925、“耶和华闻了那安息之气”表示源于这些事物的敬拜讨主喜悦，也就是说，源于“燔祭”所表示的仁和仁之信的敬拜讨主喜悦，如前所述（922:2-3节）。在圣言中，经上常说耶和华“闻安息之气”（译注：anodorofrest，常译为馨香之气），尤其来自“燔祭”的；这安息之气总表示讨喜悦或蒙悦纳之物。如祂从燔祭中“闻安息之气”（出埃及记29:18，25，41；利未记1:9，13，17；23:12-13，18；民数记28:6，8，13；29:2，6，8，13，36），也从其它祭物中闻这气（利未记2:2，9；6:15，21；8:21，28；民数记15:3，7，13）。它们还被称为“献给耶和华为安息之气的火祭”，以此表示它们源于爱和仁。在圣言中，“火”和“火祭”（madebyfire）当论及主和对祂的敬拜时，表示爱。这同样适用于“食物”（译注：bread，或译为粮，饼），这也是为何通过燔祭和祭物来举行的代表性敬拜被称为“献给耶和华为安息之气的火祭的食物”（利未记3:11，16）。
“气味”之所以表示讨喜悦并蒙悦纳之物，因而在犹太教会，一种气味就是讨喜欢并归于耶和华或主之物的一个代表，是因为仁之良善和源于仁的信之真理就对应于香甜、怡人的气味。这种对应关系及其性质从天上围绕灵人和天使的气场清楚看出来，那里的气场是爱和信的气场，可清晰感知到。这些气场乃是这样：当一位善灵或天使，也就是一个善灵或天使的社群靠近时，只要主乐意，这位灵人或天使，也就是社群在爱和信方面的性质立刻就被察觉，即便在远处；靠得越近，感觉就越清晰。这虽令人难以置信，但却是千真万确的。这就是来世的交流，这就是感知。因此，当主乐意时，没有必要进行广泛调查以发现一个灵魂或灵人的性质，因为他一靠近就能得知。世上气味的气场就对应于这些气场。它们以这种方式相对应，这一点从以下事实明显看出来：当主乐意时，爱和信的气场会在灵人界转化为香甜怡人的气味的气场，并被明显感知到。
从这些事清楚可知，“安息之气”表示讨喜悦之物从何而来且是为何，又为何在犹太教会，一种气味会成为一个代表，为何此处“安息之气”被归于耶和华或主。安息之气描述的是平安，也就是平安的愉悦感。平安作为综合体包含了主国度的一切事物，无论总体还是细节，因为主国度的状态是一种平安的状态，并且由对主的爱和信所产生的一切幸福状态都出现在平安的状态中。现在所说的这一切不仅表明代表本质上是什么，还表明为何在犹太教会，焚香的祭坛在帷帐和施恩座前面，为何祭物中有那么多乳香的供物，又为何在焚香、乳香和膏油中会用到那么多香料。因此，这一切表明在圣言中，“安息之气”、“焚香”和“乳香”表示什么，即表示爱的属天事物和源于这些事物的信之属灵事物，就是总体上源于爱和信的一切讨喜悦之物。
如以西结书：
在我的圣山，就是以色列高处的山，以色列全家，那陆地所有的人，都要事奉我；我要在那里悦纳他们，在那里我要索取你们的供物，以及你们一切神圣行为中包含礼物的初熟果子。我必因安息之气悦纳你们。（以西结书20:40-41）
此处“安息之气”论及燔祭和礼物，也就是源于仁及其信的敬拜，这种敬拜由燔祭和礼物来表示，因而是蒙悦纳的，蒙悦纳由“气味”来表示。阿摩司书：
我恨恶、我鄙弃你们的节期，也不闻你们严肃会的馨香之气，因为你们虽然向我献燔祭和礼物，它们却不蒙悦纳。（阿摩司书5:21-22）
此处“气（味）”明显表示讨喜悦或蒙悦纳之物。论到以撒祝福雅各而非以扫，经上说：
雅各就近前，以撒亲吻了他；以撒一闻他衣服上的气味，就给他祝福说，看，我儿的气味如同耶和华赐福之田地的气味一样。（创世记 27:27）
“他衣服上的气味”表示属世的良善和真理，它讨人喜悦，是因为它与属天和属灵的良善和真理和谐一致，其讨人喜悦的品质被描述为“田地的气味”。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]925. Jehovah smelled a restful smell means that worship rising out of those things — in other words, worship inspired by charity and by the faith that comes of charity, as symbolized by the burnt offering — was pleasing to the Lord. This meaning was mentioned at the previous verse [922:2-3].
