395、“凡杀该隐的必遭报七倍”表示哪怕向被如此分离的信施暴也是完全禁止的。这从“该隐”和“七”的含义清楚可知：“该隐”表示与仁分离之信；“七”表示神圣之物或完全不可侵犯。数字“七”被视为神圣，这是众所周知的，因为六日创造，第七日就是属天人，属天人里面有平安，歇息和安息日。这就是为何数字七多次出现在犹太教会的宗教仪式中，处处被视为神圣。这也是为何时间段，无论长短，也被分为七日，被称为“七日”，如弥赛亚降临之前的漫长时间段（但以理书9:24-25）；拉班和雅各也称七年的时间为“七日”（创世记29:27-28）。由于同样的原因，凡出现数字“七”的地方，它都表示某种神圣或不可侵犯之物。因此，我们在诗篇读到：
一天七次赞美你。（诗篇119:164）
以赛亚书：
月光必像日光，日光必加七倍，像七日的光一样。（以赛亚书30:26）
此处“日”是指爱，“月”是指源于爱的信，这信将如同爱。
正如人在到达第七日，也就是成为属天人之前，其重生的时期分成六日，其荒废的时期，直到属天之物荡然无存之时，也是如此。这一点由犹太人多次被掳，以及最后一次，即被巴比伦人所掳，这次被掳持续了七个十年或七十年来代表。经上还数次提到，地要在安息日歇息。这一点还由尼布甲尼撒来代表，论到他，但以理书上说：
他的心要改变，不再是人的，给他一个兽心，使他经过七期。（但以理书4:16，25，32）
在启示录，论到末期的荒废：
我又看见天上有异象，大而且奇，就是七位天使掌管末了的七灾。（启示录15:1，6-8）
还有：
外邦人要践踏圣城四十二个月（就是六乘七）。（启示录11:2）
又：
我看见里外都写着字的书卷，用七印封严了。（启示录5:1）
出于同样的原因，惩罚的严厉和加重也以数字“七”来表达；如摩西五经：
你们因这事若还不服从我，我就要为你们的罪加七倍惩罚你们。（利未记26:18，21，24，28）
诗篇：
加七倍归还到我们邻舍的怀里。（诗篇79:12）
由于侵犯信是完全禁止的（因为它还有服务的功用，如前所述），所以经上说“凡杀该隐的必遭报七倍”。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]395. Anyone who kills Cain will suffer sevenfold vengeance means there was a sacred ban on violating the faith detached in this way. This is established by the symbolism of Cain as a detached faith and of seven as a sacred ban.
The number seven was held sacred, as is known,{*1} because of the six days of creation and because of the seventh day — which is the heavenly kind of person — on which there is peace, repose, a Sabbath. This is why the rituals of the Jewish religion so often involve the number seven, and each time it is seen to stand for something sacred.{*2} For this reason, different stretches of time, long and short, were divided in seven and called weeks. One instance is the long periods before the coming of the Messiah in Daniel 9:24-25. Laban and Jacob call a period of seven years a week in Genesis 29:27-28. So wherever the number seven occurs, it is considered as standing for something sacred, or else for a sacred ban, as in David:
Seven times in a day do I praise you. (Psalms 119:164)
In Isaiah:
The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times as strong, like the light of seven days. (Isaiah 30:26)
Here the sun is love and the moon is faith from love, which will be like love.
[2] Just as the stages of a person's regeneration are divided into six, which precede the seventh, or the stage of being heavenly, so too are the stages of devastation, which continues until nothing heavenly remains. This was represented by the Jews' many captivities, including the last, in Babylon — a captivity of seven "ages" or seventy years;{*3} and several times it is said that the land was to rest during its Sabbaths.{*4} Devastation was also represented by Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel:
His heart will change from [that of] a human, and the heart of an animal will be given to him, until seven seasons change upon him. (Daniel 4:16, 25, 32)
Concerning the devastation of the final days as described by John:
I saw another sign in the sky, great and awesome: seven angels having the seven final plagues. (Revelation 15:1, 6-7)
Revelation 11:2 says that the holy city will be trampled for forty-two months, which is six times seven. In the same author:
I saw a book written inside and on the back,{*5} sealed with seven seals. (Revelation 5:1)
Accordingly, different severities and levels of punishment were expressed in sevens, as in Moses:
If after all this you do not obey me, I will castigate you seven times harder for your sins. (Leviticus 26:18, 21, 24, 28)
In David:
Return seven times as much into our neighbors' lap. (Psalms 79:12)
Since a sanction was placed on the violation of faith, then, because faith could be of service (as has already been said [372]), the present verse states that the person who kills Cain will suffer sevenfold vengeance.
