4747.“看哪，有一伙以实玛利人从基列来”表那些处于如外邦人所处的那种简单良善之人。这从“以实玛利人”的代表，以及“基列”的含义清楚可知：“以实玛利人”是指那些在生活方面处于简单良善，因而在教义上处于属世真理的人（3263节）；“基列”是指外层良善，人在重生时，首先被引入外层良善（4117，4124节）。由此明显可知，“一伙以实玛利人从基列来”表示诸如存在于外邦人当中的那种良善，也就是那些处于这种简单良善的人。
这一切的含义从至此的阐述和下文可以看出来。只有这一点需要说一下：如果教会中那些坚决反对神性真理，尤其反对这些真理：主的人身就是神性，仁爱行为有助于得救的人，已经确认反对它们，不仅从教义上反对，还在生活上反对，那么就其内层而言，他们便将自己逼进这样一种状态：以后他们决无可能被引领接受这些真理，因为凡从教义，同时在生活上被牢固确立的东西都会保留到永远。那些不知道人的内层状态的人可能以为任何人，无论他如何坚决反对这些真理，以后只要能确信它们是真理，仍能毫无困难地接受它们。但这是不可能的，我蒙允许通过来世有关这类人的大量经历得知这一点。因为凡通过教义坚定接受之物都被吸收到理解力中，凡通过生活坚定接受之物都被吸收到意愿中。凡被深深植入人生命的这两个区域，即他的理解力生命和意愿生命的，都无法根除。死后活着的人之本质灵魂由此得以塑成，并具有这样的性质：它永远不会从中退出。这也是为何教会内那些已形成这种心态之人的命运比教会外的人还要糟糕的原因。教会外的人，也就是所谓的外邦人，不会坚决反对这些真理，因为这些人不知道它们。因此，他们当中那些彼此过着仁爱生活的人很容易接受神性真理，即便在世时未能接受，也会在来世接受。关于外邦民族和人民在来世的状态和命运，可参看从经历所引用的相关内容（2589-2604节）。
因此，当主建立一个新教会时，该教会不是建在教会之内的人当中，而是建在教会之外的人，也就是外邦人当中。这些事在圣言多有提及。预先说这些话是为了叫人们知道，约瑟被他的哥哥们丢在坑里，又被米甸人从坑里拉上来，并被卖给以实玛利人暗含什么意思。因为“约瑟的哥哥”代表教会内那些坚决反对神性真理，尤其反对这两个真理：主的人身是神性，仁爱行为有助于得救，并且不仅从教义上反对，还在生活上反对的人。而“以实玛利人”代表那些处于简单良善的人，“米甸人”代表那些处于该良善的真理之人。据经上记载，后者把约瑟从坑里拉上来，前者则买下了他。我们将在下文说明，他们把约瑟带到埃及，给法老的内臣波提乏是什么意思。
Potts(1905-1910) 4747
4747. And behold a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead. That this signifies those who are in simple good, such as the Gentiles are in, is evident from the representation of the Ishmaelites, as being those who are in simple good as to life, and thence in natural truth as to doctrine (n. 3263); and from the signification of "Gilead," as being exterior good, by which man is first initiated when he is being regenerated (n. 4117, 4124). From this it is evident that by a "company of Ishmaelites from Gilead" is signified such good as is with the Gentiles, that is, those who are in such simple good. [2] How these things are circumstanced may be seen from what has been already said, and also from what follows. This only need now be said in advance: they who are within the church and have confirmed themselves against Divine truths, especially against these - that the Lord's Human is Divine, and that the works of charity contribute to salvation - if they have confirmed themselves against them, not only by doctrine but also by life, they have reduced themselves to such a state as to their interiors that afterwards they cannot possibly be brought to receive them, for what is once confirmed by doctrine, and at the same time by life, remains to eternity. Those who do not know the interior state of man may suppose that anyone, no matter how he has confirmed himself against these truths, can yet easily accept them afterwards, provided he is convinced. But that this is impossible has been granted me to know by much experience in regard to such persons in the other life. For whatever is confirmed by doctrine is absorbed by the intellectual part, and what is confirmed by life is absorbed by the will part; and that which is inrooted in both man's lives, the life of his understanding and the life of his will, cannot be rooted out. The very soul of man which lives after death is formed thereby, and is of such a nature that it never recedes therefrom. This is also the reason why the lot of those within the church with whom this is the case, is worse than the lot of those who are out of the church; for those who are out of the church, who are called Gentiles, have not confirmed themselves against these truths, because they have not known them; and therefore such of them as have lived in mutual charity, easily receive Divine truths, if not in the world, yet in the other life. (See what was adduced from experience in regard to the state and lot of the Gentiles and other peoples in the other life, n. 2589-2604.) [3] For this reason when any new church is being set up by the Lord, it is not set up with those who are within the church, but with those who are without, that is, with the Gentiles. These things are often treated of in the Word. This much is premised in order that it may be known what is involved in Joseph's being cast into the pit by his brethren, and in his being drawn out thence by the Midianites, and sold to the Ishmaelites. For by Joseph's brethren are represented those within the church who have confirmed themselves against Divine truth, especially against the two truths, that the Lord's Human is Divine, and that works of charity contribute to salvation, and this not only by doctrine, but also by life; while by the Ishmaelites are represented those who are in simple good, and by the Midianites those who are in the truth of this good. It is related of the latter that they drew Joseph out of the pit; and of the former that they bought him. But what is signified by their bringing him into Egypt, and their selling him to Potiphar, Pharaoh's chamberlain, will be shown in what follows.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4747
