4605.“雅各的长子流便”表信之良善。这从“长子”的含义，以及“雅各”和“流便”的代表清楚可知：“长子”（或头生的）是指信（参看352，367，2435，3325节）；“雅各”是指属世真理的良善（参看4538节）；“流便”是指信的性质。因为“流便”在正面意义上表示信之真理（3861，3866节），但信之真理变成良善后，他表示信之良善。此外，就本身而言，信就是仁，因而就本身而言，信之真理就是信之良善，因为信若非源于仁，就不可能存在，也就是说，真理若非源于良善，就不可能存在。既然如此，那么当人重生后，良善就处在第一位，或是长子或头生的（3325，3494节）。这就是为何“雅各的长子流便”在此表示信之良善的原因。这种含义的类似例子可见于摩西五经：
愿流便存活不至死亡，愿他人数不至稀少。（申命记33:6）
在这句经文中，“流便”之所以表示信之良善，是因为他被摆在了第一位，犹大则被摆在第二位，因而摩西关于以色列儿子的这个预言中的顺序不同于雅各预言（创世记49章）中的。因为如前所述（4603节），他们的名字出现的顺序取决于正在论述的主题的状态。
同样可见于启示录：
我听见各支派中受印的数目有十四万四千。犹大支派中受印的有一万二千；流便支派中受印的有一万二千；迦得支派中受印的有一万二千。（启示录7:4，5）
此处犹大首先被提及，流便其次，迦得第三。这三个在此构成第一类；因为此处论述的主题是主的国度，“犹大”表示诸如存在于至内在或第三层天堂里的属天良善，“流便”表示诸如存在于第二层或中间天堂里的属灵良善，这属灵良善与信之良善是一样的，“迦得”表示诸如存在于第一层天堂里的属世层的良善。但在底波拉和巴拉的预言中含义就不同了：
以萨迦的首领与底波拉同来，以萨迦怎样，巴拉也怎样；他步行进入山谷，流便支派有心中定大志的。你为何坐在两个重担之间，去听人群的嘶声？心中有大追求的，归到流便支派。（士师记5:15-16）
若不知道“以萨迦”、“底波拉”、“巴拉”、“流便”代表什么，以及“首领”、“山谷”、“支派”、“心中大志”、“两个重担”、“人群的嘶声”表示什么，就不可能知道这些话的意思。但显然，“流便”在此表示信。
Potts(1905-1910) 4605
4605. Reuben Jacob's firstborn. That this signifies the good of faith, is evident from the signification of the "firstborn," as being faith (see n. 352, 367, 2435, 3325); and from the representation of Jacob as being the good of natural truth (see n. 4538); and from that of Reuben, as being the quality of faith. For "Reuben" in the genuine sense signifies the truth of faith (n. 3861, 3866); but after the truth of faith has been made good, he signifies the good of faith. Moreover, regarded in itself faith is charity, and thus regarded in itself the truth of faith is the good of faith, because faith is impossible except from charity, that is, truth is impossible except from good; and therefore when a man has been regenerated, good is in the first place, or is the firstborn (n. 3325, 3494). Hence it is that by "Reuben Jacob's firstborn" is here signified the good of faith. The like is signified also in Moses:
Let Reuben live and not die, and it shall be that his numbers are mortal (Deut. 33:6);
the reason why in this passage "Reuben" denotes the good of faith, is that he is put in the first place, and Judah in the second, thus in a different order in this prophecy of Moses respecting the sons of Israel from that in the prophecy of Jacob (Gen. 49), for as before said (n. 4603), the order in which they are named is determined in accordance with the state of the subject that is being treated of. [2] In like manner in John:
I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed out of every tribe. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand (Rev. 7:4, 5);
here Judah is named in the first place, Reuben in the second, and Gad in the third. These three here constitute the first class, and as the Lord's kingdom is the subject treated of, "Judah" signifies celestial good such as is in the inmost or third heaven, "Reuben" spiritual good which is the same as the good of faith such as is in the second or middle heaven, and "Gad" the good of the natural such as is in the first heaven. But it is otherwise in the prophecy of Deborah and Barak:
The princes in Issachar were with Deborah, and as was Issachar so was Barak; into the valley he was sent at his feet, in the classes of Reuben were great decrees of heart; why dwellest thou between two burdens to hear the hissings of the droves? To the classes of Reuben were great searchings of heart (Judg. 5:15-16);
It is impossible to know the meaning of these words unless it is known what Issachar, Deborah, Barak, and Reuben represent; and what the "princes," the "valley," the "classes," the "decrees of heart," the "two burdens," and the "hissings of the droves," signify; but it is evident that "Reuben" here denotes faith.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4605
4605. 'Reuben, Jacob's firstborn' means the good of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the firstborn' as faith, dealt with in 352, 367, 2435, 3325; also from the representation of 'Jacob' as the good of natural truth, dealt with in 4538, and from that of 'Reuben' as the essential nature of faith. For in the genuine sense 'Reuben' means the truth of faith, 3861, 3866, but after the truth of faith has become good he means the good of faith. Furthermore faith essentially is charity, and so the truth of faith essentially is the good of faith, because it cannot have any existence at all unless it springs from charity - that is, truth cannot have any real existence unless it springs from good. This being so, once a person has been regenerated good occupies the first place, or is the firstborn, see 3325, 3494. This is the reason why 'Reuben, Jacob's firstborn' at this point means the good of faith. A similar instance of this meaning occurs in Moses,
May Reuben live and not die; and his mortal men will be [few in] numbers. Deut 33:6.
