7111.“百姓中的督工和他们的官长说”表那些最近距离地进行侵扰之人和那些最近距离地接受之人。这从“督工”和“官长”的含义清楚可知：“督工”是指那些迫使人事奉的人（参看6852节），由于他们通过侵扰如此行，所以“督工”也表示那些进行侵扰的人，不过是指那些最近距离地进行侵扰之人，如下文所述；“官长”是指那些最近距离地接受之人。因为官长来自以色列人，督工来自埃及人，这从下文明显可知。因此，就内义而言，“官长”是指那些最近距离地接受之人，“督工”是指那些最近距离地进行侵扰之人。
从来世那些进行侵扰，并引入虚假和邪恶的人，以及那些接受并传递它们的人可以得知这都是些什么人。那些进行侵扰，并引入虚假和邪恶的人就是地狱。不过，为了达到自己的目的，他们从自己人当中派出使者，通过该使者行动。这些人看似离那些被侵扰的人并不远；这样做是为了叫许多人的思维和意图能通过他们集中起来；否则，这类思维和意图就会分散。这些使者在灵人界中出现在他们自己的一些固定地方，从他们所出现的地方本身就能知道他们来自哪个地狱。有的出现在头顶上的各个高度和角度处；有的靠近头部，在右侧或左侧，以及后面；有的在头下面相对于身体的各个层面，从头直到脚底。他们带着从地狱发出的那类事物流入，但一个灵人或世人只能感觉、因而只知道它们是自己里面的事物；也就是说，是他自己在思考并打算它们。这些使者被称为“使臣”，关于使臣，可参看前面从经历所作的说明（4403，5856，5983-5989节）。由于这些人最近距离地进行侵扰，所以“督工”表示他们。但那些从他们那里接受东西，并传递它们的人是“官长”，也是居间灵人。因为如前所述，官长来自以色列人，而督工来自埃及人。
在以色列和犹太人当中，“官长”一名被赋予那些被要求告诉百姓他们必须做什么，并给出命令的人。因此，他们也与审判官并长老坐在城门口，告诉百姓所作出的判决，以及领袖所发出的命令；这一点从以下经文可以看出来，摩西五经：
你要在你的各城门口，按着各支派设立审判官和官长。他们必按公义的审判判断百姓。（申命记16:18）
又：
他们将要上阵的时候，祭司要到百姓面前讲话，告诫他们不要惧怕；后来官长也要说，建造房屋的，以及惧怕的可以回去。（申命记20:2，3，5，8）
约书亚记：
约书亚吩咐官长对百姓说，他们在约旦河之前，要预备行路的食物。（约书亚记1:10-11）
又：
过了三天，官长走遍营中，给出命令，他们看见耶和华的约柜，也要往前行。（约书亚记3:2-3）
官长是监管百姓的人，与百姓的首领或领袖不同（参看申命记1:15）；他们与长老也不同（申命记31:28）；同样与审判官不同（约书亚记8:33）。
Potts(1905-1910) 7111
7111. The taskmasters in the people, and their officers, saying. That this signifies those who most closely infest, and those who most closely receive, is evident from the signification of "taskmasters," as being those who compel to serve (see n. 6852), and as this is effected by means of infestations, by "taskmasters" are also signified those who infest, but who most closely infest (of whom below); and from the signification of "officers," as being those who most closely receive; for the officers were of the sons of Israel, and the taskmasters were of the Egyptians, as is evident from what follows. Thus in the internal sense the "officers" are they who most closely receive, and the "taskmasters" those who most closely infest. [2] Who these are can be known from those in the other life who infest and inject falsities and evils, and from those who receive and communicate them. They who infest and inject falsities and evils are the hells, but in order that they may effect their purpose, they send forth from themselves emissaries, through whom they act. These appear not far from those who are being infested; and this is done in order that the thoughts and intentions of many may be concentrated, for otherwise they would be dispersed. These emissaries appear in certain fixed places of their own in the world of spirits, and from the very places where they appear it can be known from what hell they are; some appear above the head at various altitudes and in various directions; some near the head to the right or to the left, and also behind it; some below the head in various situations relatively to the body, in planes from the head down to the soles of the feet. They flow in with such things as are ejected from hell, and the spirit or the man does not perceive or know otherwise than that the things which flow in are in himself; that is, that he himself thinks and intends them. These emissaries are called "subjects" (of whom see what was shown above, from experience, n. 4403, 5856, 5983-5989). As these infest the most closely, they are signified by the "taskmasters;" but they who receive from them and communicate are the "officers," and are intermediate spirits; for as before said the officers were of the sons of Israel, but the taskmasters were of the Egyptians. [3] Those were called "officers" among the Israelitish and Jewish people, who said what was to be done, and who gave commandment; wherefore they also sat in the gates with the judges and elders, and spoke to the people the sentences of judgment, and also the things commanded by the leader, as can be seen from the following passages in Moses:
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, according to thy tribes, who shall judge the people with the judgment of justice (Deut. 16:18). When they shall go forth to war, the priest shall speak to the people, and shall admonish them not to be afraid; afterward the officers shall say that he who has built a house shall return, and also the fearful (Deut. 20:3, 5, 8). In Joshua:
