776、“一切飞鸟，各从其类”表示一切属灵真理，“飞行物”表示属世真理，“带翅膀的物”表示感官真理。这从前面（如40节）关于鸟的阐述和说明清楚可知。上古之人将人的思维比作飞鸟，因为相对于意愿的事物，思维好比飞鸟。由于此处提到飞鸟、飞行物和带翅膀的物，并且它们就像人里面理解力的概念、理性概念和感官印象那样接踵而来，所以为防止任何人怀疑它们表示这些事物，我从圣言引用一些经文加以证实，从中可以明显看出，“牲畜”表示诸如所说过的那类事物。
诗篇：
你让祂管理你手所造的，使万物，就是羊群和一切牛群，以及田野的兽，空中的鸟，海里的鱼，都服在祂的脚下。（诗篇8:6-8）
这论及主，经上以这种方式描述祂管理人和属于人的东西。否则，什么叫“管理兽和鸟”呢？又：
果树和一切香柏树，野兽和一切牲畜、爬行物和飞鸟或带翅膀的飞行物，愿他们都赞美耶和华的名。（诗篇148:9-10，13）
“果树”是指属天人，“香柏树”是指属灵人，“野兽”、“牲畜”和“爬行物”就目前的情况而言，是指他们的各种良善；“飞行物或飞鸟”是指他们的真理，他们出于这些真理能“赞美耶和华的名”。野兽、牲畜、爬行物和飞鸟或飞行物决不能这样做。在世俗的著作中，这类事物可以作为夸张的说法，但在主的圣言中，它们决不是夸张，而是象征或代表更深层的事物。
以西结书：
海中的鱼、天空的鸟、田野的野兽，和爬在地上的一切爬行物，并地面上的众人，都要在我面前战栗。（以西结书38:20）
此处“兽”和“鸟”表示这类事物，这是显而易见的，因为如果鱼、鸟和兽要战栗，那么这如何算是耶和华的荣耀呢？如果它们不包含神圣事物在里面，谁会认为这些说法是神圣的？耶利米书：
我观看，看哪，无人；空中的飞鸟也都逃掉。（耶利米书4:25）
这表示一切良善和真理；“人”在此也表示爱之良善。同一先知书：
它们都已荒废，以致无人经过，人也听不见牲畜的叫声；从空中的飞鸟到走兽都逃散了，它们都绝迹了。（耶利米书9:10）
这同样表示对一切真理和良善的背离，或说它们都离开了。
又：
这地悲哀，一切田野的青草枯干要到几时呢？因住在其中之人的邪恶，牲畜和飞鸟都灭绝了，因为他们说，祂看不见我们的末日或结局。（耶利米书12:4）
此处“牲畜”表示良善，“飞鸟”表示真理，它们都消亡了。西番雅书：
我必毁灭人和牲畜，我必毁灭空中的鸟、海里的鱼，以及绊脚石和恶人；我必将人从地面上剪除。（西番雅书1:3）
此处“人和牲畜”表示属于爱及其良善的事物，“空中的鸟、海里的鱼”表示属于理解力，因而属于真理的事物。这些被称为“绊脚石”，是因为对恶人来说，成为绊脚石的，正是良善和真理，而不是牲畜和鸟；它们也明显论及人。诗篇：
耶和华的树，就是祂所栽种的黎巴嫩香柏树，都得到了充分的灌溉。飞行物在其中筑巢。（诗篇104:16-17）
“耶和华的树”和“黎巴嫩的香柏树”表示属灵人，“飞行物”表示他的理性真理或属世真理，它们好比“巢”。
此外，“飞鸟要在枝子上筑巢”表示真理，这也是一种常用的表达形式，如在以西结书：
我要把它栽种在以色列的高山上，它要长出枝子，结出果子，成为佳美的香柏树，各翅膀的一切鸟儿或各种的一切飞行物都要住在它下面；它们要住在其枝子的荫下。（以西结书17:23）
这表示外邦人当中的教会，它是属灵的，是“佳美的香柏树”；“各翅膀的鸟儿”表示各种真理。同一先知书：
空中所有的飞鸟都在它的枝子上搭窝，田野所有的野兽都在它的枝条下生产，所有大民族都在它的荫下居住。（以西结书31:6）
这论及亚述，也就是属灵教会，该教会被称为“香柏树”；“空中的飞鸟”表示它的真理，“走兽”表示它的良善。
但以理书：
它的枝子华美，果子甚多，可作其上众生的食物。田野的走兽在它之下得到荫影，空中的飞鸟或飞行物住在它的枝子上。（但以理书4:12，21）
此处“走兽”表示良善，“空中的飞行物或飞鸟”表示真理。谁都能清楚看出这一点，否则，说飞鸟和走兽住在那里又有什么意义呢？这同样适用于主所说的话：
神的国好像一粒芥菜种，有人拿去种在园子里，它就生长起来，成了一棵大树，连空中的飞鸟都住在它的枝上。（路加福音13:19；马太福音13:31，32；马可福音4:31，32）
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]776. The symbolism of every kind of bird as all spiritual truth, the flying thing as earthly truth, and the winged creature as truth gained through the senses can be seen from what was said and shown earlier about birds, at 40.
