6396.“但”表那些处于真理，但尚未处于良善的人。这从“但”的代表清楚可知，“但”是指生活的良善（参看3921，3923节），不过在此是指那些拥有由真理，还未由良善所生的某种生活良善之人。因为对于正被主重生的人来说，情况是这样：他先处于真理，但未处于由这真理所生的任何生活良善；接着，他处于由真理，尚未由良善所生的生活良善；此后，一旦重生，他便处于由良善所生的生活良善；在这个阶段，他出于良善洞察真理，并使他里面的真理增多；这些是重生的程度。“但”表示那些处于由真理，尚未由良善所生的生活良善之人。与他们同在的良善仍深藏于真理，赋予他们对真理的情感，促使他们照真理生活。这种人在主的国度，但由于他们行善并非出于良善，而是出于真理；也就是说，不是出于一种新的意愿，而是出于理解力，因而不是出于爱，而是出于顺服，因为他们被吩咐如此行，因此，在主的国度，他们就在那些住第一层或最低层天堂的人当中。他们就是“但”所代表的人，因为就以色列所作预言的内义而言，他的十二个儿子总体上描述了所有在主国度之人的本质。
“但”所表示的人之所以住在最低层天堂，或说主国度的最低层，是因为他们处于真理，尚未处于良善；这一点由当众支派分迦南地为业时，但的阄落在最后（约书亚记19:40-48），以及那时他们的地业在那地最远的部分（士师记18章）来代表。因为阄是在耶和华面前拈的（约书亚记18:6），因此照着各支派的代表而给各支派拈出。迦南地代表主的国度（参看1607，3038，3481，3686，3705，4447，4454节），因此它的一切疆界都是代表（1607，1866，4116节），故那地最远的部分代表主国度的最低级部分（4240节）。因此，“但”代表那些最低级部分的居民；因为真理在与良善结合之前，住在该国度的最低层。不过，真理若完全与良善分离，就不会住在主国度的任何疆界之内，而是住在外面了。
但的地业是迦南地最外围的部分，这一点从以下事实清楚看出来：每当经上描述那地的全境时，都会说“从别是巴直到但”（撒母耳记下3:10；17:11；24:15；列王记上4:25）。在这些经文中，“别是巴”表示那地的至内在部分，因为在耶路撒冷和锡安成为那地的至内在部分之前，别是巴是亚伯拉罕和以撒所生活的地方。
那些处于真理，尚未处于良善之人的本质还由窥探他们可居之地的但人（士师记18章）来代表；他们将利未人从米迦家里引走，拿走他的以弗得、家中的神像并铸成的像；这些物品表示那些处于真理，尚未处于良善之人的敬拜。因为这些人崇拜外在之物，无视内在之物。事实上，除了处于良善的人外，没有人能察觉内在之物。这就是此处但人所代表的，这一点从以下事实清楚可知：圣言中的一切历史，无论摩西五经中的，还是约书亚记、士师记、撒母耳记和列王纪中的，都是主国度的属天和属灵事物的代表；士师记中关于但人的这个故事也是如此。至于进一步涉及那些处于真理，尚未处于良善之人本质的内容，接下来关于但所说的那些话的内义描述了他们的本质。
Potts(1905-1910) 6396
6396. That Dan signifies those who are in truth and not as yet in good, is evident from the representation of Dan, as being the good of life (see n. 3921, 3923); but here those who are in some good of life from truth, but not as yet from good. For with the man who is being regenerated by the Lord the case is this. He is first in truth and not in any good of life from truth; next he is in the good of life from truth, but not yet from good; afterward, when he has been regenerated, he is in the good of life from good, and he then perceives truth from good, and multiplies it in himself; these are the degrees of regeneration. By "Dan" are meant those who are in the good of life from truth, but not yet from good; the good with them as yet lies deeply hidden in truth, and gives them the affection of truth, and impels them to live according to truth. They who are such are in the Lord's kingdom; but as they do not do good from good, but from truth, that is, not from a new will, but from the intellectual, and thus not from love, but from obedience because it is so commanded, they are therefore among those in the Lord's kingdom who are in the first or ultimate heaven. [2] These are they who are represented by Dan, for in this prophetic utterance of Israel, in the internal sense, by his twelve sons are described in general all who are in the Lord's kingdom in respect to their quality. That they who are signified by "Dan" are in the ultimate heaven, or in the ultimate part of the Lord's kingdom, because in truth and not yet in good, was represented by the lot of Dan falling last, when the land of Canaan was distributed for an inheritance among the tribes (Josh. 19:40-48); and by their inheritance lying in the extremity of that land (Judg. 18); for the lot was cast before Jehovah (Josh. 18:6), and therefore fell to each one according to his representation. That the land of Canaan represented the Lord's kingdom (see n. 1607, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4447, 4454), and hence all the borders were representative (n. 1607, 1866, 4116), thus the ultimates of that land represented the ultimates in the Lord's kingdom (n. 4240); and therefore Dan represented those who are in the ultimates there; for before truth has been conjoined with good, it is in the ultimate; but if truth is completely separated from good, it is not then in any border of the Lord's kingdom, but is outside of it. [3] That the inheritance of Dan was the ultimate of the land of Canaan is evident from the fact that when the whole extent of that land was described, it was said, "from Beersheba even to Dan" (2 Sam. 3:10; 17:11; 24:15; 1 Kings 4:25). By "Beersheba" in these passages is signified the inmost of the land, because Abraham and Isaac dwelt there before Jerusalem and Zion became the inmost of the land. [4] The quality of those who are in truth and not yet in good, was also represented by the Danites who sought out land where they might dwell (Judg. 18), in their leading away a Levite out of the house of Micah, and taking away his ephod, teraphim, and graven image; whereby is signified the worship of those who are in truth and not yet in good; for they adore external things and disregard internal. No one perceives what is internal but he who is in good. That this was represented by the Danites is evident from the fact that all the historicals of the Word, both those in the books of Moses, and those in the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings, are representative of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom; and so also is this story in the book of Judges about the Danites. As to what further concerns those who are in truth and not yet in good, their quality is described in the internal sense in what now follows about Dan.
