2015# “且有君王从你而出”象征从他那里来的一切真理，这点可以从“君王”在历史书和先知书中的象征意义看出，它指的是真理，如第1672节所述，只是没有详细说明。从象征意义上看，“民族”是良善，“君王”是真理，由此我们可以理解内在意义的性质，以及内在意义与字面意义的距离。
读历史书的人通常认为“民族”就是民族，“君王”就是君王，因此认为经文中提到的就是这些民族和君王。但是，当天使接受这些概念时，“民族”和“君王”的概念完全消失，取而代之的是良善和真理。这可能看起来很奇怪，甚至是悖论，但事实就是如此。
任何人都可以理解，如果经文中的“民族”仅仅意味着民族，“君王”仅仅意味着君王，那么主的经文将几乎没有比其它历史或其它书籍更多的意义；因此圣言将是世俗的。然而，经文中的每一部分都是神圣的，因此是属天的和属灵的。
【2】仅在这一节中，说到亚伯拉罕将极其地繁殖，成为诸族，且有君王从他而出；这难道只是世俗的说法，没有属天的意义吗？这其中看起来只有世俗的荣耀，这种荣耀在天堂是完全没有价值的。如果这是主的话语，那将是属天的荣耀而非世俗的荣耀。因此，当圣言进入天堂时，字面的意义完全被抹去和消失，并被净化，以至于没有任何世俗的东西混杂其中。在这里“亚伯拉罕”并不是指亚伯拉罕，而是指主；“繁殖”并不是指他的后代将极其繁殖，而是指主的人性本质的良善将无限繁衍；“民族”并不是指民族，而是指良善；“君王”并不是指君王，而是指真理。然而，根据字面的意义，历史仍然保持其真实性，因为主确实对亚伯拉罕说了这些话，并且确实从他繁殖生养了后裔了，并且确实有诸民族和君王从他而出。
【3】“君王”象征真理，这可以从以下经文中看出：
外邦人必建筑你的城墙；他们的王必服侍你。…….你必吃列族的奶，且吸君王的乳。（以赛亚书60:10， 16）
“你必吃列族的奶，且吸君王的乳”的意义并不在字面上，而在于内在的意义，即被赋予良善并被教导真理。在《耶利米书》中说：
那时就有坐大卫宝座的君王和首领，他们或坐车，或骑马，进入这城的各门。 （耶利米书17:25）
“坐车和骑马”是预言性的，象征着在理智方面的丰富，这在许多先知书中都可以看出。因此，“君王进入这城的各门”在内在意义上象征着他们被信仰的真理所充满。这是经文在天堂的意义，字面上的世俗意义转化为天堂的意义。
【4】在《耶利米哀歌》中还说：
耶和华在怒气的愤恨中蔑视君王和祭司……锡安的城门都陷入地内；主将她的门闩毁坏、折断；她的君王和首领在列国中，没有法律。（耶利米哀歌2:6，9）
这里的“君王”象征信仰的真理；“祭司”象征仁义的良善；“锡安”象征教会，她被毁灭，其门闩被折断。因此，“君王和首领在列国中”，这意味着真理和那些属于真理的东西将被放逐，以至于“没有律法”，即没有信仰的教义。在《以赛亚书》中还说：
因为在这孩子还不晓得弃恶择善之先，你所憎恶的那二王之地必致见弃。 （以赛亚书7:16 ）
这里指的是主的降临。“必致见弃的地”象征当时没有信仰，其真理是被憎恶的“王”。
【5】在同一先知书中还说：
我必向列族举手，向万民竖立大旗；他们必将你的众子怀中抱来，将你的众女肩上扛来。列王必作你的养父；王后必作你的乳母。（以赛亚书49:22-23 ）
“列族和众女”象征良善。“万民和众子”象征真理。如第一卷所示，“民族”象征良善（参1259，1260，1416，1849节）；“女儿”也如此（参489-491节）；“人民”或“百姓”象征真理（参1259和1260节）；“儿子”也如此（参489，491，533，1147节）。因此，“列王”在一般意义上象征真理，从中获得滋养；而“王后”象征良善，从中获得哺乳。无论你说良善与真理，还是那些在良善与真理中的人，意思是一样的。
【6】《以赛亚书》中还说：
这样，他必洒净许多民族；君王要向他闭口。因所未曾传与他们的，他们必看见；未曾听见的，他们要明白。（以赛亚书52:15）
这里指的是主的降临；“民族”象征那些被良善的情感所激动的人，“君王”象征那些被真理的情感所感动的人。在大卫《诗篇》中说：
现在，你们君王应当省悟！你们世上的审判官该受管教！当存畏惧侍奉耶和华，又当存战兢而快乐。当以嘴亲子，恐怕他发怒，你们便在道中灭亡。（诗篇2:10-12）
“君王”象征那些在真理中的人，他们也被称为“君王的儿子”。“子”在这里象征主，因为他是绝对的真理，并且一切真理都从他而来。
【7】在《启示录》中说：
他们唱新歌，说：你配拿书卷，配揭开七印……又叫他们成为国民，作祭司归于神，在地上执掌王权。（启示录5:9-10）
这里那些在真理中的人被称为“王”。主也在《马太福音》中称他们为“天国之子”：
那撒好种的就是人子；田地就是世界，好种就是天国之子，稗子就是那恶者之子。（马太福音13:37-38）
在《启示录》中说：
第六位天使把碗倒在幼发拉底大河上，河水就干了，要给那从日出之地所来的众王预备道路。 （启示录16:12）
这里的“幼发拉底大河”并不指幼发拉底河，“从日出之地所来的众王”也不指那些君王。从前文 120，1585，1866节中“幼发拉底”的象征意义可以明显看出“从日出之地所来众王的道路”象征着从爱之良善中来的信仰真理。
【8】在《启示录》中还说：
那些得救的民族要在城的光里行走；地上的君王将把他们的荣耀和尊贵带到城中。 （启示录21:24）
这里的“民族”象征那些在良善中的人；“地上的君王”象征那些在真理中的人。可以看出，这是预言而非历史。还有：
坐在众水上的大淫妇……地上的君王与她行淫，住在地上的人喝醉了她淫乱的酒。 （启示录17:1-2）
各族都被她邪淫大怒的酒倾倒了，地上的君王与她行淫。（启示录18:1， 3， 9）
【9】在《启示录》中还说：
你所看见的那十角就是十王；他们还没有得国，但他们要和兽同得权柄、做王一个时辰。他们同心合意将自己的能力、权柄给那兽。 （启示录17:12-13 ）
这里的王并不是实际的王，这对任何人来说都是显而易见的，否则“十王得权柄、做王一个时辰”将完全无法理解。同样在《启示录》中说：
我看见那兽和地上的君王，并他们的众军都聚集，要与骑白马的并他的军兵争战。 （启示录19:19）
这里明确地说“骑白马的”是神的道，对抗他的是“地上的君王”。“兽”象征被亵渎的爱之良善。“君王”象征被篡改的信仰真理，他们被称为“地上的君王”，因为他们在教会内（“地”象征教会，参阅662，1066-1067，1262节）。“白马”象征真理的理解；“骑马者”代表神的道。在《但以理书》中更加明显，第十一章中描述了“南方王”和“北方王”之间的战争，这些战争象征着真理和伪谬之间的斗争；这些斗争也在历史上被描述为战争。
【10】因为“君王”象征真理，所以可以看出，在内在意义上，主被称为君王和祭司，他们各自代表什么；以及在主那里，君王和祭司各自代表什么。君王代表他的神性真理，祭司代表他的神性良善。所有作为君王统治宇宙的秩序法则都是真理；而作为祭司统治宇宙并同时统治真理的法则都是良善。仅仅通过真理的统治，它会将每个人都判入地狱；但通过良善的统治，它会将他们从地狱中拯救出来并提升到天堂（参1728节）。
因为良善和真理在主内是结合的，这样的结合在古时通过君王与祭司的结合来代表，例如麦基洗德，他是撒冷王，同时也是至高神的祭司（创世记14:18）。后来在犹太人中，当教会在其形式上被设立时，通过士师和祭司，然后是君王来代表。
【11】但“君王”象征真理，而真理不应当统治，因为它会定罪，这个想法是如此不受欢迎，以至于犹太人因此受到责备。《撒母耳记上》8:11-18中的王的权利和《申命记》17:14-18中摩西的命令，描述了真理本身的样子。他们被命令选择来自良善的纯正真理，而不是伪造的真理，并且不能用推理和事实知识来玷污它。这些是摩西在上述地方关于王的规定中所包含的内容。
在字面意思上没有人能看到这一点，但这一点从内在意义的每个细节中都可以看出，除了真理，没有其它东西通过“君王”和“王权”来代表和象征。
2015、“列王从你而出”表示一切真理皆来自祂。这从“列王”的含义清楚可知，无论在圣言的历史部分还是预言部分，“王”都是指真理，如672节所述，但还没有完全说明。“民族”是指良善，“君王”是指真理，从这些含义可以看出圣言内义的性质，也能看出内义距离字义何等遥远。一个阅读圣言，尤其阅读历史部分的人不可避免地以为那里提到的“民族”是指各个民族，“君王”是指各个君王，因而以为那里提到的民族和君王就是真正的圣言本身所论述的真正主题。但当民族和君王的概念到达天使那里时，这概念就会完全消失，取而代之的是良善和真理。这一点不能不显得奇怪，事实上是一个悖论，然而，却是真理。谁都能从以下事实清楚明白这个问题，即：如果在圣言中，“民族”真的是指民族，“君王”真的是指君王，那么主的圣言所包含的东西几乎不比其它任何历史或文献多；因此，圣言将是世俗的。而事实上，圣言中的一切事物都是神性，因而是属天和属灵的。
仅以本节经文为例，即：亚伯拉罕必极能生殖，列族必从他而立，列王必从他而出。除了纯世俗的、一丁点也不属天堂的东西外，你在这句话里还能找到任何东西吗？这些预言只涉及世俗的荣耀，而世俗的荣耀在天堂毫无价值，什么都不是。但如果这是主的圣言，那么它的荣耀必是天堂的荣耀，而不是世界的荣耀。这就是为何当字义进入天堂时，它会被完全抹去，消失不见。它被如此洁净，以至于没有一丝世俗之物掺杂。因为“亚伯拉罕”不是指亚伯拉罕，而是指主；他“极能生殖”不是指他的后代极其繁多，而是指主的人身或人性本质的良善必无限增多；“列族”不是指各个民族，而是指良善；“列王”也不是指各个君王，而是指真理。尽管如此，字义上的历史仍是真实的，因为这些话真的对亚伯拉罕说过，他也的确极能生养，并且列族和列王的确来自他。
