4281.“雅各的大腿窝正在同那人摔跤的时候就扭了”表示在雅各的后代当中，该结合被彻底破坏和拆开了。这从“扭了”的含义清楚可知，就这层意义而言，“扭了”是指被拆开，因而是指受到破坏。从刚才所述（4280节）明显可知，“大腿窝”表示结合；因为在圣言中，“雅各”不仅是指雅各，还指他所有的后代，这一点从圣言中的许多经文清楚看出来（民数记23:7，10，21，23；24:5，17，19；申命记33:10；以赛亚书40:27；43:1，22；44:1，2，21；48:12；59:20；耶利米书10:16，25；30:7，10，18；31:7，11；46:27，28；何西阿书10:11；阿摩司书7:2；弥迦书2:12；3:8；诗篇14:7；24:6；59:13；78:5；99:4等）。
雅各及其后代具有这样的秉性：在他们当中，属天和属灵之爱无法与属世良善结合，也就是说，内在人或属灵人无法与外在人或属世人结合。这一点从圣言中涉及这个民族的细节明显看出来；因为他们不知道，也不愿知道何为内在人或属灵人，因而这一切并未向他们透露。事实上，他们以为除了外在和属世之物外，人里面什么东西也没有。在他们的一切敬拜中，他们也不关注别的，以致对他们来说，神性敬拜完全就是偶像崇拜；因为一旦内在敬拜与外在敬拜分离，它就成了纯粹的偶像崇拜了。在他们中间所建立的教会实际上并不是一个教会，仅仅是一个教会的代表；由于这个原因，该教会被称作代表教会。教会的代表存在于这种人当中是有可能的（参看1361，3670，4208节）。
事实上，在代表中，不要关注去代表的这个人，而要关注这个人所代表的事物。因此，神性、属天和属灵之物不仅由人来代表，还由无生命之物代表，如亚伦的衣服，约柜，祭坛，献祭的牛和羊，灯台和灯盏，金桌上的陈设饼，他们膏抹所用的油，乳香，以及其它类似事物。这就为何他们的王，无论邪恶还是良善的，都代表主的王权；大祭司，无论邪恶的还是良善的，在照着所规定的典章和律例于外在形式上履行自己的职能时，都代表属于主之神职的事物。因此，为了教会的代表能在他们当中得以存在，诸如完全就是代表的这类典章和律法通过明显的启示而被赋予他们。所以，只要持守并严格遵行它们，这些人就能起代表作用。但当他们有所偏离，朝向其它民族的典章和律法，尤其朝向对别神的敬拜时，他们就失去了代表的功能。由于这个原因，他们通过诸如被掳、灾祸、威胁和神迹这样的外在手段被迫转向具有真正代表性的律法和典章；而不是像那些其外在敬拜拥有内在敬拜在里面之人那样通过内在手段。就内在历史意义而言，这些事由“雅各的大腿窝扭了”这句话来表示，内在历史意义关注的就是雅各及其后代。
Potts(1905-1910) 4281
4281. That by "the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint in his wrestling with him," is signified that this conjunction was wholly injured and displaced in Jacob's posterity, is evident from the signification of being "out of joint" in the sense in question, as being to be displaced, and thus to be injured. That the "hollow of the thigh" denotes conjunction, is manifest from what was said above (n. 4280); and because in the Word "Jacob" denotes not only Jacob, but also all his posterity, as is evident from many passages in the Word (Num. 23:7, 10, 21, 23; 24:5, 17, 19; Deut. 33:10; Isa. 40:27; 43:1, 22; 44:1, 2, 21; 48:12; 59:20; Jer. 10:16, 25; 30:7, 10, 18; 31:7, 11; 46:27, 28; Hos. 10:11; Amos 7:2; Micah 2:12; 3:8; Ps. 14:7; 24:6; 59:13; 78:5; 99:4; and elsewhere). [2] That Jacob and his posterity were of such a character that with them celestial and spiritual love could not be conjoined with natural good (that is, the internal or spiritual man with the external or natural man), is manifest from everything which is related of that nation in the Word; for they did not know, nor were they willing to know, what the internal or spiritual man is, and therefore this was not revealed to them; for they believed that nothing exists in man except that which is external and natural. In all their worship they had regard to nothing else, insomuch that Divine worship was to them no otherwise than idolatrous; for when internal worship is separated from external, it is merely idolatrous. The church that was instituted with them was not a church, but only the representative of a church; for which reason that church is called a representative church. That a representative of a church is possible with such people may be seen above (n. 1361, 3670, 4208). [3] For in representations the person is not reflected upon, but the thing which is represented; and therefore Divine, celestial, and spiritual things were represented not only by persons, but also by inanimate things, as by Aaron's garments, the ark, the altar, the oxen and sheep that were sacrificed, the lampstand with its lamps, the bread of arrangement upon the golden table, the oil with which they were anointed, the frankincense, and other like things. Hence it was that their kings, the evil as well as the good, represented the Lord's royalty; and the high priests, the evil as well as the good, represented the things that belong to the Lord's Divine priesthood, when they discharged their office in an outward form according to the statutes and precepts. In order therefore that the representative of a church might come forth among them, such statutes and laws were given them by manifest revelation as were altogether representative; and therefore so long as they were in them and observed them strictly, so long they were able to represent; but when they turned aside from them, as to the statutes and laws of other nations, and especially to the worship of another god, they then deprived themselves of the faculty of representing. For this reason they were driven by outward means, such as captivities, disasters, threats, and miracles, to laws and statutes truly representative; but not by internal means, as are those who have internal worship in external. These things are signified by the "hollow of Jacob's thigh being out of joint," taken in the internal historical sense, which regards Jacob and his posterity.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4281
