1610、“我也要使你的种如同地上的尘土”表示无限量地增多。这是显而易见的，无需解释。此处经上说他的种要变得“如同地上的尘土”；在圣言的其它地方，经上有时说如同“海沙”，有时说如同“天上的众星”。这些词语都有各自的含义。“地上的尘土”论及属天事物，因为“尘土”表示爱的属天一面，如前所示（620，1413，1437，1585节）。“海沙”论及属灵事物，因为“海”表示爱的属灵一面，也如前所示。而“如同天上的众星”表示这两者，只是等级更高。这些东西因无法数算，所以成了用来描述无限量繁殖、增多的习惯说法。
他的种（也就是爱之信，或爱）要无限量地增多，这句话在至高意义上表示主，尤表祂的人性或人身本质；因为就人性或人身本质而言，主被称为“女人的种”（参看256节）。当所表示的是主的人性或人身本质时，“无限量地增多”表示无限的属天和属灵；另一方面，当种表示人类中的仁之信或仁时，意思是这“种”在每个过着仁爱生活的人里面无限量地增多。在来世，这种事也实际发生在每个过着仁爱生活的人身上。对这样一个人来说，仁和源于仁之信，连同它们所具有的幸福会增多到如此程度，以至于只能用不可估量和无法形容来描述。当“种”表示人类时，这“种”在主国度中的增多也是无限量的，不仅来自教会里的人及其子女，还来自教会之外的人及其子女。因此，主的国度或天堂是无穷无尽的。关于它的无穷无尽，蒙主的神性怜悯，我将在别处予以说明。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1610. I will make your seed like the dust of the earth means multiplying beyond measure, as can be seen without explanation. This verse says that his seed would be made like the dust of the earth; other passages in the Word say "like the sand of the sea," or "like the stars of the heavens."{*1} Each has its own particular symbolism. The dust of the earth has to do with heavenly qualities, because the earth symbolizes the heavenly aspect of love, as shown earlier [搂搂620, 1413, 1437, 1585]. The sand of the sea has to do with spiritual qualities, because the sea symbolizes the spiritual aspect of love, as also shown.{*2} "Like the stars of the heavens" symbolizes both, in a higher degree. Because these items are incapable of being counted, it became customary to use them to express the idea of immeasurable reproducing and multiplying.
[2] The multiplying of the seed 钬?the faith that comes of love, or love itself 钬?beyond measure symbolizes the Lord in the highest sense. Specifically, it symbolizes his human quality, because the Lord's human quality is called the "seed of a woman," as discussed in 搂256.{*3} And since the Lord's human quality is meant, multiplication beyond measure means infinite heavenliness and spirituality.
On the other hand, when seed symbolizes the faith that comes of charity (or charity itself) in the human race, the meaning is that the seed in each individual who lives a life of charity would multiply beyond measure. This actually happens in the other world to everyone who lives a life of neighborly love. Charity and the faith that results from charity, along with happiness, increase so abundantly in such people that it can be depicted only by something immeasurable and inexpressible.
When seed symbolizes the human race itself, its multiplication in the Lord's kingdom is again beyond measure and comes not only from people inside the church and their children but also from people outside the church and their children. As a result, the Lord's kingdom, or heaven, is immeasurable, as will be discussed elsewhere, the Lord in his divine mercy willing.{*4}
Footnotes:
{*1} For examples of these star and sand similes, see Genesis 22:17; 26:4; 32:12; Exodus 32:13; Deuteronomy 1:10; 1 Chronicles 27:23; Isaiah 10:22; Hosea 1:10; Hebrews 11:12. [Editors]
{*2} For the symbolism of seas and other large quantities of water, see 搂搂27-28, 790, 991:2, 994:6, where the water is said to stand for knowledge or truth or falsity, all of which in Swedenborg's theology are spiritual elements. [Editors]
{*3} The phrase "the seed of a woman" (meaning a woman's offspring) is a reference to Genesis 3:15 and Revelation 12:17. [LHC]
{*4} For more on the immeasurable size of heaven, see the sources cited in note 1 in 搂1810. [Editors]
Potts(1905-1910) 1610
1610. I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth. That this signifies multiplication immeasurably, is evident without explication. It is here said that his seed should be made "as the dust of the earth;" in other places in the Word, "as the sand of the sea," and in others, "as the stars of the heavens." Each expression has its own peculiar signification. "The dust of the earth" refers to things that are celestial, for "the earth," as before shown, signifies the celestial of love. "The sand of the sea" refers to things that are spiritual; for "the sea," as has also been shown, signifies the spiritual of love. "As the stars of the heavens" signifies both of these, in a higher degree; and as none of these things can be numbered, it became a customary form of speaking to express by them immeasurable fructification and multiplication.