The Word often says that Jehovah smelled a restful smell, chiefly from burnt offerings, and in each of those places it symbolizes something pleasing or welcome. Passages describing him as smelling a restful smell include the following: From burnt offerings, Exodus 29:18, 25, 41; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 23:12-13, 18; Numbers 28:6, 8, 13; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36. From other kinds of sacrifice, Leviticus 2:2, 9; 6:15, 21; 8:21, 28; Numbers 15:3, 7, 13. Both are referred to as fire offerings that served as a restful smell for Jehovah, meaning that love and charity were the source. In the Word, fire and fire offerings associated with the Lord and with worship of him symbolize love.
Bread has a similar meaning, so that representative worship employing burnt offerings and sacrifices is also called the bread of a fire offering to Jehovah that served as a restful smell (Leviticus 3:11, 16).
[2] A smell symbolizes something pleasing and welcome, as a result of which the Jewish religion also used it to represent something pleasing and attributed the smelling of it to Jehovah, or the Lord. This is because the good embraced by charity and the truth espoused by a faith that stems from charity correspond to pleasant, agreeable smells.
Auras in the heaven of spirits and angels can demonstrate that this correspondence does exist and can show what its nature is like. In that world, auras of love and faith exist, and the inhabitants perceive them distinctly. The auras are such that when a good spirit or an angel or a community of good spirits or angels comes on the scene, others immediately discern (if the Lord pleases) what kind of love and faith the spirit, angel, or community has. They can tell this from a distance, and the perception grows stronger at close quarters. It is incredible yet absolutely true: this is how communication and perception in the other life work. When the Lord pleases, then, there is no need to probe extensively to find out what a soul or spirit is like, since it can be recognized at the person's first approach.
These auras have their counterpart in earthly aromas. The correspondence between the two is clear from this, that in the world of spirits, when it pleases the Lord, auras of love and faith are manifestly embodied in clouds of sweet, pleasant fragrances and are manifestly perceived there.
[3] This explains why a restful smell symbolizes something pleasing, why the Jewish religion came to use fragrances in a representative way, and why they saw Jehovah, or the Lord, as sensing the restful smell.
A restful smell is a peaceful smell, or in other words, the pleasing quality of peace. Peace enfolds in a single embrace each and every facet of the Lord's kingdom, because the state of the Lord's kingdom is a state of peace. All the happy states that result from love for the Lord and faith in him emerge in a state of peace.
What has just been said shows not only how the case stands with representative worship but also why the Jewish religion used incense, for which an altar was provided in front of the veil and the appeasement cover [of the ark]. The same discussion shows why offerings of frankincense had a place among their sacrifices, and also why they used so many fragrant extracts in their incense, frankincense, and anointing oil. So it demonstrates that in the Word a restful odor, the burning of incense, and perfumes all symbolize the heavenly characteristics of love, and the spiritual characteristics of faith derived from them — in general, anything pleasing that develops out of them.
[4] In Ezekiel, for example:
On my holy mountain, on the mountain of Israel's high ground, there all the house of Israel — the whole of that house in the land — will serve me; there I will accept them. And there I will seek your raised offerings and the first fruits of your gifts in all your consecrations; because of the restful smell I will accept you. (Ezekiel 20:40-41)
The restful smell applies to the burnt offerings and gifts, that is, to worship inspired by charity and the faith that comes of charity, this worship being what the burnt offerings and gifts symbolize. Such worship is accordingly "accepted," which is what the scent means. In Amos:
I have hated, I have spurned your feasts, and I will not smell [the incense of] your holidays,{*1} because if you offer me your burnt offerings and gifts, they will not be accepted. (Amos 5:21-22)
Here the smell explicitly means something pleasing or acceptable. Of Isaac's blessing on Jacob instead of Esau we read:
When Jacob had stepped close, and Isaac had kissed him and smelled the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, "See: the smell of my son, like the smell of a field that Jehovah has blessed." (Genesis 27:26-27)
The smell of the clothing symbolizes earthly goodness and truth, which is pleasing because it harmonizes with heavenly and spiritual goodness and truth. Its pleasing quality is expressed as the smell of a field.
