4316.就内在历史意义而言，“直到今日”表他们的性质永远如此。这从“直到今日”的含义清楚可知，凡在圣言中提及“直到今日”的地方，它都表示永远（参看2838节）。这些后代的性质从最初之时就是如此，这一事实从雅各的儿子们本身就能看出来；如流便，因为他“与他父亲的妾辟拉同寝”（创世记35:22）；如西缅和利未，他们杀了哈抹和示剑，并其城中所有男人；他其余的儿子则来到被杀的人那里，掳掠那城（创世记34:1-31）。因此雅各，那时叫以色列，临死这样谈及他们：论到流便，“你必不得超越，因为你上了你父亲的床；你使自己毫无价值；因为你污秽了我的榻”（创世记49:3，4）；论到西缅和利未，“我的灵魂不要进入他们的隐秘之地；我的荣耀不要与他们的会众联络；因为他们在怒中杀人，任意砍断牛腿大筋。他们的忿怒可咒诅，因为很猛烈；他们的暴怒可咒诅，因为很严厉；我要把他们分散在雅各中，使他们散住在以色列中”（创世记49:5-7）。
[2]犹大的品性也可从以下事实看出来：他娶了迦南女子为妻（创世记38:1，2），然而，这是违反嘱咐的，这一点从亚伯拉罕对他仆人所说的话可以看出来，他打发这仆人去给他儿子以撒娶利百加（创世记24:3，6）；这一点还可从圣言中的许多经文看出来。该民族的三分之一支部分就来自这一支，也就是来自他儿子示拉，而示拉是由迦南母亲所生的（创世记38:11；46:12；民数记26:20；哥林多前书4:21，22）。雅各的这些和其余儿子的品性从他们对约瑟的邪恶行径（创世记37:18-36）进一步明显看出来。其在埃及的后代品性从他们在旷野时关于他们所记载的细节明显看出来，他们在旷野里经常叛逆，后来在迦南地则经常沦落为偶像崇拜者。最后，在主的时代，他们的品性刚才已经说明了（参看4314节）。他们如今的性质是众所周知的，即他们反对主，反对构成教会的事物，反对对邻之仁，甚至反对彼此。由此可见，这个民族一直具有这种性质。因此，不要让人再持以下观点，即：他们当中有什么教会，其实他们当中只有一个教会的代表；他们更不是优先于其他人而蒙拣选。
Potts(1905-1910) 4316
4316. That in the internal historical sense by "even unto this day" is signified that they are such forever, is evident from the signification of "even unto this day," which where mentioned in the Word means forever (see n. 2838). That this posterity was such from the earliest times, may be seen from the sons of Jacob themselves-from Reuben, in that he "lay with Bilhah his father's concubine" (Gen. 35:22); from Simeon and Levi, who killed Hamor and Shechem, and all the men of their city; and that the rest of his sons came upon the pierced and plundered the city (Gen. 34:1-31). Therefore Jacob, then Israel, before he died, spoke of them thus: of Reuben, "Thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up on thy father's bed; then didst thou make thyself unworthy; he went up on my couch" (Gen. 49:3, 4); and of Simeon and Levi, "Into their secret let not my soul come, with their assembly let not my glory be united; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their set purpose they houghed an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it was vehement, and their fury, for it was grievous; I will divide them among Jacob, and scatter them among Israel" (Gen. 49:5-7). [2] The quality of Judah may also be seen from the fact that he took a Canaanitess for his wife (Gen. 38:1, 2), which nevertheless was contrary to what had been commanded, as may be seen from Abraham's words to his servant, whom he sent to betroth Rebekah to his son Isaac (Gen. 24:3, 6); and from many other passages in the Word. A third part of that nation was from this stock, that is, from his son Shelah who was born of the Canaanitish mother (Gen. 38:11; 46:12; see Num. 26:20; 1 Chron. 4:21, 22). The same may be further seen from the wicked deed of these and the other sons of Jacob against Joseph (Gen. 37:18-36). The quality of their posterity in Egypt is manifest from what is related of them when they were in the wilderness, where they were so often rebellious; and afterwards in the land of Canaan, where they so frequently became idolaters. Lastly, their quality in the Lord's time has been shown just above (see n. 4314); and what they are at this day is known, namely, opposed to the Lord, to the things of the church, to charity toward the neighbor, and to one another. From all this it may be seen that this nation has ever been of this nature. Let no one therefore any longer entertain the opinion that there was any church among them, or more than a representative of a church, and still less that they were chosen in preference to others.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4316
4316. In the internal historical sense 'even to this day' means that their nature was perpetually so. This is clear from the meaning of 'even to this day', when used in the Word, as that which is perpetual, dealt with in 2838. The fact that the nature of those descendants was such from earliest times becomes clear from Jacob's sons themselves - from Reuben, in that he lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine, Gen 35:22; from Simeon and Levi, in that they killed Hamor and Shechem and all the men of their city [Gen 34:25, 26]; and from the remaining sons, in that these came on the slain and destroyed the city, Gen 34:27-29. Because of all this Jacob, who by then was Israel, spoke of them in the following manner before he died: Of Reuben he said,
You shall not be a superior one, for you went up to your father's bed; then you made yourself unworthy. He went up to my couch. Gen 49:3, 4.