The reason 'Reuben' here means the good of faith is that in the Prophecy of Moses regarding the sons of Jacob, Reuben is placed first and Judah second, thus in a different ordering in this prophecy from that of Jacob in Gen. 49. For, as stated above at the end of 4603, the order in which their names appear is determined by the state belonging to the subject under discussion.
[2] Similarly in John,
I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed out of every tribe - twelve thousand sealed out of the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed out of the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand sealed out of the tribe of Gad. Rev 7:4, 5.
In this case Judah is mentioned first, Reuben second, and Gad third. These three in this place make up a first group; and because the Lord's kingdom is the subject here, 'Judah' means celestial good such as exists in the inmost or third heaven, 'Reuben' spiritual good, which is the same as the good of faith, such as exists in the second or middle heaven, and 'Gad' the good of the natural, such as exists in the first heaven. But a different meaning is found in the prophecy of Deborah and Barak,
Princes in Issachar were with Deborah; and as was Issachar, so was Barak, into the valley he was sent under his commanda - into the divisions of Reuben great decrees of the heart. Why do you dwell between two burdens to hear the hissings of the droves?- towards the divisions of Reuben great searchings of the heart. Judg 5:15, 16.
Unless he knows what 'Issachar', 'Deborah', 'Barak', and 'Reuben' represent, and what 'princes', 'the valley', 'a division', 'decrees of the heart', 'two burdens' and 'the hissings of the droves' mean, no one can know what these words are used to mean. But 'Reuben', it is evident, means faith here.
Latin(1748-1756) 4605
4605. `Primogenitus Jacobi Reuben': quod significet fidei bonum, constat a significatione `primogeniti' quod sit fides, de qua n. 352, (x)367, 2435, 3325; et a repraesentatione `Jacobi' quod sit bonum veri naturalis, de qua n. 4538; et a `Reubenis' quod sit quale fidei; `Reuben' enim in genuino sensu significat verum fidei, n. 3861, 3866; at postquam verum fidei factum est bonum, significat bonum fidei; fides etiam in se spectata est charitas, ita verum fidei in se spectatum est bonum fidei, tam quia fides nusquam dabilis est nisi a charitate, seu verum non dabile nisi a bono, quare cum homo regeneratus `est', bonum primo loco est seu primogenitum, videatur n. 3325, 3494; inde est quod per `primogenitum Jacobi Reubenem' (o)hic significetur fidei bonum;simile etiam apud Mosen, Vivat Reuben, et ne moriatur, et erit mortales ejus numeri, Deut. xxxiii 6;
quod `Reuben' hic sit bonum fidei, est quia primo loco ponitur, et secundo {1} Jehudah, ita alio ordine in prophetico hoc Mosis de filiis Israelis quam in prophetico Jacobi, Gen. xlix, nam ut supra n. 4603 fin. dictum, ordo nominationis eorum fit secundum statum rei de qua agitur: [2] similiter apud Johannem, Audivi numerum obsignatorum centum quadraginta quatuor millia obsignati ex omni tribu: ex tribu Jehudae duodecim millia {2} obsignati, ex tribu Reuben duodecim millia {2} obsignati, ex tribu Gad duodecim millia {2} obsignati, Apoc. vii 4, 5;
ibi Jehudah primo loco nominatur, et Reuben secundo, ac Gad tertio;
hi tres ibi constituunt primam classem, et quia ibi de regno Domini agitur, `Jehudah' `significat bonum caeleste quale in intimo seu tertio caelo, `Reuben' bonum spirituale, quod idem est cum bono fidei, quale est in `secundo seu medio' caelo, et `Gad' bonum naturalis quale est in primo caelo: aliter vera in prophetico Deborae et Baraki, Principes in Jisaschar cum Debora, et Jisaschar sic Barak, in vallem missus pedibus suis, in classes Reubenis magna statuta cordis. Quare habitas inter sarcinas duas ad audiendum exsibilationes catervarum? ad classes Reubenis magnas pervestigationes cordis, Jud. v 15;
`nisi scitur quid repraesentant `Jisaschar, Deborah, Barak, Reuben', et quid significant `principes, vallis, classis, statuta cordis, sarcinae duae, exsibilationes catervarum', nemo scire potest {5} quid per illa verba intelligitur; quod `Reuben' ibi sit fides, patet. @1 altero$ @2 mille$ @3 i ibi$ @4 i ex prophetico hoc etiam patet, quod$ @5 possit$