7298.“他们各人丢下自己的杖，杖就变作水蛇”表源于他们在洞察真理时变得迟钝的秩序的能力。这从“丢下杖”和“水蛇”的含义清楚可知：“丢下杖”是指能力的展示（参看7292节）；“水蛇”是指由幻觉所产生的虚假（参看7293节），在此是指在洞察真理方面的迟钝。因为随着幻觉阻止人们去洞察真理，这种能力会变得迟钝或被削弱。这种迟钝或削弱也是来世的巫师带来的；他们通过滥用和败坏秩序来达到目的。因为他们知道如何移除天堂的流注；并且一旦得逞，洞察真理的能力就会变得迟钝。他们还知道如何制造幻觉，将它们呈现在看似真理之光的光中，同时使真正的真理变得模糊。他们同样知道如何灌输错误的信仰，由此削弱人洞察真理的能力，更不用提其它产生同样效果的方法了。当这种能力被削弱时，虚假就看似真理；这种虚假由“邪术”和“魔咒”来表示。由此可见术士如何能制造出某种表面看上去与亚伦的神迹很相似的东西。
要进一步知道，按照秩序的律法，人不可在一瞬间被说服相信真理，也 就是说，不可在一瞬间对真理变得如此确定，以至于对它毫不怀疑。原因在于，当真理以这种方式被烙印在一个人身上时，他就会完全确信它，以致它无法以任何方式被拓宽或延伸，缺乏任何柔软的品质。这种真理在来世表现为坚硬的东西，不允许良善进入它，以使它变得柔韧。这解释了为何在来世，某个真理一通过明显的经历被呈现在善灵面前，某种造成怀疑的对立观念很快被呈现出来。他们以这种方式被引导思想它，并深思它是否真的是真理，收集支持它的理由，并运用理性将这真理引入自己的心智。这使得他们在这真理方面的属灵视觉被拓宽或延伸，甚至能看清它的对立面。因此，他们用自己的理解力看见并发觉真理的一切特征，由此能允许来自天堂的流注照着形势的要求进入；因为真理照着环境取得各种形式。这也是为何术士被允许照亚伦所行的而行的原因；因为以这种方式在以色列人当中行神迹会引发对它是不是神性的怀疑，由此给他们机会去思考并深思它是不是神性，最终自己确认它就是神性。
Potts(1905-1910) 7298
7298. And they cast every man his rod, and they became water-serpents. That this signifies power from order that they became dull in respect to the noticing of truth, is evident from the signification of "casting a rod," as being the exhibition of power (see n. 7292); and from the signification of "water-serpents," as being falsities from fallacies (see n. 7293), here dullness in respect to the noticing of truth, for in proportion as fallacies cause truths not to be noticed, so is dullness induced. Such dullness is also induced by magicians in the other life, and this by the abuse and perversion of order, for they know how to take away the influx of heaven, and when this is taken away there is dullness in the noticing of truth; and they also know how to induce fallacies, and to present them in a light like the light of truth, and at the same time to obscure the real truths; they likewise know how to inject what is persuasive, and thus to dull the noticing of truth; not to mention other methods. When there is dullness, falsities appear as truths, such falsities being signified by "sorceries" and "enchantments." From all this it is evident how magicians can present what is in appearance the same. [2] Be it further known that it is according to the laws of order that no one ought to be persuaded about truth in a moment, that is to say, that truth should be so confirmed in a moment as to leave no doubt whatever about it; because the truth which is so impressed becomes persuasive truth, and is devoid of any extension, and also of any yielding quality. Such truth is represented in the other life as hard, and as such that it does not admit good into it so as to become applicable. Hence it is that as soon as in the other life any truth is presented before good spirits by a manifest experience, there is soon afterward presented something opposite which causes doubt. In this way it is given them to think about it, and to consider whether it be so, and to collect reasons, and thus to bring that truth into their minds rationally. By this there is effected an extension in the spiritual sight in respect to that truth, even to its opposites; and thence it sees and perceives in the understanding all the quality of the truth, and thence can admit influx from heaven according to the states of the objects, for truths receive various forms according to the circumstances. This is the reason why the magicians were allowed to do as Aaron did; for thereby doubt was excited among the sons of Israel about the miracle, whether it was Divine; and thus an opportunity was given them of thinking and considering whether it was Divine, and of finally confirming themselves that it was so.
