10548.“于是，凡求问耶和华的，就到营外的会幕那里去”表关于教会和敬拜的真理和良善的一切指示都通过圣言的外在意义被赋予每个人，远离这个民族的兴趣所在的外在事物。这从“求问耶和华”、“会幕”和“营外”的含义清楚可知：“求问耶和华”是指接受关于教会和敬拜的真理和良善的指示，因为向耶和华的一切求问都是为了接受关于这些事的指示；“会幕”是指教会和敬拜的外在，如刚才所述（10547节）；“营外”是指远离这个民族感兴趣的外在事物（10546节）。由此明显可知，“凡求问耶和华的，就到营外的会幕那里去”表示关于教会和敬拜的真理和良善的一切指示都通过圣言的外在意义被赋予，远离这个民族的兴趣所在的外在事物。
之所以说“通过圣言的外在意义”，是因为关于组成教会和构成敬拜的信和爱的真理和良善的一切指示，都是从外在意义获得的；还因为求问主就是请教圣言；主存在于圣言中，因为圣言是由来自祂的神性真理构成的，祂与天使，也与接受祂的教会成员同住在祂的神性真理中。
说“通过圣言的外在意义”的另一个原因是，外在意义同时包含圣言的一切内在事物，因而天堂和教会的一切真理和良善在里面，如前所示（10547节）。这就是为何会在最末和最低事物里面给出答复、作出启示（9905节）。此外，用于敬拜的教会的一切教义都是通过圣言的外在意义被赋予的。但它们只赋予那些在阅读圣言时从主获得光照的人。因为当他们如此行时，来自天堂的光就通过内在意义流入他们（参看9025，9382，9409，9424，9430，10105，10324，10402，10431节）。
之所以表示远离以色列民族的兴趣所在的外在事物，是因为圣言的外在意义在这个民族当中显得完全不同，因而以不同的方式被解释，这一点从以下事实可以看出来：他们在其中看不到关于对主之信和对主之爱的任何东西，甚至看不到关于主自己或祂所提供的天堂的任何东西。他们所看到的一切，都涉及世俗和尘世事物，尤其涉及他们高于他人的显赫。原因在于，他们对外在事物感兴趣，对内在之物不感兴趣；像这样的人无法从内在看到任何东西。从内在来看就是用天堂的眼睛从主来看。由此明显可知，对这个民族来说，圣言、因而教会和敬拜的外在意义或外在远离真正的或就本身而言的圣言、教会和敬拜的外在。就内义而言，接下来直到11节描述的是这个民族的外在敬拜。
Potts(1905-1910) 10548
10548. And it was that everyone inquiring of Jehovah went out unto the tent of meeting that was outside the camp. That this signifies that all instructions concerning the truths and goods of the church and of worship would be given to everyone by means of the external of the Word remotely from the external things in which that nation was, is evident from the signification of "inquiring of Jehovah," as being to be instructed concerning the truths and goods of the church and of worship, for all inquiring of Jehovah is for the sake of instruction in these; from the signification of "the tent of meeting," as being the external of the church and of worship (of which just above, n. 10547); and from the signification of "outside the camp," as being that which is remote from the external things in which that nation was (n. 10546). From this it is evident that by "everyone inquiring of Jehovah went out unto the tent of meeting that was outside the camp," is signified that all instruction concerning the truths and goods of the church and of worship would be given by means of the external of the Word remotely from the external things in which that nation was. [2] It is said "by means of the external of the Word," because all instruction concerning the truths and goods of faith and of love which make the church and enter into worship, is from this source, and because to inquire of the Lord is to consult the Word; for in the Word the Lord is present, seeing that the Word is the Divine truth which is from Him, and that He is with the angels in His Divine truth, and also with the men of the church who receive Him. [3] It is said "by means of the external of the Word," because in the external of the Word all internal things are together, thus all the truths and goods of heaven and of the church (according to what was shown above, n. 10547). From this it is that answers and revelations were made in ultimates (n. 9905). Moreover, all the doctrinal things of the church that are of service to worship, are given by means of the external of the Word; but they are given to those only who are in enlightenment from the Lord when they are reading the Word, for then light flows into them from heaven through the internal sense (see n. 9025, 9382, 9409, 9424, 9430, 10105, 10324, 10402, 10431). [4] The reason why it denotes remotely from the external things in which the Israelitish nation was, is that with that nation the external of the Word appears quite different, and consequently is differently unfolded, as can be seen from the fact that they see nothing therein about faith in the Lord and love to Him, nor indeed about the Lord, and about heaven from Him. But the things which they see are solely about worldly and earthly things, and especially about their own preeminence to others. The reason is that they are in external things without what is internal, and they who are of such a character can see nothing from the internal. To see from the internal is to see from heaven from the Lord. From all this it is evident that the external of the Word, and consequently of the church and of worship, with that nation, was remote from the external of the Word, of the church, and of worship, as regarded in itself. As far as verse 11, the external worship of that nation is now described in the internal sense.
