10237.“用来洗濯”表从邪恶与虚假中洁净。这从“洗濯”的含义清楚可知，“洗濯”是指从邪恶与虚假中洁净（参看3147，5954节）。由于接下来的几节经文在内义上所论述的主题是通过信之真理从邪恶和虚假中洁净，所以必须简要说明洁净是怎么回事。“洗濯”表示洁净，“水”表示信之真理，盛水的“盆”表示属世层；因为一切属灵的洁净都是在属世层里面实现的。人拥有一个外在和一个内在；外在被称为属世层，也被称为属世人；而内在被称为属灵层，也被称为属灵人。它们被如此称呼是因为，人的内在在灵人和天使所在的灵界，而他的外在在世人所在的世界。内在人和外在人这二者都经历洁净；内在人在天堂经历洁净，外在人在此人活在世上时在世界，因而在存在于世界上的属世层里面经历洁净。
那时洁净之所以在属世层里面进行，是因为属世层里面的信之真理是可以清晰感知到的；因为在那里，它们存在于记忆知识或记忆的事物中，这些东西当被带到脑海中时，就能被清晰感知到。然而，在内在人中所思想的事物却不是这种情况。人在世上时，这些不是清晰可见的，因为内在人中的观念是属灵的。这解释了为何洁净在属世层里面得以实现。洁净通过信之真理实现，这一点从以下事实清楚看出来：那些正在经历洁净的人不仅必须知道何为邪恶和虚假，还必须承认它们，然后憎恶并逃避它们。当这一切完成时，此人才开始从它们当中洁净。邪恶和虚假只能通过信之真理在属世层里面被如此认识，从而被承认，因为这些真理教导哪些事物是邪恶和虚假的，从而将它们显明出来。人若以为在看见并承认存在于自己里面的邪恶和虚假之前，他就从它们当中洁净了，就大错特错了（参看8388，8390ff节）。
之所以说人正是在属世层里面通过信之真理认识到自己的邪恶和虚假，也就是说，是在外在人里面，而不是在内在人里面认识到它们，是因为内在人中的思维观念是属灵的，属灵观念无法在属世层里面被理解。这是因为它们是理解力中的观念，与诸如存在于物质界中的那类物体有关。然而，这些完全属于内在人的属灵观念流入属于外在人的属世观念，产生并塑造这些属世观念，这一切是通过对应实现的。关于属于内在人的属灵观念，蒙主的神性怜悯，等到描述天堂，灵人和天使时再予以详述，因为他们用属灵观念进行思考，也用属灵观念互相交谈。
10237a.“要将盆放在会幕和祭坛之间”表以便真理和良善能结合在一起。这从“会幕和祭坛之间”的含义清楚可知，“会幕和祭坛之间”是指真理与良善的结合（参看10001，10025节）。盆之所以放在会幕和祭坛之间，并且亚伦和他的儿子要在那里洗手洗脚，是为了能代表内心的洁净和重生，重生本质上是真理和良善的结合。因为真理和良善的结合构成与人同在的天堂本身。这也是为何在圣言中，天堂被比作一个婚姻。这种结合通过信之真理实现，因为这些真理教导人当如何生活；因此，当他们照信之真理生活时，真理和良善的结合就实现了，因为这时真理通过他们所过的生活变成了良善。真理的生活就是良善。人通过“水和灵”重生也是这个意思，“水”是指信之真理，“灵”是指信之真理的生活。重生就是真理和良善的结合（参看2063，3155，3158，3607，4353，5365，5376，8516，8517，8772，10067节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 10237
10237. For washing. That this signifies purification from evils and falsities, is evident from the signification of "washing," as being purification from evils and falsities (see n. 3147, 5954). As in what now follows the subject treated of in the internal sense is purification from evils and falsities by means of the truths of faith, it shall be briefly told how this is; for by "washing" is signified purification; by "waters" are signified the truths of faith; and by the "laver" containing the water is signified the natural, because all spiritual purification is effected in the natural. Man has an external and an internal; the external is called the natural, and also the natural man; and the internal is called the spiritual, and also the spiritual man, for the reason that the internal of man is in the spiritual world where spirits and angels are, and his external is in the natural world where men are. Both the internal and the external man are purified, the internal in heaven, and the external while the man lives in the world, thus in the natural which is in the world. [2] The reason why purification goes on in the natural at that time, is that the truths of faith come to clear perception in the natural; for there they are among the memory-knowledges, or things of the memory, which are clearly perceived when they are thought of. But this is not the case with the things that are thought of in the internal man; these do not come to clear perception while the man is in the world, because the ideas in the internal man are spiritual. Hence it is that purification is effected in the natural. That it is effected by means of the truths of faith can be seen from the fact that those who are being purified must not only know what evil and falsity are, but must also acknowledge them, and then hold them in aversion and shun them. When this is done, then for the first time is the man purified from them; and evils and falsities cannot be known, thus cannot be acknowledged, except in the natural by means of the truths of faith; for these truths teach what things are evil and false, and thus make them manifest. He who believes that he is purified from evils and falsities before he sees and acknowledges them in himself, is very much mistaken (see n. 8388, 8390, and the following numbers). [3] It was said that it is in the natural that a man knows his evils and falsities by means of the truths of faith; that is, he knows them in the external man, but not in the internal; the reason is that the ideas of thought in the internal man are spiritual, and spiritual ideas cannot be comprehended in the natural, for they are intellectual ideas which have no such objects as are in the material world; nevertheless these spiritual ideas, which are proper to the internal man, flow into the natural ideas which belong to the external man, and produce and make them, which is done by means of correspondences. But concerning the spiritual ideas which belong to the internal man, of the Lord's Divine mercy more will be said when heaven is described, with the spirits and angels there, for they think by means of spiritual ideas, and also converse with each other by means of them.