“君王”表示真理，这一点从以下经文清楚看出来。以赛亚书：
外人要建造你的城墙，他们的王必服事你。你也必吃列族的奶，又吮列王的乳房。（以赛亚书60:10，16）
“列族的奶”和“列王的乳房”表示什么，这从字面上看绝不明显，从内义上看是明显的；就内义而言，“吃列族的奶”和“吮列王的乳房”表示被赋予良善和被教导真理。耶利米书：
就必有坐大卫宝座的君王和首领，或坐车，或骑马进入这城的各门。（耶利米书17:25；22:4）
“或坐车，或骑马”是一个预言，它表示富有理解力的事物，这从先知书中的许多经文清楚看出来；因此，“君王进入这城的各门”在内义上表示他们要被赋予信之真理。圣言的这层意义就是天上的意义，而世俗的字义会变成天上的意义。
同一先知书：
耶和华在怒气的愤恨中藐视君王和祭司。锡安的众城门已经陷入地里。祂将她的门闩毁坏折断。她的君王和首领在列族中；再没有律法。（耶利米哀歌2:6，9）
此处“君王”表示信之真理；“祭司”表示仁之良善；“锡安”表示教会，它正在被毁坏，它的门闩被折断；因此，“君王和首领在列族中”，也就是说，真理和属于真理的事物将被彻底驱逐，以致“再没有律法”，也就是说，信之教义荡然无存。以赛亚书：
在这孩子晓得弃恶择善之前，你在那二王面前所憎恶的土地必被撇弃。（以赛亚书7:16）
这论及主的降临；“必被撇弃的土地”表示那时将不存在的信；“王”是指将被憎恶的信之真理。
同一先知书：
我必向列族举手，向万民竖起大旗；他们必将你的众子怀中抱来，将你的众女肩上扛来。列王必作你的养父，王后必作你的乳母。（以赛亚书49:22，23）
“列族”和“众女”表示良善，“万民”和“众子”表示真理，如第一卷所示。在第一卷可以看到，“列族（即民族）”表示良善（1259，1260，1416，1849节）；“众女（即女儿或女子）”也表示良善（489-491节）；而“万民（即人民或百姓）”表示真理（1259，1260节）；“众子（即儿子）”也表示真理（489，491，533，1147节）。因此，“列王”表示要滋养他们的总体上的真理，而“王后”表示要乳养他们的良善。无论你说良善和真理，还是说那些拥有良善和真理的人，意思都一样。
同一先知书：
他必洒向许多民族，君王要因他闭口。因为他们已经看见所未曾传与他们的，已经明白未曾听见的。（以赛亚书52:15）
这论及主的降临；“民族”表示那些被对良善的情感打动的人，“君王”表示那些被对真理的情感打动的人。诗篇：
现在，君王啊！应当省悟；世上的审判官啊，应受教。当存畏惧事奉耶和华，又当存战兢而快乐。当亲吻儿子，恐怕祂发怒，你们便在路上灭亡。（诗篇2:10-12）
“君王”表示那些拥有真理的人，他们因真理也在许多地方被称为“王子”；此处“儿子”表示主，祂在此被称为儿子，是因为祂是真理本身和一切真理的源头。
启示录：
他们唱新歌，你配拿书卷，配揭开其印。又叫我们成为君王和祭司，归于我们神，我们要在地上掌权。（启示录5:9-10）
此处那些拥有真理的人被称为“君王”。在马太福音中，主也称这些人为“天国之子”：
那撒好种的就是人子，田地就是世界，好种就是天国之子，稗子就是那恶者之子。（马太福音13:37-38）
启示录：
第六位天使把他的碗倒在幼发拉底大河上，河水就干了，要给那从日出之地所来的众王预备道路。（启示录16:12）
“幼发拉底河”不是指幼发拉底河，“从日出之地所来的众王”也不是指从那个地区来的众王，这是显而易见的。至于“幼发拉底河”表示什么，可参看前文（120，1585，1866节）；由此明显可知，“从日出之地所来的众王的道路”表示来自爱之良善的信之真理。
又：
得救的列族要在城的光里行走，地上的列王必将自己的荣耀、尊贵归与那城。（启示录21:24）
此处“列族”表示那些处于良善的人，“地上的列王”表示那些处于真理的人。这一点也可从以下事实明显看出来，即：此处这些话不是历史，而是预言，或说启示录包含预言，不包含历史。又：
地上的君王与坐在多水上的大淫妇行淫，喝醉了她淫乱的酒。（启示录17:1-2）
又：
巴比伦给所有民族喝她邪淫烈怒的酒；地上的君王素来与她行淫。（启示录18:3，9）
此处同样很明显，“地上的君王”不是指君王，因为论述的主题是对信之教义，也就是真理的歪曲和掺假，这就是“邪淫”；“地上的君王”表示被歪曲和掺假的真理。
又：
你所看见的那十角，就是十王，他们还没有得国，但他们一时之间要和兽同得权柄与王一样。他们都有一个心思，将自己的能力和权柄交给那兽。（启示录17:12-13）
此处谁也很容易看出，“王”不是指君王；否则，“十王一时之间要得权柄与王一样”是完全无法理解的。下面这些话也一样：
我看见那兽和地上的君王，并他们的众军都聚集，要与那骑在马上的和祂的军队争战。（启示录19:19）
启19:13明确说，骑在马上的那一位就是神的圣言；经上说地上的君王都聚集攻击它。“兽”表示被亵渎的爱之良善，“君王”表示被掺假的信之真理；这些被称为“地上的君王”，是因为它们在教会中；“地”是指教会（可参看662，1066，1067，1262节）。“白马”表示对真理的理解，“骑在马上的”表示圣言。这层意义在但以理书（11章）更为明显，那里描述了“南方王”和“北方王”之间的战争；这些词语表示彼此争战的真理与虚假；此处这些争战也被描述为历史上发生的战争。
“王”表示真理，这一点表明当主被称为君王和祭司时，它在内义上表示什么；还表明它在君王所代表的主里面是什么，在祭司所代表主里面又是什么，或说君王代表主的哪种基本品质，祭司又代表祂的哪种基本品质。君王代表祂的神性真理，祭司代表祂的神性良善。主作为君王用来掌管宇宙的一切秩序律法都是真理；但祂作为祭司用来掌管宇宙，甚至统治真理本身的一切律法都是良善。因为只基于真理的掌管会将每个人都罚入地狱；但基于良善的掌管会把每个人都从地狱拉上来，并把他提入天堂（参看1728节）。对主来说，由于这两种掌管，即真理和良善结合在一起，所以在古代，它们由合在一起的王权和祭司职分来代表；如麦基洗德，祂既是撒冷王，同时也是至高神的祭司（创世记14:18）；后来，在犹太人（代表性教会以自己的形式建立在他们中间）当中，祂由士师和祭司来代表，之后由各君王来代表。
但“君王”代表真理，而真理不可以掌权，因为它们会定人的罪，如前所述，故拥有君王的渴望如此令人反感，以至于犹太人为此受到责备。就本身而言，真理的性质被描述为君王的各项权利（撒母耳记上8:11-18）；此前，在摩西五经（申命记17:14-18），摩西吩咐百姓要拣选来自良善的纯正真理，而不是拣选伪真理；并且不可以用推理和记忆知识或事实知识玷污它。这就是包含在他关于所引用经文中的一个王的指示中的东西。没有人能从字义上看到这一点，但这一点从内义的每个细节都明显看出来。这表明为何“王”和“王权”只代表和表示真理。
Potts(1905-1910) 2015
2015. Kings shall go forth from thee. That this signifies that all truth is from Him, is evident from the signification of a "king," in both the historical and the prophetic Word, as being truth (stated above, n. 1672, but not yet fully shown). From the signification of "nations" as being goods, and from the signification of "kings" as being truths, we can see the nature of the internal sense of the Word, and also how remote it is from the sense of the letter. He who reads the Word, especially the historical portion, has no other belief than that the nations there are nations, and the kings kings, and thus that nations and kings are treated of in the very Word itself. But the idea of nations, as well as that of kings, altogether perishes when it is received by the angels, and in their place there succeed good and truth. This cannot but appear as strange and indeed as a paradox, but