737、“挪亚是六百岁的儿子”表示他的试探的最初状态。这从以下事实清楚可知：从此处直到第11章，数字、年龄或名字只表示真实事物，如第5章提到的年龄和所有名字。此处的“六百岁”表示试探的最初状态，这一点从数字600的因子明显可知，它是6和10相乘再乘10的结果。只要涉及相同的因子，所得出的数字是大是小没什么区别。至于数字10，前面（创世记6:3）已经说明，它表示余剩（576节）；而此处的6表示劳碌和争战，这一点从圣言中的许多经文明显看出来。因为情况是这样：前面论述的主题是被称为“挪亚”的人为试探所作的准备，也就是说，主给他提供了理解力的真理和意愿的良善。这些真理和良善就是余剩，在这个人重生之前，它们不会被带出来以得到承认。对那些正通过试探重生的人来说，一个人里面的余剩是为了与他同在的天使。他们从这些余剩中提取出一些用来保护他的事物，使他免受激活他里面的虚假，并以这种方式攻击他的恶灵的伤害。正因“十”表示余剩，“六”表示争战，所以经上说“六百岁”；600的主要因子是10和6，故600表示一种试探的状态。
至于数字“六”尤表争战，这从创世记第一章清楚可知，那里描述了人在变得属天之前的六日重生。这六日之内有持续不断的争战，但到了第七日，就可以安息了。因此有六日劳碌，第七日是安息日，安息日表示休息。这就是为何希佰来的奴仆要服侍六年，第七年可以自由（出埃及记21:2；申命记15:12；耶利米书34:14）；以及为何这六年里，他们要耕种土地，收集地的出产，但在第七年，他们不耕不种（出埃及记23:10-12）。这同样适用于葡萄园。这也是为何在第七年，地要守圣安息，就是向耶和华守的安息（利未记25:3-4）。“六”因表示劳碌和争战，故也表示虚假的驱散，如以西结书：
看哪，有六个人从朝北的上门方向而来，各人手拿驱散的兵器。（以西结书9:2）
在同一先知书，论到歌革：
我必使你转过来，把你分成六个，使你从北方的极处上来。（以西结书39:2）
此处“六”和“分成六个”表示驱散；“北方”表示虚假；“歌革”表那些基于外在事物抓取教义事务，由此摧毁内在敬拜的人。约伯记：
你六次遭难，祂都必救你；到第七次，灾祸必不触及你。（约伯记5:19）
这表示试探的争战。
但“六”也出现在圣言中并非表示劳碌、争战，或虚假的驱散的地方；在那里，它表示信的神圣。在这些地方，它与“十二”有关，“十二”表示信和整体上信的一切事物；它也与“三”有关，“三”表示神圣；数字“六”的真正含义即源于此，如在以西结书（40:5），那人用来量以色列圣城的苇竿长六肘；以及其它地方。有这种衍生的原因在于，信的神圣存在于试探的争战中，而且六日劳碌和争战着眼于神圣的第七日。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]737. The symbolism of Noah, a son of six hundred years, as the first stage of their trials can be seen from this: From here all the way to Eber in chapter 11, the numbers, the ages in years, and the names have a purely symbolic meaning, just as the ages and names of everyone in chapter 5 did.
The symbolism here of six hundred years as the first stage of trial can be seen from the number's major factors, ten and six, which are multiplied twice.{*1} If a larger or smaller number is produced by the use of the same factors, the symbolism does not change.
The number ten has already been shown at Genesis 6:3 to symbolize remaining traces [576]. The symbolism here of six as hard work and combat can be seen from many places in the Word. The case is this: preceding verses have discussed our preparation for struggle, which involves receiving from the Lord a supply of truth in the intellect and goodness in the will. This truth and good are in the form of remaining traces, which are not brought to our consciousness until we are regenerating. If the trials we go through are a means to regeneration for us, the remnant we possess is for the use of the angels who attend us. From the remnant they draw out those resources that they can employ in defending us against evil spirits, who attack us by stirring up the falsity in us.
The symbolism of the number ten as the remnant and of six as combat is the reason for the reference to six hundred years, in which the numbers ten and six predominate, symbolizing a time of trial.