Footnotes:
{*1} The universality of the sacred character of the number seven is sometimes explained by the fact that it is a "virgin" number (the only one between one and ten that is neither the product nor the divisor of any of the others), that it referred to the seven classical planets (the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn), or that it reflects the seven notes of the octave. Swedenborg here gives the most common reason cited in the Judeo-Christian tradition. See, for example, Philo On the Creation (Philo 1993) 30-43; and for more explanation by Swedenborg, 433 below. As Swedenborg goes on to note, however, the number has negative connotations as well, indicating a period of "devastation." What unites these two concepts is perhaps the idea that the number seven represents a complete cycle. [RS]
{*2} On the sacred significance of the number seven in general, see note 1 in 395; on its sacred significance in Scripture in particular, see, for example, the passages quoted in 716, including Leviticus 8:10-11; 16:14, 19; Isaiah 30:26; Revelation 1:12-13; 4:5; the passages quoted in 2252:3: Leviticus 23:15; 25:8, 10; and the passages quoted in 2830:3, including Numbers 28:11-12, 18-20, 26-28. [LHC]
{*3} In 433 Swedenborg explains that a biblical "age" (Latin saeculum) is a decade. Elsewhere he also uses the term for centuries and whole eras. [LHC]
{*4} See Exodus 23:10-11 and Leviticus 25:2-5, which indicate that the land of the Israelites was to be left fallow every seventh year. The six years before the fallow are thus, in the exhaustion of the soil, representative of the devastation in which all heavenly properties of the individual are used up. The Sabbath is not, strictly speaking, one of the stages of spiritual devastation, but rather the symbol of the end of such devastation, that is, of regeneration. See 8539:2: " [The state before regeneration] is signified by the six days that precede the seventh, and ... [the state after regeneration] is signified by the seventh day, or the Sabbath." [SS, LHC, LSW]
{*5} The book in question was most likely a scroll, so that "inside and on the back" means on both sides of the rolled up sheet of paper. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 395
395. That the words "whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold" signify that to do violence to faith even when thus separated would be sacrilege, is evident from the signification of "Cain" which is faith separated from charity, and from the signification of "seven" which is what is sacred. The number "seven" was esteemed holy, as is well known, by reason of the six days of creation, and of the seventh, which is the celestial man, in whom is peace, rest, and the sabbath. Hence this number occurs so frequently in the rites of the Jewish Church, and is everywhere held sacred, and hence also both greater and less periods of time were distinguished into sevens, and were called "weeks" such as the great intervals of time to the coming of the Messiah (Dan. 9:24-25); and the time of seven years called a "week" by Laban and Jacob (Gen. 29:27-28). For the same reason, wherever it occurs, the number seven is accounted holy or inviolable. Thus we read in David: Seven times a day do I praise Thee (Ps. 119:164). In Isaiah:
The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days (Isa. 30:26), where the "sun" denotes love, and the "moon" faith from love, which should be as love. As the periods of man's regeneration are distinguished into six, before the seventh arrives, that is, the celestial man, so also are the periods of his vastation, up to the time when nothing celestial remains. This was represented by the several captivities of the Jews, and by the last or Babylonish captivity, which lasted seven decades, or seventy years. It is also said several times that the earth should rest on its sabbaths. The same is represented by Nebuchadnezzar, in Daniel:
His heart shall be changed from man, and a beast's heart shall be given unto him, and seven times shall pass over him (Dan. 4:16, 23, 32). And in John, concerning the vastation of the last times:
I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels, having the seven last plagues (Rev. 15:1, 6-8);
and that:
The Gentiles should tread the holy city under foot forty and two months, or six times seven (Rev. 11:2). And again:
I saw a book written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals (Rev. 5:1). For the same reason the severities and augmentations of punishment were expressed by the number seven; as in Moses:
If ye will not yet for all this obey Me, then I will chastise you sevenfold for your sins (Lev. 26:18, 21, 24, 28). And in David:
Render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom (Ps. 79:12). Now as it was a sacrilege to do violence to faith-since as has been said it was to be of service-it is said that "whosoever should slay Cain, vengeance should be taken on him sevenfold."
Elliott(1983-1999) 395
395. 'Anyone killing Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold' means that to violate faith thus separated was utterly forbidden. This is clear from the meaning of 'Cain' as separated faith, and from the meaning of 'seven' as utterly inviolable. As is well known, the number seven was considered holy on account of the six days of creation and of the seventh, which is the celestial man in whom peace, rest, and the Sabbath exist. This is the reason why the number seven occurs so many times in the religious ceremonies of the Jewish Church, in every instance standing for that which is holy. It is also the reason why periods of time, long as well as short, were divided into seven, and were called weeks, as in the case of the long time intervals leading up to the time when the Messiah was to come, Dan 9:24, 25. A period of seven years is also called a week by Laban and Jacob, Gen 29:27, 28. Consequently wherever the number seven occurs it stands either for something holy or else for something utterly inviolable, as in David,
Seven times in the day I praise You. Ps 119:164.In Isaiah,
The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days. Isa 30:26.