[2] That his seed (that is, the faith of love, or love) should be immeasurably multiplied, in the supreme sense, signifies the Lord, and in fact His Human Essence; for the Lord as to His Human Essence was called "the Seed of the woman" (see n. 256). And when the Lord's Human Essence is signified, by immeasurable multiplication is meant the infinite celestial and spiritual; but when the faith of charity, or charity, in the human race, is signified by "seed," it is meant that this seed in each one who lives in charity is immeasurably multiplied; as also comes to pass in the other life, with everyone who lives in charity. With such a one, charity and the derivative faith, and, together with these, happiness, are multiplied to such a degree, that it can only be described as immeasurable, and beyond words. When by "seed" there is signified the human race, the multiplication of this in the Lord's Kingdom is also immeasurable, not only from those who are within the church and their children, but also from those who are without the church and their children. Hence the kingdom of the Lord, or heaven, is immeasurable. Concerning its immensity, of the Lord's Divine mercy more will be said elsewhere.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1610
1610. That 'I will make your seed as the dust of the earth' means being multiplied beyond measure is clear without explanation. Here it is said that his seed would be made as 'the dust of the earth', in other parts of the Word as 'the dust of the sea', and in yet other parts as 'the stars of heaven'. Each of these phrases has its own particular meaning. 'Dust of the earth' has regard to those things that are celestial, for, as shown already, 'the earth' means the celestial aspect of love; 'dust of the sea' has regard to those things that are spiritual, for 'the sea', as has also been shown, means the spiritual aspect of love; while 'as the stars of heaven' means both but in a higher degree. And because these things cannot be numbered they therefore became common expressions to describe growth and multiplication beyond measure.
[2] The statement that his seed, that is, the faith that is the expression of love, or simply love, was to be multiplied beyond measure means in the highest sense the Lord, and in particular His Human Essence, for the Lord as regards the Human Essence is called 'the seed of the woman', dealt with in 256. When the Lord's Human Essence is meant, the infinite celestial and spiritual is understood by the words 'multiplied beyond measure'; but when faith that is the expression of charity, or simply charity, among the human race is meant by 'the seed', the multiplication without measure of that seed in everyone who leads a charitable life is understood. Such multiplication takes place in the next life with everyone who leads a charitable life. With him the multiplication of charity and of the faith deriving from it, together with their associated happiness, is so great that one can only describe it as being beyond measure and defying description. When the human race is meant by 'the seed', the multiplication of this in the Lord's kingdom is also beyond measure- not only from those who are inside the Church, and their children, but also from those who are outside the Church, and their children. Consequently the Lord's kingdom or heaven is boundless. That boundlessness will in the Lord's Divine mercy be spoken of elsewhere.
Latin(1748-1756) 1610
1610. 'Ponam semen tuum sicut pulverem terrae': quod significat multiplicationem in immensum, constat absque explicatione; hic dicitur quod poneretur semen sicut 'pulvis terrae'; alibi in Verbo sicut 'pulvis maris'; alibi sicut 'stellae caelorum'; unumquodvis suam peculiarem significationem habet; 'pulvis terrae' spectat illa quae sunt caelestia, nam terra, ut ostensum prius, significat caeleste amoris, 'pulvis maris' spectat illa quae sunt spiritualia, nam 'mare,' ut quoque ostensum, significat spirituale amoris; 'sicut stellae caelorum' significat utrumque in superiore gradu; quae quia innumerabilia sunt, facta inde formula sollemnis per illa exprimere fructificationem et multiplicationem in immensum. [2] Quod semen multiplicaretur in immensum, hoc est fides amoris seu amor, in supremo sensu significat Dominum, et quidem Humanam Ipsius Essentiam, nam Dominus quoad Humanam Essentiam appellatur 'semen mulieris,' de quo n. 256; et cum Humana Domini Essentia, intelligitur per multiplicationem in immensum, infinitum caeleste et spirituale: cum autem per semen significatur fides charitatis seu charitas in genere humano, intelligitur quod semen in unoquovis qui in charitate vivit, multiplicaretur in immensum; quod etiam fit apud unumquemvis qui in charitate vivit, in altera vita; apud illum tantum multiplicatur charitas et inde fides et cum his felicitas ut non nisi quam per immensum et ineffabile describi possit; cum per semen significatur genus humanum, ejus multiplicatio in regno Domini etiam in immensum est, non solum ex illis qui intra Ecclesiam sunt et eorum infantibus sed etiam ex illis qui extra Ecclesiam et eorum infantibus; inde regnum Domini seu caelum est immensum, de cujus immensitate, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, alibi dicetur.