4236.“雅各看见他们就说，这是神的军营”表天堂。“神的军营”表示天堂，因为“军队”表示真理和良善（3448节），真理和良善被主按天上的次序来排列。因此，天上的次序本身，也就是天堂，就由“军营”来表示。这种“军营”或次序具有这样的性质：地狱绝无法拆散它，尽管地狱不断努力这样做。这也是为何这种次序，或天堂被称作“军营”，又为何按这种次序被排列的真理与良善，也就是天使被称作“军队”（或译军旅等）。由此明显可知，“神的军营”为何表示天堂。以色列人在旷野的营地就代表这种实际的次序，因而代表天堂本身；他们在旷野照各支派的共同居住被称作“营地”。而会幕在中央，他们则在会幕周围扎营，这会幕就代表主自己。关于以色列人以这种方式扎营，可参看民数记(
各支派表示作为整体的一切良善与真理（参看3858，3862，3926，3939，4060节）。正因如此，当巴兰见以色列人照着支派居住，神的灵临到他身上时，他便题起诗歌说：
雅各啊，你的帐棚何等华美！以色列啊，你的帐幕何其华丽！如接连的山谷，如河旁的园子。（民数记24:5-6）
很明显，这个预言不是指以雅各和以色列所命名的人民，而是指这是所代表的主的天堂。由于同样的原因，在圣言的其它经文中，他们在旷野的这种有序的定居点，或照各支派扎营被称作“营地”；在这些经文中，“营地”在内义上表示天堂的次序，“安营”（或扎营）表示照着这种次序的排列，也就是说，照着良善与真理存在于天堂所在的次序的排列（如利未记4:12；8:17；13:46；14:8；16:26，28；24:14，23；民数记第三章；民数记4:5-33；5:2-4；9:17至末尾；10:1-10，28；11:31，32；12:14，15；31:19-24；申命记23:9-14）。
“神的营”表示天堂，这一点也可见于约珥书：
在祂面前，地震动，天摇撼，日月昏暗，星辰收回其光辉。耶和华在祂军旅前发声，祂的营兵甚多；遵行祂话的是强盛的。（约珥书2:10-11）
撒迦利亚书：
我必在我家四围驻扎军队，不让任何人来回经过，压迫者也不再经过。（撒迦利亚书9:8）
启示录：
歌革和玛各上到地的宽阔处，围住圣徒的营与蒙爱的城，就有火由神那里降下，烧灭了他们。（启示录20:9）
“歌革和玛各”表示那些处于脱离内在的外在敬拜之人，这种敬拜已沦为偶像崇拜（1151节）。“地的宽阔处”表示教会的真理，“宽阔处”（或平原，plain）表示构成教义教导的真理（参看2450节）；“地”表示教会（556，662，1066，1067，1850，2117，2118，3355节）。“圣徒的营”表示天堂或主在地上的国度，也就是教会。
由于在圣言中，绝多数事物都具有一个反面意义，所以“营地”也是，在这种情况下，它表示邪恶与虚假，因而表示地狱。如诗篇：
虽有邪恶军营驻扎攻击我，我的心也不害怕。（诗篇27:3）
又：
神把那安营攻击我之人的骨头散开了。你使他们蒙羞，因为神弃绝了他们。（诗篇53:5）
耶和华的使者在亚述营中杀了十八万五千人（以赛亚书37:36），其中亚述营没有别的含义；埃及人的营地（出埃及记14:20）也是。
Potts(1905-1910) 4236
4236. And Jacob said when he saw them, This is the camp of God. That this signifies heaven, is because the "camp of God" signifies heaven, for the reason that an "army" signifies truths and goods (n. 3448), and truths and goods are marshaled by the Lord in heavenly order; hence an "encamping" denotes a marshalling by armies; and the heavenly order itself which is heaven, is the "camp." This "camp" or order is of such a nature that hell cannot possibly break in upon it, although it is in the constant endeavor to do so. Hence also this order, or heaven, is called a "camp," and the truths and goods (that is, the angels) who are marshaled in this order, are called "armies." This shows whence it is that the "camp of God" signifies heaven. It is this very order, and thus heaven itself, which was represented by the encampments of the sons of Israel in the wilderness; and their dwelling together in the wilderness according to their tribes was called the "camp." The tabernacle in the midst, and around which they encamped, represented the Lord Himself. That the sons of Israel encamped in this manner, may be seen in Numbers 1 and 33:2-56; as also that they encamped around the tabernacle by their tribes-toward the east Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; toward the south Reuben, Simeon, and Gad; toward the west Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin; toward the north Dan, Asher, and Naphtali; and the Levites in the middle near the tabernacle (2:2-34). [2] The tribes signified all goods and truths in the complex (see n. 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939, 4060). It was for this reason that when Balaam saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes, and the spirit of God came upon him, he uttered his enunciation, saying: How good are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, thy dwelling places, O Israel, as the valleys are they planted, as gardens by the river (Num. 24:5-6). That by this prophecy was not meant the people named Jacob and Israel, but that it was the heaven of the Lord that was represented, is very manifest. For the same reason their marshallings in the wilderness, that is, their encampings by tribes, are called "camps" in other passages of the Word; and by a "camp" is there signified in the internal sense heavenly order; and