4280.就内在历史意义而言，“就将他的大腿窝摸了一把”表示婚姻与属世良善结合的地方。这从“大腿窝”的含义清楚可知，“大腿窝”是指婚姻之爱与它结合的地方（参看4277节）。之所以表示与属世良善结合的地方，是因为大腿所在的部位与脚相连。“脚”在内义上表示属世良善（参看2162，3147，3761，3986节）。
“大腿”表示婚姻之爱，“脚”表示属世良善，这一点是现在已过时和消亡的事之一。存在于代表和有意义符号时代的古教会十分清楚这些事，关于它们的知识就构成他们的聪明和智慧。事实上，这种知识不仅构成那些属教会之人的聪明和智慧，还构成那些教会外之人的聪明和智慧，这一点从外邦人所写的最古老的书籍，以及其中现被称为神话的故事清楚看出来；因为有意义的符号和代表从古教会传播到那些外邦人当中。对他们来说，“大腿和两腰”也表示属婚姻之物，而“脚”表示属世之物。大腿和脚具有这种含义源于人的一切部位、器官和脏腑与大人的对应关系，现在各章末尾所论述的，就是这种对应关系。下文将进一步讨论大腿、脚的对应关系，在那里将以活生生的经历证实它们的含义如上所述。
在今天看来，这些事就像个谜，因为如前所述，这种知识已经过时，彻底消亡了。然而，这种知识远远胜过其它知识，这从以下事实清楚看出来：若没有这种知识，绝无法得知圣言的内义；因为与世人同在的天使照内义来理解圣言；还因为人凭这种知识而与天堂联系。令人难以置信的是，内在人本身并不以其它方式来思考；因为当外在人照字面来理解圣言时，内在人却照内义来理解，尽管此人活在肉身时对根本没有任何意识。这一点从以下事实看得尤其清楚：当人进入来世，并成为天使时，可以说他便本能地知道内义，无需学习。
至于何为“大腿”和“两腰”所表示的婚姻之爱，可参看前文（995，1123，2727-2759节）；婚姻之爱是所有爱的根基（686，3021节）。因此，那些拥有纯正婚姻之爱在里面的人也拥有属天之爱，也就是对主之爱，和属灵之爱，也就是对邻之仁。由于这个原因，婚姻之爱不仅是指这爱本身，还指一切属天和属灵之爱。当内在人与外在人，或属灵人与属世人结合时，就说这些爱与属世良善结合。它们的这种结合，就是“大腿窝”所表示的。总的来说，雅各及其后代没有这种结合，这一事实从下文明显看出来；因为这就是此处在内在历史意义上所论述的主题。
Potts(1905-1910) 4280
4280. That in the internal historical sense, by his "touching the hollow of Jacob's thigh," is signified where conjugial love is conjoined with natural good, is evident from the signification of the "hollow of the thigh," as being where there is the conjunction of conjugial love (see above, n. 4277). That conjunction there with natural good is signified, is because the thigh is there conjoined to the feet. In the internal sense the "feet" signify natural good, as may be seen above (n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986). [2] That the "thigh" denotes conjugial love, and the "feet" natural good, is among the things that are now obsolete and lost. The Ancient Church, which was in representatives and significatives, knew these things very well. The knowledge of such things was their intelligence and wisdom, and this not only of those who were of the church, but also of those who were out of the church, as is evident from the oldest books of the Gentiles, and from the things which at this day are called fables; for significatives and representatives were derived to them from the Ancient Church. With them also the thighs and the loins signified what is conjugial, and the feet what is natural. The thighs and the feet have this signification from the correspondences of all man's members, organs, and viscera with the Grand Man, which correspondences are now being treated of at the end of the chapters. Of the correspondences with the thigh and the feet more will be said in what follows, where it will be confirmed by living experience that such is their signification. [3] At the present day these things cannot but appear paradoxical, because, as before said, this knowledge is altogether obsolete and lost. And yet how much this knowledge surpasses other knowledges, may be seen from the fact that without it the Word cannot possibly be known as to its internal sense; and because the angels who are with man perceive the Word according to this sense; and also because by means of this knowledge communication is given to man with heaven. And (what is incredible) the internal man itself thinks in no other way; for when the external man apprehends the Word according to the letter, the internal man apprehends it at the same time according to the internal sense, although the man while living in the body is not aware of this. Especially may this be seen from the fact that when a man comes into the other life and becomes an angel, he knows the internal sense as of himself without instruction. [4] What conjugial love is, which is signified by the thighs and also by the loins, may be seen above (n. 995, 1123, 2727-2759); and that conjugial love is the fundamental of all loves (n. 686, 3021); and hence it is that those who are in genuine conjugial love are also in celestial love (that is, in love to the Lord), and in spiritual love (that is, in charity toward the neighbor); and therefore by conjugial love not only is this love itself meant, but also all celestial and spiritual love. These loves are said to be conjoined with natural good when the internal man is conjoined with the external, or the spiritual man with the natural. This conjunction is that which is signified by the "hollow of the thigh." That with Jacob and his posterity in general there was no such conjunction, will appear from what follows; for this is the subject here treated of in the internal historical sense.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4280
4280. In that lower sense the words 'he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh' mean where conjugial love is joined to natural good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the hollow of the thigh' as the place where conjugial love is linked to it, see above in 4277. The reason why the place where it is linked to natural good is meant is that it is the place where the thigh is joined to the feet. 'The feet' in the internal sense means natural good, see 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986.