10237a. And thou shalt put it between the Tent of meeting and the altar. That this signifies that there may be the conjunction of truth and good, is evident from the signification of "between the Tent of meeting and the altar," as being the conjunction of truth and good (see n. 10001, 10025). The reason why the laver was set between the Tent of meeting and the altar, and Aaron and his sons there washed their hands and their feet, was that there might be represented the purification of the heart, and regeneration, which in its essence is the conjunction of truth and good; for the conjunction of truth and good is heaven itself with man; wherefore also heaven is compared in the Word to a marriage. This conjunction is effected by means of the truths of faith, because these teach how man ought to live; and therefore when he lives according to the truths of faith, the conjunction of truth and good is effected, truth being then made good by means of the life. The life of truth is good. This is also meant by man's being regenerated "by water and the spirit," "water" denoting the truth of faith; and "the spirit," a life of this. (That regeneration is the conjunction of truth and good, see n. 2063, 3155, 3158, 3607, 4353, 5365, 5376, 8516, 8517, 8772, 10067.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 10237
10237. 'For washing' means purification from evils and falsities. This is clear from the meaning of 'washing' as purification from evils and falsities, dealt with in 3147, 5954. Since purification from evils and falsities by means of the truths of faith is the subject in the internal sense of the verses that now follow, what the situation is with purification must be stated briefly. By 'washing' purification is meant, by 'water' the truths of faith are meant, and by 'the laver' containing the water the natural is meant; for all spiritual purification is accomplished within the natural. A person possesses an external and an internal; the external is called the natural and also the natural man, while the internal is called the spiritual and also the spiritual man. They are so called because the person's internal exists in the spiritual world, where spirits and angels are, while his external exists in the natural world, where people are. Both of them, the internal and the external, undergo purification; the internal does so in heaven, and the external in the world while the person is living there, thus within the natural which exists in the world.
[2] The reason why purification takes place within the natural at this time is that the truths of faith within the natural are clearly perceptible; for they exist there among known facts or things in the memory which are perceived clearly when they are brought to mind. It is different however with things that are thought about in the internal man. These do not come to be seen plainly while a person is in the world, because the ideas there are spiritual. This explains why purification is accomplished within the natural. The fact that it is accomplished by means of the truths of faith becomes clear from the consideration that those undergoing purification should not merely know what evil and falsity are but also acknowledge them to be such, and then turn away and flee from them. When this is done the person starts to be purified from them. Evils and falsities cannot be so known or acknowledged except within the natural through the truths of faith, for these teach what they are and so make them plain. The person who believes that he is purified from evils and falsities before seeing and acknowledging those present in himself is very much mistaken, see 8388, 8390ff.
[3] The reason for saying that a person may know his own evils and falsities through the truths of faith within the natural, that is, in the external man, but not in the internal, is that the ideas belonging to thought in the internal man are spiritual, and spiritual ideas cannot be grasped within the natural. This is because they are ideas in the understanding which are unconnected with objects such as exist in the material world. Nevertheless these ideas, that is to say, spiritual ones, which belong properly to the internal man, flow into natural ideas, which belong to the external man; they produce and fashion those natural ideas, doing so by means of correspondences. But more about spiritual ideas belonging to the internal man will in the Lord's Divine mercy be told in a description of heaven and of spirits and angels;a for they use spiritual ideas for thinking and also for talking to one another.
10237a. 'And you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar' means in order that truth and good may be joined together. This is clear from the meaning of 'between the tent of meeting and the altar' as the joining together of truth and good, dealt with in 10001, 10025. The reason why the laver was to be placed between the tent of meeting and the altar, and why Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet there, was in order that purification of the heart and regeneration, which essentially is the joining together of truth and good, might be represented. For truth and good joined together constitute heaven itself with a person. This also is why heaven is compared in the Word to a marriage. That joining together is accomplished by means of the truths of faith, because these teach people the way to lead their life; and therefore when they lead a life in accord with the truths of faith a joining together of truth and good is accomplished. For then truth is transformed into good through the life they lead. The life of truth is goodness. The same thing is meant by the reference to a person's being regenerated by 'water and the spirit', 'water' being the truth of faith, and 'the spirit' its life.