by "encamping" a marshalling in accordance with this order, namely, the order in which goods and truths are disposed in heaven (as in Lev. 4:12; 8:17; 13:46; 14:8; 16:26, 28; 24:14, 23; Num. 2; 4:5-33; 5:2-4; 9:17 to the end; 10:1-10, 28; 11:31, 32; 12:14, 15; 31:19-24; Deut. 23:10-14). [3] That the "camp of God" denotes heaven may also be seen in Joel: The earth quaked before Him, the heavens trembled, the sun and the moon were blackened, and the stars withdrew their brightness, and Jehovah uttered His voice before His army, for His camp is exceeding many, for numerous is he that doeth His word (Joel 2:10-11). In Zechariah:
I will encamp at my house from the army, on account of him who passeth by, and on account of him who goeth away, lest the extortioner should pass over them (Zech. 9:8). In John:
Gog and Magog went up over the plain of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; but fire came up from God and consumed them (Rev. 20:9);
"Gog and Magog" denote those who are in external worship that is separated from internal and made idolatrous (n. 1151); the "plain of the earth" denotes the truth of the church (that a "plain" is the truth which is of doctrine may be seen above, n. 2450; and that the "earth" is the church, n. 556, 662, 1066, 1067, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355); the "camp of the saints" denotes the heaven or kingdom of the Lord on the earth, which is the church. [4] As most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so likewise has a "camp," which then signifies evils and falsities, consequently hell; as in David:
Though the evil should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear (Ps. 27:3). In the same:
God hath scattered the bones of them that encamp against me; thou hast put them to shame, because God hath rejected them (Ps. 53:5). By the camp of Assyria, in which the angel of Jehovah smote a hundred and eighty-five thousand (Isa. 37:36), nothing else is meant; and the same by the camp of the Egyptians (Exod. 14:20).
Elliott(1983-1999) 4236
4236. 'And Jacob said [when he saw them], This is God's camp' means heaven. 'God's camp' means heaven, for the reason that 'an army' means truths and goods, 3448, and goods and truths are arranged by the Lord in conformity with heavenly order. Hence the arrangement of them like armies when arrayed is meant by 'an encampment', and the heavenly order itself, which is heaven, by 'a camp'. This camp or order is such that it cannot in any way be broken apart by hell, despite the constant effort from hell to break it apart. This also is why this order, which is heaven, is referred to as 'a camp', and why truths and goods, that is, angels, who are arranged in conformity with that order are called 'armies'. From all this it is now evident how 'God's camp' comes to mean heaven. It is that actual order, and so heaven itself, which was represented by the encampments of the children of Israel in the wilderness; and their actual dwelling together there according to their tribes was referred to as 'the camp'. The Tabernacle pitched in the middle and around which they encamped represented the Lord Himself. Regarding the children of Israel's encampment in this manner, see Num 1:1-end, and 33:2-56; and regarding their encampment around the Tabernacle according to their tribes - Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun to the east; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad to the south; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin to the west; Dan, Asher, and Naphtali to the north; and the Levites in the middle next to the Tabernacle - Num 2:2 and following verses.