And of Simeon and Levi he said,
Into their secret place let my soul not come; with their congregation let not my glory be united; for in their anger they killed a man, and deliberately hamstrung an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their fury, for it is severe. I will divide them within Jacob, and will scatter them within Israel. Gen 49:5-7.
[2] What Judah was like becomes additionally clear from his marriage to a Canaanite, Gen 38:1, 2, which was nevertheless contrary to what had been commanded, as may be seen from Abraham's words addressed to the servant who was sent to betroth Rebekah to Isaac his son, Gen 24:3, 6, and from many places in the Word. A third of that nation belonged to this lineage, that is to say, a third descended from his son Shelah who was born from a Canaanite mother, Gen 38:11; 46:12. See Num 26:20; and 1 Chron 4:21, 22. Further evidence of what these and the rest of Jacob's sons were like lies in the unspeakable crime which they committed against Joseph, Gen 37:18-end. What their descendants in Egypt were like is evident from the details which are recorded about them when they were in the desert, where they were rebellious on so many occasions, and after that in the land of Canaan where they became idolaters on so many occasions; and lastly what they were like in the Lord's time is shown just above, in 4314. And what they are like today is well known - they are opposed to the Lord, opposed to the things that constitute the Church, and opposed to charity towards the neighbour, being opposed even to one another. These considerations show that the nature of that nation has been such perpetually Let no one therefore assume any longer that any Church has existed among them, only that which is a representative of the Church. Still less should anyone assume that they have been chosen in preference to others.
Latin(1748-1756) 4316
4316. Quod in sensu interno historico per `usque ad diem hunc' significetur in perpetuum quod tales, constat (c)a significatione `usque ad diem hunc' quod, `ubi in Verbo' nominatur, sit perpetuum, de qua n. 2838. Quod posteritas illa talis fuerit a primis temporibus, constare potest ab ipsis filiis Jacobi, A Reubene quod cubuerit cum Bilha concubina patris sui, Gen. xxxv 22:A Shimeone et Levi quod occiderint Hamorem et Shechemum, et omnes viros urbis illorum, et quod reliqui filii venerint super confossos, et depraedati sint urbem, Gen. xxxiv 1 seq. 27-29;
ideo de illis Jacobus, tunc Israel, {1} antequam moreretur, ita locutus (o)est; de Reubene, Non eris superior, quia ascendisti cubilia patris tui, tunc indignum fecisti te, stratum meum ascendit, Gen. xlix 3, 34:
et de Shimeone et Levi, In arcanum eorum ne veniat anima mea, cum congregatione eorum ne uniatur gloria mea, quia in ira sua occiderunt virum, et in proposito suo enervarunt bovem: maledicta ira eorum quia vehemens, et furor eorum quia gravis est; dividam eos inter Jacobum, et dispergam eos inter Israelem, Gen. xlix 5-7. [2] Qualis Jehudah (o)fuit, etiam constare potest ex eo quod uxorem Canaanitidem duxerit, Gen. xxxviii 1, 2, quod tamen contra praeceptum fuit, ut constare potest ex Abrahami verbis ad servum qui missus ad desponsandum Rebeccam filio suo Jishako, Gen. xxiv 3, 6, et a pluribus locis in Verbo; quod tertia pars gentis illius ex stirpe illa sit, nempe (o)ex filio Shelah qui ex matre Canaanitide, {2} Gen. xxxviii 11; xlvi 12; videatur Num. xxvi 20; {3} 1 Chron. iv 21, 22: et porro a (o)nefario facinore eorum et reliquorum filiorum Jacobi contra Josephum, Gen. xxxvii 18 ad fin. Posteri (c)eorum qui in Aegypto, quales fuerint, patet ab iis quae memorantur de illis cum fuerunt in deserto, ubi toties rebelles fuerunt, (o)et dein in terra Canaane, ubi toties {4} idololatrae facti (o)sunt; {5} (o)demum quales fuerunt tempore Domini, mox supra n. (x)4314 ostensum est: {6} quales hodie sunt, nempe contra Dominum, contra illa quae sunt Ecclesiae, et contra charitatem erga proximum, et {7} contra seipsos mutuo, notum est: inde constare potest quod gens illa perpetuo talis fuerit; ne itaque amplius opinetur aliquis quod apud illos aliqua Ecclesia fuerit, sed modo repraesentativum Ecclesiae, minus quod illi prae aliis electi fuerint. @1 cum$ @2 i de quo$ @3 i et$ @4 et quoties$ @5 i et postea quales fuerunt, in Libris Judicum, Samuelis, Regum, et apud Prophetas$ @6 i et porro$ @7 etiam$