Footnotes:
{*1} The Latin phrase translated "I will not smell ... your holidays" is non odorabor cessationes vestras. Its exact meaning is subject to conjecture, and it is worth noting that the conventional understanding of the passage from Amos is quite different. The Hebrew verb represented by the Latin odorabor and the English "smell" is in this Bible passage generally taken by scholars in the metaphorical sense of "delight in." The Hebrew represented by the Latin cessationes and the English "holidays" may also mean "assemblies." For these reasons, the phrase as a whole usually appears in English Bibles as something like "I will not delight in your assemblies." [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 925
925. And Jehovah smelled an odor of rest. That this signifies that worship therefrom was grateful to the Lord, that is, worship from charity and the faith of charity, which is signified by "burnt-offering" has been stated under the preceding verse. It is often said in the Word that Jehovah "smelled an odor of rest" especially from burnt-offerings; and this always means what is grateful or acceptable; as that He "smelled an odor of rest" from burnt-offerings (Exod. 29:18, 25, 41; Lev. 1:9, 13, 17; 33:12, 13, 18; Num. 28:6, 8, 13; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36), and also from other sacrifices (Lev. 2:2, 9; 6:15, 21, 8:21, 28; Num. 15:3, 7, 13). They are also called "made by fire for an odor of rest unto Jehovah" by which is signified that they are from love and charity. "Fire" in the Word and "made by fire" when predicated of the Lord and of the worship of Him, signifies love. So also does "bread" and for this reason representative worship by burnt-offerings and sacrifices is called "the bread of the offering made by fire for an odor of rest" (Lev. 3:11, 16). [2] That an "odor" signifies what is grateful and acceptable, and thus that an odor in the Jewish Church was a representative of what is grateful, and is ascribed to Jehovah or the Lord, is because the good of charity and the truth of faith from charity correspond to sweet and delightful odors. The fact of this correspondence and the nature of it is demonstrable from the spheres of spirits and angels in heaven, where there are spheres of love and faith which are plainly perceived. The spheres are such that when a good spirit or angel, or a society of good spirits or of angels, comes near, then, whenever the Lord pleases, it is at once perceived, even at a distance, but more sensibly on a nearer approach, what is the quality in respect to love and faith of that spirit, angel, or society. This is incredible, yet is perfectly true. Such is the communication in the other life, and such is the perception. Wherefore, when it pleases the Lord, there is no need to explore in many ways the quality of a soul or spirit; for it may be known at his first approach. To these spheres correspond the spheres of odors in the world. That they do so correspond is evident from the fact that when it pleases the Lord the spheres of love and faith in the world of spirits are turned into spheres of sweet and pleasing odors, and are plainly perceived. [3] From these things it is now evident whence and why "an odor of rest" signifies what is grateful, and why an odor became representative in the Jewish Church, and why "an odor of rest" is here ascribed to Jehovah or the Lord. An odor of rest is one of peace, or a grateful sense of peace. Peace taken in the complex embraces all things of the Lord's kingdom both in general and in particular, for the state of the Lord's kingdom is a state of peace, and in a state of peace there come forth all the happy states that result from love and faith in the Lord. From what has now been said it is plain not only how it is with representatives, but also why in the Jewish Church incense was used, for which there was an altar before the veil and the mercy-seat; why there were offerings of frankincense in the sacrifices; also why so many spices were used in the incense, in the frankincense, and in the oil for anointing; and thus what is signified in the Word by "an odor of rest" "incense" and "spices" namely, the celestial things of love and the spiritual things of faith therefrom; in general, whatever is grateful from love and faith. [4] As in Ezekiel:
In the mountain of My holiness, in the mountain of the height of Israel, there shall all the house of Israel in the whole land serve Me; there will I accept them, and there will I seek your oblations and the first fruits of your gifts, with all your holy things; as an odor of rest will I accept you (Ezek. 20:40-41). Here "an odor of rest" is predicated of burnt-offerings and gifts, that is, of worship from charity and its faith, which is signified by the burnt-offerings and gifts, and is consequently acceptable, which is meant by the "odor." In Amos:
I hate, I have rejected your feasts, and I will not receive the odor of your holidays, for if ye shall offer Me your burnt-offerings and gifts, they shall not be acceptable (Amos 5:21-22). Here "odor" manifestly signifies what is grateful or acceptable. Of Isaac when blessing Jacob instead of Esau it is said:
And Jacob came near, and he kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which Jehovah hath blessed (Gen. 27:27). The "smell of his raiment" signifies natural good and truth, which is grateful from its agreement with celestial and spiritual good and truth, the gratefulness of which is described by the "smell of a field."