Elliott(1983-1999) 7298
7298. 'And they threw down each one his rod, and they were made into water-serpents' means power derived from order by which they became obtuse in their discernment of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'throwing down the rod' as a demonstration of power, dealt with in 7292; and from the meaning of 'water-serpents' as falsities resulting from illusions, dealt with in 7293, here obtuseness in the discernment of truth, for when illusions prevent people from discerning truths, that ability is also made obtuse or is blunted. A like blunting of it is also brought about by magicians in the next life; they achieve it by the misuse and perversion of order. For they know how to remove influences coming in from heaven; and once they have done that the ability to discern truth is blunted. They also know how to introduce illusions and present them in light that is seemingly the light of truth, and how at the same time to blur actual truths. They know too how to instill false belief and thereby blunt a person's ability to discern truth, besides other ways of producing the same effect. When that ability has been blunted falsities are seen as truths, and these are meant by sorceries and enchantments. From all this one may see how magicians can produce something which to outward appearances looks similar [to Aaron's miracle].
[2] In addition it should be recognized that it is in accordance with the laws of order that no one should become convinced of the truth instantaneously, that is, should instantaneously be made so sure of the truth that he is left in no doubt at all about it. The reason for this is that when truth is impressed on a person in that kind of way, he becomes so fully convinced of it that it cannot be broadened in any way or qualified in any way. Truth like this is represented in the next life as that which is hard, not allowing good into itself to make it pliable. This goes to explain why in the next life as soon as some truth is presented through plain experience to good spirits, some opposing idea giving rise to doubt is presented. In this way they are led to think and ponder over whether it is indeed a truth, gather reasons in support of it, and so introduce that truth into their minds by the use of reason. This enables their spiritual vision in respect of that truth to be broadened, seeing even into the ideas that are opposed to it. They therefore see and perceive with their understanding every characteristic of the truth, and from this are able to let in the influences coming from heaven as the situation demands; for truths take varying forms as dictated by circumstances. This is also the reason why the magicians were allowed to do the same as Aaron had done; for in that way a miracle performed among the children of Israel was placed in doubt as to whether it was Divine, and that gave them the opportunity to think and ponder over whether it was Divine before at length assuring themselves that it was.
Latin(1748-1756) 7298
7298. `Et projecerunt quisque baculum suum, et facti in serpentes aqueos': quod significet potentiam ex ordine quod hebetes facti quoad apperceptionem veri, constat ex significatione `projicere baculum' quod sit ostensio potentiae, {1}de qua n. 7292; et ex significatione `serpentum aqueorum' quod sint falsa ex fallaciis, de qua n. 7293, hic hebetudo quoad apperceptionem veri, nam sicut fallaciae faciunt ut vera non appercipiantur, ita quoque hebetudo inducta; talis hebetudo etiam inducitur a magis in altera vita, et hoc per abusum et perversionem ordinis, sciunt enim {2} auferre influxum e caelo, quo ablato fit hebetudo quoad apperceptionem veri; et quoque sciunt fallacias inducere et sistere illas in luce sicut in luce veri, et {3}simul tunc obscurare ipsa vera {4}; sciunt etiam persuasivum injicere, et sic hebetare apperceptionem veri; praeter per alios modos; quando hebetudo est, {5} apparent falsa {6}ut vera, {7}quae significantur per praestigias et incantationes; ex his patet quomodo magi simile ad apparentiam sistere possunt. 2 Praeterea sciendum quod secundum leges ordinis sit {8}quod nemo persuaderi momento de vero debeat, hoc est, {9}quod verum momento ita confirmetur ut non sit relicta aliqua dubitatio; causa est quia verum quod ita imprimitur fit verum persuasivum, et est absque ulla extensione et quoque absque ulla cedentia; tale verum repraesentatur in altera vita sicut durum, et sicut tale quod non admittit in se bonum ut fiat applicabile; inde est ut primum per experientiam manifestam sistitur in altera vita aliquod verum coram bonis spiritibus, quod mox dein sistatur aliquod oppositum quod facit dubium; {10}ita datur illis cogitare et expendere num ita sit, et colligere rationes, et sic inducere verum illud rationaliter in mentem suam; {10}ex eo fit extensio visui {11}spirituali quoad verum illud, {12} usque etiam ad opposita; inde videt et percipit intellectu omne quale veri, et inde potest admittere {13}e caelo influxum secundum status rerum, nam vera varias formas accipiunt secundum circumstantias; haec quoque causa est quod licuerit magis simile facere, ac quod fecit Aharon; nam sic apud filios Israelis miraculum {14} in dubium num Divinum esset, missum est, et per id illis data est copia cogitandi et expendendi, num {15}fuerit Divinum, et tandem se confirmandi quod {16}fuerit. @1 ut supra$ @2 i magici$ @3 interea$ @4 i illas discutientia$ @5 i tunc$ @6 sicut$ @7 quod significatur per praestigia$ @8 ut$ @9 ita confirmari de illo ut sit absque ulla dubitatione$ @10 inde$ @11 intellectuali$ @12 i et sic idea veri circumcirca effundit,$ @13 After influxum$ @14 i Divinum$ @15 Divinum sit$ @16 sit$