4815.“犹大离开他弟兄下去”表雅各的后代，尤其与其余支派分开的犹大支派。这从“犹大”的代表和“离开他弟兄下去”的含义清楚可知：“犹大”在普遍意义上是指雅各的后代，在具体意义上是指被称为犹大支派的支派；“离开他弟兄下去”是指与其余支派分开，在此是指陷入比他们更糟糕的邪恶。事实上，“下去”含有堕入邪恶的意思，因为“上升”含有朝良善上升的意思（3084，4539节）。这是因为，如前所述，迦南地代表主的国度，耶路撒冷和锡安代表该国度的至内在部分。但这地边界之外的地区则代表那些在主国度之外的事物，即虚假与邪恶。因此，从锡安和耶路撒冷到这地的边界被称为“下去”；而从边界到耶路撒冷和锡安被称为“上去”。这就是为何“上去”含有朝真理与良善上升的意思，而“下去”含有堕入虚假与邪恶的意思。由于此处论述的是犹大支派所堕入的虚假与邪恶，故经上说犹大“下去”，然后“转身去了一个亚杜兰人那里”；“转身”表示堕入虚假，然后堕入邪恶。
众所周知，犹大支派与其余支派分开。分开的原因是为了叫该支派可以代表主的属天国度，而其余支派则代表祂的属灵国度。因此，犹大在代表意义上也指属天人，在普遍意义上是指主的属天国度（3654，3881节）；其余支派统称为一个名字，即“以色列人”，因为“以色列”在代表意义上是指属灵人，在普遍意义上是指主的属灵国度（3654，4286节）。
犹大支派堕入比其余支派更糟糕的邪恶，尤以这些话来表示：“犹大离开他弟兄下去，转身”。犹大支派陷入比其余支派更糟糕的邪恶，这一点从圣言中的许多经文，尤其先知书中的经文明显看出来，如耶利米书：
她奸诈的妹妹犹大也看见了。背道的以色列行淫，我为这缘故给她休书休她。然而她奸诈的妹妹犹大还不惧怕，也去行淫。因她行淫的声音，那地就被玷污了，她和石头木头行淫；虽有这一切的事，她奸诈的妹妹犹大还不归向我；背道的以色列比奸诈的犹大还使灵魂显为义。（耶利米书3:7-11）
以西结书：
她妹妹虽然看见了，却败坏自己的爱情，比她姐姐更甚，她的淫乱比她姐姐的淫乱更多。（以西结书23:11-49）
这些话论及耶路撒冷和撒马利亚，也就是犹大支派和以色列支派。其它许多地方的话也是如此。
就内义而言，本章描述了这个支派如何陷入虚假，由此陷入邪恶，最终陷入纯粹的偶像崇拜。诚然，在该支派与其余的支派分开之前，以及在它如上文所述之前，这一点在内义上就已被描述出来；但内义所包含的，却是神性，未来的事都呈现在神性面前。关于该民族的预言，参看申命记（31:16-22；32:15-44）。
Potts(1905-1910) 4815
4815. And Judah went down from his brethren. That this signifies the posterity of Jacob, and specifically the tribe of Judah, which was separated from the rest, is evident from the representation of Judah, as being in the universal sense the posterity of Jacob, and in the specific sense the tribe called the tribe of Judah; and from the signification of "going down from his brethren," as being to be separated from the rest of the tribes, here to go into worse evil than they; for "going down" involves to be cast down to evil, as "going up" involves elevation to good (n. 3084, 4539). The reason of this as before said is that the land of Canaan represented the Lord's kingdom, and Jerusalem and Zion the inmost of it; but the regions outside the boundaries of that land represented those things which are outside the Lord's kingdom, namely, falsity and evil. Therefore going from Zion and Jerusalem toward the boundaries was called "going down;" but going from the boundaries to Jerusalem and Zion was called "going up." Hence "going up" involves elevation to what is true and good, and "going down," to be cast down to what is false and evil. As the falsity and evil to which the tribe of Judah cast itself down are here treated of, it is said that Judah "went down," and then that he "turned aside to a man, an Adullamite;" and by "turning aside" is signified turning to falsity, and afterward to evil. [2] It is known that the tribe of Judah was separated from the rest of the tribes, and the reason was that this tribe might represent the Lord's celestial kingdom, but the rest of the tribes His spiritual kingdom. For this reason also Judah in the representative sense is the celestial man, and in the universal sense the Lord's celestial kingdom (n. 3654, 3881); and the rest of the tribes were called by the one name, "Israelites," for Israel in the representative sense is the spiritual man, and in the universal sense the Lord's spiritual kingdom (n. 3654, 4286). [3] That the tribe of Judah went into worse evil than the rest is specifically signified by these words: "Judah went down from his brethren, and turned aside." That the tribe of Judah went into worse evil than the rest is evident from many passages in the Word, especially in the prophets; as in Jeremiah:
Her treacherous sister Judah saw when for all the ways whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement; yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not, but she also went and committed whoredom, so that by the voice of her whoredom the land was profaned, she committed adultery with stone and wood; yet for all these things treacherous Judah hath not returned unto Me; backsliding Israel hath justified her soul more than treacherous Judah (Jer. 3:7-11). And in Ezekiel:
