4720.“那人说，他们已经离开这里，我听见他们说，我们往多坍去”表他们从教义的总体方面转向教义的具体细节。这从“离开”、“示剑”和“多坍”的含义清楚可知：“离开”是指前往；“示剑”，就是他们所离开的地方，是指教义的总体方面（4707，4716节）；“多坍”是指教义的具体细节。“多坍”是指教义的具体细节，这一层意义无法轻易从圣言中的其它经文来证明，因为它只在列王纪下（6:13）被提及过；在那里，经上讲述了亚兰王派战车、马兵和大军到多坍去捉拿以利沙，他们受到击打，眼目昏迷，被以利沙领到了撒玛利亚。
由于圣言的一切历史细节都是主国度的属天和属灵事物的代表，所以这段历史也是如此。“亚兰王”代表拥有对真理的认知之人（1232，1234，3249，3664，3680，4112节）；此处在反面意义上代表那些拥有与真理无关的认知之人。“以利沙”代表主的圣言（2762节）。“多坍”表示取自圣言的教义。“亚兰王派出的战车、马兵和大军”表示教义的虚假。“少年人所看见的满山有火车火马围绕以利沙”表示取自圣言的教义所教导的良善与真理（2762节）。那些被亚兰王派到那里的人受到击打而眼目“昏迷”表示彻底的虚假或虚假本身（2383节）。“他们被以利沙领到撒玛利亚”，在那里，他们的眼目开了，表示通过圣言所给予的教导。这类事物就暗含在这段历史中，其中：“多坍”，就是以利沙所在的地方，表示取自圣言、关于良善与真理的教义事物。本节历史细节的含义差不多也是这样，因为教义的具体细节并非别的东西。然而，此处表示虚假原则的具体细节，因为所论述的主题是从信开始的教会，这种教会如此从一开始就将信与仁分离。此后所制定的一切教义都带有最初所作的基本原则的意味。因此，这些教义就是作为属于虚假原则的具体细节的虚假。
每个教会一开始都只知道教义的总体方面，因为那时它处于简单的状态，可以说处于童年期。但随着时间推移，它又添加了具体细节；这些具体细节部分是对总体的确认，部分是与总体并不冲突的增添物，以及解决明显矛盾，但避免违犯常识的解释。然而，就目前的情况而言，所有具体细节都属于虚假原则，因为无论哪种教义，其一切事物都像一个社群里的各个成员那样相互关联，并如血亲关系和姻亲关系那样彼此联结，承认最初所作的基本原则为它们的父。由此明显可知，当最初所作的基本原则是虚假时，一切事物都带有虚假的味道。
Potts(1905-1910) 4720
4720. And the man said, They are departed hence, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. That this signifies that they betook themselves from generals to special things of doctrine, is evident from the signification of "departing," as being to betake themselves; and from the signification of "from Shechem," which is the place they departed from, as being from the generals of doctrine (n. 4707, 4716); and from the signification of "Dothan," as being the special things of doctrine. That "Dothan" is the special things of doctrine cannot so well be confirmed from other passages in the Word, because it is mentioned in the second book of Kings only (2 Kings 6:13), where it is related that the king of Syria sent chariots and horsemen and a great army to Dothan to take Elisha, and that they were smitten with blindness and led by Elisha to Samaria. [2] As all the historicals of the Word are representative of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom, so also is this, and by the king of Syria are represented those who are in the knowledges of truth (n. 1232, 1234, 3249, 3664, 3680, 4112); here in the opposite sense those who are in the knowledges of what is not true; by Elisha is represented the Word of the Lord (n. 2762); by Dothan, doctrinals from the Word; by the chariots and horsemen and the great army which the king of Syria sent, are signified falsities of doctrine; by the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha, which his young man saw, are signified the good and true things of doctrine from the Word (n. 2762); by the blindness with which those were smitten who were sent thither by the king of Syria, are signified the falsities themselves (n. 2383); and by their being led by Elisha to Samaria, where their eyes were opened, is signified instruction by means of the Word. Such things are involved in this history, in which by Dothan, where Elisha was, are signified doctrinal things of good and truth from the Word. Its signification in the present verse is similar, the special things of doctrine being nothing else; but here the special things of false principles are signified, because the subject treated of is the church that begins from faith, which it thus separates from charity from the very beginning. All the doctrinals which are then formed savor of the general principle, thus of faith without charity; whence come the falsities which are the special things of the false principles. [3] Every church in its beginning knows only the generals of doctrine, for it is then in its simplicity, and as it were in its childhood; but in the course of time it adds particulars, which in part are confirmations of the generals, and in part additions (which, however, are not contrary to the generals), and also explanations to reconcile plain contradictions and to avoid violence to the dictates of common sense. All these things are nevertheless the special things of false principles; for all things of every doctrine which recognize the general principle as father, have relation to one another as in a kind of fellowship, and are conjoined as if by relationships of blood and of marriage. It is plain from this that when the general principle is false, all things savor of falsity.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4720
4720. 'And the man said, They have travelled on from here, for I heard them saying, Let us go to Dothan' means that they moved on from the general aspects to the specific details of doctrine. This is clear from the meaning of 'travelled on' as moving on; from the meaning of 'from Shechem', to which 'from here' refers here, as from the general aspects of doctrine, 4707, 4716; and from the meaning of 'Dothan' as the specific details of doctrine. This meaning of 'Dothan' - the specific details of doctrine - cannot be easily demonstrated from other places in the Word because no other mention is made of it apart from that in 2 Kings 6:13, where the narrative states that the king of Syria sent chariots and horsemen and a large army to Dothan to seize Elisha, and that they were struck with blindness and were led by Elisha to Samaria.