The earliest people compared human thoughts to birds, because that is what thought is like, relative to the activity of the will.
The bird, flying thing, and winged creature mentioned here come one after the other in the same way different levels of mental activity do in humans; we can understand things, reason, and use our physical senses. To overcome all doubt that they symbolize these processes, let me bring forward several more passages from the Word in confirmation. (The passages will also show that animals symbolize just what they were said to.)
[2] In David:
You have made him rule over the works of your hands; all things you have put under his feet: the flock and all the herds, and also the animals of the fields, the flying thing in the heavens, and the fish in the sea. (Psalms 8:6-7, 8)
This speaks of the Lord, describing his rule over us and over the things that are in us. What would governance over animals and birds be, if not this? In the same author:
The fruit tree and all cedars, the wild animal and every beast, the creeping thing, and the flying creature on the wing will give glory to Jehovah's name. (Psalms 148:9-10, 13)
The fruit tree is a heavenly person, the cedar is a spiritual person. The wild animal, beast, and creeping thing are their good qualities (as in the current verses) and the flying thing on the wing is their true ideas. With these they can give glory to Jehovah's name — which a wild animal, beast, creeping thing, or flying creature could never do. Secular writers can use expressions like these as high-flown figures of speech, but the Lord's Word never uses them that way; it uses them only to symbolize or represent something deeper.{*1} [3] In Ezekiel:
The fish of the sea and the bird of the heavens and the wild animal of the field and every creeping thing creeping on the ground and every human who is on the face of the ground will tremble before me. (Ezekiel 38:20)
Obviously the animals and birds here are the kinds of symbols I have described, because what glory would there be for Jehovah in the trembling of fish, birds, and beasts? Can anyone imagine that such wording would be holy if it had no sacred content? In Jeremiah:
I looked and there, not a human! Every bird of the heavens had fled. (Jeremiah 4:25)
This stands for the fact that everything good and true had fled. The human here also stands for the good that comes of love. In the same author:
Those places have been laid waste, so that not a man is passing through, and they do not hear the call of any livestock. From the bird in the heavens to the beast, they have wandered away, they have left. (Jeremiah 9:10)
This too stands for the fact that everything true and good has departed.
[4] In the same author:
How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? Because of the wickedness of those living in it, the animals and the bird have perished, since they said, "He will not see our latter days." (Jeremiah 12:4)
The animals stand for goodness and the bird for truth, both of which have perished. In Zephaniah:
I will consume human and animal, I will consume the bird in the heavens and the fish in the sea and stumbling blocks in the godless, and I will cut humanity off from the face of the ground. (Zephaniah 1:3)
The human and animal stand for the things that belong to love and to the good that springs from love. The bird in the heavens and the fish in the sea stand for what belongs to the intellect and so for matters of truth. These are called stumbling blocks because goodness and truth — not animals and birds — are obstacles for the godless. It also says clearly that they are things existing in humanity. In David:
The trees of Jehovah and cedars of Lebanon that he planted, where the flying things nest, receive their fill. (Psalms 104:16-17)
The trees of Jehovah and cedars of Lebanon stand for spiritual people. The flying things stand for their rational and earthly truth. These kinds of truth are like nests.