still it is really so, and the truth of it may appear to everyone from considering that if, in the Word, nations were signified by "nations," and kings by "kings," then the Word of the Lord would involve scarcely anything more than any other history, or any other writing, and thus would be a merely worldly affair, when yet there is nothing in the Word that is not Divine, and therefore celestial and spiritual. [2] Take as a single instance what is said in this verse, that Abraham should be made fruitful and should be made nations, and that kings should go forth from him-what is this but a merely worldly matter, and in no respect heavenly? For in these things there is only the glory of the world, which is nothing at all in heaven; but if this is the Word of the Lord, there must be in it the glory of heaven, and none of the world's glory. Therefore the sense of the letter is altogether obliterated and vanishes when it passes into heaven; and it is so purified that nothing that is worldly is intermingled. For by "Abraham" is not meant Abraham, but the Lord; by his being "made fruitful" is not meant that his posterity should increase exceedingly, but that the good of the Lord's Human Essence should increase to infinitude; by the "nations" are not meant nations, but goods; and by the "kings," not kings but truths. Still the history according to the sense of the letter remains true; for it is true that it was so said to Abraham; also that he was made fruitful, and that nations and kings came from him. [3] That "kings" signify truths, may be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:
The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee; thou shalt suck the milk of the nations, and the breast of kings shalt thou suck (Isa. 60:10, 16);
what it is to "suck the milk of nations" and "the breast of kings," is by no means plain from the letter, but it is from the internal sense, in which it signifies to be gifted with goods, and instructed in truths. In Jeremiah:
There shall enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses (Jer. 17:25; 22:4);
to "ride in chariots and on horses" is a prophetical saying which signifies an abundance of intellectual things, as may appear from very many passages in the Prophets; and thus by "kings entering in by the gates of the city" is signified in the internal sense that they should be imbued with truths of faith. This is the heavenly sense of the Word, into which the worldly literal sense passes. [4] Again, in the same Prophet:
Jehovah hath despised in the indignation of His anger the king and the priest; the gates of Zion have sunk into the earth; He hath destroyed and broken her bars; her king and her princes are among the nations; the law is not (Lam. 2:6, 9);
"the king" here denotes the truth of faith; "the priest" the good of charity; "Zion" the church which is being destroyed, and whose bars are being broken; hence "the king and the princes are among the nations," that is, truth and the things which are of truth will be banished to such an extent that there will be no "law," that is, nothing of the doctrine of faith. In Isaiah:
Before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the ground shall be forsaken, which thou loathest in the presence of her two kings (Isa. 7:16);
where the Lord's coming is treated of; the "ground which shall be forsaken" denotes faith, of which there would then be none, and the truths of which are the "kings that would be loathed." [5] In the same Prophet:
I will lift up My hand to the nations, and raise up My ensign to the peoples; and they shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and thy daughters shall be carried upon the shoulder; and kings shall be thy nourishers, and their queens those that give thee suck (Isa. 49:22, 23);