Her sister indeed saw, yet she corrupted her love more than she, and her whoredoms above the whoredoms of her sister (Ezek. 23:11 to end);
speaking of Jerusalem and Samaria, or of the tribes of Judah and the tribes of Israel. So in many other places. [4] In the internal sense that tribe is described as to how it lapsed into falsity, and thence into evil, and at last into mere idolatry. This is indeed described in the internal sense before that tribe was separated from the rest, and before it so came to pass; but what is in the internal sense is Divine, and to the Divine future things are present. (See what is foretold of this nation in Deut. 31:16-22; 32:15-44.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 4815
4815. 'That Judah went down from his brothers' means the descendants of Jacob, in particular the tribe of Judah which was separated from the rest. This is clear from the representation of 'Judah' in the universal sense as the descendants of Jacob, and in a particular sense as the tribe called the tribe of Judah; and from the meaning of 'going down from his brothers' as being separated from the rest of the tribes, here as a departure into evil worse than theirs. 'Going down' implies a decline into evil, since 'going up' implies a lifting up to what is good, 3084, 4539. The reason for this is, as also stated already, that the land of Canaan represented the Lord's kingdom, and Jerusalem and Zion in that land the inmost part of this kingdom. But the regions outside the boundaries of that land represented things outside the Lord's kingdom, namely falsity and evil. Consequently the expression 'to go down' was used when going from Zion and Jerusalem towards the boundaries of the land, but 'to go up' when going from the boundaries towards Jerusalem and Zion. This is why 'going up' implies a lifting up to truth and goodness, and 'going down' a decline into falsity and evil. As the reference here is to the falsity and evil into which the tribe of Judah declined, the expression 'Judah went down' is used, and after that 'he turned aside to a man, an Adullamite', 'turning aside' meaning that it declined into falsity and then into evil.
[2] It is well known that the tribe of Judah was separated from the rest of the tribes. The reason for the separation was so that the tribe might represent the Lord's celestial kingdom, and the rest of the tribes His spiritual kingdom. This being so, Judah also describes, in the representative sense, the celestial man, and in the universal sense the Lord's celestial kingdom, 3654, 3881. The rest of the tribes however were referred to by the single term 'the Israelites', for in the representative sense Israel describes the spiritual man, and in the universal sense the Lord's spiritual kingdom, 3654, 4286.
[3] The decline of the tribe of Judah into evil worse than that of the rest is the particular meaning of these words - 'and Judah went down from his brothers, and turned aside'. The departure of the tribe of Judah into evil worse than that of the rest is clear from many places in the Word, in particular in the Prophets, as in Jeremiah,
Her treacherous sister Judah saw when, because of all the ways in which estranged Israel committed adultery, I sent her away and gave her a decree of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she also went and committed whoredom, so much so that with the voice of her whoredom she profaned the land; she committed adultery with stone and wood. Yet for all this treacherous Judah has not returned to Me. Estranged Israel has justified her soul more than treacherous Judah. Jer 3:7-11.
And in Ezekiel,
Her sister did indeed see, yet she corrupted her own love more than she, and her own acts of whoredom beyond her sister's acts of whoredom. Ezek 23:11-end.
