8990.“他主人要用锥子穿他的耳朵”表服从的一种代表性标志。这从“耳朵”和“用锥子穿”的含义清楚可知：“耳朵”是指服从（参看2542，3869，4551，4652-4660节）；“用锥子穿”，也就是说在门或门框旁边“用锥子穿”，是指固定，在此是指永远承诺，因为它论及服从；这就是为何经上接着说“他就永远服事主人”，也就是永远服从他。由此明显可知，他主人用锥子穿他的耳朵，把它固定到门或门框上，是服从的代表。
这一切的含义从前面的阐述清楚看出来，在那里已说明：那些仅充满真理，未充满相应的良善，也就是充满信，未充满仁的人不是自由的，而是奴仆。那些出于良善或仁爱行事的人是自由的；他们出于自己行事；因为出于良善或仁爱行事就是从心里，也就是出于意愿，因而出于一个人自己的东西行事；事实上，凡存在于一个人意愿中的东西就是他自己的或说属于这个人，凡出于意愿所行的，可以说是从心里发出来的。但那些仅充满信之真理，未充满仁之良善的人相对来说是奴仆。他们不是出于自己行事，因为他们没有行为所源自的良善在自己里面；相反，良善在他们外面，每当想起良善时，他们才出于它行事。那些具有这种品性，甚至直到生命结束时仍是这样的人，死后便永远保持在这种状态中。他们不可能被带入一种出于仁爱的情感，因而出于良善行事的状态；他们只能出于服从行事。在大人，也就是天堂里面，这些人构成那些服务于内层的事物或部位，如膜和皮肤（8977，8980节）。
由此可见唯信，也就是那些按照教义把信放在第一位，把仁之良善放在第二位，甚至放在最后一位的人是何情形。那些在实际生活中按这个顺序摆放它们的人就是代表意义上的“希伯来奴仆”；而那些在实际生活中把仁放在第一位的人就是代表意义上的“以色列人”。由此也可以推断那些认为救赎的一切在于信之真理，根本不在于仁之良善，也就是说，根本不在于实际生活的人是何情形。可以断定，他们不能进入天堂；因为在天堂掌权的，是良善，而不是没有良善的真理；若不与那些充满良善的人同在，真理就不是真理，信也不是信。
他的主人用锥子穿耳是服从的代表，这一点也可从以下事实明显看出来：把耳朵固定在门上就是把注意力转向他在房间里的主人所吩咐的事上，也就是随时听他说话，因而服从他的指示。此处在灵义上所表示的是良善意愿并吩咐的事，因为奴仆的主人代表属灵良善（8981，8986节）。由于“耳朵”表示服从的倾听，所以凭来自灵界的一个源头，就有“拧耳朵”、“倾听”和“听从”某人的说法流入人类的语言：“拧耳朵”表示叫一个人注意并记住；“倾听”和“听从”某人表示服从他。因为许多说法的内在含义都是凭对应关系从灵界流入的；如当谈论信仰问题时，人们会说“属灵之光”，以及被这光光照；当谈论爱的问题时，则说属灵之火，并因这火而有生命。
穿耳朵之所以要用锥子，是因为“锥子”与“橛子”或“钉子”所表相同，即都表示固定并连接，在灵义上表示承诺某事。但锥子是仆人所用的工具，因此它用来代表奴仆那一方永远服从的承诺。“橛子”或“钉子”表示一种固定并连接，这从提及它们的经文（如以赛亚书22:23；33:20；41:7；54:2；耶利米书10:4；出埃及记27:19；38:31；民数记3:37；4:32）明显看出来。
Potts(1905-1910) 8990
8990. And his master shall bore through his ear with his awl. That this signifies a representative of obedience, is evident from the signification of "the ear," as being obedience (see n. 2542, 3869, 4551, 4652-4660); and from the signification of "boring through with an awl," namely, to the door, or to the door-post, as being to affix; here, as obedience is treated of, as being to assign; and therefore it follows that "he shall serve him forever," that is, shall be obedient. From this it is plain that the boring through of the ear with an awl to the door or to the door-post by his master is representative of obedience. [2] How the case herein is, can be seen from what precedes, namely, that they who are in truths alone, and not in the corresponding good, that is, who are in faith and not in charity, are not free, but are servants. For they who act from good, or charity, are free, because they act from themselves; for to act from good, or charity, is to act from the heart, that is, from the will, thus from what is one's own; for that which is of the will belongs to the man, and that which is done from the will is said to go forth from the heart. But they who are only in the truths of faith and not in the good of charity, are relatively servants, for they do not act from themselves, because they have no good in themselves from which to act; but it is outside of themselves, and they act from it as often as they remember it. They who are of this character even to the end of life, remain after death in this state; and they cannot be brought to a state so as to act from the affection of charity, thus from good, but only from obedience. In the Grand Man, which is heaven, these persons constitute those things which serve the interiors, such as the membranes and skins (n. 8977, 8980). [3] From all this it can be seen how the case is with faith alone, thus with those who from doctrine set faith in the first place, and the good of charity in the second place, and even in the last place. They who actually, that is, in the life itself, so regard faith, are Hebrew servants in the representative sense. From all this it may also be concluded how the case is with those who make everything of salvation to consist in the truths of faith, and nothing in the good of charity; namely, that actually, or in the life itself, they cannot enter into heaven; for good reigns in heaven, and not truth without good; neither is truth truth, nor faith faith, except with those who are in good. [4] That the boring through of the ear with an awl by his master is representative of obedience, is plain also from the fact that to affix the ear to the door is to cause attention to be given to those things which his master, who is in the room, commands; thus it is to hear continually, and consequently to obey; here in the spiritual sense the things which good wills and commands, for by the master of the servant is represented spiritual good (n. 8981, 8986). As "the ear" signifies the hearing which is of obedience, therefore by virtue of an origin coming from the spiritual world there has flowed into human speech the expression, "to pinch the ear," meaning to cause a person to be attentive, and to remember; in like manner the expressions "to hear," and "to hearken to," anyone, meaning to obey. For the interior sense of very