8279.“他们好像石头坠到深处”表他们好像由于沉重而跌至低层。这从“坠”、“深处”和“好像石头”的含义清楚可知：当由于沉重而降至低层时，“坠”是指跌下去；“深处”是指地狱所在的低层，如下文所述；“好像石头”是指好像由于沉重。经上之所以说“好像石头”，是因为“石头”在正面意义上表示真理（参看643，1298，3720，3769，3771，3773，3789，3798，6426节），因而在反面意义上表示虚假。此外，邪恶所生的虚假具有这样的性质，它会像世上的重物一样跌至低层；而源于良善的真理则具有这样的性质，它会像世上的轻物一样升至高层。这解释了为何恶人只要在他们所知的真理方面尚未经历荒凉，就会在地狱之上的区域；而一旦经历这种荒凉，也就是被剥夺真理，他们就好像被剪掉翅膀，然后像重物一样跌下去；并且邪恶所生的虚假越糟糕，他们就往下坠得越深。
正因如此，“深处”和“深渊”一样表示地狱；但“深处”表示邪恶方面的地狱，“深渊”则表示邪恶所生的虚假方面的地狱；如在以下经文中：
你们要转身逃跑，他们将自己下到深处居住。（耶利米书49:8，30）
诗篇：
众水要淹到灵魂我的灵魂，我陷在深处的淤泥中，没有立脚之地；我到了水的深处中，波涛漫过我身。求你搭救我出离淤泥，不叫我沉下去；求你救我脱离那些恨我的人，使我出离水的深处，别让流水漫过我，别让深处吞灭我；别让阴坑在我以上合口。（诗篇69:1，2，14，15）
弥迦书：
祂必将他们的一切罪投于海的深处。（弥迦书7:19）
“深处”之所以表示邪恶方面的地狱，是因为它是“高处”的反面，“高处”表示天堂，并论及良善（8153节）。此外，邪恶对应于地上因自己的重量而下坠的重物，因而也对应于石头的沉重，而“石头”表示虚假。
Potts(1905-1910) 8279
8279. They went down into the depths like a stone. That this signifies that they fell down to lower things as if by reason of weight, is evident from the signification of "to go down," when to lower things as if by reason of weight, as being to fall; from the signification of "depths," as being the lower places where the hells are, of which below; and from the signification of "like a stone," as being as if by reason of weight. It is said "like a stone," because by "a stone" in the genuine sense is signified truth (see n. 643, 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789, 3798, 6426), consequently in the opposite sense falsity. Moreover falsity from evil is of such a nature that it sinks down toward lower things, as does a heavy body in the world. But truth from good is of such a nature that it ascends to higher things, as does something light in the world. Hence it is that so long as the evil have not been as yet devastated as to truths, they are in a region above the hells, but as soon as they have been devastated, that is, deprived of truths, it is as if their wings were cut off, and then they sink down like weights, and the deeper in proportion as their falsities from evil are worse. From this it is that by "depths," equally as by "abysses," are signified the hells; but by "depths," the hells relatively to evils, and by "abysses," the hells relatively to the falsities that are from evils; as in these passages:
Flee ye, they have turned away, they have let themselves down into the depth to dwell (Jer. 49:8, 30). The waters have come even unto the soul, I have been sunk in the mire of depth, there is no standing; I have come into the depths of the waters, and the billow overflows me: rescue me out of the mire, lest I be sunk, I shall be rescued from those who hate me, and out of the depths of the waters, lest a billow of waters overflow me, and lest the depth swallow me up; let not the pit shut its mouth upon me (Ps. 69:1, 2, 14, 15). He shall cast into the depths of the sea all their sins (Micah 7:19). The reason why "depth" denotes hell relatively to evil, is that it is opposite to "high," by which is signified heaven, and which is predicated of good (n. 8153). Moreover evil corresponds to what is heavy on earth, which sinks by its own weight; thus also to the heaviness of a stone, when by a "stone" is signified falsity.