4747. 'And behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites came from Gilead' means those in whom simple good is present like that present in gentiles. This is clear from the representation of 'Ishmaelites' as those in whom simple good is present so far as life is concerned, and who consequently rely on natural truth so far as doctrine is concerned, dealt with in 3263, and from the meaning of 'Gilead' as exterior good into which, when a person is being regenerated, he is introduced first, dealt with in 4117, 4124. From this it is evident that 'a caravan of Ishmaelites from Gilead' means the kind of good that exists with gentiles, that is, those in whom that kind of simple good is present.
[2] The implications of this may be seen from what has been stated up to now and from what follows below, in advance of which only this needs to be mentioned: If people within the Church who have set themselves firmly against Divine truths - in particular against the truths that the Lord's Human is Divine and that the works of charity do contribute something towards salvation - have so set themselves against them not only from doctrine but also in life, they have driven themselves interiorly into the kind of state in which they cannot possibly be brought after that to accept those truths. For once such opposition has become firmly established in life as well as from doctrine it remains for ever. People who have no knowledge of man's interior state may suppose that no matter how much he has set himself firmly against those truths he can still accept them without difficulty after that, provided he is convinced they are truths. But this is impossible, as I have been allowed to know from a great deal of experience of such persons in the next life. For that which is firmly accepted from doctrine is absorbed into the understanding, and that which is firmly accepted in life is absorbed into the will. That which is deeply implanted in both areas of life in man - that is to say, in the life of his understanding and in the life of his will - cannot be rooted out. A person's essential soul which lives after death is shaped by these and it is such that it never withdraws from them. This also is the reason why the lot of those within the Church in whom such attitudes of mind have developed is worse than the lot of those outside the Church. Those outside the Church, called the gentiles, have not set themselves firmly against those truths because they have no knowledge of them. For this reason those among them who have led charitable lives with one another accept Divine truths with ease, if not in the world then in the next life. See what has been presented from experience regarding the state and lot of gentile nations and peoples in the next life, in 2589-2604.
[3] Consequently when a new Church is established by the Lord it is not established among those within the Church but among those outside it, that is, among gentiles. These are referred to many times in the Word. These preliminary remarks have been made so that what is implied by Joseph's being thrown into the pit by his brothers may be known and what by his being drawn out of it by the Midianites and sold to the Ishmaelites. For by 'Joseph's brothers' are represented those people within the Church who have set themselves firmly against Divine Truth, in particular against the two truths that the Lord's Human is Divine and that the works of charity do contribute something towards salvation, being opposed to them not only from doctrine but also in life. By 'the Ishmaelites' however those in whom simple good is present are represented, and by 'the Midianites' those who rely on the truth partnering that good. The latter are recorded as having drawn Joseph out of the pit, the former as having bought him. But what is meant by their bringing him down into Egypt where they sold him to Potiphar, Pharaoh's bedchamber-servant, will be stated further on.
