4189.“来吧！现在我们立个约吧，我与你；就让它作你我中间的证据”表神性属世层与那些在边上的人，就是外邦人所在的行为良善的结合。 这从“约”的含义，以及拉班和雅各的代表清楚可知：“约”是指结合（参看665，666，1023，1038，1864，1996，2003，2021节）；拉班，就是此处的“我”是指行为的良善，如下文所示；雅各，就是此处的“你”是指神性属世层。
“拉班”在此之所以表示那些在边上的人，就是外邦人所在的行为良善，是因为拉班现与雅各分离，也就是说，居间或中间良善与属世层的神性良善分离，他无法再代表居间或中间良善。但他充当了一种手段，故代表某种良善，事实是在边上的良善，或旁系良善。拉班在如此与雅各结合之前，就代表旁系良善（参看3612，3665，3778节），相应代表在边上的良善，该良善的性质将在下文予以阐述。拉班的情况与罗得和以实玛利的差不多。只要罗得与亚伯拉罕在一起，他就代表主的外在感官人（1428，1434，1547，1597，1598，1698节）。但一旦与亚伯拉罕分离，他就代表那些处于外在敬拜，然而仍拥有仁爱的人（2317，2324，2371，2399节），以及教会许多连续状态（2422，2459节）。
同样，只要以实玛利与亚伯拉罕在一起，他就代表主的第一理性（1893，1949-1951节）；但后来，一旦被分离出去，他就代表那些属灵之人（2078，2691，2699，3263，3268节）。拉班的情形也差不多是这样。原因在于，尽管分离已经发生，但结合仍旧存留，但已经不是之前的那种了。正因如此，此处和下文的拉班代表行为的良善，就是诸如那些在边上的人，即外邦人所具有的那种良善。之所以说外邦人在边上，或处于旁系良善，是因为他们在教会之外。那些在教会内、处于真理与良善的人并不属于旁系一支，而是属于直系一支，因为他们拥有圣言，并通过圣言直接与天堂交流，又通过天堂与主交流。但外邦人则不然，因为他们没有圣言，不认识主。这就是为何说他们在边上。这些外邦人在此是指那些处于行为良善，也就是处于有仁之良善在里面的外在之人。他们的行为被称作“行为的良善”，而非“良善的行为”。因为良善的行为即使没有良善在里面也可存在，但行为的良善则不可。
Potts(1905-1910) 4189
4189. And now come, let us make a covenant, I and thou, and let it be for a witness between me and thee. That this signifies the conjunction of the Divine natural with the goods of works, in which are they who are aside, or the Gentiles, is evident from the signification of a "covenant," as being conjunction (see n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021); from the representation here of Laban, who is "I," as being the goods of works, as shown in what follows; and from the representation of Jacob, who here is "thou," as being the Divine natural. [2] That by "Laban" are here signified the goods of works in which are those who are aside, or the Gentiles, is for the reason that as Laban is now separated from Jacob (that is, mediate good from the good Divine of the natural), he can no longer represent mediate good; but as he had served for a means, he therefore represents some good, and indeed good that is aside, or collateral good. Before Laban had been thus conjoined with Jacob, he represented collateral good (see n. 3612, 3665, 3778), and accordingly good that is aside, the nature of which will be stated in what follows. It is similar with Laban as with Lot and Ishmael. So long as Lot was with Abraham, he represented the Lord as to the external sensuous man (n. 1428, 1434, 1547, 1597, 1598, 1698); but when he had been separated from Abraham, he represented those who are in external worship, but yet in charity (n. 2317, 2324, 2371, 2399), and also several states of the church successively (n. 2422, 2459). [3] It was so with Ishmael: so long as he was with Abraham, he represented the Lord's first rational (n. 1893, 1949-1951); but when he was afterwards separated, he represented those who are called the spiritual (n. 2078, 2691, 2699, 3263, 3268). Such also is the case with Laban. The reason is, that although a separation has been made, conjunction still remains, but not that which existed before. It is for this reason that Laban here and in what now follows represents the goods of works, such as are with those who are aside, that is, with the Gentiles. The Gentiles are said to be aside, or in collateral good, because they are outside of the church. Those within the church who are in truth and good are not in a collateral line, but in the direct line, for they have the Word, and through the Word they have direct communication with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; but not so the Gentiles, for these have not the Word, and know not the Lord. For this reason they are said to be aside. Those Gentiles are meant who are in the goods of works, that is, who are in externals within which there is the good of charity. These are what are called the "goods of works," but not "good works;" for good works may exist without having goods within, but not so the goods of works.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4189
4189. 'Now come, let us make a covenant, I and you, [and let it be a witness between me and you]' means a joining of the Divine Natural to works inherently good that are done by people on the sidelines, that is, by the gentiles. This is clear from the meaning of 'a covenant' as a joining together, dealt with in 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021; from the representation of Laban here, to whom 'I' refers, as works that are inherently good, dealt with below; and from the representation of Jacob, to whom 'you' refers here, as the Divine Natural.
