationali quod {5}cuivis est, quod proximus sit amandus et quod Deus sit colendus, sed quomodo proximus amandus et quomodo Deus colendus, non sciri potes quam ex Verbo, ita quid bonum et verum spirituale; sicut quod ipsum bonum sit proximus, proinde illi qui in bono sunt, et hoc secundum bonum in quo sunt;
et quod ideo bonum {6}sit proximus quia in bono est Dominus, et quod sic in amore boni, ametur Dominus: [3] pariter, qui non Verbum habent nec scire possunt quod omne bonum sit a Domino, et quod id influat apud hominem et faciat affectionem boni, et quod illa affectio vocetur charitas; qui non Verbum habent nec scire possunt quis est Deus universi; quod sit Dominus, illos latet, cum tamen intimum affectionis seu charitatis, proinde intimum boni, spectabit Ipsum; inde patet quid bonum spirituale, quod non aliunde potest sciri quam ex Verbo: at quoad gentes, quamdiu in mundo sunt, id quidem non sciunt, at usque cum illae in mutua charitate inter se vivunt, in facultate sunt inde ut in altera vita de talibus instrui queant, et quod etiam facile recipiant et imbuant, videatur n. 2589-2604. @1 interno$ @2 i primum$ @3 after percipere$ @4 per rationale$ @5 ei$ @6 i hoc est, illi qui in bono sint,$