many expressions has flowed from the spiritual world by virtue of correspondences; in like manner as when we speak of "spiritual light," and the consequent "sight," as denoting what is of faith; also of "spiritual fire," and the consequent "life," as denoting what is of love. [5] The reason why the boring through of the ear was to be done with an awl, was because by an "awl" is signified the like as by a "peg," or a "nail," namely, an affixing or joining to, and in the spiritual sense an assignment to anything; but the awl was an instrument of service, and therefore serves to represent assignment to perpetual obedience on the part of the servant. That "pegs" or "nails" signify an affixing, or adjoining to, is evident from the passages where they are mentioned; as in Isa. 22:23; 33:20; 41:7; 54:2; Jer. 10:4; Exod. 27:19; 38:31; Num. 3:37; 4:32.
Elliott(1983-1999) 8990
8990. 'And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl' means a representative sign of obedience. This is clear from the meaning of 'ear' as obedience, dealt with in 2542, 3869, 4551, 4652-4660; and from the meaning of 'piercing it with an awl' - that is to say, onto the door or onto the doorpost - as affixing, or at this point pledging forever, since it refers to obedience; and this is why the words follow, 'he shall serve him forever', that is, be obedient to him forever. From this it is evident that his master's piercing his ear with an awl, fixing it to the door or to the doorpost, is representative of obedience.
[2] The implications of all this may become clear from matters stated previously, where it has been shown that those imbued solely with truths and not with complementary good, that is, with faith and not with charity, are not free but slaves. Those whose actions spring from good or charity are free. They act from themselves; for actions that spring from good or charity spring from the heart, that is, from the will, and so from what is a person's own, since what exists in a person's will is his own and a deed springing from the will is said to go out of the heart. But those who are imbued solely with the truths of faith and not with the good of charity are slaves in comparison. They do not act from themselves since they have no good within themselves for actions to spring from; instead good is outside them, and they base their actions on it as often as they call it to mind. Those who stay like this through to the end of their lives remain permanently in this state after death. They cannot be brought to a state in which their actions spring from charitable affection, that is, from good; they can act only in obedience. In the Grand Man, which is heaven, they constitute those parts that serve more internal ones, like membranes and skins, 8977, 8980.
[3] All this shows what the situation is with faith alone, that is, with those who doctrinally place faith first and the good of charity second, indeed last. Those who place them in this order in the actual lives they lead are 'Hebrew slaves' in the representative sense; but those who place charity first, in the actual lives they lead, are free or 'the children of Israel' in the representative sense. From all this one may also conclude what the situation is with those who make salvation rest entirely on the truths of faith and not at all on the good of charity, that is to say, not at all on the actual life they lead. One may conclude that they cannot enter heaven; for good reigns in heaven, not truth without good, and truth is not truth, nor is faith faith, except with those imbued with good
[4] That his master's piercing his ear with an awl, fixing it to the door, is representative of obedience is also evident from the consideration that fixing his ear to the door means causing him to attend to the things commanded by his master who is in the room, that is, to hear him at all times and obey his instructions. At this point the things which good wills and commands are meant in the spiritual sense, for spiritual good is represented by the slave's master, 8981, 8986. Since 'the ear' means the hearing of obedience, there flows into human speech from an origin in the spiritual world the expression to tweak the ear, which stands for causing a person to pay attention and remember, and in like manner the expressions to hear and to hearken to someone, which stands for obeying him. For the inner meaning that very many words possess has sprung from correspondences from the spiritual world, as with expressions such as spiritual light and being enlightened by it which people use when speaking about matters of faith, and also spiritual fire and being animated by it when speaking about matters of love.