Here 'the sun' is love, and 'the moon' faith deriving from love, a faith which is to be as love.
[2] Just as the periods of man's regeneration divide into six before he reaches the seventh, which is the celestial man, so also do the periods of vastation even until nothing celestial is left. This was represented by the many captivities of the Jews, and by the last of them, the Babylonian, which was a captivity of seven decades, that is, seventy years. And it was several times stated that the land had to rest during its Sabbaths. It was also represented by Nebuchadnezzar, of whom it is said in Daniel,
His heart will be changed from man, and the heart of a beast given him until seven times will pass over him. Dan 4:16, 25, 32.
In reference to the vastation of the last times it is recorded in John,
I saw another sign in heaven, great and wonderful - seven angels holding the seven Rev 15:1, 6, 7.They will trample over the holy city for forty-two months (that is, six times seven). Rev 11:2. In the same book,
I saw a book [written] within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Rev 5:1.
Severe and increased penalties were for the same reason expressed by the number seven, as in Moses,
If you will not obey Me in this matter, I will chastise you seven times worse for your sins. Lev 26:18, 21, 24, 28.In David,
Return to our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom. Ps 79:12.
So then, it is because it was utterly forbidden to violate faith - since it had a use to serve, as has been stated - that the statement is made about 'vengeance being taken sevenfold on him who killed Cain'.
Latin(1748-1756) 395
395. Quod 'omnis occidens Cainum, septempliciter vindicabitur' significent quod violare fidem ita separatam sacrosanctum{1} esset, constat ex significatione 'Caini' quod sit fides separata, et ex significatione 'septem' quod sit sacrosanctum. Septenarius numerus sanctus habitus est, ut notum, propter sex dies creationis, et septimum, qui est homo caelestis, in quo pax, quies, sabbatum; inde toties in Ecclesiae Judaicae ritibus occurrit septenarius numerus, et ubivis pro sancto habitus: tempora inde distinguebantur in septem, tam magna eorum intervalla quam minora, et vocabantur 'septimanae,' sicut magna temporum intervalla ad Messiam venturum, Dan. ix 24, 25; et septem annorum tempus vocatur septimana a Labane et Jacobo, Gen. xxix 27, 28; quare ubicumque septenarius numerus occurrit, pro sancto vel sacrosancto habetur; ut apud Davidem, Septies in die laudo Te, Ps. cxix 164: apud Esaiam, Erit lux lunae, sicut lux solis, et lux solis erit septupla, sicut lux septem dierum, xxx 26;ubi 'sol' est amor; 'luna' fides ex amore, quae erit sicut amor. [2] Sicut tempora regenerationis hominis distincta sunt in sex, antequam septimus, seu caelestis homo, ita quoque tempora vastationis, usque dum nihil caeleste remanet; quod repraesentatum per plures captivitates Judaeorum, et per ultimam Babylonicam, quae erat septem saeculorum, seu septuaginta annorum; et aliquoties dictum quod terra sua sabbata quiesceret: tum per Nebuchadnezzarem apud Danielem, Cor ejus ab homine mutabitur, et cor bestiae dabitur ei, dum septem tempora mutabuntur super eum, iv 13, 22, 29 [A.V. 16, 25, 32]. De vastatione ultimorum temporum, apud Johannem, Vidi aliud signum in caelo, magnum et admirabile, angelos septem habentes plagas septem ultimas, Apoc. {x}xv 1, 6, 7;
quod 'urbem sanctam calcabunt mensibus quadraginta duobus, seu sexies septem, Apoc. xi 2; apud eundem, Vidi librum [scriptum] intus et a tergo, obsignatam sigillis septem, Apoc. v 1. Inde gravitates et incrementa poenae per septenarium exprimebantur, ut apud Mosen, Si ad hoc non oboediveritis Mihi, addam castigare vos septuplo propter peccata vestra, Lev. xxvi 18, 22, 24, 28:
apud Davidem, Redde vicinis nostris septuplum in sinum eorum, Ps. lxxix 12. Ideo nunc quia sacrosanctum erat violare fidem, quoniam inserviret, ut dictum, dicitur quod 'septempliciter vindicabitur, qui occideret Cainum.' @ 1 Sacrosanctus has the same sense as Polynesiam 'taboo.'$