Elliott(1983-1999) 925
925. 'Jehovah smelled an odour of rest' means that worship stemming from these was pleasing to the Lord, that is to say, worship stemming from charity and from faith deriving from charity, meant by 'a burnt offering', as stated in the previous verse. In various places in the Word it is said that 'Jehovah smelled an odour of rest', especially that from burnt offerings, and wherever this occurs that which is pleasing or acceptable is meant. For references to His smelling an odour of rest from burnt offerings, see Exod 29:18, 25, 41; Lev 1:9, 13, 17; 23:12, 13, 18; Num 28:6, 8, 13; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36; also from other sacrifices, Lev 2:2, 9; 6:15, 21; 8:21, 28; Num 15:3, 7, 13. They are also called 'that which has been made by fire as an odour of rest to Jehovah' which means that it stems from love and charity. In the Word when 'fire' or 'made by fire' is used in reference to the Lord and to worship of Him, it means love. And the same applies to 'bread', which also is why representative worship by means of burnt offerings and sacrifices is called 'bread offered by fire to Jehovah as an odour of rest', Lev 3:11, 16.
[2] The reason why 'an odour' means that which is pleasing and acceptable, and so why in the Jewish Church an odour was also representative of that which is pleasing and is ascribed to Jehovah or the Lord, is that good stemming from charity, and the truth of faith deriving from charity, correspond to sweet and pleasant odours. What the correspondence itself is and the character of it becomes clear from the spheres in heaven which surround spirits and angels. The spheres there are spheres of love and faith, and are clearly perceived. These spheres are such that when a good spirit or angel, that is, a community of good spirits or angels, approaches, the nature of the spirit or angel - that is, of the community - as regards love and faith is, as often as the Lord pleases, instantly perceived. It is perceived even when they are a long way off, more so still when they are closer at hand. This is unbelievable but nevertheless perfectly true. Such is the communication in the next life, and such the perception. Consequently, when the Lord pleases there is no necessity to make extensive enquiries to discover the character of a soul or spirit, for it is recognizable the moment he approaches. It is to these spheres that spheres belonging to odours in the world correspond. That they do correspond in this way becomes clear from the fact that when the Lord pleases the spheres of love and faith are readily converted in the world of spirits into spheres of sweet and pleasant odours, which are clearly perceived.
[3] From these considerations it is now clear from where and why 'an odour of rest' means that which is pleasing, why in the Jewish Church an odour became a representative, and why 'an odour of rest' is here ascribed to Jehovah or the Lord. 'An odour of rest' is descriptive of peace, that is, of the pleasantness of peace. Peace in one embrace takes in every single feature of the Lord's kingdom; for the state of the Lord's kingdom is a state of peace. It is within the state of peace that all the happy states occur which flow from love and faith in the Lord. All that has now been stated shows not only what representatives were essentially, but also why the Jewish Church had an altar for burning incense in front of the veil and the Mercy-seat, why offerings of frankincense accompanied sacrifices, and also why so many fragrant substances were used in incense, in frankincense, and in the anointing oil too. It shows therefore what 'an odour of rest', 'incense', and 'fragrances' mean in the Word, namely celestial things of love, and spiritual things of faith deriving from these, in general everything pleasing that derives from love and faith.
[4] As in Ezekiel,
On My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, there all the house of Israel, all of it in the land, will serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions, and the first fruits comprising your gifts in all your holy acts. Through the odour of rest I will accept you Ezek 20:40, 41.
Here 'an odour of rest' has reference to burnt offerings and gifts, that is, to worship stemming from charity and attendant faith, which worship is meant by burnt offerings and gifts, and is consequently acceptable, which is meant by 'the odour'. In Amos,
I hate, I reject your feasts, and I will not smell your solemn assembliesa [as a pleasant odour], for though you offer Me your burnt offerings and gifts, they will not be accepted. Amos 5:21, 22.
This clearly means that which is pleasing or acceptable. The passage which describes Isaac's blessing Jacob instead of Esau reads,
Jacob went near and Isaac kissed him. He smelled the odour of his clothes, and he blessed him and said, See, the odour of my son, like the odour of a field that Jehovah has blessed. Gen 27:26, 27.
'The odour of his clothes' means natural good and truth whose pleasantness stems from their harmony with celestial and spiritual good and truth. Their pleasantness is described by 'the odour of the field'.