4281. 'The hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him' means that in the descendants of Jacob that conjunction had been thoroughly damaged and the two loves pulled apart. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'wrestling' in this sense as being pulled apart and so suffering damage. It is evident from what has been stated above in 4280 that 'the hollow of the thigh' means a joining together; and that 'Jacob' in the Word means not only Jacob but also all his descendants is clear from very many places, such as Num 23:7, 10, 21, 23; 24:5, 17, 19; Deut 33:10; Isa 40:27; 43:1, 22; 44:1, 2, 21; 48:12; 59:20; Jer 10:16, 25; 30:7,10,18; 31:7, 11; 46:27, 28; Hosea 10:11; Amos 7:2; Micah 2:12; 3:8; Ps 14:7; 24:6; 59:13; 78:5; 99:4; and in other places.
[2] Jacob and his descendants were by nature such that with them celestial and spiritual love could not be joined to natural good, that is, the internal or spiritual man could not be joined to the external or natural man. This is evident from the details told in the Word concerning that nation. For they neither knew nor wished to know what the internal or spiritual man was, and therefore that matter was not revealed to them. In fact it was their belief that nothing existed with man apart from the external and natural. Nor in all their worship did they have anything else in mind, so that Divine worship with them was wholly idolatrous; for once internal worship is separated from external, it is nothing but idolatrous. The Church which was established among them was not in fact a Church but only a representative of the Church, for which reason that Church is called a representative Church. For it was possible for a representative of the Church to exist among such people, see 1361, 3670, 4208.
[3] Indeed in representations no attention is paid to the person who represents, only to the thing represented by him. Consequently not only persons represented Divine, celestial, or spiritual things, but also inanimate objects, such as Aaron's garments, the ark, the altar, the oxen and sheep which used to be sacrificed, the lampstand with its lamps, the bread of the presence on the table of gold, the oil with which they were anointed, the frankincense, and other objects like these. This was why their kings, bad ones no less than the good, represented the Lord's kingship, and why their high priests, bad ones no less than the good, represented the things that belong to the Lord's Divine priesthood, when they performed their own function in external form according to the prescribed rules and commands. In order therefore that among them a representative of the Church might come into existence they were provided through plainly visible revelation with such prescribed rules and such laws as would be entirely representative. Therefore as long as they kept to them and strictly complied with them, those people were able to play a representative role. But when they deviated from them into the prescribed rules and laws of other nations, and in particular to the worship of another god, they deprived themselves of their ability to play that representative role. For this reason they were coerced by external means - which were captivities, calamities, threats, and miracles - into obeying laws and prescribed rules that were truly representative, not by internal means, as those people are whose external worship has internal within it. These are the considerations that are meant in the internal historical sense by the words 'the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint', which sense has regard to Jacob and his descendants.
