213.由此可知，圣言若没有字义，就像没有任何根基的宫殿，因而像建在空中，而非地上的宫殿，这纯粹是转瞬即逝的宫殿的影儿。圣言若没有字义，就像一座圣殿有许多圣物，中间还有圣所，但却没有容纳它们的屋顶和墙壁。若没有或拿走它们，圣物就会被贼偷走，被地上的走兽或空中的飞鸟毁坏，从而散落四处。它还像以色列人在旷野的帐幕（其至内在部分是约柜，中间是金灯台、金香坛和陈设饼的桌子）缺少最外围的部分，即帘子、幔子和柱子。确切地说，圣言若没有字义，就类似人体没有表皮，也就是所谓的皮肤，或没有它的骨架，也就是所谓的骨骼。若没有这二者，身体的所有内容物就会分崩离析。它又像胸腔内的心肺失去其覆盖物，也就是所谓的胸膜，以及它的支撑物，也就是所谓的肋骨。或像大脑没有它的覆盖物，也就是所谓硬脑膜和软脑膜，以及它的一般覆盖物、容器和支撑，也就是所谓的颅骨。这就是没有字义的圣言，这就是为何以赛亚书上说，耶和华在全荣耀之上创造遮蔽（以赛亚书4:5）。
213. 由此可以看出, 倘若沒有文字意義, 聖言將如同沒有任何根基的宮殿。會如同一座宮殿建立在空氣中, 而非建在地上, 那只是個轉瞬即逝的影兒。
沒有文字意義的聖言將如同一間教會建築, 有許多聖物, 還有聖所在其中, 但沒有屋頂和牆身來包容它們。如果缺少或拆掉屋頂和牆, 這些聖物就會被盜賊偷走, 被地裡的野獸和空中的飛鳥毀壞, 令這些聖物蕩然無存。
沒有文字意義的聖言也會如同以色列民在曠野的會幕, 最裡面是約櫃, 中間是金燈檯,金香爐和陳設餅的檯子, 卻少了最外面的部分:簾,幔和柱。
實際上, 沒有文字意義的聖言將如同人的身體沒有了被稱為皮膚的外部遮蓋, 或者如同沒有被稱為骨骼的框架支撐。沒有了這些, 一切內部器官將會垮塌。還會像胸腔內的心肺沒有了胸膜的遮蓋, 沒有了肋骨的支撐。還會像大腦沒有腦膜和軟膜的遮蓋, 沒有了顱骨的包圍,容納和支撐。這就是沒有文字意義的聖言, 這就是為何『以賽亞書』中說, 耶和華在全榮耀之上創造遮蔽(以賽亞書4:5)。
213. From the points just made it follows that without its literal meaning the Word would be like a palace without a foundation. It would be like a palace in the air, not on the ground, which would be only a shadow of a palace, and shadows disappear.
Without its literal meaning the Word would be like a church building that housed many sacred objects and had a sanctuary in the middle but lacked a roof or walls to contain them. If the roof and walls were lacking or taken away, the sacred objects would be stolen by thieves or violated by animals from the land and birds from the sky, causing the sacred objects to be lost.
It would be like the tabernacle of the children of Israel in the desert having the ark of the covenant in its innermost area, and the golden lampstand, the golden incense altar, and the table of showbread in its middle area, but lacking its outermost features - its curtains, veils, and pillars.
In fact, without its literal meaning the Word would be like a human body without the coverings called the skin and membranes or the structural supports called the bones. Without these all the inner organs would fall apart.
It would be like the heart and the lungs in the thorax without the covering called the pleura and the structural supports called the ribs. It would be like the brain without the coverings called the dura and the pia mater and without the general covering, container, and structural support called the skull. This is how the Word would be without its literal meaning. Therefore it says in Isaiah, "Over all glory Jehovah creates a covering" (Isaiah 4:5).
213. It follows from this that the Word without its literal sense would be like a palace without any foundations, a palace built not on land but in the air, which would be the mere evanescent shadow of a palace. The Word without its literal sense would be like a church containing a number of sacred objects and in its centre a sanctuary, but devoid of the roof and walls which hold it together. If they were missing or removed, the sacred objects would be stolen by thieves and ruined by land animals or the birds of the air, and thus scattered. It would also be like the Tabernacle of the Children of Israel in the desert (in the inmost part of which was the Ark of the Covenant, and in its midst a golden lampstand, a golden altar bearing incense and a table for the bread of the Presence), if this were stripped of its outer covering, that is, curtains, veils and posts. Rather, the Word without its literal sense would resemble the human body without its outer covering called skin, or its framework called bones. If deprived of these two, all the contents of the body would fall apart. Again it would be like the heart and lungs in the chest deprived of their covering called the pleura, and its supports called ribs. Or like the brain without its coverings called the dura and pia mater and without its general covering, container and support called the skull. That is what the Word would be like without the literal sense, and this is why it is said in Isaiah that Jehovah creates a covering over all glory (Isaiah 4:5).