[5] In other places, the birds nested in the branches was a common turn of speech symbolizing truth. In Ezekiel, for example:
On a high mountain in Israel I will plant it, and it will lift its branch and make fruit and become a majestic cedar. And every flying creature of every wing will live under it; in the shade of its branches they will live. (Ezekiel 17:23)
This image stands for the church among non-Jews — a spiritual church, which is what the majestic cedar means.{*2} The bird of every wing stands for truth of every kind. In the same author:
In its branches nested every bird of the heavens, and under its branches bred every wild animal of the field, and in its shade lived all the great nations. (Ezekiel 31:6)
This concerns Assyria, which is a spiritual church and is called a cedar. The bird of the heavens stands for the truth that church had, and the animals stand for its goodness.
[6] In Daniel:
Its branch was beautiful and its fruit plentiful, and nourishment for all was in it. Under it the animal of the field found shade, and in its branches lived the flying creatures of heaven. (Daniel 4:12, 21)
The animal stands for goodness, and the flying creature of the heavens for truth, as anyone can see. What would be the point of saying that birds and animals lived there? Similar meaning lies in the Lord's words:
The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that a person took and threw into the garden; and it grew and turned into a large tree, so that the birds of the sky lived in its branches. (Luke 13:19; Matthew 13: [31,] 32; Mark 4: [31,] 32)
Footnotes:
{*1} For a similarly emphatic distinction between mere metaphor and the living correspondence of biblical imagery, see 8989:11, 9272:2, 9828:4. [SS]
{*2} For the meaning of the expression "the church among non-Jews," see note 1 in 231. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 776
776. That "every fowl after its kind" signifies every spiritual truth, "flying thing" natural truth, and "winged thing" sensuous truth, is evident from what has been stated and shown before concerning "birds" (as at n. 40). The most ancient people likened man's thoughts to birds, because relatively to the things of the will, thoughts are like birds. As mention is made here of "fowl" "flying thing" and "winged thing" and of these in succession, like things intellectual, rational, and sensuous in man, in order that no one may doubt that they signify these things, some passages from the Word may be adduced in confirmation, from which it will also be plain that "beasts" signify such things as have been stated. [2] Thus in David:
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands: Thou hast put all things under his feet; all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the fields, the fowl of the heaven, and the fish of the sea (Ps. 8:6-8). This is said of the Lord, whose dominion over man, and over the things pertaining to man, is thus described. Otherwise what would be the dominion over "beasts" and "fowls?" Again:
Fruitful trees and all cedars, the wild animal and every beast, creeping things and flying fowl, let them praise the name of Jehovah (Ps. 148:9-10, 13). The "fruitful tree" denotes the celestial man; the "cedar" the spiritual man. The "wild animal" and "beast" and "creeping thing" are their goods, as in the history before us; the "flying fowl" is their truths; from all of which they can "praise the name of Jehovah." By no means can the wild animal, the beast, the creeping thing, and the bird do this. In profane writings such things may be said by hyperbolism, but there are no hyperbolisms in the Word of the Lord, but things significative and representative. [3] In Ezekiel:
The fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the wild animal of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at My presence (Ezek. 38:20). That such things are here signified by "beasts" and "fowls" is very manifest; for how would it be to the glory of Jehovah if fishes, birds, and beasts should shake? Can anyone suppose that such sayings would be holy if they did not involve holy things? In Jeremiah:
I beheld, and lo there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled (Jer. 4:25), denoting all good and truth; "man" also denotes here the good of love. Again: They are burned up, so that none passeth through, neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled, they are gone (Jer. 9:10), denoting in like manner that all truth and good have departed. [4] And again:
How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of every field wither? for the wickedness of them that dwell therein the beasts are consumed and the birds, because they said, He shall not see our latter end (Jer. 12:4). Here the "beasts" denote goods, and the "birds" truths, which perished. In Zephaniah:
