7926.“使灾殃临到埃及”表因此诅咒临到那些属于教会，却陷入与仁分离之信的人身上。这从“灾殃”的含义清楚可知，“灾殃”，此处即长子的死，是指对那些属于教会，却陷入与仁分离之信之人的诅咒（参看7766，7778节）。因为“埃及”或“埃及人”表示那些拥有关于属教会的那类事物的记忆知识，却将生活与教义分离，也就是将仁与信分离的人。此外，埃及人就具有这种性质，因为他们拥有关于属那时教会的事物的一种记忆知识，这个教会是代表性的。他们熟悉属灵事物通过属世事物的代表。那时这些属世事物构成教会的仪式；因此，他们熟悉对应关系，这从他们的象形文字明显看出来，这些象形文字都是代表属灵事物的属世事物的形像。这解释了为何“埃及人”也表示那些拥有关于信之事物的记忆知识，却过着一种邪恶生活的人。在来世，这种人会在信的一切事物，或教会的一切事物方面经历荒凉，最终受到诅咒。这种诅咒就是在埃及长子的死亡在内义上所表示的。
由于经上说“耶和华要巡行，使灾殃临到埃及”，这句话表示神性的出现，诅咒因此临到那些属于教会，却陷入与仁分离之信的人身上，故必须解释一下这是怎么回事。耶和华或主不会使自己出现在地狱里的人当中，以带来诅咒；然而，正是祂的出现导致诅咒。因为地狱不断渴望侵扰善人，还不断奋力升入天堂，驱赶那里的人；不过，他们的努力无法让他们强行越过那些住在天堂最外面部分的人。因为他们里面有一个不断散发敌意和暴力的敌对之灵。但主不断规定，那些住在天堂最外面部分的人安然无恙，不受扰乱。祂通过出现在他们当中而做到这一点，当属于地狱的人把自己带到主出现的地方，也就是带到祂面前时，他们就把自己扔进荒凉的灾祸中，最终扔进诅咒中；因为如各处所示，他们冲到主面前就会产生这种效果。由此明显可知，主不使自己出现在他们当中，给他们带来惩罚的灾祸；相反，是他们把自己扔进这些灾祸中。由此明显可知，除了良善之外，没有什么东西来自主，一切邪恶皆来自那些陷入邪恶的人；因此，是恶人自己把自己带入荒凉、诅咒和地狱中。这一切表明当如何理解“耶和华要巡行，使灾殃临到埃及”这句话。
Potts(1905-1910) 7926
7926. To inflict a plague on Egypt. That this signifies whence comes damnation to those of the church who have been in faith separate from charity, is evident from the signification of "plague," which here is the death of the firstborn, as being the damnation of those of the church who are in faith separate from charity (see n. 7766, 7778). For by "Egypt" or "the Egyptians" are signified those who have been in the memory-knowledge of such things as are of the church, but who have separated life from doctrine, that is, charity from faith. Moreover, the Egyptians were of this character, for they had a memory-knowledge of the things which were of the church of that time, which church was representative. They were acquainted with the representations of spiritual things in natural, which then constituted the rituals of the church; consequently they were acquainted with correspondences, as can be plainly seen from their hieroglyphics, which were images of natural things that represented spiritual things; consequently by "the Egyptians" are also signified those who are in the memory-knowledge of the things of faith, but in a life of evil. Such in the other life are vastated as to all things of faith, or as to all things of the church, and finally are damned, which damnation is what in the internal sense is meant by the death of the firstborn in Egypt. [2] As it is said that "Jehovah will pass through to inflict a plague on Egypt," and thereby is signified the presence of the Divine, whence comes the damnation of those of the church who are in faith separate from charity, it must be told how this is. Jehovah or the Lord does not render Himself present with those who are in hell in order to bring damnation, and yet it is His presence that causes it. For the hells continually desire to infest the good, and also continually strive to ascend into heaven and disturb those who are there, but they cannot force their way higher than to those who are in the lowest limits of heaven; for there is in them a spirit of enmity which continually breathes hostility and violence. But the Lord constantly provides that they who are in the uttermost borders of heaven may be kept in safety and quiet; this is effected by His presence among them. Accordingly, when the infernals introduce themselves where the Lord is present, that is, into His presence, they cast themselves into the evils of vastation, and finally into damnation; for the presence of the Lord into which they rush occasions such effects, as has already been shown in various places. From this it is evident that the Lord does not render Himself present among them in order to bring on them the evils of punishment, but that they cast themselves into them. From all this it is evident that nothing but good comes from the Lord, and that all evil is from those who are in evil, thus that the evil bring themselves into vastations, damnation, and hell in the same way it can be seen how it is to be understood that "Jehovah will pass through to inflict a plague on Egypt."
Elliott(1983-1999) 7926
7926. 'To inflict the plague on Egypt' means as a result of which damnation comes to those belonging to the Church who have been governed by faith separated from charity. This is clear from the meaning of 'the plague', which in this case is the death of the firstborn, as the damnation of those belonging to the Church [who have been governed by faith] separated from charity, dealt with in 7766, 7778. For 'Egypt' - that is, the Egyptians - means those who have had a knowledge of those kinds of things that belong to the Church, yet have separated life from religious teaching, that is, charity from faith. The Egyptians too were like them, for they possessed a knowledge of the things belonging to the Church at that time, a Church that was representative They were familiar with the representations of spiritual realities through natural things, which constituted the ceremonies of the Church at that time, and were accordingly familiar with correspondences, as is plainly shown by their hieroglyphics, which were pictures of natural things representing spiritual realities. This explains why 'the Egyptians' means those who have a knowledge of matters of faith yet lead an evil life. In the next life such people undergo vastation of all that composes faith, that is, all that composes the Church, and are eventually damned. That damnation is what is understood in the internal sense by the death of the firstborn in Egypt.