"the nations" and "the daughters" denote goods; and "the peoples" and "the sons" truths (as shown in Part First, where it may be seen that "nations" denote goods, n. 1259, 1260, 1416, 1849; and that "daughters" have a similar signification, n. 489-491; also that "peoples" denote truths, n. 1259, 1260; and "sons" likewise, n. 489, 491, 533, 1147). "Kings" therefore denote truths in general, by which they will be nourished, and their "queens" the goods from which they will be "suckled." Whether you say goods and truths, or those who are in goods and truths, it is the same. [6] Again in the same Prophet:
He shall sprinkle many nations, upon him kings shall shut their mouth-for that which was [not] told them have they seen; and that which they did not hear have they understood (Isa. 52:15), where the Lord's coming is spoken of; the "nations" denote those who are affected by goods, and "kings" those who are affected by truths. In David:
Now, O ye kings, be intelligent; be instructed, ye judges of the earth; serve Jehovah with fear, and exult with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish in the way (Ps. 2:10-12). "Kings" denote those who are in truths; who also from their truths are often called "king's sons;" "the Son" here denotes the Lord, who is here called "the Son" because He is the truth itself, and because all truth is from Him. [7] In John:
They shall sing a new song, Worthy art Thou who takest the book, and openest the seals thereof; Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests, that we may reign upon the earth (Rev. 5:9-10);
where they who are in truths are called "kings." The Lord also calls such persons "the sons of the kingdom," in Matthew:
He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the seed is the sons of the kingdom, and the tares are the sons of the evil one (Matt. 13:37-38). In John:
The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the Kings that are from the sun rising might be prepared (Rev. 16:12). That by the "Euphrates" is not meant the Euphrates, nor by "the kings from the sun-rising" any kings therefrom, is evident (what is meant by the "Euphrates" may be seen above, n. 120, 1585, 1866); so that "the way of the kings that are from the sun-rising" means the truths of faith that are from the goods of love. [8] In the same:
The nations that are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it (Rev. 21:24);
where "the nations" denote those who are in goods, and "the kings of the earth" those who are in truths, as may be inferred from the fact that these words are prophetic, and not historical. In the same:
With the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters the kings of the earth have committed whoredom, and have been made drunken with the wine of her whoredom (Rev. 17:1-2). And again:
Babylon hath made all the nations drink of the wine of her whoredom, and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her (Rev. 18:3, 9);
where in like manner it is evident that kings are not meant by "the kings of the earth;" for the falsification and adulteration of the doctrine of faith, that is, of truth, is treated of, and this is the "whoredom;" " the kings of the earth" denote the truths that are falsified and adulterated. [9] In the same:
The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, that have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority [potestas] as kings with the beast for one hour. These shall have one mind, and shall give their power and authority to the beast (Rev. 17:12-13);
that these "kings" are not kings, is evident to everyone; for if so it would be wholly unintelligible that the ten kings should receive authority as kings one hour. So too in another passage:
I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war with him that sat upon the horse, and with his army (Rev. 19:19);