I will consume man and beast, I will consume the fowls of the heaven and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the face of the ground (Zeph. 1:3). Here "man and beast" denote the things which are of love and of its good; the "fowls of the heaven and the fishes of the sea" the things which are of the understanding, thus which are of truth. These are called "stumbling-blocks" because goods and truths are stumbling-blocks to the wicked, but not beasts and birds; and they are also plainly spoken of "man." In David:
The trees of Jehovah are satisfied, the cedars of Lebanon which He hath planted, where the birds make their nests (Ps. 104:16-17). The "trees of Jehovah" and the "cedars of Lebanon" denote the spiritual man; the "birds" his rational or natural truths, which are as "nests." [5] It was moreover a common form of expression that "birds would make their nests in the branches" signifying truths, as in Ezekiel:
In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it, and it shall lift up its bough, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar; and under it shall dwell every bird of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell (Ezek. 17:23), denoting the Church of the Gentiles, which was spiritual. This is "the goodly cedar;" the "bird of every wing" denotes truths of every kind. Again: All the birds of the heavens made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches all the wild animals of the field brought forth, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations (Ezek. 31:6). This is said of Asshur, which is the spiritual church and is called a "cedar;" the " birds of the heavens" denote its truths; the "beasts" its goods. In Daniel:
The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and it was meat for all; the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of heaven dwelt in the branches thereof (Dan. 4:12, 21). Here the "beasts" denote goods, the "fowls of the heavens" truths, as must be evident to everyone; for otherwise of what concern is it that the bird and the beasts dwelt there? And it is the same with what the Lord says:
The kingdom of God is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and cast into his garden, and it grew, and became a tree, and the birds of the heaven lodged in the branches thereof (Luke 13:19; Matt. 13:31, 32; Mark 4:31, 32).
Elliott(1983-1999) 776
776. '[Every] bird according to its kind' means all spiritual truth, 'flying things' means natural truth, and 'winged thing' sensory truth. This is clear from what has been stated and shown already about birds, as in 40. The most ancient people likened man's thoughts to birds, for in relation to things of the will, thoughts are like birds. Since bird, flying thing, and winged thing are mentioned here, and come consecutively in the way that intellectual concepts, rational concepts, and sensory impressions do in man, and to prevent anyone doubting that this is what they mean, let other places from the Word of a confirmatory nature be quoted, from which as well it will be evident that 'beasts' means such things as have been stated.
[2] In David,
You have given Him dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under His feet, flocks and all cattle, and also the beasts of the fields, the flying things of the air,a and the fish of the sea. Ps 8:6-8.
This refers to the Lord, whose dominion over man and over what belongs to man is described in this fashion. If this were not so, what would 'dominion over beasts and birds' really be? In the same author,
Fruit tree and all cedars, wild animal and every beast, creeping thing and flying thing - they shall glorify the name of Jehovah. Ps 148:9, 10, 13.
'Fruit tree' is the celestial man, 'cedar' the spiritual man, 'wild animal and beast and creeping thing' the goods of these kinds of man, as in the present context. 'Flying thing' is their truths from which they are able to glorify the name of Jehovah. This a wild animal, a beast, a creeping thing, or a flying thing can never do. In secular literature such statements can be used as hyperbole, but in the Word of the Lord they are never just hyperbole but meaningful signs and representatives.
[3] In Ezekiel,
They start to tremble before Me - the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air,b and the wild animals of the field, and every creeping thing creeping over the ground, and every man that is on the facec of the ground. Ezek 38:20.
The fact that 'beasts' and 'birds' here have such meanings is quite clear, for what would Jehovah's glory be if fish, birds, and beasts were to start to tremble? Could anyone think that such utterances are holy if they did not embody holy things within them? In Jeremiah,
I looked, and behold, there was no man; all the birds of the airb had fled. Jer 4:15.
This stands for all good and truth. Here 'man' stands as well for good that stems from love. In the same prophet,
They have been laid waste so that no man passes through, neither do men hear the voice of the herd. From the birds of the airb down to beasts, they have scattered, they have gone away. Jer 9:10.