[2] The particular symbolism of six as combat or conflict is established by the first chapter of Genesis, which specifies six days for rebirth before a person turns heavenly. During those six days, the combat never lets up, but on the seventh day comes rest. This is the source of the six days of labor and the seventh of Sabbath, symbolizing rest.
For the same reason, a Hebrew slave was to serve for six years and go free in the seventh (Exodus 21:2; Deuteronomy 15:12; Jeremiah 34:14). For the same reason, they were to sow the land and gather its produce for six years but to leave it fallow in the seventh (Exodus 23:10-11, 12); and the same for a vineyard. And for the same reason, the seventh year was to be an absolute Sabbath for the land, a Sabbath to Jehovah (Leviticus 25:3-4).
Because six symbolizes labor and conflict, it also symbolizes the dispersing of falsity. In Ezekiel:
Here, six men were coming by way of the upper gate, which faces north, and each had a weapon for dispersing [people] in his hand. (Ezekiel 9:2)
And in the same author's prophecy against Gog:
And I will make you turn back and will destroy a sixth of you{*2} and bring you up from the flanks of the north. (Ezekiel 39:2)
In these verses, six and destroying a sixth stands for dispersing something, the north stands for falsity, and Gog stands for those who wring dogma from the most superficial matters and use it to destroy inner worship. From Job:
In six periods of distress he will liberate you, and in the seventh, evil will not touch you. (Job 5:19)
Here six stands for spiritual battles.
[3] In some of the other occurrences of six in the Word, it does not symbolize hard work, battles, or the dispersing of falsity. Instead it symbolizes the holy quality of faith, because it is drawing a connection with twelve (which symbolizes faith and all properties of faith taken together) and with three (which symbolizes holiness). From those numbers comes this additional, positive meaning of six. One example occurs in Ezekiel 40:5, where it says that the reed a man was using to measure Israel's holy city was six cubits. There are other instances as well.
The reason the positive meaning develops out of those numbers is that spiritual struggles have the holy quality of faith in them. Then too, the six days of labor and combat look to the seventh, holy day.
Footnotes:
{*1} That is, 6 } 10 $ 10. [LHC]
{*2} The Latin phrase here translated "destroy a sixth of you" is Sextabo te. The Hebrew is שִׁשֵּׁאתִיךָ (šiššēṯîḵā), which most modern translators understand to mean "I will lead you on," but the verb appears to resemble the Hebrew word for "six" (שֵׁשׁ [šēš]), and the verb that Swedenborg (like Schmidt 1696) uses (sextare) is accordingly based on the Latin word for "six" (sex). Hebrew-Latin lexicons of Swedenborg's day such as Alberti 1704 and Buxtorf 1735 use this same Latin verb to define the Hebrew. The closest analogy in English would be decimate, derived from the Latin decem, or "ten," whose original meaning was to destroy one out of ten (Oxford English Dictionary, under "decimate"). [LHC, RS]
Potts(1905-1910) 737
737. Noah was a son of six hundred years. That this signifies his first state of temptation, is evident, because here and as far as to Ber in the eleventh chapter, numbers and periods of years and names mean nothing else than actual things; just as do also the ages and all the names in the fifth chapter. That "six hundred years" here signify the first state of temptation, is evident from the dominant numbers in six hundred, which are ten and six, twice multiplied into themselves. A greater or less number from the same factors changes nothing. As regards the number "ten" it has been shown already (at chapter 6, verse 3) that it signifies remains; and that "six" here signifies labor and combat is evident from many passages in the Word. For the case is this: In what has gone before the subject is the preparation of the man called "Noah" for temptation-that he was furnished by the Lord with truths of the understanding and goods of the will. These truths and goods are remains, which are not brought out so as to be recognized until the man is being regenerated. In the case of those who are being regenerated through temptations, the remains in a man are for the angels that are with him, who draw out from them the things wherewith they defend the man against the evil spirits who excite the falsities in him, and thus assail him. As the remains are signified by "ten" and the combats by "six" for this reason the years are said to be "six hundred" in which the dominant numbers are ten and six, and signify a state of temptation. [2] As regards the number "six" in particular that it signifies combat is evident from the first chapter of Genesis, where the six days are described in which man was regenerated, before he became celestial, and in which there was continual combat, but on the seventh day, rest. It is for this reason that there are six days of labor and the seventh is the sabbath, which signifies rest. And hence it is that a Hebrew servant served six years, and the seventh year was free (Exod. 21:2; Deut. 15:12; Jer. 34:14); also that six years they sowed the land and gathered in the fruits thereof, but the seventh year omitted to sow it (Exod. 23:10-12), and dealt in like manner with the vineyard; and that in the seventh year was "a sabbath of sabbath unto the land, a sabbath of Jehovah" (Lev. 25:3, 4). As "six" signifies labor and combat, it also signifies the dispersion of falsities, as in Ezekiel: Behold six men came from the way of the upper gate which looketh toward the north, and everyone had his weapon of dispersion in his hand (Ezek. 9:2);