that "he that sat upon the horse" is "the Word of God," is openly stated in verse 13; and it is against this that the kings of the earth are said to have been gathered together. "The beast" denotes the goods of love, profaned; and "the kings" denote the truths of faith, adulterated; these are called "the kings of the earth," because they are within the church. (That "the earth" is the church may be seen above, n. 662, 1066, 1067, 1262.) The "white horse" denotes the understanding of truth; and "he that sat upon the horse," the Word. This meaning is still more manifest in Daniel (chapter 11), where the war between "the king of the south" and "the king of the north" is treated of; by which terms are signified the truths and falsities that had fought, the combats being described here also in an historical manner by this "war." [10] As "a king" signifies truth, it may be seen what is meant in the internal sense when the Lord is called a King and also a Priest; and also what it was in the Lord that was represented by kings, and what by priests. Kings represented His Divine truth, and priests His Divine good. All the laws of order by which the Lord governs the universe as King, are truths; but all the laws by which He governs the universe as Priest and by which also He rules truths themselves, are goods; for government from truths alone would condemn everyone to hell; but government from goods lifts everyone out thence and uplifts him into heaven (see n. 1728). Because in the Lord's case these two are conjoined, they were anciently represented by kingship conjoined with priesthood; as with Melchizedek, who was king of Salem and at the same time priest to God Most High (Gen. 14:18); and afterwards with the Jews, among whom the representative church was instituted in its own form, by judges and priests, and afterwards by kings. [11] But as the kings represented truths, which ought not to have command, for the reason, as before said, that they condemn, therefore the desire to have kings was so displeasing as to call for rebuke, and the nature of truth as regarded in itself was described by the rights [jus] of the king (1 Sam. 8:11-18); and at an earlier day it was commanded by Moses (Deut. 17:14-18) that they should choose genuine truth which is from good, and not spurious; and that they should not defile it by reasonings and memory-knowledges [scientifica]. This is what is involved in the directions concerning a king, given in Moses in the place just cited; which no one can possibly see from the sense of the letter, but yet is evident from the several points contained in the internal sense; so that "king" and "kingship" evidently represented and signified nothing else than truth.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2015
2015. That 'kings will come out of you' means that all truth comes from Him is clear from the meaning of 'a king' as truth in both the historical and the prophetical sections of the Word, as stated in 1672 but not yet shown to be so. From the meaning of 'nations' as goods, and from the meaning of 'kings' as truths, the nature of the internal sense of the Word becomes clear, and also how remote it is from the sense of the letter. No one reading the Word, especially the historical section, believes anything other than that 'nations' referred to there means nations, or that 'kings' there means kings, and therefore that the nations mentioned there, or the kings, are the real subject of the very Word itself. But when the idea of nations and also of kings reaches angels it perishes altogether, and good and truth take their place instead. This is bound to seem strange and indeed a paradox, but it is nevertheless the truth. The matter may also become clear to anyone from the fact that if nations were meant in the Word by 'nations' and kings by 'kings', the Word of the Lord would hardly embody anything more than some historical or other piece of writing and so would be something of a worldly nature, when in fact everything in the Word is Divine and so is celestial and spiritual.