Regeneration is the joining together of truth and good, see 2063, 3155, 3158, 3607, 4353, 5365, 5376, 8516, 8517, 8772, 10067.
Latin(1748-1756) 10237
10237. `Ad lavandum': quod significet purificationem a malis et falsis, constat ex significatione `lavare' quod sit purificatio a malis et falsis, de qua n. 3147, 5954. Quoniam de purificatione a malis et falsis per vera fidei in nunc sequentibus in sensu interno agitur, ideo paucis dicetur quomodo cum illa se habet: per `lavationem' enim significatur purificatio, per `aquas' significantur vera fidei, et per `labrum' in quo aqua, significatur naturale, nam omnis purificatio spiritualis fit in naturali; est homini externum et internum, externum {1} vocatur naturale et quoque naturalis homo, ac internum {1} vocatur spirituale et quoque spiritualis homo, ex causa quia internum hominis est in mundo spirituali, {2} ubi spiritus et angeli, et externum ejus est in mundo naturali, {2} ubi homines; utrumque tam internum quam externum purificatur, internum in caelo, et externum cum homo vivit in mundo, {3}ita in naturali [2] quod est in mundo; causa quod purificatio peragatur in naturali tunc, est quia vera fidei {4}in naturali ad manifestam perceptionem veniunt, sunt enim ibi inter scientifica seu inter res memoriae, quae cum cogitantur, manifeste percipiuntur; non autem quae cogitantur in interno homine, haec ad manifestam perceptionem {5}non veniunt dum homo in mundo {6}est, quia {7}ideae ibi sunt spirituales; inde est quod purificatio fiat in naturali; quod fiat per vera fidei, constare potest ex eo quod qui purificantur non modo scire debeant quid malum et falsum, sed etiam agnoscere illa, et dein aversari et fugere illa; cum hoc fit, tunc primum purificatur homo ab illis; et mala et falsa non sciri ita nec agnosci possunt nisi in naturali per vera fidei, nam haec docent illa, ita manifestant illa; qui credit quod purificetur a malis et falsis antequam {8}videt et agnoscit illa apud se, valde fallitur, videatur n. 8388, 8390 seq. [3] Dictum est quod homo {9} sciat sua mala et falsa per vera fidei {10}in (x)naturali, {11}hoc est, in externo homine, non autem in interno; causa est quia ideae cogitationis in interno homine spirituales sunt, {12}et ideae spirituales non comprehendi possunt in naturali, sunt enim ideae intellectuales quae sunt absque objectis qualia sunt in materiali mundo; sed usque ideae illae, nempe spirituales, quae sunt propriae interni hominis, influunt in ideas naturales, quae sunt externi hominis, ac (x)producunt et faciunt illas, quod fit per correspondentias. Sed de ideis spiritualibus, quae interni hominis, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, dicetur ubi de caelo, ac de spiritibus et angelis {13}, nam illi cogitant {14}per ideas spirituales, et quoque loquuntur inter se per illas. @1 i ejus$ @2 i hoc est,$ @3 et quia in naturali, per vera fidei ibi$ @4 ibi$ @5 Before ad manifestam$ @6 vivit$ @7 sunt spiritualia$ @8 agnoscit sua mala$ @9 i in naturali$ @10 ibi$ @11 sed non in interno homine$ @12 quae non comprehenduntur in naturali, sunt enim ideae ibi intellectuales quae sunt absque objectis, quae sunt materiales mundi$ @13 cp Volume VI p. 704 note 1$ @14 , et quoque inter se per ideas spirituales$10237a. `Et dabis illud inter tentorium conventus et inter altare': quod significet ut sit conjunctio veri et boni, constat ex significatione `inter tentorium conventus et altare' quod sit conjunctio veri et boni, de qua n. 10,001, 10,025. Quod labrum positum fuerit inter tentorium conventus et inter altare, et quod ibi laverint Aharon et filii ejus manus et pedes, erat causa ut repraesentaretur purificatio cordis et regeneratio, quae in sua essentia est conjunctio veri et boni; nam conjunctio veri et boni est ipsum caelum apud hominem; quapropter etiam caelum comparatur in Verbo conjugio; haec conjunctio fit per vera fidei, quoniam haec docent quomodo vivendum; quare cum vivitur secundum vera fidei, fit conjunctio veri et boni, verum enim tunc fit bonum per vitam, {1} veri vita est bonum; hoc {2}etiam intelligitur per quod (t)homo regeneretur per aquam et spiritum; aqua est verum fidei, et spiritus est vita ejus. Quod regeneratio sit conjunctio veri et boni, videatur n. 2063, 3155, 3158, 3607, 4353, 5365, 5376, 8516, 851, 8772, 10,067. @1 i nam$ @2 quoque$