[2] Since all historical details in the Word are representative of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom, so too are these. 'The king of Syria' represents people who possess cognitions of truth, 1232, 1234, 3249, 3664, 3680, 4112, though at this point in the contrary sense he represents those who possess cognitions which have no connection with truth. 'Elisha' represents the Word of the Lord, 2762. 'Dothan' means matters of doctrine drawn from the Word. 'Chariots and horsemen and the large army which the king of Syria sent' means falsities of doctrine. 'The mountain full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha that were seen by his servant' means goods and truths taught by doctrine drawn from the Word, 2762. 'The blindness' with which those were struck whom the king of Syria sent there means utter falsities, 2383. 'Their being led by Elisha to Samaria', where their eyes were opened, means instruction given through the Word. These are the kinds of things implied in the historical narrative here, 'Dothan', where Elisha was, meaning matters of doctrine drawn from the Word concerning goodness and truth. The historical details here in Genesis are much the same in meaning, for specific details of doctrine are not anything different. Yet at this particular point the specific details of false assumptions are meant, for the subject is a Church which begins with faith and so right from the start separates it from charity. Matters of doctrine which are formulated after that all smack of the general assumption made initially, and so of faith devoid of charity Consequently those matters of doctrine are falsities which are the specific details belonging to false assumptions.
[3] When it first begins every Church knows only the general aspects of doctrine, for at that time it is in a state of simplicity and so to speak in childhood. With the passage of time it adds particular aspects, which in part are confirmations of general aspects, in part are additions which do not however conflict with what is general, and also explanations which resolve manifest contradictions but do not in any way offend the dictates of common sense. But in the present instance all the specific details belong to false assumptions, for all aspects of any kind of doctrine are interrelated like members within a community, and are linked to one another as in blood relationships and relationships by marriage, acknowledging a general assumption made initially as their father. From this it is evident that everything smacks of falsity when the general assumption made initially is false.
Latin(1748-1756) 4720
4720. `Et dixit vir, Profecti abhinc quia audivi dicente, Eamus Dothanem': quod significet quod a communibus contulerint se ad specialia doctrinae, constat a significatione `proficisci' quod sit se conferre; ex significatione `a Shechemo' quod hic est `abhinc', quod a communibus doctrinae, n. 4707, 4716; et ex significatione `Dothanis' quod sint specialia doctrinae; quod `Dothan' sint specialia doctrinae, non ita confirmari potest ex aliis locis in Verbo, quia solum memoratur in Libro Reg. vi vers. 13, ubi refertur quod rex Syriae miserit currus et equites et exercitum magnum ad Dothan, ad capiendum Elisham, et quod illi caecitatibus percussi fuerint, et ab Elisha perducti Samariam: [2] quia omnia historica Verbi sunt repraesentativa caelestium et spiritualium regni Domini, ita etiam haec, et per `regem Syriae' repraesentantur illi qui in cognitionibus veri, n. 1232, 1234, 3249, 2664, 3680, 4112, ibi in opposito sensu qui in cognitionibus non veri {1}; per `Elisham' Verbum Domini, (o)n. 2762; per {2} `Dothanem' doctrinalia ex Verbo;per `currus et equites et exercitum magnum quem rex Syriae misit' significantur doctrinae falsa; per `montem plenum equis et curribus ignis circum Elisham visis puero ejus' doctrinae bona et vera ex Verbo, (o)n. 2762; et per `caecitates' quibus percussi qui a rege Syriae illuc missi sunt, significantur ipsae falsitates, (o)n. 2383; et quod `perducti ab Elisha Samariam', ubi aperti eorum oculi, instructio per Verbum; talia involvit historicum ibi, et per `Dothanem' ubi Elisha, significantur doctrinalia boni et veri ex Verbo; hic similiter, specialia enim doctrinae non aliud sunt; sed hic specialia (t)principiorum falsorum quia agitur de Ecclesia quae a fide incohat, quam ita a charitate statim ab initio separat;
doctrinalia quae dein formantur, sapiunt omnia a principio communi, ita a fide absque charitate, inde falsitates quae sunt specialia falsorum principiorum. [3] Omnis Ecclesia in suo initio non nisi quam communia doctrinae novit, est enim tunc in sua simplicitate et quasi in sua pueritia; temporis successu particularia adjicit, quae partim sunt confirmantia communium, partim additamenta quae tamen communi non repugnant, et quoque explicantia ut apertae contradictiones {3} trahantur in partes, et ne impingant contra illa quae communis sensus dictat; sunt tamen haec omnia specialia falsorum principiorum; nam omnia cujusvis doctrinae se mutuo sicut in quadam societate spectant, et conjungantur sicut consanguinitate et affinitate, quae commune principium ut patrem agnoscunt; inde patet {4} quod omnia sapiant (c)ex falso, cum principium commune est falsum. @1 ibi qui in doctrina falsi sunt$ @2 et$ @3 contrarietates$ @4 constare potest$