[2] Take merely the statement in the present verse about Abraham's being made fruitful, nations being made of him, and kings coming out of him. What else is this but something purely worldly and nothing at all heavenly? Indeed these assertions entail no more than the glory of this world, a glory which is absolutely nothing in heaven. But if this is the Word of the Lord then its glory must be that of heaven, not that of the world. This also is why the sense of the letter is completely erased and disappears when it passes into heaven, and is purified in such a way that nothing worldly at all is intermingled. For 'Abraham' is not used to mean Abraham but the Lord; nor is 'being fruitful' used to mean his descendants who would increase more and more but the endless growth of good belonging to the Lord's Human Essence. 'Nations' do not mean nations but goods, and 'kings' do not mean kings but truths. Nevertheless the narrative in the sense of the letter remains historically true, for Abraham was indeed spoken to in this way; and he was indeed made fruitful in this way, with nations as well as kings descending from him.
[3] That 'kings' means truths becomes clear from the following places: In Isaiah,
The sons of the foreigner will build up your walls, and their kings will minister to you. You will suck the milk of nations, and the breast of kings will you suck. Isa 60:10, 16.
What 'sucking the milk of nations and the breast of kings' means is not at all evident from the letter but from the internal sense, in which being endowed with goods and instructed in truths is meant. In Jeremiah,
There will enter through the gates of this city kings and princes seated on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses. Jer 17:25; 22:4.
'Riding in chariots and on horses' is a prophecy meaning the abundance of things of the understanding, as becomes clear from very many places in the Prophets. Thus the prophecy that 'kings will enter through the gates of the city' means in the internal sense that they were to be endowed with truths of faith. This sense of the Word is the heavenly sense into which the worldly sense of the letter passes.
[4] In the same prophet,
Jehovah has spurned in His fierce indignation king and priest. The gates of Zion have sunk into the ground, He has destroyed and broken in pieces her bars. King and princes are among the nations; the law is no more. Lam 2:6, 9.
Here 'king' stands for the truth of faith, 'priest' for the good of charity, 'Zion' for the Church, which is destroyed and its bars broken in pieces. Consequently 'king and princes among the nations', that is, truth and what belongs to truth, will be so completely banished that 'the law is no more', that is, nothing of the doctrine of faith will exist any more. In Isaiah,
Before the boy knows to refuse evil and to choose good, the ground will be abandoned which you loathe in the presence of its two kings. Isa 7:16.
This refers to the Lord's Coming. 'The land that will be abandoned' stands for faith which at that time would not exist. 'The kings' are the truths of faith which would be loathed.
[5] In the same prophet,
I will lift up My hand to the nations and raise My ensign to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulder. Kings will be your foster fathers and their queens your wet-nurses. Isa 49:22, 23.
'Nations' and 'daughters' stand for goods, 'peoples' and 'sons' for truths, as shown in Volume One. That 'nations' stands for goods, 1259, 1260, 1416, 1849, as does 'daughters', 489-491, while 'peoples' stands for truths, 1259, 1260, as does 'sons', 489, 491, 533, 1147. 'Kings' therefore stands for truths, in general by which they will be nourished, and 'queens' for goods by which they will be suckled. Whether you speak of goods and truths or of those who are governed by goods and truths it amounts to the same.
[6] In the same prophet,
He will spatter many nations, kings will shut their mouths because of him,a for that which has [not] been told them they have seen, and that which they have not heard they have understood. Isa 52:15.
This refers to the Lord's Coming. 'Nations' stands for those who are stirred by an affection for goods, 'kings' those who are stirred by an affection for truths. In David,
Now, O kings, be intelligent; be instructed, O judges of the earth. Serve Jehovah with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son lest He perhaps be angry and you perish in the way. Ps 2:10-12.
'Kings' stands for people who are governed by truths, and who by virtue of truths are also in many places called 'king's sons'. 'The Son' here stands for the Lord, and he is called the Son here because he is Truth itself, and the source of all truth.
[7] In John,
They will sing a new song, You are worthy to take the Book and to open its seals. You have made us kings and priests to our God so that we shall reign on the earth. Rev 5:9, 10.
Here people who are governed by truths are called 'kings'. The Lord also calls them 'the sons of the kingdom' in Matthew,
He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the seed are the sons of the kingdom, and the tares are the sons of the evil one. Matt 13:37, 38.
In John,
The sixth angel poured out his bowl over the great river Euphrates and its water was dried up to prepare the way of the kings who were from the east. Rev 16:12.
'Euphrates' clearly does not mean the Euphrates, nor does 'kings from the east' mean kings from that quarter. What 'Euphrates' does mean may be seen in 120,1585, 1866, from which it is evident that 'the way of the kings who were from the cast' means truths of faith that derive from goods of love.
[8] In the same book,
The nations that are saved will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory and honour into it. Rev 21:24.
Here 'nations' stands for people who are governed by goods, 'kings of the earth' for those who are governed by truths, which is also evident from the fact that the details here are prophetical, not historical. In the same book,
With the great harlot seated on many waters the kings of the earth have committed whoredom and have become drunk with the wine of her whoredom. Rev 17:2.