Elliott(1983-1999) 6396
6396. 'Dan' means those who are guided by truth but not as yet by good. This is clear from the representation of 'Dan' as the good of life, dealt with in 3921, 3923, but here those who have some goodness of life, which is engendered by truth but not as yet by good. For the situation with a person who is being regenerated by the Lord is that at first truth resides with him but no goodness of life engendered by that truth. Then such goodness of life engendered by truth, though not as yet by good, does reside with him; and after that, once he has been regenerated, goodness of life engendered by good comes to reside with him, at which stage he discerns truth from the vantage point of good and multiplies that truth residing with him. These are the degrees of regeneration, and 'Dan' is used to mean those with whom goodness of life resides which is engendered by truth but not as yet by good. The good that resides with them still lies deeply concealed within that truth; yet it provides them with an affection for truth and impels them to lead a life in accordance with the truth. Such people are in the Lord's kingdom, but because they are led to do good not by good but by truth, that is, not by anything of a new will but by the understanding - thus not by love but by obedience because they are commanded so to act - they are among those in the Lord's kingdom who inhabit the first or lowest heaven. These are the people whom 'Dan' represents, for in the internal sense of the prophetic declarations made here by Israel his twelve sons serve to describe in general the essential natures of all who are in the Lord's kingdom.
[2] The habitation by those meant by 'Dan' of the lowest heaven or lowest level of the Lord's kingdom because they are guided by truth but not as yet by good was represented by the falling of the lot last for Dan when the land of Canaan was shared out as an inheritance among the tribes, Josh 19:40-48, and by the allotment at that time of an inheritance to them in the remotest part of the land, Judges 18. For the lot was cast before Jehovah, Josh.18:6, and therefore fell for each tribe in accordance with its representation. The land of Canaan represented the Lord's kingdom, see 1607, 3038, 3481, 3705, 3686, 4447, 4454, and all its boundaries were therefore representative, 1607, 1866, 4116, so that the outermost parts of that land represented the lowest parts of the Lord's kingdom, 4240. 'Dan' consequently represented the inhabitants of those lowest parts, for before truth has become joined to good it resides on the lowest level of that kingdom. But if truth has become entirely separated from good it does not reside within any boundary of the Lord's kingdom but is outside it.
[3] The fact that Dan's inheritance was the outermost part of the land of Canaan is clear from the fact that whenever the full extent of that land was described the expression from Beersheba even to Dan was used, 2 Sam 3:10; 17:11; 24:15; 1 Kings 4:25. In this expression Beersheba means the inmost part of the land, for the reason that it was the place where Abraham and Isaac lived, that is, before Jerusalem and Zion had become the inmost parts of the land.
[4] The essential nature of those guided by truth but not as yet by good was also represented by the Danites who were to spy out the land in which they were to live, Judges 18. It was represented by their removal of the Levite from Micah's house and their making off with the ephod, teraphim, and carved image, by which objects is meant the worship of those guided by truth but not as yet by good. For those people venerate things of an external nature but have no interest in those of an internal nature; for things of an internal nature are discerned by none but those who are guided by good. This is what the Danites under consideration here represented, as becomes clear from the consideration that all the historical incidents in the Word, both those in the Books of Moses and those in the Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings, are representative of the celestial and spiritual realities of the Lord's kingdom, including therefore this incident in the Book of Judges involving the Danites. As regards anything further concerning the essential nature of those guided by truth but not as yet by good, this is described in the internal sense of the things said about Dan that come next.