Latin(1748-1756) 4747
4747. `Et ecce comitatus Jishmaelitarum venit e Gilead': quod significet illos qui in bono simplici in quali gentes, constat ex repraesentatione `Jishmaelitarum' quod sint illi qui in simplici bono quoad vitam, et inde in naturali vero quoad doctrinam, de qua n. 3263; et ex significatione `Gilead' quod sit bonum exterius, per quod primum initiatur homo cum regeneratur, de qua n. 4117, 4124;inde patet quod per `comitatum Jishmaelitarum e Gilead' significetur bonum quale apud gentes, hoc est, {1} qui in tali simplici bono sunt. [2] Quomodo haec se habent, constare potest ab illis quae hactenus dicta sunt et ab illis quae sequuntur; in antecessum haec solum memoranda sunt: qui intra Ecclesiam sunt et se confirmarunt contra Divina vera, imprimis contra haec quod Humanum Domini sit Divinum, et quod charitatis opera nihil {2} [non] faciant ad salutem, si se contra illa confirmaverunt non solum doctrina sed etiam vita, illi in talem statum quoad interiora se redegerunt ut postea nequaquam adduci possint ad recipienda illa, nam quae semel confirmata sunt doctrina et simul vita, illa manent in aeternum; qui non interiorem hominis statum norunt, putare possunt quod quilibet utcumque se confirmaverat contra illa, usque postea facile recipere possit, modo convincatur; sed quod hoc impossibile sit, a talibus in altera vita per plurem experientiam scire datum est; quod (o)enim confirmatur doctrina, hoc imbuit intellectuale, et quod confirmatur vita, hoc imbuit voluntarium;
quod irradicatum est utrique vitae hominis, nempe vitae ejus intellectus et vitae ejus voluntatis, hoc eradicari non potest;
ipsa anima hominis quae vivit post mortem, ab illis formata est, et est talis ut nusquam recedat ab illis; haec causa etiam est quod sors illorum qui intra Ecclesiam sunt, apud quos ita fit, pejor sit sorte illorum qui extra Ecclesiam sunt; qui enim extra Ecclesiam sunt, qui gentes vocantur, illi non confirmarunt se contra illa quia non noverunt illa, quapropter illi eorum qui in mutua charitate vixerunt, vera Divina facile recipiunt, si non in mundo, usque in altera vita, videantur quae de gentium et populorum statu et sorte in altera vita ab experientia n. 2589-2604 allata sunt. [3] Inde est cum aliqua nova Ecclesia instauratur a Domino, quod non instauretur apud illos qui intra Ecclesiam sunt, sed apud illos qui extra, hoc est, apud gentes; de his agitur pluries in Verbo;
haec praemissa sunt ut sciatur quid involvit quod Josephus a fratribus suis conjectus sit in foveam, et quod inde extractus a Midianitis, ac venditus Jishmaelitis, per `fratres enim Josephi' repraesentantur illi intra Ecclesiam qui se confirmarunt contra Divinum Verum, imprimis contra illa bina quod Humanum Domini sit Divinum, et quod charitatis opera [non] {3} nihil faciant ad salutem, et hoc non solum doctrina sed etiam vita; per `Jishmaelitas' autem repraesentantur {3} qui in simplici bono sunt, et per `Midianitas' qui in vero illius boni; de his memoratur quod extraxerint Josephum e fovea,' de illis `quod emerint illum'; quid autem significatur per quod deduxerint illum in Aegyptum et ibi vendiderint Potiphari cubiculario Pharaonis, in sequentibus dicetur. @1 i illi$ @2 T i [non] here. It is needed for grammatical accuracy, as also in same phrase near end of number.$ @2 See previous note.$ @3 i gentes$