These, in addition to many others elsewhere, are references to Jerusalem and Samaria, that is, to the tribe of Judah and the tribes of Israel.
[4] Described in the internal sense of this chapter is the way in which that tribe sank into falsity, and from this into evil, and at length into that which was wholly idolatrous. This, it is true, is described in the internal sense even before that tribe was separated from the rest and before it came to be as mentioned above. But that which is contained in the internal sense is Divine, and to the Divine future things are also present ones See what was foretold about that nation in Deut 31:16-21; 32:15-43.
Latin(1748-1756) 4815
4815. `Et descendit Jehudah ex fratribus suis': quod significet posteritatem Jacobi, in specie Jehudae tribum quae separata a reliquis, constat ex repraesentatione `Jehudae' quod sit in universali sensu posteritas Jacobi, et in speciali tribus quae Judae dicta (o)est; et a significatione `descendere (c)ex fratribus' quod sit separari a reliquis tribubus, hic abire in pejus quam illi; `descendere' enim involvit dejectionem ad malum, nam `ascendere' involvit elevationem ad bonum, n. 3084, 4339; causa est, de qua etiam prius {1}, quia terra Canaan repraesentabat regnum Domini, ac ibi Hierosolyma (c)et Zion intimum ejus; at quae extra terminos illius terrae erant, repraesentabant illa quae extra regnum Domini, quae sunt falsum et malum; ideo a Zione et Hierosolyma versus terminos dicebatur `descendere', at a terminis ad Hierosolymam et Zionem `ascendere'; inde est quod ascendere involvat elevationem ad verum et bonum, et descendere dejectionem ad falsum et malum; quia hic de falso et malo ad quae se dejecit tribus Jehudae, agitur, dicitur quod `Jehudah descendit' et porro quod `declinavit ad virum Adullamitam', et per declinare significatur quod ad falsum, et dein ad malum. [2] Quod tribus Jehudae separata sit a reliquis tribubus, notum est; causa erat ut illa tribus repraesentaret caeleste regnum Domini, at reliquae tribus spirituale regnum Ipsius; ideo (o)etiam (m)Jehudah in sensu repraesentative est caelestis homo, et in universali regnum caeleste Domini, n. 3654, 3881;(n) {2} atque reliquae tribus vocatae sunt una voce Israelitae, Israel enim in sensu repraesentativo est spiritualis homo, et in universali regnum spirituale Domini, n. 3654, 4286. [3] Quod tribus Jehudae abiverit in pejus quam reliquae, in specie significatur per haec verba `et descendit Jehudah ex fratribus suis, et declinavit'. Quod tribus Jehudae abiverit in pejus quam reliquae, constat ex pluribus locis in Verbo imprimis apud Prophetas; ut apud Jeremiam, Vidit perfida soror ejus Jehudah,... cum propter omne modos, quibus moechata est aversa Israel, dimiserim illam, e dederim libellum repudii ejus ei, non tamen timuit sibi perfide Jehudah soror ejus, sed abivit et scortata est etiam illa, adeo ut a voce scortationis ejus profanata sit terra;moechata est cum lapide et ligno; in omnibus tamen {3} his non reversa est perfida ad Me Jehudah;... justificavit animam suam aversa Israel prae perfida Jehudah, iii 7-11:
et apud Ezechielem, Vidit quidem soror ejus, attamen corrupit amorem suum plus quam illa, et scortationes suas supra scortationes sororis suae xxiii 11 seq. ad fin.;
ibi {4} de Hierosolyma et Samaria, seu de tribu Jehudae, et de tribubus {5} Israelis; praeter alibi pluries. [4] Describitur in sensu interno {6} tribus illa, quomodo lapsa in falsum et inde in malum, et tandem in mere idololatricum; hoc quidem describitur in sensu interno antequam tribu sensu interno est, Divinum est, ac Divino futura sunt praesentia; videantur quae de illa gente praedicta (o)sunt Deut. (x)xxxi 16-21; xxxii 15-43. @1 i dictum$ @2 etiam$ @3 i etiam$ @4 ubi$ @5 Tribus I$ @6 i in hoc capite$