and again, against Gog:
I will make thee to turn again, and will make thee a sixth, and will cause thee to come up from the sides of the north (Ezek. 39:2). Here "six" and "to reduce to a sixth" denote dispersion; the "north" falsities; "Gog" those who derive matters of doctrine from things external, whereby they destroy internal worship. In Job:
In six troubles He shall deliver thee, yea, in the seventh there shall no evil touch thee (Job 5:19), meaning the combat of temptations. [3] But "six" occurs in the Word where it does not signify labor, combat, or the dispersion of falsities, but the holy of faith, because of its relation to "twelve" which signifies faith and all things of faith in one complex; and to "three" which signifies the holy; whence is derived the genuine signification of the number "six;" as in Ezekiel (chapter 40, verse 5), where the reed of the man, with which he measured the holy city of Israel, was "six cubits;" and in other places. The reason of this derivation is that the holy of faith is in the combats of temptation, and that the six days of labor and combat look to the holy seventh day.
Elliott(1983-1999) 737
737. 'Noah was a son of six hundred years' means his initial state of temptation. This is clear from the fact from here down to Eber in Chapter 11 nothing else is meant by numbers, years of age, or names than real things, as was the case also with the ages and names of all those mentioned in Chapter 5. Here 'six hundred years' means the initial state of temptation. This becomes clear from its prime factors which are ten and six multiplied again by ten. When the same factors are involved it makes no difference whether the number arrived at is large or small. As for ten, this has been shown already at 6:3 to mean remnants, while the meaning of six here as labour and conflict is clear from places throughout the Word. For the situation is this: What has gone before dealt with man's preparation for temptation, that is to say, he was supplied by the Lord with truths of the understanding and with goods of the will. These truths and goods are remnants, but they are not brought forth so as to be acknowledged until man is being regenerated. In the case of those who are being regenerated by means of temptations the remnants existing with any man are for the angels present with him. From these remnants they draw out those things with which they protect him against the evil spirits who activate falsities with him and in this way attack him. It is because remnants are meant by 'ten' and conflict by 'six' that six hundred years are spoken of, a number in which ten and six are the prime factors and which means a state of temptation.
[2] As regards conflict being the particular meaning of 'six', this is clear from Genesis 1, which describes the six days of man's regeneration prior to his becoming celestial. During those six days there was constant conflict, but on the seventh day came rest. Consequently there are six days of labour, and the seventh is the sabbath, a word which means rest. This also is why a Hebrew slave was to serve for six years and in the seventh was to go free, Exod 21:2; Deut 15:12; Jer 34:14, and why for six years they were to sow the land and gather in the produce, but in the seventh they were to leave it alone, Exod 23:10-12. The same applied to a vineyard. It is also the reason why in the seventh year the land was to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to Jehovah, Lev 25:3, 4. Because 'six' means labour and conflict it also means the dispersion of falsity, as in Ezekiel,
Behold, six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which looks towards the north, every man with a weapon of dispersion in his hand. Ezek 9:2.
And in the same prophet, against Gog,
I will cause you to turn about, and I will split you into six, and cause you to come up from the uttermost parts of the north. Ezek 39:2.
Here 'six' and 'splitting into six' stand for dispersion, 'the north' for falsities, and 'Gog' for people who seize on doctrinal matters based on things of an external nature with which they destroy internal worship. From Job,
He will deliver you in six troubles, and in a seventh no evil will touch you. Job 5:19.