Elliott(1983-1999) 10548
10548. 'And so it was, that everyone asking Jehovah a question went out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp' means that all instruction regarding the truths and forms of good belonging to the Church and worship was imparted to everyone through the outward sense of the Word, far removed from the external things in which the interest of that nation lay. This is clear from the meaning of 'asking Jehovah a question' as receiving instruction regarding the truths and forms of good belonging to the Church and worship, for whenever Jehovah is asked a question it is done for the sake of receiving instruction regarding those things; from the meaning of 'the tent of meeting' as the external aspect of the Church and worship, dealt with immediately above in 10547; and from the meaning of 'outside the camp' as far removed from the external things in which the interest of that nation lay, also dealt with above, in 10546. From all this it is evident that 'everyone asking Jehovah a question went out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp' means that all instruction regarding the truths and forms of good belonging to the Church and worship was imparted through the outward sense of the Word, far removed from the external things in which the interest of that nation lay.
[2] One reason for saying 'through the outward sense of the Word' is that all instruction regarding the truths and forms of the good of faith and love which compose the Church and constitute worship is obtained from that sense. Another reason is that asking the Lord a question is done by consulting the Word; for the Word has the Lord present within it. He is present there because the Word consists of Divine Truth that comes from Him and He resides with angels in Divine Truth that is His, and also with members of the Church who receive Him.
[3] A further reason for saying 'through the outward sense of the Word' is that this sense at one and the same time has within it all the inward contents of the Word, thus all the truths and forms of good of heaven and the Church, as accords with what has been shown in 10547. This was why answers were given and revelations made within objects on the last and lowest level of things, 9905. Furthermore all the teachings of the Church applying to worship are imparted through the outward sense of the Word. But they are imparted only to those who receive enlightenment from the Lord when they read the Word. For when they do so light from heaven flows into them through the inward sense, see 9025, 9382, 9409, 9424, 9430, 10105, 10324, 10402, 10431.
[4] The reason why far removed from the external things in which the interest of the Israelite nation lay is meant is that the outward sense of the Word among that nation is seen by them in an altogether different manner and is consequently explained in a different way, as becomes clear from the consideration that they do not see anything at all there about faith in the Lord and love to Him, not even anything about the Lord Himself or heaven provided by Him. All they see are references to worldly and earthly matters, in particular their pre-eminence over others. The reason for this is that they are interested in external things and not in what is internal; and people like this see nothing from an inward point of view. Seeing from this point of view implies doing so from the Lord's with the eyes of heaven.
From all this it is evident that the outward sense or external aspect of the Word, and consequently of the Church and worship, with that nation was far removed from the external aspect of the Word, the Church, and worship as it really is. The external worship of that nation is described next in the internal sense, down to verse 11.
Latin(1748-1756) 10548
10548. `Et fuit omnis interrogans Jehovam exivit ad tentorium conventus quod extra castra': quod significet quod omnes instructiones de veris et bonis Ecclesiae et cultus darentur cuique per externum Verbi, remote ab externis in quibus erat gens illa, constat ex significatione `interrogare Jehovam' quod sit instrui de veris et bonis Ecclesiae et cultus, nam omnis interrogatio Jehovae fit propter instructionem de illis, ex significatione `tentorii conventus' quod sit externum Ecclesiae et cultus, de qua mox supra n. 10,547, et ex significatione `extra castra' quod sit remotum ab externis in quibus gens illa, de qua etiam supra n. 10546; inde patet quod per quod omnis interrogans Jehovam exiverit ad tentorium conventus quod extra castra, significetur quod omnis instructio de veris et bonis Ecclesiae et cultus daretur per externum Verbi, remote ab externis in quibus erat gens illa. [2] Dicitur per externum Verbi, quia omnis instructio de veris et bonis fidei et amoris quae faciunt Ecclesiam, et ingrediuntur cultum, inde est, et quia `interrogare Dominum' est consulere Verbum, nam in Verbo est Dominus praesens, est enim Verbum Divinum Verum quod ab Ipso, et apud angelos in suo Divino Vero est, et quoque apud homines Ecclesiae qui recipiunt Ipsum. [3] Dicitur per externum Verbi, quia in externo Verbi sunt omnia interna simul, ita omnia vera et bona caeli et Ecclesiae, secundum illa quae n. 10547 ostensa sunt; inde est quod in ultimis responsa et revelata, n. 9905, omnia etiam doctrinalia Ecclesiae inservientia (x)cultui dantur per externum Verbi; sed dantur solum illis qui in illustratione sunt a Domino cum legunt Verbum; tunc enim influit lux e caelo in illos per sensum internum, videatur n. (a)9025, 9382, 9409, 9424, 9430, 10105, 10324, (x)10402, 10431. [4] Quod sit remote ab externis in quibus erat gens Israelitica, est quia externum Verbi apud illam gentem prorsus aliter apparet, et inde aliter explicatur, ut constare potest ex eo quod ibi nihil videant de fide et amore in Dominum, ne quidem de Domino, et de caelo ab Ipso; sed quae vident sunt solum de mundanis et terrestribus, et imprimis de eminentia sua super alios {1}; causa est quia in externis sunt absque interno; et qui tales, nihil videre possunt ab interno; videre ab interno est e caelo a Domino; ex his patet quod externum Verbi, et inde Ecclesiae et cultus, apud illam gentem remotum sit ab externo {2}Verbi, Ecclesiae, et cultus in se spectato; cultus illius gentis externus describitur nunc in sensu interno usque ad vers. 11. @1 i, ac de mundanis et terrestribus$ @2 d Verbi i illo$