338.“都藏在山洞和磐石里”表那些现在处于邪恶和邪恶的虚假之人。“都藏在山洞和磐石里”之所以表示处于邪恶和邪恶的虚假，是因为那些在世人面前假装自己处于爱之良善，其实处于邪恶之人死后便藏在洞穴里；而那些假装自己处于信之真理，其实却处于邪恶之人死后则藏在山岩里。入口看似地洞，或山缝，他们像蛇那样溜进去，藏在那里。这就是他们的居所，对此，我经常目睹。正因如此，在以下经文中，“洞穴”表示这种人所具有的邪恶，“洞口”和“裂缝”表示邪恶的虚假：
当那日，就是耶和华兴起使地大震动的时候，他们必进入石洞，进入悬崖的裂缝。（以赛亚书2:19）
到那日，他们必因耶和华的惊吓进入岩石穴和悬崖的裂缝中。（以赛亚书2:21）
他们住在山谷的裂缝、地洞和岩穴中。（约伯记30:6）
住在裂缝中的，你内心的狂傲欺骗了你。（俄巴底亚书1:3）
那日，他们都必来落在荒凉的河谷内、磐石的裂缝里。（以赛亚书7:19）
宫殿必成为荒漠，山冈望楼永为洞穴。（以赛亚书32:14）
住在石洞中的啊，你内心的狂傲欺骗了你。（耶利米书49:16）
他们必从各山上、各冈上、各石洞中猎取他们；他们不能在我面前遮掩，他们的罪孽也不能隐藏。（耶利米书16:16，17）
当那日，吃奶的必玩耍在虺蛇的洞口，断奶的必按手在毒蛇的穴上。（以赛亚书11:8）
338. Hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. This symbolically means that they were now caught up in evils and in the falsities accompanying evil.
Hiding themselves in caves and in mountain rocks means, symbolically, to be caught up in evils and in the falsities accompanying evil, because the people who pretended before the world that they were prompted by the goodness of love, and yet were caught up in evil, after death hid themselves in caves. And those who pretended that they were prompted by truths of faith, and yet were caught up in the falsities accompanying evil, hid themselves in mountain rocks.
The entrances appear as holes in the ground and as crevices in the mountains, into which they slip like snakes and there hide themselves.
That such is the nature of their abodes is something I have often seen.
It is in consequence of this that caves in the following places symbolize the evils in such people, and holes and crevices the falsities accompanying evil:
(In that day) they shall go into caves in the rocks, and into crevices in the cliffs..., when (Jehovah) rises to terrify the earth. (Isaiah 2:19)
In that day...(they shall) go into clefts in the rocks and into crevices in the cliffs, because of their terror of Jehovah... (Isaiah 2:20-21)
(They shall) live in crevices in the valleys, (and) in holes in the earth, and in rocks. (Job 30:6)
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in crevices... (Obadiah v. 3)
...in that day... they will come, and... will rest in the desolate river beds and in the crevices of the rocks... (Isaiah 7:18-19)
...the palace will be a wilderness... The stronghold and watchtower shall be upon caves forever... (Isaiah 32:14)
...the pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the holes of the rock... (Jeremiah 49:16)
...they shall hunt them upon every mountain and hill, and out of the holes of the rocks... They are not hidden before Me, nor is their iniquity hidden... (Jeremiah 16:16-17)
(In that day) the nursing child shall play on the viper's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's 1cave. (Isaiah 11:8)
Footnotes:
1. Legendary serpents or dragons, whose breath and glance were said to be lethal. Formerly identified in English translations of the Latin Vulgate with the cockatrice, and retained as such in the King James Bible.
338. 'Hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains' signifies those now in evils and in the untruths of evil. By 'hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains' is signified to be in evils and in the untruths of evil, because those who have pretended before the world that they were in the good of love and yet were in evil, after death hide themselves in caves; and those who pretended that they were in the truths of faith and yet were in the untruths of evil, hide themselves in the rocks of the mountains. The entrances appear as holes in the lands and as fissures in the mountains, in which they bury themselves like serpents and hide therein. That their abodes are such I have often seen. This is why by 'caves' are signified the evils with such, and by 'holes' and 'fissures' the untruths of evil, in the following passages:
In that day they shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the fissures of the cliffs, when Jehovah shall arise to terrify the earth. Isaiah 2:19 [,21].
In that day they shall go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the fissures of the cliffs for fear of Jehovah. Isaiah 2:21.
