1838、“亚伯兰沉睡了”表示那时教会处于黑暗，这从“沉睡”的含义清楚可知。相对于“清醒”，“沉睡”是指一种黑暗的状态；该状态在此被归于亚伯兰所代表的主。沉睡或一种黑暗的状态不是临到了主，而是临到了教会。这种情形和来世的一样；在来世，主始终是太阳，即光本身；但在那里的恶人面前，祂显为黑暗，因为主照着各人的状态显现。因此，本节谈论的是处于一种黑暗状态之时的教会。
以荒废、惩罚和定罪为例：在圣言的许多经文中，它们都被归于主；而事实上，它们都属于教会成员，是他自我荒废、惩罚和定罪。在人看来，似乎是主在使人荒废，惩罚和定罪；由于表象是这样，所以经上照着表象这样说。人若不通过表象被教导，就根本不允许自己被教导。凡违背表象的东西，他既不相信也不明白，除非等到以后他拥有判断力，并被赋予仁之信的时候。
这同样适用于教会。当它处于黑暗状态时，主在教会成员眼里如此模糊，以至于他们看不见祂，也就是说，不承认祂。然而，变得模糊的，根本不是主，而是人，尽管主渴望在人里面并与他同在。尽管如此，模糊仍被归于主。这里的“沉睡”也是如此，它表示教会的一种黑暗状态。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1838. Slumber fell on Abram means that the church was then in shadow, as can be seen from the symbolism of slumber. Slumber is a shadowy state, compared to wakefulness, and this verse ascribes it to the Lord, who is being represented by Abram. Not that the shadowy state of slumber ever comes over him, but over the church. The situation resembles that in the next life, where the Lord is always the sun — the light itself — but appears to the evil as a shadow. He appears to each of us according to our mood. So the present verse is talking about the church when it is in a dark state.
[2] By way of example, let us also consider acts of devastation, punishment, and condemnation, which the Word often attributes to the Lord, when in reality they are committed by people in the church who devastate, punish, and condemn themselves. It seems to us as though the Lord would devastate, punish, and condemn, and because it seems this way, the Word speaks in the same terms, to suit appearances. If we were not taught in accord with appearances, we would refuse to be taught at all. Anything that contradicts appearances we disbelieve. We fail to comprehend it, until later when we learn to judge well and receive the gift of a faith rooted in love for others.
[3] The case is the same with the church. When shadows settle on it, the Lord becomes obscure in people's eyes. He grows so dim that they do not see him, or in other words, acknowledge him. Yet the Lord never grows dim. It is we who do so, although the Lord longs to be in us and with us; but the darkness is still ascribed to the Lord. Likewise the slumber here, which symbolizes shadowy conditions in the church.
Potts(1905-1910) 1838
1838. A deep sleep fell upon Abram. That this signifies that the church was then in darkness, is evident from the signification of "a deep sleep." A "deep sleep," relatively to one of wakefulness, denotes a dark state; and this state is here attributed to the Lord, who is represented by Abram; not that there was ever with Him a deep sleep or a state of darkness, but that there was with the church. The case herein is the same as it is in the other life, where the Lord is always the Sun, and Light, itself; but where before the evil He appears as darkness; for the Lord appears according to the state of each person. So here this is said of the church when it is in a state of darkness. [2] Also take as an example, vastation, punishment, and condemnation, which are attributed to the Lord in many passages of the Word; when nevertheless they belong to the man of the church, who vastates, punishes, and condemns himself. It appears before man as if the Lord vastated, punished, and condemned; and because it appears so, it is so expressed according to the appearances; for if man were not instructed by appearances, he would not suffer himself to be instructed at all. What is contrary to the appearance he does not believe or comprehend, except at a later period, when he possesses judgment and has been gifted with the faith of charity. [3] So with the church; when it is in a state of darkness, the Lord is then obscured before its people, so that He does not appear, that is, is not acknowledged; although the Lord is not at all obscured, but man, in whom and with whom the Lord should be; but still the obscuration is predicated of the Lord. So is it here with the "deep sleep," by which there is signified a dark state of the church.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1838
1838. That 'a deep sleep came over Abram' means that the Church was at that time in darkness is clear from the meaning of 'deep sleep'. In relation to wakefulness 'deep sleep' is a state of darkness, a state which is here attributed to the Lord, who is represented by Abram. Not that a deep sleep, or a state of darkness, ever in fact existed with Him, but with the Church. This is similar to the way things are in the next life where the Lord never ceases to be the Sun, and Light itself; yet before the evil He is seen as darkness, for it is according to the state of each individual that the Lord is seen. Thus the same is said here of the Church when in a state of darkness.
[2] Take as an example the vastation, the punishment, and the condemnation which are ascribed to the Lord many times in the Word. These are in fact attributable to the member of the Church, who vastates, punishes, and condemns himself. It appears to the eyes of the individual as though the Lord vastated, punished, and condemned; and because the appearance is such, it is so expressed according to appearances. For unless a person were taught by means of appearances he would never allow himself to be taught at all. What is contrary to the appearance he neither believes nor comprehends until at a later time he has the power of judgement and has been granted the faith that is grounded in charity.
[3] The same applies to the Church. When it is in darkness the Lord is so obscured before the eyes of its members that He does not appear, that is, He is not acknowledged. Yet it is not at all the Lord who is covered in obscurity but the person in whom and with whom the Lord would be. Nevertheless obscuration is attributed to the Lord, as is 'deep sleep' here, by which is meant a dark state of the Church.
Latin(1748-1756) 1838
1838. Quod 'sopor cecidit super Abramum' significet quod Ecclesia tunc in tenebris esset, constat ex significatione 'soporis'; sopor est status tenebrosus respective ad vigiliam, qui status hic praedicatur de Domino, qui repraesentatur per 'Abramum'; non quod sopor seu status tenebrosus usquam apud Illum, sed apud Ecclesiam; se habet hoc sicut in altera vita ubi Dominus semper est sol, et ipsa lux, sed coram malis apparet ut tenebrae, nam secundum statum cujusvis apparet Dominus, ita hic de Ecclesia cum est in statu tenebroso; [2] pro exemplo etiam sit, vastatio, punitio et damnatio, quae multoties in Verbo praedicantur de Domino, cum tamen est hominis Ecclesiae, qui se vastat, punit et damnat; apparet ita coram homine, quod quasi Dominus vastaret, puniret et damnaret, et quia ita apparet, secundum apparentias ita dicitur; nam nisi homo per apparentias instrueretur, nusquam pateretur se instrui; quod contrarium est apparentiae, hoc non credit, nec capit, nisi sero cum judicio pollet et fide charitatis donatus est: ita se habet cum Ecclesia; quando illa est in tenebris, tunc obscuratur coram illis Dominus adeo ut non appareat, hoc est, agnoscatur, tametsi Dominus nusquam obscuratur sed homo, in quo et apud quem Dominus foret, sed usque praedicatur obscuratio de Domino; similiter hic 'sopor' quo significatus status Ecclesiae tenebrosus.