[2] Since it says 'Jehovah will go through to inflict the plague on Egypt', and these words mean the presence of the Divine, as a result of which damnation comes to those belonging to the Church who have been governed by faith separated from charity, something must be said to explain all this. Jehovah or the Lord does not present Himself among those in hell in order to inflict damnation; but even so His presence is what brings it about. The hells have a constant desire to molest the good and also a constant longing to rise into heaven and dislodge those who are there, though their efforts cannot get them past those living in the outermost parts of heaven. For it is enmity constantly exhaling hostility and violence. But the Lord makes unceasing provision to keep those living in the outermost parts of heaven secure and undisturbed. This He accomplishes by His presence among them. When those belonging to hell bring themselves to where the Lord is present, that is, into His presence, they cast themselves into the miseries of vastation, and eventually into damnation; for as shown already in various places, the Lord's presence which they run into brings those things about. From this it is evident that the Lord does not present Himself among them in order to inflict the miseries of punishment on them, but that they cast themselves into those miseries. These considerations show that nothing but good is attributable to the Lord, and that everything bad is attributable to those themselves who are immersed in evil, thus that the ones to inflict vastation, damnation, and hell on the evil are the evil themselves. This shows one how to understand 'Jehovah will go through to inflict the plague on Egypt'.
Latin(1748-1756) 7926
7926. `Ad infligendum plagam Aegypto': quod significet unde damnatio illis qui {1}ab Ecclesia in fide separata a charitate fuerunt, constat ex significatione `plagae' quae hic est mors primogenitorum {2}, quod sit damnatio illorum qui ab Ecclesia separata a charitate {3}, de qua n. 7766, 7778; per `Aegyptum' enim seu `Aegyptios' significantur illi qui in scientia talium quae Ecclesiae, fuerunt, sed qui separaverunt vitam a doctrina, hoc est, charitatem a fide; Aegyptii etiam fuerunt tales, nam scientiam {4}rerum quae Ecclesiae illius temporis, quae (t)Ecclesia fuit repraesentativa, habuerunt; sciverunt repraesentationes spiritualium in naturalibus, quae Ecclesiae ritualia tunc constituebant, proinde sciverunt correspondentias, ut evidenter constare potest ab illorum hieroglyphicis, quae erant imagines rerum naturalium quae repraesentabant spiritualia; inde est quod etiam per `Aegyptios' significentur qui {5} in scientia rerum {6} fidei, sed in vita mali; tales in altera vita quoad omnia quae fidei, seu quoad omnia quae Ecclesiae, {7}vastantur, et tandem {7}damnantur; quae damnatio est quae in sensu interno intelligitur per `mortem primogenitorum in Aegypto.' 2 Quia dicitur quod `transibit Jehovah ad infligendum plagam Aegypto' et per id significatur praesentia Divini, unde damnatio illorum qui ab Ecclesia in fide separata a charitate, dicendum quomodo hoc se habet: Jehovah seu Dominus non sistit Se praesentem apud illos qui in inferno, ut inferat damnationem, sed usque est praesentia Ipsius quae facit; inferna enim continue cupiunt infestare bonos et quoque continue ambiunt ascendere in caelum, (c)ac deturbare illos qui ibi, sed non altius quam ad illos qui in (t)ultimis terminis caeli sunt eniti possunt; est enim inimicitia quae continue spirat hostilitatem et violentiam; at Dominus jugiter providet ut illi qui {8}in ultimis terminis caeli sunt in tuto et quieto sint; hoc fit per praesentiam Ipsius apud illos; infernales tunc cum immittunt se ubi Dominus est praesens, hoc est, in praesentiam Ipsius, se conjiciunt in mala vastationis, et tandem in damnationem; praesentia enim Domini in quam ruunt talia infert, ut prius passim ostensum est; inde patet quod Dominus non Se praesentem apud illos sistat, {9}ut illis mala poenae inferat, sed quod illi {10}se conjiciant in illa. Ex his patet quod a Domino non nisi quam bonum, et quod omne malum ab ipsis qui in malo sunt, {11}ita quod mali {12}sibimetipsis inferant vastationes, {13}damnationem, et infernum; {14}sic constare potest quomodo intelligendum {15} quod `transibit Jehovah ad infligendum plagam Aegypto.' @1 apud I$ @2 i Aegypti$ @3 i fuerunt$ @4 talium$ @5 i in scientia talium rerum quae Ecclesiae, proinde$ @6 i quae$ @7 Singular in A. S failed to amend after substituting plural subject tales for singular is$ @8 infestantur, et magis qui in terminis coeli, ubi infestationes et hostilitates, in tuto et quieto sint; hoc fit per praesentiam Domini apud illos qui ibi in coelo, infernales cum tunc infestant et insultant, se immittunt ubi Dominus est praesens ac ita conjiciunt se in plagas, hoc est,$ @9 et sic$ @10 ejiciant ad illos, apud quos Dominus praesens est, et sic semet ipso immittunt in dictas illas plagas; inde$ @11 quodque$ @12 semetipsos AI$ @13 damnationes$ @14 ex his nunc$ @15 i est$