Latin(1748-1756) 925
925. Quod 'odoratus Jehovah odorem quietis' significet quod gratus fuerit Domino cultus inde, nempe cultus ex charitate et fide charitatis, qui per 'holocaustum' significatus, dictum est in versu proxime praecedente. Passim in Verbo dicitur quod 'Jehovah odoratus est odorem quietis,' et quidem praecipue ex holocaustis, et ubivis significat gratum seu acceptum; sicut ex holocaustis quod odoratus odorem quietis, Exod. xxix 18, 25, 41; Lev. i 9, 13, 17; xxiii 12, 13, 18 Num. xxviii 6, 8, 13; xxix 2, 6, 8, 13, 36; tum ex aliis sacrificiis, Lev. ii 2, 9; vi 8, 14 [A.V. 15, 21]: viii 21, 28; Num. xv 3, 7, 13; et vocantur 'ignitum in odorem quietis Jehovae,' quo significatur quod ex amore e charitate; 'ignis' in Verbo et 'ignitum,' cum praedicatur de Domino et de cultu Ipsius, significat amorem: similiter etiam 'panis,' quare etiam cultus repraesentativus per holocausta et sacrificia appellatur 'panis igniti Jehovae in odorem quietis,' Lev. iii 11, 16. [2] Quod 'odor' significet gratum et acceptum, et sic quod odor quoque in Ecclesia Judaica fuerit repraesentativum grati, et tribuatur Jehovae seu Domino, est causa quod bonum charitatis et verum fidei ex charitate correspondeat odoribus jucundis et suavibus; ipsa correspondentia quod sit et qualis sit, constare potest a sphaeris in caelo spirituum et angelorum; sunt ibi sphaerae amoris et fidei, quae manifeste percipiantur; sphaerae tales sunt ut cum spiritus bonus aut angelus, seu societas spirituum bonorum aut angelorum adventat, tunc percipitur ilico quoties Domino beneplacet, qualis est spiritus, angelus, seu societas, quoad amorem et fidem, et quidem e longinquo, et magis cum praesentior fit; quod incredibile, sed usque est verissimum; talis est communicatio in altera vita, et talis perceptio; quare, cum Domino beneplacet, non opus est multis explorare qualis anima seu spiritus est, nam ad primum adventum potest cognosci: his sphaeris correspondent sphaerae odorum in mundo; quod correspondeant, inde constare potest quod sphaerae amoris et fidei, quando Domino beneplacet, manifeste in sphaeras odorum jucundorum et suavium vertantur in mundo spirituum, et manifeste percipiantur. [3] Ex his nunc constat unde et quare 'odor quietis' significat gratum, et quare odor repraesentativum factum in Ecclesia Judaica, et 'odor quietis' Jehovae seu Domino tribuatur. 'Odor quietis' est pacis seu gratum pacis; pax in uno complexu comprehendit omnia et singula quae sunt regni Domini, nam status regni Domini est status pacis; in statu pacis existunt omnes status felices ex amore et fide in Dominum. Ex his quae nunc dicta sunt, patet non solum quomodo repraesentativa se habent; sed etiam quare in Ecclesia Judaica suffimenta, pro quibus altare ante velum et propitiatorium; quare turis oblationes in sacrificiis; tum quare tot aromata, in suffimento, in ture, ut et in oleo unctionis adhibebantur; ita quid 'odor quietis,' quid 'suffitus,' et quid 'aromata' significant in Verbo, nempe quod caelestia amoris et inde spiritualia fidei, in genere quicquid gratum inde; [4] ut apud Ezechielem, In monte sanctitatis Meae, in morte altitudinis Israelis,... ibi servient Mihi omnis domus Israelis, tota in terra, ibi acceptos habebo illos; et ibi quaeram sublationes vestras, et primitias munerum vestrorum in omnibus sanctificationibus vestris; per odorem quietis acceptos habebo vos, xx 40, 41; ubi 'odor quietis' praedicatur de holocaustis et muneribus, hoc est, de cultu ex charitate et ejus fide, qui per holocausta et munera significatur, et inde acceptus est, quod est 'odor': apud Amos, Odi, reprobavi festa vestra, et non odorabor cessationes vestras, quia si obtuleritis Mihi holocausta et munera vestra, non accepta erunt," v 21, 22; ibi manifeste quod significet gratum aut acceptum. De Isaco benedicente Jacobo pro Esavo, legitur, Cum accederet Jacob, et Isaacus osculatus eum, et odoraretur odorem vestium ejus, et benedixit ei, et dixit, Vide, odor filii mei, sicut odor agri, cui benedixit Jehovah, Gen. xxvii 26, 27; 'odor vestium' significat naturale bonum et verum, quod gratum ex concordantia cum caelesti et spirituali bono et vero; cujus gratitudo describitur per 'odorem agri.'