[2] As regards 'the thigh' meaning conjugial love and 'the feet' natural good, that is one of those realities known in the past which have grown old and died. The Ancient Church, which existed in an age of representatives and meaningful signs, was extremely well acquainted with these meanings, such knowledge of them constituting their intelligence and wisdom. Indeed it constituted the intelligence and wisdom not only of those who belonged to the Church but also of those outside the Church, as becomes clear from the oldest books written by gentiles and from the stories in them which are nowadays called myths - for meaningful signs and representatives spread from the Ancient Church to those gentiles. With these also 'the thighs and loins' meant that which belonged to marriage, and 'the feet' things that were natural. The origin of this meaning of 'the thighs and the feet' lies in the correspondences of all the members, organs, and viscera of the human being with the Grand Man, which - that is to say, such correspondences - are being dealt with now at the ends of chapters. The correspondences with the thigh and the feet will be discussed again further on, where actual experience will be used to corroborate that their meaning is as indicated above.
[3] These things are bound to seem like enigmas at the present day because, as has been stated, that knowledge has grown very old indeed and died. Yet how far that knowledge excels other types of knowledge becomes clear from the consideration that the internal sense of the Word cannot possibly be known without that knowledge, as well as for the reason that the angels present with man perceive the Word according to that sense. It becomes clear also from the consideration that by means of that knowledge man is provided with communication with heaven. And what is unbelievable, the internal man himself does not think in any other way; for when the external man understands the Word according to the letter the internal man does so according to the internal sense, though while living in the body a person is not at all conscious of doing so. This becomes particularly clear from the fact that when anyone enters the next life and becomes an angel he has no need to learn the internal sense but knows it instinctively, so to speak.
[4] What conjugial love is which is meant by 'the thighs' and also by 'the loins', see 995, 1123, 2727-2759; and conjugial love is the basic love of all loves, 686, 3021. Consequently people who have genuine conjugial love in them also have celestial love, which is love to the Lord, and spiritual love, which is charity towards the neighbour. For this reason the expression 'conjugial love' is used to mean not only that love itself but also all celestial and spiritual love. These kinds of love are said to be joined to natural good when the internal man is joined to the external, that is, the spiritual man to the natural - that joining together of them being meant by 'the hollow of the thigh'. The fact that with Jacob and his descendants in general no such conjunction existed will be evident from what follows, for this is the subject dealt with here in the internal historical sense.
Latin(1748-1756) 4280
4280. Quod in illo sensu per quod `tetigit volam femoris Jacobi' significetur ubi amor conjugialis conjungitur bono naturali, constat a significatione `volae femoris' quod sit ubi conjunctio amoris conjugialis {1}, {2} videatur supra n. 4277; quod conjunctio ibi cum bono naturali significetur, est quia ibi femur conjungitur pedibus; `pedes' in sensu interno significant bonum naturale; quod pedes illud significent, videatur n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986. [2] Quod `femur' sit amor conjugialis, et `pedes' bonum naturale, est inter res {3} quae antiquatae et deperditae (o)sunt; Antiqua Ecclesia, quae in (t)repraesentativis et significativis fuit, haec optime novit; talium notitia erat eorum intelligentia et sapientia;immo non solum (c)eorum qui ab Ecclesia, sed etiam illorum qui extra Ecclesiam, ut constare potest a vetustissimis libris gentilium, ac ab illis {4} quae hodie vocantur fabulosa;
significativa enim et repraesentativa ab Ecclesia Antiqua ad illos derivata sunt; apud hos quoque `femora et {5} lumbi' significarunt conjugiale {6}, (c)et `pedes' naturalia. Quod `femora et pedes' illa significent, est ex correspondentiis omnium membrorum, organorum et viscerum hominis cum Maximo Homine, de quibus, nempe correspondentiis, ad finem capitum nunc agitur; de correspondentiis cum femore et cum pedibus etiam in sequentibus dicetur, et ibi per experientiam vivam confirmabitur quod illa sit significatio illorum. [3] Haec non possunt quin paradoxa appareant hodie quia, ut dictum, scientia illa prorsus antiquata et deperdita est; sed usque quantum illa scientia praestat scientiis aliis, constare potest ex eo quod Verbum quoad sensum internum absque illa nusquam possit sciri, et quia angeli qui apud hominem secundum illum sensum percipiant Verbum; tum quod {7} per illam scientiam communicatio detur {8} homini cum caelo; et quod incredibile, ipse internus homo non aliter cogitat, cum enim' externus capit Verbum secundum litteram, tunc ille secundum sensum internum, tametsi homo cum vivit in corpore, id nescit; hoc imprimis ex eo constare potest quod homo cum in alteram vitam venit ac fit angelus, absque instructione quasi ex se id sciat. [4] Quid amor conjugialis, qui significatur per `femora {9},' tum per `lumbos,' videatur n. 995, (x)1123, 2727-2759; et quod amor conjugialis sit fundamentalis omnium amorum, n. 686, 3021; inde est quod qui in amore genuino conjugiali sunt, etiam sint in amore caelesti, hoc est, in amore in Dominum, ac in amore spirituali, hoc est, in charitate {10} erga proximum; quapropter per amorem conjugialem non solum intelligitur ipse ille amor sed etiam omnis amor caelestis et spiritualis; hi amores dicuntur conjungi cum bono naturali quando internus homo cum externo, seu spiritualis homo cum naturali; conjunctio illa est quae significatur per `volam femoris.' Quod apud Jacobum et ejus posteros in communi nulla conjunctio fuerit, patebit a sequentibus, nam de illa re in sensu interno historico hic agitur. @1 conjugalis I, conjugialis A$ @2 de qua$ @3 inter res illas sunt$ @4 i ibi$ @5 ut$ @6 conjugialia$ @7 quia$ @8 datur$ @9 femur$ @10 amore$