This in a similar way stands for the departure of all truth and good.
[4] In the same prophet,
How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither? For the wickedness of those who dwell in it, the beasts and the birds have perished, for men said, He will not see our latter end. Jer 11:4.
Here 'beasts' stands for goods, and 'birds' for truths, which perished. In Zephaniah,
I will consume man and beast, I will consume the birds of the airb and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off mankind from the faced of the ground. Zeph 1:3.
Here 'man and beast' stands for the things which belong to love and good deriving from love, 'the birds of the airb and the fish of the sea' for those which belong to the understanding and so to truth. These are called 'stumbling-blocks' because for wicked people it is goods and truths, not beasts and birds, that are stumbling-blocks. These are also plainly referred to as man's. In David,
The trees of Jehovah are watered abundantly, and the cedars of Lebanon which He planted. In them flying things build their nests. Ps 104:16, 17.
'The trees of Jehovah and the cedars of Lebanon' stands for spiritual man, 'flying things' for his rational or natural truths which are like 'nests'. What is more, 'the birds build nests in the branches' was a common saying by which people meant truths, as in Ezekiel,
[5] On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it, and it will bring forth a branch, and bear fruit, and it will become a noble cedar, and under it will dwell every flying thing of every sort,e in the shade of its branches they will dwell. Ezek 17:23.
This stands for the Church among gentiles which was spiritual and which is 'a noble cedar'. 'Birds of every sort'e stands for truths of every kind. In the same prophet,
In its branches all the birds of the airb made their nests, and under its branches every wild animal of the field gave birth, and in its shadow dwelt all great nations. Ezek 31:6.
This refers to Asshur, which is the spiritual Church and is called 'a cedar'. 'Birds of the air'b stands for its truths, 'beasts' for its goods.
[6] In Daniel,
Its branch was fair, and its fruit much, and food for all was on it. The beast of the field had shade under it, and in its branches dwelt the flying things of the air'a Dan 4:12, 11.
Here 'beast' stands for goods, and 'flying thing of the air'a for truths. This may become clear to anyone, for what else would bird and beast dwelling there really be? The same applies to what the Lord said, The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed, which someone took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a big tree so that the birds of the aira dwelt in its branches. Luke 13:19; Matt 13:32; Mark 4:32.
Latin(1748-1756) 776
776. Quod per 'avem secundum speciem suam' significetur omne spirituale verum, per 'volucrem' naturale verum, per 'alatum' sensuale verum, constat ab illis quae prius de avibus dicta et ostensa sunt, ut n. 40. Antiquissimi assimilarunt cogitata hominis avibus. quia ita se habent respective ad voluntaria: quia hic nominantur avis, et volucris, et alatum, et haec succedunt, sicut in homine intellectualia, rationalia et sensualia, ne cui dubium sit quin illa significent, licet adhuc quaedam loca ex Verbo confirmantia adducere, ex quibus etiam patet quod 'bestiae' talia quae dicta sunt, significent; [2] apud Davidem, Dominari fecisti Illum super opera manuum Tuarum, omnia posuisti sub pedibus Illius, gregem et armenta omnia, et etiam bestias agrorum, volucrem caelorum, et pisces maris, Ps. viii 7, 8, [9] [A.V. 6, 7, 8]; ubi de Domino, Cujus dominium super hominem, et super quae sunt hominis, ita describuntur; aliter, quid foret dominium super bestias et aves? apud eundem, Arbor fructus et omnes cedri, fera et omnis