This stands for the conflict that constitutes temptations.
[3] 'Six' occurs in other parts of the Word where it does not mean labour, conflict, or the dispersion of falsity, but the holiness of faith. In these instances it is related to twelve, which means faith and all things of faith in their entirety, and to three which means that which is holy. Consequently there is also a genuine derivative meaning to the number six, as in Ezekiel 40:5, where the man's measuring rod with which he measured the holy city of Israel was six cubits long; and in other places. The reason for this derivative is that in the conflict of temptation the holiness of faith is present, and also that six days of labour and conflict look forward to the holy seventh day.
Latin(1748-1756) 737
737. Quod per 'Noahum, quod filius sexcentorum annorum' significetur status primus tentationis ejus, constat ex eo quod hic usque ad Heberum, cap. xi, per numeros et per aetates annorum et per nomina nihil aliud significentur quam res, sicut etiam per aetates et nomina omnium in cap. v. Hic quod 'sexcenti anni' significent statum primum tentationis, constare potest a numeris qui ibi dominantur, qui sunt decem et sex, qui bis in se multiplicati; numerus major et minor eorundem nihil mutat: quod decem attinet, prius cap. (x)vi ad vers. 3 ostensum est, quod significent 'reliquias'; et quod sex hic significent laborem et pugnam, ex Verbo passim constat; nam ita se res habet, in praecedentibus actum est de praeparatione ejus ad tentationem, quod nempe instructus fuerit a Domino intellectualibus veris, et voluntariis bonis; haec vera et bona sunt reliquiae, quae non producuntur ita ut agnoscantur, priusquam homo regeneratur; apud eos qui per tentationes regenerantur, reliquiae apud hominem sunt pro angelis apud eum, qui ex iis depromunt illa quibus hominem defendunt contra malos spiritus qui falsa apud eum excitant et sic oppugnant: quia reliquiae significantur per 'decem' et pugna per 'sex' inde est quod sexcenti anni dicantur, in quibus dominantur decem et sex, et significant statum tentationis: quod in specie 'sex' attinet quod significent pugnam, constat ex capite primo Geneseos, ubi sex dies sunt, quibus regeneratus homo, antequam factus caelestis, intra quos dies continua pugna fuit, sed septimo die quies; inde est quod sex dies laboris sunt, et septimus sabbatum, quod significat quietem; inde quoque est Quod servus Hebraeus, serviret sex annis, et septimo esset liber, Exod. xxi 2; Deut. xv 12; Jer. xxxiv 14;Quodque sex annis consererent terram et colligerent proventum ejus, septimo autem intermitterent eam, Exod. xxiii 10-12;
similiter 'vineam': et Quod septimo anno sabbatum sabbati terrae, sabbatum Jehovae, Lev. xxv 3,4. 'Sex' quia significant laborem et pugnam, etiam significant dispersionem falsi, apud Ezechielem, Ecce sex viri venientes a via portae superioris, quae respiciens versus septentrionem, et cuique instrumentum dispersionis suae in manu sua, ix 2:
et apud eundem contra Gogum, Et reverti faciam te, et sextabo te, et ascendere faciam te a lateribus septentrionis, xxxix 2;
ubi 'sex et sextare' pro dispersione, 'septentrio' pro falsis, 'Gogus' pro iis qui doctrinalia capiunt ab externis quibus destruunt cultum internum: Jobo, In sex angustiis liberabit te, et in septima non tanget te malum, v 19;
ubi pro pugna tentationum. Alioquin sex in Verbo occurrunt, ubi non significant laborem, pugnam aut dispersionem falsi, sed sanctum fidei, quia se referunt ad duodecim, quae significant fidem et fidei omnia in uno complexu; et ad tria, quae significant sanctum, inde etiam derivatio genuina numeri sex, sicut apud Ezechielem, cap. xl 5, ubi calamus viri, quo mensus est urbem Israelis sanctam, quod esset 'sex ulnarum'; et alibi; quod derivatio inde, causa est quia in pugna tentationis est sanctum fidei, tum quod sex dies laboris et pugnae spectent septimum sanctum.