[2] The tribes' means all goods and truths in their entirety, see 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939, 4060. Consequently when Balaam saw Israel dwelling according to tribes and the Spirit of God came upon him, he delivered the utterance,
How good your tabernacles are, O Jacob; your dwelling-places, O Israel! They are like valleys that are planted, like gardens beside a river. Num 24:2, 3, 5, 6.
It is quite plain that this prophecy did not mean the people named Jacob and Israel but that it was the Lord's heaven which was represented. This also is why in other places in the Word their ordered settlements in the wilderness, or encampments according to tribes, are called camps, and in those places 'a camp' in the internal sense means heavenly order and 'encampment' an arrangement in conformity with that order, that is to say, with the order in which goods and truths exist in heaven - as in Lev 4:12; 8:17; 13:46; 14:8; 16:26, 28; 24:14, 23; Num. 3; 4:4 and following verses; 5:2-4; 9:17-end; 10:1-11, 28; 11:31, 32; 12:14, 15; 31:19-24; Deut 23:9-14.
[3] The meaning of 'God's camp' as heaven may also be seen in Joel,
The earth quaked before Him, the heavens trembled. The sun and the moon were darkened, and the stars gathered back their shining; and Jehovah gave voice before His army, for His camp is exceedingly many; for that which executes His word is uncountable. Joel 2:-10, 11.
In Zechariah,
I will encamp by My house with an army set against anyone passing through and against anyone leaving, so that the oppressor passes over them no more. Zech 9:8.
In John,
Gog and Magog went up over the breadtha of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city; but fire came downb from God and consumed them. Rev 20:9.
'Gog and Magog' stands for people whose worship is external separated from internal - worship that has become idolatrous, 1151. 'The breadth of the earth' stands for truth possessed by the Church - 'breadth', or a plain, meaning truth that constitutes doctrinal teaching, 2450, and 'earth' the Church, 556, 662, 1066, 1067, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355. 'The camp of the saints' stands for heaven or the Lord's kingdom on earth, which is the Church.
[4] Since most things in the Word also have a contrary sense, so too does the word 'camp'. In this case it means evils and falsities, and consequently hell, as in David,
Though the evil pitch camp against me, my heart will not fear. Ps 27:3.
In the same author,
God has scattered the bones of those encamping against you;c you have put them to shame, for God has rejected them. Ps 53:5.
The camp of Asshur in which the angel of Jehovah smote a hundred and eighty- five thousand, Isa 37:36, does not have any other meaning, nor likewise does the camp of the Egyptians, Exod 14:19, 20.