[2] The reason why 'Laban' here means works inherently good that are done by people on the sidelines, that is, by the gentiles, is that now Laban has been separated from Jacob, that is, intermediate good from the Divine good of the Natural, he is no longer able to represent intermediate good. But since he has served as a means he therefore represents some good - to be exact, good on the sidelines, or a parallel good. For prior to his becoming joined thus to Jacob 'Laban' represented that parallel good, see 3612, 3665, 3778. He therefore means good that is on the sidelines, the nature of which good however is to be discussed below. The situation with Laban is similar to that with Lot and that with Ishmael. As long as Lot was with Abraham he represented the Lord as regards the external sensory man, 1428, 1434, 1547, 1597, 1598, 1698. But once he was separated from Abraham he represented those whose worship was external but who nevertheless had charity, 2317, 2324, 2371, 2399, as well as representing many consecutive states of the Church, 2422, 2459.
[3] As long as Ishmael likewise was with Abraham he represented the Lord's first rational, 1893, 1949-1951; but after that, once he was separated from him, he represented those who were spiritual, 2078, 2691, 2699, 3263, 3268. And the situation involving Laban is similar, for the reason that although separation had taken place, intermediate good was still joined to the Divine Natural, yet not in the way it had been previously. This is why in this verse and in those immediately following 'Laban' represents works that are inherently good, such as are performed by people on the sidelines, that is, by gentiles. Gentiles are said to be on the sidelines, or to be governed by a parallel good, because they are outside the Church. Those within the Church who are governed by good and truth do not belong to a parallel line but to the direct line of descent since they possess the Word, and by means of the Word they have a direct communication with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord. This is not so with gentiles since they do not have the Word and do not know the Lord. That is why they are said to be on the sidelines. But those particular gentiles are meant here who do works that are inherently good, that is, who perform deeds of an external nature which have the good of charity within them. Their deeds are not called good works but works that are inherently so. For though it cannot be so in the case of works that are inherently good, good works can be devoid of any good within them.
Latin(1748-1756) 4189
4189. `Nunc ito, pangamus foedus ego et tu': quod significet conjunctionem Divini Naturalis cum bonis operum in quibus illi qui a latere seu gentes, constat ex significatione `foederis' quod sit conjunctio, de qua n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021;ex repraesentatione `Labanis' hic qui est `ego,' quod sint bona operum, de qua sequitur; et ex repraesentatione `Jacobi' qui hic est `tu,' quod sit Divinum Naturale. [2] Quod per `Labanem' hic significentur bona operum in quibus illi qui a latere, seu gentes, est causa quia nunc separatus [est] Laban a Jacobo, hoc est, bonum medium a bono Divino Naturalis, non amplius repraesentare potest bonum medium; sed quia servivit pro medio, ideo repraesentat aliquod bonum, et quidem bonum a latere, seu bonum collaterale;
quod `Laban' antequam Jacobo ita conjunctus esset, repraesentaverit bonum collaterale, videatur n. 3612, 3665, 3778, proinde bonum a latere; at quale id bonum sit, in sequentibus dicetur: cum Labane similiter se habet ac cum Loto et {1} Jishmaele; `Lotus' quamdiu fuit cum Abrahamo, repraesentavit Dominum quoad sensualem externum hominem, n. 1428, 1434, 1547, 1597, 1598, 1698; at cum separatus est ab Abrahamo, repraesentavit illos qui in externo cultu sed usque in charitate, n. 2317, 2324, 2371, 2399, tum plures status Ecclesiae successive, n. 2422, 2459. [3] `Jishmael' pariter, quamdiu is fuit cum Abrahamo, repraesentavit primum rationale Domini, n. 1893, 1949-1951; at dein cum separatus est, repraesentavit spirituales, n. 2078, 2699, 2699, 3263, 3268; ita quoque se habet cum Labane; causa est quia tametsi separatio facta, usque remanet conjunctio, sed non illa quae prius; inde est quod `Laban' hic et in nunc sequentibus, repraesentet bona operum qualia sunt apud illos qui a latere sunt, hoc est, apud gentes; a latere dicuntur gentes, seu in bono collaterali, quia extra Ecclesiam sunt'; qui intra Ecclesiam in bono et vero sunt, non in linea collaterali sunt sed in linea directa, nam illis Verbum est {2}, et per Verbum communicatio directa eum caelo, et per caelum cum Domino; non autem gentibus, nam hae Verbum non habent {3}, nec norunt Dominum; inde est quod dicantur {4} a later; sed intelliguntur gentes quae in bonis operum, hoc est, quae in externis in quibus intus est bonum charitatis; haec sunt quae vocantur bona operum, non autem bona opera, nam bona opera dari possunt absque bonis intus, non autem bona operum. @1 i cum$ @2 A i revelatum but partly d$ @3 quae non Verbum habent$ @4 i illi. I has dicuntur$