Latin(1748-1756) 6396
6396. `Dan': quod significet illos qui in vero et nondum in bono, constat a repraesentatione `Danis' quod sit bonum vitae, de qua n. (x)3921, 3923, hic autem illi qui in aliquo bono vitae sunt ex vero, sed nondum ex bono; cum homine enim qui regeneratur a Domino, ita se habet: ille primum est in vero, et non in aliquo bono vitae ex vero, dein est in bono vitae ex vero, sed nondum ex bono, postea cum regeneratus est, in bono vitae est ex bono, et tunc verum ex bono appercipit et apud se multiplicat; hi sunt gradus regenerationis; per `Danem' {1} intelliguntur illi qui in bono vitae sunt ex vero, sed nondum ex bono; bonum apud illos latet in vero alte adhuc reconditum, et dat illis affectionem veri, et agit illo ad vivendum secundum verum; qui tales sunt, in regno Domini sunt, {2}at quia nomen bono agunt bonum sed ex vero, hoc est, non ex novo aliquo voluntario sed ex intellectuali, {3}ac ita non ex amore sed ex oboedientia quia ita mandatum est, idcirco inter illos in regno Domini sunt qui in primo seu ultimo caelo; hi sunt qui per `Danem' repraesentantur, nam in `hoc prophetico' Israelis in sensu interno per duodecim filios ejus describuntur in genere quoad quale {4}omnes qui in regno Domini sunt. [2] Quod illi qui (t)per `Danem' significantur, sint in {5}ultimo caelo seu in ultimo regni Domini, quia in vero et nondum in bono, repraesentatum est per quod `sors pro Dane ultimo ceciderit, cum distribueretur terra Canaan in hereditatem inter tribus', Jos. xix 40-48; et quod illis tunc obtigerit hereditas in extremitate terrae illius, Jud. xviii; sors enim coram Jehovah jacta est, Jos. xviii 6, quapropter obtigit cuique secundum repraesentationem ejus; {6}quod `terra Canaan' repraesentaret regnum Domini, videatur n. 1607, 3038, 3481, 3705, 3686, 4447, 4454; ac {7}inde omnes termini ibi {8}erant repraesentativi, n. 1607, 1866, 4116; {9}ita ultima illius terrae repraesentabant ultima in regno Domini, n. 4240; `quapropter' Dan repraesentabat illos qui in ultimis ibi; nam verum antequam conjunctum est cum bono, in ultimo est; si autem verum prorsus separatum est a bono, tunc non est in aliquo termino regni Domini sed est extra illud; [3] quod Danis hereditas esset ultimum terrae Canaanis, constat ex eo, cum tota extensio terrae illius describeretur, quod diceretur, `a Beershebah usque ad Danem', 2 Sam. iii 10, xvii 11, xxiv 15, 1 Reg. (x)v 5 [A. V. iv 25]; {10} per `Beershebam' ibi significatur intimum terrae, ex causa quia ibi Abraham et Jishak habitarunt, hoc antequam Hierosolyma et Zion intima terrae facta sunt. [4] Qui in vero sunt et nondum in bono, quales sunt, etiam repraesentatum est per `Danitas qui explorarent terram ubi habitarent, Jud. xviii; quod `e domo Michae abduxerint Levitam, et abstulerint ephodum, teraphim, sculptile {11}', per quae {12}significatur cultus illorum qui in vero sunt et nondum in bono; externa enim adorant et interna non curant; interna {13} nemo appercipit nisi qui in bono est; quod id per `Danitas' ibi repraesentatum sit, constare potest ex eo quod omnia historica Verbi, tam quae in Libris Mosis quam quae in Libris Joshuae, Judicum, Samuelis et Regum, sint repraesentativa caelestium et spiritualium regni Domini; ita quoque hoc historicum in Libro Judicum de Danitis. Quod porro illos concernit qui in vero sunt et nondum in bono, illi quales sunt, in nunc sequentibus de Dane in sensu interno describuntur. @1 i itaque$ @2 sed$ @3 ita non ex affectione amoris$ @4 omnes after describuntur$ @5 ultimis$ @6 et$ @7 ita$ @8 terminos in Regno Domini$ @9 et quod$ @10 i quia$ @11 i et fusile$ @12 significabatur$ @13 i enim$