Latin(1748-1756) 4236
4236. `Et dixit Jacob, Castra Dei haec': quod significet caelum {1}; quod `castra Dei' significent caelum est quia exercitus significat vera et bona, n. 3448, ac vera et bona sunt a Domino disposita secundum ordinem caelestem; inde dispositio secundum exercitus est `castrametatio,' ac ipse ordo caelestis, qui est caelum, sunt `castra'; haec castra seu hic ordo talis est ut nullatenus infringi ab inferno possit, tametsi continuus conatus inferno est infringendi illum, inde quoque {2} ordo ille seu caelum dicuntur `castra,' ac vera et bona, hoc est, angeli, qui secundum ordinem illum dispositi sunt, vocantur `exercitus'; ex hic {3} nunc patet unde `castra Dei' significant caelum; ipse ille ordo est qui `repraesentabatur' per castrametationes filiorum Israelis in deserto, ita ipsum caelum, et ipsa cohabitatio ibi secundum tribus dicebantur castra; Tabernaculum quod in medio, et circum quod castrametabantur, repraesentabat Ipsum Dominum; quod sic castra metarentur filii Israelis, videatur Num. i 1 ad fin. et xxxiii (x)2-56; quod circum Tabernaculum secundum tribus, nempe versus orientem Jehudas, Jisaschar et Zebulon, versus meridiem Reuben, Shimeon, Gad, versus occidentem Ephraim, Menasheh, Benjamin, versus septentrionem Dan, Asher et Naphtali, ac Levitae in medio juxta Tabernaculum, Num. ii 2 seq.; [2] quod per `tribus' significentur omnia bona et vera in complexu, videatur n. 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939, 4060; inde est quod Bileamus cum videret Israelem habitantem juxta tribus, et veniret super eum tunc spiritus Dei, ediderit enuntiatum, dicendo,... Quam bona sunt tabernacula tua, Jacobe, habitacula tua Israel, sicut valles plantantur, sicut horti juxta fluvium, Num. xxiv 2, 3, 5, 6;quod per prophetica illa, non populus qui Jacob et qui Israel nominabatur, intellectus sit, patet manifeste, sed quod caelum Domini quod repraesentabatur. Inde (o)etiam alibi in Verbo ordinationes illorum in deserto, seu castrametationes secundum tribus, dictae sunt castra; et per `castra' ibi in sensu interno significatur ordo caelestis, et per `castrametationem' dispositio secundum ordinem illum, nempe secundum ordinem in quo sunt bona et vera in caelo, ut Lev. iv 12; viii 17; (x)xiii 46; xiv 26, 28; xxiv 14, 23; Num. iii; iv 4 seq.; v 2-(x)4; ix 17 ad fin.; x 1-11, (x)28; xi 31, 32; xii 14, 15; xxxi 19-(x)24; Deut. xxiii 10-15. Quod `castra Dei' sint caelum, etiam constare potest apud Joelem, Coram Ipso commota est terra, contremuerunt caeli, sol et luna atrati sunt, et stellae collegerunt splendorem suum, et Jehovah dedit vocem Suam coram exercitu Suo, quia multa valde castra Ipsius, quia numerosus faciens verbum Ipsius, ii 10, 11:
apud Zachariam, Castrametabor ad domum Meam de exercitu prae transeunte et prae abeunte, ne transeat super illos exactor, ix 8:
apud Johannem, Gogus et Magogus ascenderunt super planitiem terrae, et circumdederunt castra sanctorum, et civitatem {5} dilectam {6}; sed ascendit ignis a Deo, et consumpsit eos, Apoc. xx 9;
`Gogus et Magogus' pro illis qui in cultu externo separato ab interno, et facto idololatrico, n. 1151; `planities terrae' pro vero Ecclesiae {7}, (o)quod planities sit verum quod doctrinalis, n. 2450, et quod `terra' sit Ecclesia, n. 556, 662, 1066, 1067, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355; `castra sanctorum' pro caelo seu regno Domini in terris, quod est {8} Ecclesia. [4] Quia pleraque in Verbo etiam oppositum sensum habent, ita quoque `castra,' et ibi significant mala et falsa, proinde infernum, ut apud Davidem, Si mali metabuntur contra me castra, non timebit cor meum, Ps. xxvii 3:
apud eundem, Deus dispersit ossa castrametantium contra me, pudefecisti, quia Deus rejecit illos, Ps. liii 6 [A.V. 5]. Per `castra Asshuris, in quibus percussit angelus Jehovae centum et octoginta et quinque millia,' Esai. xxxvii 36, nec aliud intellectum est; pariter per `castra Aegyptiorum,' Exod. xiv 19, 20. @1 i, constat a significatione castrorum Dei, quod sint caelum$ @2 etiam$ @3 quibus$ @4 repraesentatus fuit$ @5 urbem$ @6 delectam I$ @7 Ecclesia$ @8 bonis et veris, ex quibus$