And elsewhere in the same book,
Babylon has given all nations drink from the wine of the fury of her whoredom; and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her. Rev 18:1, 3, 9.
Here similarly it is clear that 'the kings of the earth' does not mean kings, for the subject is the falsification and adulteration of the doctrine of faith, that is, of truth, which are 'whoredom'. 'Kings of the earth' stands for truths that have been falsified and adulterated.
[9] In the same book,
The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom but are receiving authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These will be of one mind, and they will hand over power and authority to the beast. Rev 17:12, 13.
That 'kings' here does not mean kings may also be evident to anyone. If kings were meant, then 'ten kings receiving authority as kings for one hour' would be quite unintelligible, as similarly with the following words in the same book,
I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to make war with Him who was sitting on the horse, and with His army. Rev 19:19
In verse 13 of the same chapter it is stated explicitly that the One who was sitting on the horse was The Word of God, against which the kings of the earth are said to have been gathered. 'The beast' stands for goods of love that have been profaned, 'kings' for truths of faith that have been adulterated; these are called 'kings of the earth' because they exist within the Church - 'earth' meaning the Church, see 662, 1066, 1067, 1262. 'The white horse' stands for the understanding of truth, 'He who was sitting on the horse' for the Word. This matter is plainer still in Daniel 11, describing the war between the king of the south and the king of the north, by which is meant the conflict of truths with falsities. Here such conflicts are described as a war that took place in history.
[10] Since 'a king' means truth, what is meant in the internal sense when the Lord is called King, and also a Priest, is made clear; and what essential quality of the Lord was represented by kings, and what by priests, is also made clear. 'Kings' represented His Divine Truth, and 'priests' His Divine Good. All the laws of order by which the Lord governs the universe as King are truths, while all the laws by which He governs the universe as Priest and by which He rules even over truths themselves are goods. For government from truths alone condemns everyone to hell, but government from goods lifts them out of that place and raises them up into heaven; see 1728. Because, in the Lord's case, these two - truths and goods - are joined together, they were also represented in ancient times by kingship and priesthood combined, as with Melchizedek who was at one and the same time king of Salem and priest to God Most High, Gen 14:18. And at a later time among the Jews where the representative Church was established in a form of its own He was represented by judges and priests, and after that by kings.
[11] But because 'kings' represented truths which ought not to be paramount for the reason, already stated, that they condemn, the very idea was so objectionable that the Jews were reproached for it. The nature of truth regarded in itself has been described in 1 Sam 8:11-18, as the rights of a king; and previous to that, in Moses, in Deut 17:14-18, they had been commanded through Moses to choose genuine truth deriving from good, not spurious truth, and not to pollute it with reasonings and factual knowledge. These are the considerations which the directive concerning a king given in the place in Moses referred to above embodies within itself. No one can possibly see this from the sense of the letter, but it is nevertheless evident from the details within the internal sense. This shows why 'a king' and 'kingship' represented and meant nothing other than truth.
Latin(1748-1756) 2015
2015. Quod `reges ex te exibunt' significet quod ab Ipso omne verum, constat a significatione `regis' in Verbo tam historico quam prophetico quod sit verum, ut dictum n. 1672, sed nondum ita ostensum; ex significatione `gentium' quod sint bona, et (c)ex significatione `regum' quod sint vera, constare potest qualis est sensu: internus Verbi, tum quam remotus sit a sensu litterae: qui legit Verbum cumprimis historicum, nusquam aliter credit quam quod `gentes' ibi sint gentes, et `reges' ibi sint reges, et sic quod agatur de {1} gentibus in ipsissimo Verbo quae nominantur, deque regibus; sed idea gentium tum regum, prorsus perit cum excipitur ab angelis, et loco eorum succedit bonum et verum; hoc non potest non apparere ut peregrinum immo ut paradoxon, sed usque ita se habet; constare quoque cuivis potest ex eo, si in Verbo significarentur gentes per `gentes,' et rege: per `reges,' tunc Verbum Domini {2} vix plus involveret quam aliud quoddam historicum aut aliud scriptum et sic foret mundanum, cum tamen in Verbo nihil non est Divinum, ita caeleste et spirituale; [2] ut solum in hoc versu, quod `Abraham fructificaretur, et daretur in gentes atque reges ex illo exirent,' quid hoc nisi mere mundanum, et prorsus nihil caeleste; est enim in illis modo gloria mundi quae plane {3} nihil es in caelo; at si Verbum Domini, erit gloria caeli et nulla mundi; quare etiam sensus litterae prorsus obliteratur et evanescit cum transit in caelum, et purificatur ita {4} ut nihil mundani immixtum sit, nam per `Abraham' non intelligitur Abraham sed Dominus, per `fructificari non posteritas ejus quae cresceret in valde valde sed bonum Humanae Essentiae Domini in infinitum; per `gentes' non gentes sed bona; et per `reges' non reges sed vera; manente usque historico secundum sensum litterae in sua veritate, nam verum erat quod ita dictum Abrahamo, tum quod ita fructificatus, et quod fuerint gentes ex eo, tum etiam reges. [3] Quod `reges' significent vera, constare potest (c)ex his locis: apud Esaiam, Aedificabunt filii alienigenae muros tuos, et reges eorum ministrabunt tibi;... suges lac gentium et uber regum suges, lx 10, 16;quid `sugere lac gentium, et uber regum', nusquam patet ex littera sed ex sensu interno, in quo est donari bonis et instrui veris: apud Jeremiam, Intrabunt per portas civitatis hujus reges, et principes, sedentes super throno Davidis, equitantes curru et equis, xvii 25; xxii 4;
