4751.“我们杀我们的兄弟，藏了他的血，有什么益处呢”表即便这真理被彻底摧毁，也得不到任何好处，或不会获得优越感。这从“有什么益处呢”、“杀”和“藏了血”的含义清楚可知：“有什么益处呢”是指得不到任何好处，或不会获得优越感，如下文所述；“杀”是指摧毁，在此是指摧毁神性真理，尤其摧毁关于主的神性人身的真理，这真理由“兄弟”，也就是约瑟来表示；“藏了血”是指将神圣真理完全隐藏起来，或将神圣真理彻底从视线中清除，“血”表示神圣真理（参看4735节）。从下文明显可知这一切的含义。
“益处”在此之所以不仅表示好处，还表示优越感，也就是说，“有什么益处呢”表示得不到任何好处，或不会获得优越感，是因为这句话是出于对利益的欲望和贪婪说的。因为对利益的欲望和贪婪含有不仅拥有全世界，还为了利益掠夺，甚至杀害每个人的渴望在里面。事实上，如果没有法律的阻碍，受这种欲望驱使的人就会为了蝇头小利去杀人。此外，这种人因拥有金银而自视为最有权势的人，无论他表面看上去多么没有权势。由此明显可知，贪婪不仅含有尘世之爱，还含有自我之爱，事实上含有最污秽的自我之爱。但对贪得无厌者来说，优越感或傲慢表面上并不那么明显，因为有时他们对财富不感兴趣，但这只是为了作秀；他们并没有那种通常与追求快乐联结的自我之爱。事实上，贪得无厌者对身体、饮食和衣服并不怎么感兴趣。他们的爱完全是尘世之爱，除了金钱外没有其它目的。他们认为，拥有金钱会使他们比所有人都优越，即便实际不优越，也潜在优越。由此可见，贪婪含有最低级、最卑鄙的自我之爱在里面；所以在来世，贪得无厌者觉得自己住在猪中间（939节）。他们也比其他任何人都要反对一切良善。因此，他们居于如此漆黑的黑暗中，以致他们完全不明白何为良善，何为真理。他们根本就不理解这一观念：人里面有某种死后活着的事物；并且他们发自内心嘲笑说这种话的人。
犹太民族从起初就具有这样的性质，故内在之物不可能清楚揭示给他们；这从旧约圣言明显看出来。事实上，他们扎根于最坏的自我之爱；因此如果不是他们的贪婪把他们从内在事物那里远远地移开，并由此把他们关在漆黑的黑暗中，他们就会玷污内层真理与良善，在如此行时比其他任何人更亵渎它们。因为他们只要不承认，就不能亵渎（1008，1010，1059，2051，3398，3402，3489，3898，4289，4601节）。这就是为何主在约翰福音中论到他们说：
你们是出于你们的父魔鬼，你们父的私欲，你们偏要行，他从起初是杀人的。（约翰福音8:44）
论到代表犹太教会的加略人犹大，祂在约翰福音中说：
我不是拣选了你们十二个吗？但你们中间有一个是魔鬼。（约翰福音6:70）
当犹大卖主时，他的代表就类似于此处说“来，我们把约瑟卖掉”的犹大的代表。
Potts(1905-1910) 4751
4751. What gain is it if we slay our brother, and cover up his blood? That this signifies that there would be nothing of profit or of eminence if this should be wholly extinguished, is evident from the signification of, "What gain is it?" as being that there would be nothing of profit, and also nothing of eminence (of which hereafter); and from the signification of "slaying," as being to extinguish, here Divine truth, specifically that concerning the Lord's Divine Human, which is meant by the "brother," that is, Joseph; and from the signification of "covering up blood," as being to entirely hide holy truth (that "blood" denotes holy truth may be seen above, n. 4735). How the case is in regard to these things, is evident from what follows. [2] That "gain" here signifies not only what is profitable but also eminence, or that, "What gain is it?" signifies that there would be nothing of profit or of eminence, is because this was said from cupidity and avarice; for the cupidity of gain and avarice has within it the desire not only to possess the whole world, but also to plunder and even to kill everyone for the sake of gain; indeed one impelled by such cupidity would commit murder for but little were not the laws a hindrance. Moreover, such a man in his possession of gold and silver regards himself as the greatest in power, however in external appearance he may seem otherwise, which shows that there is in avarice not only the love of the world, but also the love of self, and indeed the filthiest love of self. For elevation of mind, or pride, in those who are sordidly avaricious, is not so conspicuous outwardly, because it is sometimes unconcerned about wealth for the sake of display; nor is it that kind of the love of self which is usually conjoined with pleasures; for such have little concern about the body, and its food and clothing. But it is a love entirely earthly, having no other end than money, in the possession of which it believes itself, not actually but potentially, above all others. It is evident from this that in avarice there is the lowest and vilest love of self, for which reason in the other life the avaricious appear to themselves to be among swine (n. 939); and they above all others are against all good whatever. Consequently they are in such thick darkness that they are utterly unable to see what is good and what is true; they do not at all apprehend that there is any internal belonging to man which lives after death, and at