[5] The reason why piercing the ear was done with an awl was that 'an awl' has the same meaning as a pin or peg, namely affixing and pining onto, and in the spiritual sense pledging something. But an awl was a tool used by a servant, and therefore it served to represent the pledge of everlasting obedience by a slave. The meaning of 'a pin' or 'a peg' as affixing and joining onto is clear from the places where this object is mentioned, as in Isaiah 22:23; 33:20; 41:7; 54:2; Jer 10:4; Exod 27:19; 38:31; Num 3:37; 4:32.
Latin(1748-1756) 8990
8990. `Et perforabit dominus ejus aurem ejus subula': quod significet repraesentativum oboedientiae, constat ex significatione `auris' quod sit oboedientia, de qua n. 2542, 3869, 4551, 4652-4660, et ex significatione `perforare subula,' nempe ad januam {1}seu ad postem, quod sit affigere, hic, quia agitur de oboedientia, est perpetuo addicare; quare sequitur quod `serviet illi in perpetuum,' hoc est, oboediet; inde patet quod perforatio auris subula ad januam seu ad postem a domino suo sit repraesentativum oboedientiae. 2 Quomodo cum his se habet, ex praecedentibus potest constare, quod nempe illi qui in solis veris sunt et non in bono correspondente, hoc est, qui in fide et non in charitate, non liberi sint sed servi; nam qui ex bono seu charitate agunt liberi sunt, ex se enim agunt, quia ex bono seu charitate agere est ex corde, hoc est, ex voluntate, ita ex suo, nam id hominis est quod est voluntatis ejus, et quod ex voluntate fit, hoc dicitur exire ex corde; at qui solum in veris fidei sunt et non in bono charitatis, respective servi sunt, nam non agunt ex se, quia non bonum habent in se ex quo {2}agunt, sed extra se, et agunt quoties ejus recordantur; hi qui tales sunt usque ad finem vitae, post mortem permanent in eo statu, nec possunt perduci ad statum ut ex affectione {3}charitatis, ita ut ex bono agant, sed ex oboedientia. Hi in Maximo Homine, qui est caelum, constituunt illa quae interioribus serviunt, {4} sicut membranas et cutes, n. 8977, 8980. 3 Ex his constare potest quomodo se res habet cum sola fide, ita cum illis qui ex doctrina fidem ponunt primo loco et bonum charitatis secundo, immo ultimo; qui actualiter, hoc est, in ipsa vita, ita ponunt, illi sunt servi Hebraei in sensu repraesentativo, at qui charitatem primo loco ponunt, nempe actualiter, hoc est, in ipsa vita, illi sunt liberi seu filii Israelis in sensu repraesentativo; ex his etiam concludi potest quomodo se res habet cum illis qui omne salutis ponunt in veris fidei et nihil in bono charitatis, nempe actualiter {5}seu in ipsa vita, quod {6}non possint intrare in caelum, nam bonum in caelo regnat et non verum absque bono; nec verum est verum aut fides fides quam apud illos qui in bono sunt. 4 Quod perforatio auris subula ad januam a domino suo sit repraesentativum oboedientiae, patet etiam ex eo {7}quod affigere aurem januae sit facere ut attentionem habeat ad illa quae dominus ejus, qui in conclavi, imperat, ita jugiter audire, proinde oboedire, hic in sensu spirituali quae bonum vult et mandant, nam per dominum servi {8}repraesentatur bonum spirituale, n. 8981, 8986; quia `auris' auditionem quae oboedientiae significat, inde ex origine e spirituali mundo influxit in loquelam humanam, vellicare aurem pro facere ut attendat ac ut recordetur, pariter alicui audire et auscultare pro oboedire, nam interior sensus perplurium vocum ex correspondentiis e spirituali mundo effluxit; similiter ac quod dicatur lux spiritualis et visus inde, quod sint quae fidei, ut et ignis spiritualis et (t)vita inde quod sint quae amoris. 5 Quod perforatio auris fieret per subulam, erat quia per `subulam' simile significatur quod per paxillum vel clavum, nempe affixio seu adjunctio, et in sensu spirituali addicatio ad aliquid; at subula erat instrumentum ministerii, ideo inserviens repraesentandae addicationi ad perpetuam oboedientiam apud servum. Quod `paxilli' seu `clavi' affixionem seu adjunctionem {9}significent', constat ex locis ubi nominantur, ut apud Esaiam xxii 23, xxxiii 20, xli 7, liv 2; Jer. x 4; Exod.xxvii 19, (x)xxxviii 31 ;Num. (x)iii 37, iv 32. @1 aut$ @2 agant IT$ @3 hoc est,$ @4 i seu quae se ab internis patiuntur agi,$ @5 hoc est$ @6 i nempe$ @7 quod tale non possit non significare attentionem ad illa quae dominus ejus,qui in conclavi, imperat, nam tenere aurem affixam januae, est jugiter audire proinde obedire quae dominus ejus mandat, ita quae bonum,$ @8 intelligitur$ @9 significaverint$