Latin(1748-1756) 4281
4281. Per quod `luxata vola femoris Jacobi in luctando illo cum eo significetur quod prorsus illa conjunctio in Jacobi posteris laesa et emota, constare potest (c)a significatione `luxari' in illo sensu, quod sit emoveri et sic laedi; quod `vola femoris' sit conjunctio, ex illis quae supra n. 4280 dicta sunt, patet; et quod `Jacob' in Verbo, non solum sit Jacob, sed etiam omnes ejus posteri, constat ex qua plurimis locis, ut Num. xxiii 7, 10, 21, 23; xxiv 5, 17, 19; Deut. xxxiii 10; Esai. xl 27; xliii 1, 22; xliv 1, 2, 21; xlviii 12; lix 20; Jer. x 16, 25; xxx 7, 10, 18; xxxi 7, 11; xlvi 27, 28; Hos. x 11; Amos vii 2; Mich. ii 12; iii 8; Ps. xiv 7; xxiv 6; lix 14 [A.V. 13]; lxxviii 5; xcix 4; et alibi. [2] Quod Jacob et ejus posteri tales fuerint ut (o)apud illos amor caelestis spiritualis cum bono naturali non conjungi potuerit, hoc est, homo internus seu spiritualis cum externo seu naturali, patet a singulis quae de gente illa in Verbo relata sunt; non enim sciverunt nec scire volebant quid internus seu spiritualis homo, quapropter {1} nec illis revelatum id fuit; crediderunt enim quod nihil apud hominem daretur quam externum et naturale; in omni illorum cultu nec aliud spectabant, usque adeo ut cultus Divinus illis {2} non fuerit aliter quam idololatricus, nam cum internus cultus ab externo separatur, non est nisi idololatricus; Ecclesia, quae apud illos instituta fuit {3}, non fuit Ecclesia sed modo repraesentativum Ecclesiae, quare Ecclesia illa appellatur Ecclesia repraesentativa {4}; quod repraesentativum Ecclesiae dari possit apud tales, videatur n. 1361, 3670, 4208; in repraesentationibus enim non reflectitur super personam sed super rem quae repraesentatur; quapropter non solum personae repraesentarunt Divina, caelestia et spiritualia, sed etiam res inanimatae, sicut Aharonis vestes, arca, altare, boves et oves quae sacrificabantur, candelabrum cum lucernis, panis dispositionis super mensa aurea, oleum quo ungebantur, (o)tura, ac similia alia; inde erat quod reges aeque mali quam boni repraesentarent regium Domini, et summi sacerdotes aeque mali quam boni, illa quae Divini Sacerdotii Domini sunt, quando functi sunt munere suo (o)in externa forma secundum statuta et praecepta: ut itaque apud illos repraesentativum Ecclesiae existeret, data illis erant talia statuta et tales leges per manifestam revelationem quae prorsus repraesentativae essent, quapropter quamdiu in illis erant, (c)et illa stricte observabant, tamdiu repraesentare potuerunt; at quando deflexerunt ab illis, ut ad statuta (o)et leges aliarum gentium, et imprimis ad cultum alius Dei, tunc privabant se facultate repraesentandi, idcirco {5} per media externa quae erant captivitates, clades, minae, miracula, adigebantur ad leges et ad statuta vere repraesentativa, non autem per media interna, prout illi qui cultum internum habent in externo. Haec significantur per quod `luxata vola femoris Jacobi' in sensu interno historico, qui spectat Jacobum et ejus posteros. @1 i etiam$ @2 apud illos$ @3 quod apud illos Ecclesia instituta fuerit$ @4 quae Ecclesia repraesentativa appellanda$ @5 quapropter$