Joshua commanded the officers to say to the people that they should prepare provision for the journey, before they passed over Jordan (Josh. 1:10-11). At the end of three days it came to pass, when the officers passed through the midst of the camp, they gave commandment that when they saw the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, they should also go forward (Josh. 3:2-3). That the officers were governors of the people, distinct from their princes, see Deut. 1:15; also that they were distinct from the elders, Deut. 31:28; and from the judges, Joshua 8:33.
Elliott(1983-1999) 7111
7111. 'To the taskmasters over the people and to their officers, saying' means those in the nearest position to molest, and those in the nearest position to receive. This is clear from the meaning of 'the taskmasters' as those who compel people to serve, dealt with in 6852, and since they do so by means of molestations, 'the taskmasters' also means those who molest, but those in the nearest position to carry it out, who are dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the officers' as those in the nearest position to receive. For the officers came from the children of Israel, but the taskmasters from the Egyptians, as is evident from what follows. Thus in the internal sense 'the officers' are those in the nearest position to receive, and 'the taskmasters' those in the nearest position to molest.
[2] Who exactly are meant may be recognized from those in the next life who molest, introducing falsities and evils, and those who receive these and pass them on. Those who molest, introducing falsities and evils, are the hells. But to achieve their purpose they send out from themselves emissaries through whom they act; and these make their appearance no great distance away from those who are molested. This is done for the reason that the thoughts and intentions of many may by focused through them; otherwise such thoughts and intentions would become diffuse. Those emissaries appear in particular places of their own in the world of spirits, and from the actual places where they appear one can recognize which hell they come from. Some appear overhead at varying heights and angles; others alongside the head, to the right or left as well as behind it; and others again below the head, on various levels in relation to the body, from the head right down to the soles of the feet. They flow in with the kinds of things that are emitted from hell, but a spirit or man can only feel them, and therefore only know of them, as things that are inside himself, as things that he himself thinks and intends. Those emissaries are called 'subordinates', see what has already been shown from experience regarding them in 4403, 5856, 5983-5989. Since these are in the nearest position to molest they are meant by 'the taskmasters'. But those who receive things from them and pass them on are 'the officers'; they are also intermediary spirits. For as stated above, the officers came from the children of Israel, but the taskmasters came from the Egyptians.
[3] Among the Israelite and Jewish people 'officers was a name given to those who were required to tell the people what they had to do, and who were to give orders. For this reason they also sat with the judges and elders in the gates, and told the people the judgements that had been made as well as the commands issued by the leader, as becomes clear from the following places: In Moses,
You shall appointa judges and officers in all your gates according to your tribes, who will judge the people with righteous judgement.b Deut 16:18.
In the same author,
When they go out to war the priest shall speak to the people and warn them that they should not be afraid. After that the officers shall say that he who has built a house should go back, and also the fearful. Deut 20:1-3, 5, 8, 9.
In Joshua,
Joshua gave orders to the officers to say to the people that they should prepare provisions for the journey, before they crossed the Jordan. Josh 1:10, 11.
In the same book,
At the end of three days it happened, when the officers passed through the middle of the camp, that they gave orders [to the people, saying] that when they saw the ark of the covenant of Jehovah they too were to set out. Josh 8:33.