213. From this it follows that the Word without the sense of its letter would be like a palace without a foundation, and thus like a palace in the air instead of on the earth, which would be only the shadow of a palace that would vanish away; or again, that the Word without the sense of its letter would be like a temple containing many holy things, with a shrine in the center of it, but without roof or wall, which are its containants; and if these were lacking or were taken away, its holy things would be seized upon by thieves, would be desecrated by the beasts of the earth and the birds of heaven, and would thus be dispersed. It would also be like the tabernacle of the sons of Israel in the wilderness (in the inmost part of which was the ark of the covenant, and in the middle the golden candlestick, the golden altar upon which was the incense, and the table with the bread of faces upon it) without its outmosts, which were curtains, veils, and pillars. In fact, the Word without the sense of its letter would be like the human body without its coverings which are called skins, and without its supports which are called bones. With both of these absent all its inner parts would fall asunder. Or again, it would be like the heart and lungs in the thorax without their covering which is called the pleura, and their supports which are called ribs. Or it would be like the brain without its coverings which are called the dura mater and pia mater, and without their common covering, containant, and support, which is called the cranium. So would it be with the Word without the sense of its letter; therefore it is said in Isaiah:
That Jehovah creates over all the glory a covering (Isaiah 4:5).
213. From this is follows that the Word without the sense of its Letter would be like a palace without a foundation, a palace in the air instead of on the ground, a mere shadow which would vanish away. Again, it would be like a temple, containing many sacred things, whose central shrine had no protecting roof or dividing wall, which are its containants. If these were wanting, or were taken away, its holy things would be carried off by robbers, and violated by the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air, and thus destroyed. It would be like the tabernacle of the Children of Israel in the wilderness, in the inmost of which was the Ark of the Covenant, and in the centre the golden lampstand, the golden altar upon which was the incense, and the table upon which was the shewbread, without its ultimates, which were the curtains, veils and pillars. Indeed the Word without the sense of its Letter would be like the human body without its coverings, called skins, and without the support of its bones; without these all the inward parts would fall asunder. It would also be like the heart and lungs in the thorax, without their covering, called the pleura, and their supports, called the ribs; and like the brain without its coverings, the dura and the pia mater, and without their common covering, containant and support, called the skull. Thus would it be with the Word without the sense of its Letter; therefore it is said in Isaiah:
Jehovah will create upon all the glory a covering Isaiah 4:5.
213. Ex his sequitur, quod Verbum absque Sensu literae ejus, foret sicut Palatium absque fundamento, ita sicut Palatium in aere, et non super Terra, quod modo foret umbra ejus, quae evanesceret. Tum quod Verbum absque Sensu literae ejus, foret sicut Templum, in quo plura Sancta sunt, et in medio ejus Adytum, absque tecto et pariete, quae sunt Continentia ejus; quae si abessent, vel si auferrentur, Sancta ejus a furibus diriperentur, et a bestiis terrae, et a volucribus Coeli violarentur, et sic dissiparentur. Similiter foret sicut Tabernaculum filiorum Israelis in deserto, in cujus intimo fuit Arca foederis, ac in medio ejus Candelabrum aureum, Altare aureum super quo suffimenta, tum Mensa super qua panes facierum, absque ultimis suis, quae erant aulaea, vela et columnae. Imo foret Verbum absque Sensu literae ejus, sicut Corpus humanum, absque integumentis ejus, quae vocantur Cutes, et absque sustentaculis, quae vocantur Ossa; absque his et illis diffluerent omnia interiora ejus. Ac foret sicut Cor et Pulmo in Thorace, absque integumento suo quod vocatur Pleura, et sustentaculis suis, quae vocantur Costae. Aut sicut Cerebrum, absque integumentis suis, quae vocantur dura et pia Mater, et absque communi Tegumento, Continente et Firmamento suo, quod vocatur Cranium. Simile foret cum Verbo absque Sensu literae ejus; quare dicitur apud Esajam, Quod Jehovah creet super omni gloria obtegumentum, Cap. 4:5.