bestia, reptile et volucris {1} alae,... glorificabunt nomen Jehovae, Ps. cxlviii 9, 10, 13;'arbor fructus' est caelestis homo, 'cedrus' est spiritualis homo, 'fera et bestia et reptile' illorum bona, sicut hic; 'volucris alae' illorum vera, ex quibus glorificare possunt nomen Jehovae; nequaquam potest fera, bestia, reptile, volucris; in scriptis profanis talia hyperbolice dici possunt, sed in Verbo Domini nusquam hyperbolica sunt, sed significativa et repraesentativa: [3] apud Ezechielem, Contremiscent coram Me pisces maris, et avis caelorum, et fera agri, et omne reptile repens super humo, et omnis homo, qui super faciebus humi, xxxviii 20;
quod hic 'bestiae et aves' talia significent, constat manifeste, nam quid gloriae Jehovae si contremiscerent pisces, aves, bestiae, an quisque putare potest quod tales locutiones forent sanctae, si non sancta involverent: apud Jeremiam, Vidi et ecce non homo, omnis avis caelorum aufugit, iv 25; pro quod omne bonum et verum; hic quoque 'homo' pro bono amoris: apud eundem, Vastata sunt, ut non sit vir transiens, et non audiunt vocem pecoris; ab ave caelorum et usque ad bestiam, evagati sunt, abiverunt, ix 9 [A.V. 10]; similiter, pro quod omne verum et bonum abiverit: [4] apud eundem, Quousque {2} lugebit terra, et herba omnis agri exarescet? propter malitiam habitantium in ea, periit bestiae et avis, quia dixerunt, Non videbit novissimum nostrum, xii 4, ubi 'bestiae' pro bonis, et 'avis' pro veris, quae perierunt: apud Zephaniam, Consumam hominem et bestiam, consumam avem caelorum, et pisces maris, et offendicula cum impiis, et exscindam hominem a faciebus humi, 13;
ubi 'homo et bestia' pro illis quae sunt amoris et inde boni; 'avis caelorum et pisces maris' pro illis quae sunt intellectus, ita quae sunt veri, quae vocantur 'offendicula' quia impiis bona et vera sunt offendicula, non bestiae et aves; quod sint illa quae hominis, manifeste etiam dicitur: apud Davidem, Saturantur arbores Jehovae, et cedri Libani, quas plantavit, ubi volucres nidificant, Ps. civ 16, 17;
'arbores Jehovae, et cedri Libani' pro spirituali homine; 'volucres' pro ejus veris rationalibus aut naturalibus, quae sunt quasi 'nidi.' Alioquin communis formula loquendi finit quod 'nidificarent aves in ramis,' qua significabantur vera; [5] ut apud Ezechielem, In monte altitudinis Israelis plantabo illam, et attollet ramum, et faciet fructum, et erit in cedrum magnificam, et habitabunt sub illa omnis volucris omnis alae, in umbra ramorum ejus habitabunt, xvii 23;
pro Ecclesia gentium, quae spiritualis, quae est 'cedrus magnifica,' 'avis omnis alae' pro veris omnis generis: apud eundem, In ramis ejus nidificarunt omnis avis caelorum, et sub ramis ejus genuerunt omnis fera agri, ac in umbra ejus habitabunt omnes gentes magnae, xxxi 6;
de Asshure, qui est Ecclesia spiritualis, et vocatur 'cedrus,' 'avis caelorum' pro veris ejus, 'bestia' pro bonis: [6] apud Danielem, Ramus ejus pulcher, et fructus ejus multus, et esca omnibus in ea; sub illa umbram habebat bestia agri, et in ramis ejus "habitabant volucres caeli, iv 9, 18 [A.V. 12, 21];
ubi 'bestia' pro bonis, 'volucris caelorum' pro veris; quod unicuivis constare potest, nam quid foret quod ibi habitaret avis et bestia? Similiter quae Dominus locutus, Regnum Dei simile est grano sinapis, quod accipiens homo projecit in hortum suum, crevitque, et factum est in arborem magnam, ut aves caeli habitarint in ramis ejus, Luc. xiii 19; Matth. xiii 32; Marc. iv 32. @1 Sch. has avis alae, as also n. 994, but Heb. here is [ ] (tsippor) as in Ps. viii 8 above.$ 2@ We follow A.E. 304 and 650 and R.V. in the placing of '?' A.V. and Sch. have it at end of following clause. I has a comma in both places, Sch. has consumtae sunt for periit, but Heb. verb is singular. In 7571, however, S. has consumentur.$