heart they laugh at those who say so. [3] The Jewish nation had been of such a nature from the beginning, and therefore it was impossible for anything internal to be opened plainly to them, as is evident from the Word of the Old Testament; and being rooted in this worst kind of the love of self, they would defile interior truths and goods, and would thus profane them more than all others, unless they were removed by avarice so far from internal things, and were thereby kept in thick darkness, for they cannot profane so long as they do not acknowledge (n. 1008, 1010, 1059, 2051, 3398, 3402, 3489, 3898, 4289, 4601). It is for this reason that the Lord says of them in John, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father ye will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44); and of Judas Iscariot, who represented the Jewish Church, "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" (John 6:70). By Judas also in that he sold the Lord, the like is represented as here by Judah, who said, "Come and let us sell Joseph."
Elliott(1983-1999) 4751
4751. 'What profit is there in our killing our brother and concealing his blood?' means that no advantage would be gained, nor any supremacy, if that truth was completely destroyed. This is clear from the meaning of 'what profit?' as no advantage gained, nor any supremacy, dealt with below; from the meaning of 'killing' as destroying, in this case Divine Truth, specifically the Truth regarding the Lord's Divine Human, which 'brother', that is, Joseph, is used to mean; and from the meaning of 'concealing blood' as removing holy truth completely out of sight, 'blood' meaning holy truth, see above in 4735. The implications of all this are made plain in what follows below.
[2] The reason why 'profit' here means not only advantage but also superiority - that is, why 'what profit?' means that no advantage would be gained, nor any superiority - is that what was said was motivated by the desire for gain and by avarice. For the desire for gain and avarice hold within themselves not only the wish to possess the whole world but also, for the sake of gain, to rob and even to kill no matter whom. Indeed one who is minded in this way would kill for little return if laws did not stand in the way to deter him. Furthermore, in the gold and silver he possesses such a person sees himself as one who is very powerful, however much to outward appearance he seems to be anything but powerful. From this it is evident that avarice includes not only love of the world but also self-love, indeed the foulest self-love. But with the disgustingly avaricious the sense of superiority or arrogance is not so obvious to outward appearance - for sometimes they have no interest in wealth for the sake of show, and do not have that kind of self-love which is usually tied up with the pursuit of pleasures. Indeed the disgustingly avaricious take little interest in their body, or in food and clothing for it. Theirs is a wholly earthly love, aiming at nothing else than money which, they believe, makes them, potentially if not actually, superior to all. From this one may see that avarice holds within it the lowest and basest self-love of all, which is why the avaricious in the next life seem to themselves to live among pigs, 939. They are also opposed more than anyone else to all good whatever. They dwell as a consequence in darkness so thick that they cannot by any means see what good is or what truth is. They do not grasp at all the idea that in the human being there is something internal which lives after death, and in their hearts they mock those who say there is.