Elliott(1983-1999) 8279
8279. 'They sank down into deep places like a stone' means that they fell down to lower levels as if on account of heaviness. This is clear from the meaning of 'going down' - down to lower levels as if on account of heaviness - as falling down; from the meaning of 'deep places' as lower levels where the hells are located, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'like a stone' as, as if on account of heaviness. The words 'like a stone' are used because 'a stone' in the genuine sense means truth, dealt with in 643, 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789, 3798, 6426, and therefore in the contrary sense means falsity. Furthermore falsity arising from evil is by nature such that it falls downwards to lower levels like a heavy object in the world, whereas truth springing from good is by nature such that it rises upwards to higher levels like a light object in the world. This explains why the evil who have not yet undergone vastation in respect of the truths they know are in the region above hell; but as soon as they have undergone such vastation, that is, have been deprived of truths, it is as though they have had their wings cut off and they fall downwards like weights. And the worse the falsities arising from evil are, the further down they go.
[2] So it is that 'deep places' means the hells, just as 'depths' does; but 'deep places' means the hells in respect of evils, while 'depths' means the hells in respect of falsities arising from those evils, as in Jeremiah,
Flee! they have turned themselves away, they have taken themselves down to dwell in a deep place. Jer 49:8, 30.
In David,
The waters have come even to [my] soul, I have sunk in the clay of a deep place, and there is no standing; I have come into the deep places of the waters, and a wave overwhelmed me. Snatch me out of the clay lest I sink; let me be snatched from those who hate me, and out of the deep places of the waters Do not let the flow of waters rush over me, nor the deep place swallow me up, nor the pit close its mouth over me. Ps 69:1, 2, 14, 15.
In Micah,
He will cast all their sins into a deep place in the sea. Micah 7:19.
The reason why 'a deep place' means hell in respect of evil is that it is the opposite of 'a high place', which means heaven and is used in reference to good, 8153. Evil also corresponds to a heavy object on earth that falls downwards on account of its weight, and so corresponds as well to the heaviness of a stone, when 'a stone' means falsity.
Latin(1748-1756) 8279
8279. `Descenderunt in profunditates sicut lapis': quod significet quod ad inferiora lapsi (x)sint sicut ex gravi, constat ex significatione `descendere,' cum ad inferiora sicut ex gravi, quod sit labi; ex significatione `profunditatum' quod sint inferiora ubi inferna, de qua sequitur; et ex significatione `sicut lapis' quod sit sicut ex gravi; `sicut lapis' dicitur quia per `lapidem' in genuino sensu significatur verum, de qua n. 643, 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789, 3798, 6426, inde in opposito sensu falsum; falsum etiam ex malo talis naturae est ut versus inferiora delabatur sicut grave in mundo; verum autem ex bono talis naturae est ut ad superiora ascendat sicut leve in mundo; inde est, quamdiu mali nondum {1}devastati sunt quoad vera, quod sint in regione supra inferna, ast ut primum {1}devastati sunt, hoc est, privati veris, est quasi alae illis amputatae forent, et tunc sicut pondera delabuntur, et quo falsa ex malo {2}pejora sunt eo profundius; inde est quod per `profunditates' aeque ac per `abyssos' significentur 2 inferna; sed (x)per `profunditates' inferna respective ad mala, et per `abyssos' inferna respective ad falsa quae ex illis, ut apud Jeremiam, Fugite; averterunt se; in profundum dimiserunt se ad habitandum, xlix 8, 30:{3} apud Davidem, Venerunt aquae usque ad animam, submersus sum in luto profunditatis, nec consistens; veni in profunditates aquarum, et fluctus obruit me; eripe me e luto ne submergar, eripiar ab osoribus meis, et e profunditatibus aquarum, ne obruat me fluctus aquarum, neque absorbeat me profunditas, nec claudat super me fovea os suum, Ps. lxix 2, 3, 15, 16 [A.V. 1, 2, 14, 15]:
apud Micham, Projiciet in profunditatem maris omnia peccata (x)illorum, vii 19. Quod `profundum' sit infernum respective ad malum, est quia oppositum est `alto,' per quod significatur caelum {4}et quod praedicatur de bono, n. 8153; malum etiam correspondet `gravi' in terra quod ex pondere suo delabitur, ita quoque gravitati lapidis, cum per `lapidem' significatur falsum. @1 vastati$ @2 atrociora$ @3 i et$ @4 quoad bonum$