The officers' were overseers of the people, distinct and separate from the princes or leaders of the people, see Deut 1:15. They were distinct and separate from the elders too, Deut 31:28, and also from the judges, Josh 8:33.
Latin(1748-1756) 7111
7111. `Exactoribus in populo et moderatoribus ejus, dicendo': quod significet illos qui proxime infestant et qui proxime recipiunt, constat ex significatione `exactorum' quod sint qui ad serviendum adigunt, de qua n. 6852; et quia hoc fit per infestationes, etiam per `exactores' significantur illi qui infestant sed qui proxime infestant, de quibus {1}infra; et ex significatione `moderatorum' quod sint qui proxime recipiunt; erant enim moderatores a filiis Israelis, at exactores ab Aegyptiis, ut patet a sequentibus; ita in sensu interno sunt moderatores illi qui proxime recipiunt, et exactores qui proxime infestant; quinam illi sunt, (x)sciri potest ab illis in altera vita qui infestant 2 (c)ac injiciunt falsa et mala, et qui recipiunt illa et communicant; qui infestant et injiciunt falsa et mala sunt inferna, sed ut {2} efficere possint, emittunt a se emissarios per quos agunt; apparent illi non procul ab illis qui infestantur; {3}hoc fit ideo ut cogitationes ac intentiones plurium concentrentur, alioquin dissiparentur; emissarii illi apparent in suis certis locis in mundo spirituum, exque ipsis locis ubi apparent, cognosci potest ex quo inferno sunt; quidam apparent supra caput ad variam altitudinem, et ad variam obliquitatem; quidam juxta caput {4} ad dextrum sive ad sinistrum, etiam post illud; quidam infra caput varie {5}ad corpus, in planis a capite usque ad plantas {6}pedis; illi influunt cum talibus quae ab inferno ejiciuntur, et {7}quae influunt, spiritus seu homo non aliter sentit, et inde non (t)aliter scit quam quod {8}in ipso sint, hoc est, quod ipse {9}cogitet illa ac intendat; emissarii illi vocantur subjecta, de quibus videantur quae ab experientia prius n. 4403, 5856, 5983-5989, ostensa sunt; hi quia proxime infestant, significantur per exactores; qui autem ab illis recipiunt et communicant sunt moderatores, ac sunt spiritus intermedii; moderatores enim, ut supra dictum, {10}erant ex filiis Israelis, {11}sed exactores ab Aegyptiis. 3 Moderatores dicebantur apud populum Israeliticum et Judaicum, qui {12}dicerent quid agerent, et qui {13}praeciperent; quapropter cum judicibus et senioribus etiam sedebant in portis, et loquebantur ad populum quae {14}judicabantur, tum quoque quae a duce mandabantur, ut constare potest a sequentibus his locis: apud Moschen, Judices et moderatores dabis in omnibus portis tuis juxta tribus tuas, qui judicabunt populum judicio justitiae, [Deut.] xvi 18:apud eundem, Quando {15}exibunt ad bellum, loquetur sacerdos ad populum, et admonebit ne timerent; postea moderatores dicent quod qui aedificavit domum reverteretur, et quoque {16}timidi, [Deut.] xx [1, 2,] 5, 8, 9:
apud Joschuam, Joschua praecepit moderatoribus ut dicerent ad populum, ut pararent viaticum, antequam transirent Jordanem, i 10, 11:
apud eundem, A fine trium dierum factum est, cum transirent moderatores per medium castrorum, et praeciperent, ut cum viderent arcam foederis Jehovae, etiam proficiscerentur, iii 2, 3. Quod `moderatores' fuerint praefecti populi distincti a principibus (c)illius, videatur Deut. i 15; quod a senioribus, Deut. xxxi 28; et quoque a judicibus, Jos. viii 33. @1 sequitur$ @2 i id$ @3 illi qui in infernis concentrant suas cogitationes ac intentiones, quae alioquin quia a pluribus dissiparentur$ @4 i sive$ @5 in plane corporis$ @6 pedum$ @7 cum$ @8 A had then d in ipso sit$ @9 sit qui cogitat et intendit$ @10 fuerunt$ @11 et$ @12 dixerant populo$ @13 praeceperunt illis$ @14 judex judicabat, et quae dux mandabat$ @15 exirent$ @16 timidus$