They shall dwell in the fissures of the valleys, and in holes of the earth, and in the rocks, Job 30:6.
The pride of thine heart has deceived thee, thou who dwellest in the fissures Obad. verse 3.
In that day they shall come and shall rest in the rivers of desolation, and in the fissures of the rocks. Isaiah 7:19.
The palace shall be a desert, the ascent and the watch-tower shall be upon caves to eternity. Isaiah 32:14.
The pride of thine heart has deceived thee, who dwellest in the holes of the rock. Jeremiah 49:16.
They shall hunt them from upon every mountain and hill, and out of the holes of the rocks; they shall not be hidden in My presence, neither shall their iniquity be hidden. Jeremiah 16:16-17.
In that day the sucking child shall play upon the hole of the viper, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cove of the basilisk. Isaiah 11:8.
338. Hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, signifies that they were now in evils and in the falsities of evil. "To hide themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains," signifies to be in evils and in the falsities of evil, because they who pretended before the world that they were in the good of love, and yet were in evil, after death hide themselves in caves; and they who have pretended that they were in the truths of faith, and yet were in the falsities of evil, hide themselves in the rocks of the mountains. The entrances appear like holes in the earth, and like clefts in the mountains, into which they betake themselves like serpents, and there hide themselves. That such are their abiding places I have frequently seen. Hence it is that by "caves" are signified the evils with such, and by "holes" and "clefts" the falsities of evil, in the following passages:
In that day they shall go into the caves of the rocks and into the fissures of the cliffs when Jehovah ariseth to terrify the earth, (Isaiah 2:19).
In that day they shall go into the clefts of the rocks and into the fissures of the cliffs for dread of Jehovah, (Isaiah 2:21).
To dwell in the fissures of the valleys, in holes of the earth, and in the rocks, (Job 30:6).
The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, who dwellest in fissures, (Obadiah 1:3).
In that day they shall come and shall rest in the rivers of desolation, and in the fissures of the rocks, (Isaiah 7:19).
The palace shall be a desert, the hillside and towers shall be for caves forever, (Isaiah 32:14).
The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, that dwellest in the holes of the rock, (Jeremiah 49:16).
And they shall hunt them from upon every mountain and hill, and out of the holes of the rocks; they shall not be hidden before Me, neither is their iniquity hidden, (Jeremiah 16:16-17).
In that day the suckling shall play on the hole of the viper, and the weaned shall put his hand on the cave of the basilisk, (Isaiah 11:8).
338. "Absconderunt se ipsos in speluncis et in petris montium," significat nunc illos in malis, et in falsis mali. -Quod per "abscondere se in speluncis et in petris montium" significetur esse in malis et in falsis mali, est quia illi qui simulaverunt coram mundo quod in bono amoris essent, et tamen fuerunt in malo, post mortem abscondunt se in speluncis; et qui simulaverunt quod in veris fidei essent, et tamen in falsis mali fuerunt, abscondunt se in petris montium: introitus apparent sicut foramina in terris, et sicut fissurae in montibus, in quae sicut serpentes se inferunt et se inibi abscondunt. Quod talia sint domicilia illorum, saepius vidi. Inde est, quod per "speluncas" significentur mala apud tales, et per "foramina" et "fissuras" falsa mali, in sequentibus locis:
In die illo intrabunt "in Speluncas petrarum, et in Fissuras rupium, quando surget Jehovah ad terrendum Terram," (Esaias 2:19(, 21);
In die illo "intrabunt in Scissuras petrarum, et in Fissuras rupium propter pavorem Jehovae," (Esaias 2:21);
Habitabunt in Fissura vallium, et in Foraminibus terrae et Petris," (Hiob 30:6);
"Superbia cordis tui decepit te, qui habitas in Fissuris," (Obadias 1:3);
In die illo "venient et quiescent in fluviis desolationum et in Fissuris petrarum," (Esaias 7:19);
"Palatium erit, desertum, clivus et specula erunt super Speluncis in aeternum," (Esaias 32:14);
"Superbia cordis decepit te, qui habitas in Foraminibus petrae," (Jeremias 49:16);
"Venabuntur eos desuper omni monte et colle, et ex Foraminibus petrarum; non occultabuntur coram Me, neque latebit iniquitas eorum," (Jeremias 16:16-17);
In die illo "ludet sugens super Foramine viperae, et ablactatus super Speluncam basilisci mittet manum, (Esaias 11:8).