[3] The Jewish nation was like this from the start, and for that reason nothing internal could be plainly revealed to it, as is evident from the Old Testament Word. They were indeed rooted in this worst kind of self-love, and therefore, if their avarice had not removed them very far away from internal things and as a consequence had not kept them in thickest darkness, they would have defiled interior truths and goods, and in so defiling them would have rendered them profane more than anyone else did. For they are unable to profane them as long as they do not acknowledge them, 1008, 1010, 1059, 2051, 3398, 3402, 3489, 3898, 4289, 4601. This is why the Lord says of them in John,
You are from your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning. John 8:44.
And of Judas Iscariot who represented the Jewish Church He says in the same gospel,
Did I not choose you twelve, but one of you is a devil? John 6:70.
Also when he sold the Lord, Judas' representation was similar to that which Judah has here who said, Come, and let us sell Joseph.
Latin(1748-1756) 4751
4751. `Quid lucri quod occidamus fratrem nostrum, et obtegamus sanguinem ejus': quod significet quod inde nihil proficuum et (o)inde nihil altitudinis si hoc prorsus exstingueretur, constat (c)ex significatione `quid lucri' quod sit quod inde nihil proficuum et quoque quod nihil altitudinis, de qua sequitur; ex significatione `occidere' quod sit exstinguere, hic Divinum Verum, in specie de Divino Humano Domini, quod per `fratrem' nempe Josephum intelligitur; et ex significatione `obtegere sanguinem' quod sit prorsus abscondere sanctum verum; quod `sanguis' sit sanctum verum, videatur supra n. 4735. Quomodo haec se habent, ex sequentibus patet. [2] Quod `lucrum' hic non modo significet proficuum sed etiam altitudinem, seu `quid lucri' quod inde nihil proficuum et nihil altitudinis, est quia ex cupiditate [quaestus] et avaritia hoc dictum {1}; cupiditas enim quaestus et avaritia in se habet quod non solum universum mundum possidere velit, sed etiam lucri causa quemcumque praedari, immo occidere, et quoque pro parvo occideret si non obstarent leges, (c)et praeterea in auro et argento, quae (o)homo talis possidet, spectat se in potentia maximum, utcumque aliter in externa forma apparet; inde patet quod in avaritia non solum sit amor mundi sed etiam amor sui, et quidem amor sui spurcissimus; nam apud sordide avaros elatio animi seu superbia extrinsecus non ita conspicitur, illa enim quandoque non curat opes ostentationis causa, nec est id genus amoris sui quod conjunctum solet esse cum voluptatibus, nam parum curant corpus suum et ejus victum (c)ac amictum, sed est amor prorsus terrestris, nihil aliud pro fine habens quam pecunias, in quibus se non actu sed potentia credit super {2} omnes; inde constare potest quod in avaritia sit amor sui omnium infimus ac vilissimus; quapropter in altera vita apparent sibi inter sues, n. 939; suntque illi prae reliquis contra bonum quodcumque; in tanta inde caligine sunt ut nequaquam videre possint quid bonum et quid verum; quod sit aliquid internum hominis quod vivit post mortem, prorsus non capiunt; corde suo irrident illos qui hoc dicunt. [3] Gens Judaica talis fuerat ab initio, quapropter non potuit ei aliquod internum manifeste aperiri, ut patet a Verbo Veteris Testamenti; et quia radicitus in pessimo illo genere amoris sui sunt, ideo quoque nisi per avaritiam tam longe removerentur ab internis ac inde tenerentur in spissa caligine, conspurcarent interiora vera et bona, et sic prae ceteris (o)illa profanarent, nam profanare non possunt quamdiu non agnoscunt, (o)n. 1008, 1010, 1059, 2051, 3398, 3402, 3489, 3898, 4289, 4601. Inde est quod Dominus de illis dicat apud Johannem, Vos ex patre diabolo estis, et desideria patris vestri vultis facere, ille homicida erat ab initio, viii 44;et de Juda Iscariot, qui repraesentabat Ecclesiam Judaicam, apud eundem, Nonne Ego vos duodecim elegi, at e vobis unus est diabolus ? vi 70;
per illum etiam quod vendiderit Dominum, simile repraesentatum est, quod hic per Jehudam qui dixit, `ite et vendamus Josephum'. @1 i est$ @2 supra$