`equitare curru et equis' est propheticum, quod significat abundantiam intellectualium, ut a permultis apud Prophetas constare potest; ita quod `per portas civitatis intrabunt reges' (x)significetur in sensu interno quod imbuerentur veris fidei; hic Verbi sensus est caelestis in quem mundanus litterae transit: [4] apud eundem, Jehovah sprevit in indignatione irae Suae regem et sacerdotem... subsiderunt in terram portae Zionis, perdidit et confregit vectes ejus; rex et principes inter gentes, non lex, Thren. ii 6, 9;
ibi `rex' pro vero fidei: `sacerdos' pro bono charitatis: `Zion' pro Ecclesia, quae `perditur, et cujus vectes confringuntur': inde `rex et principes inter gentes,' hoc est, verum et illa quae sunt veri, exulabunt usque adeo ut `non sit lex,' hoc est, aliquid doctrinae fidei {5}: apud Esaiam, Antequam sciat puer reprobare malum, et eligere bonum, relinquetur humus, quam tu fastidis coram binis regibus suis, vii 16;
ubi de Adventu Domini: `humus quae relinquetur' pro fide quae tunc nulla, cujus vera sunt `reges' quae `fastidirentur': [5] apud eundem, Tollam ad gentes manum Meam, et ad populos exaltabo signum Meum, et afferent filios tuos in sinu, et filiae tuae super humero apportabuntur, erunt reges nutritii tui, et dominae eorum lactatrices tuae, xlix 22, 23;
`gentes et filiae' pro bonis; `populi et filii' pro veris, ut in Parte Prima ostensum; quod `gentes' pro bonis, n. 1259, 1260, 1416, 1849: quod `filiae' similiter, n. 489-491: `populi' pro veris, n. 1259, 1260; quod `filii' similiter, n. 489, 491, 533, 1147: `reges' itaque pro veris in genere ex quibus nutrientur, et `dominae' pro bonis ex quibus lactabuntur; sive dicas bona et vera, sive illos qui in bonis et veris, idem est: [6] apud eundem, (x) Asperget gentes multas, super illo compriment reges os suum, quia quod narratum est illis, viderunt, et quod non audiverunt, intellexerunt, lii 15;
ubi de Adventu Domini; {6} `gentes' pro illis qui bonis afficiuntur, `reges' pro illis qui veris': apud Davidem, Nunc reges intelligentes sitis, erudimini judices terrae; servite Jehovae in timore, et exsultate in tremore; osculamini Filium, ne forte irascatur, et pereatis in via, Ps. ii 10-12;
`reges' pro illis qui in veris sunt; qui quoque ex veris passim vocantur `filii regis'; `Filius' hic pro Domino, Qui hic Filius dicitur {7}, quia est ipsum Verum, et ab Ipso omne verum: [7] apud Johannem, Canent canticum novum, Dignus es qui accipias Librum, et aperias sigilla ejus;... fecisti nos Deo nostro reges et sacerdotes, ut regnemus super terra, Apoc. v 9, 10;
ubi qui in veris sunt, appellantur `reges'; Dominus etiam illos appellat filios regni, apud Matthaeum, Qui seminat bonum semen est Filius hominis, ager est mundus, semen sunt filii regni, et zizania sunt filii mali, xiii 37, 38:
apud Johannem, Sextus angelus effudit phialam suam super fluvium magnum Euphratem, cujus exsiccata est aqua, ut pararetur via regum, qui ab oriente solis, Apoc. xvi 12;
quod per `Euphratem' non significetur Euphrates, nec per `reges ab oriente solis' reges inde, constat; quid per `Euphratem,' videatur n. 120, 1585, 1866; inde patet quid `via regum qui ab oriente solis' quod sint vera fidei quae (c)a bonis amoris: [8] apud eundem, Gentes quae salvantur, in luce ejus ambulabunt, et reges terrae afferent gloriam et honorem suum in eam, Apoc. xxi 24;
ubi `gentes' pro illis qui sunt in bonis; `reges terrae' pro illis qui sunt in veris, quod etiam inde liquet quia ibi prophetica sunt non historica: apud eundem, Cum meretrice magna, sedente super aquis multis, scortati sunt reges terrae, et inebriati sunt vino scortationis ejus, Apoc. xvii 2:
et alibi, Babylon ex vino [furoris] scortationis suae potavit omnes gentes, et reges terrae cum ea scortati sunt, Apoc. xviii 1, 3, 9;
ibi similiter quod per `reges terrae' non significentur reges, constat, agitur enim de falsificatione et adulteratione doctrinae fidei, hoc est, veri, quae est `scortatio'; `reges terrae' pro veris quae falsificata et {8} adulterata: [9] apud eundem, Decem cornua quae vidisti, decem reges sunt, qui nondum regnum acceperunt, sed {9} potestatem tanquam reges {10} unam horam accipiunt cum bestia; hi unam mentem habebunt, et potentiam et potestatem suam tradent bestiae, Apoc. xvii 12, 13;
quod hic reges non sint reges, cuivis quoque patet, alioquin prorsus non {11} intelligibile foret quod `decem reges tanquam reges {10} unam horam potestatem {12} acciperent'; similiter quae apud eundem, Vidi bestiam et reges terrae, et exercitus eorum congregatos ad faciendum bellum cum sedente super equo, et cum exercitu ejus, Apoc. xix 19;
quod `sedens super equo' sit Verbum Dei, aperte dicitur, ibid. vers. 13, contra quod congregati dicuntur reges terrae; (m)`bestia' pro bonis amoris profanatis, `reges' pro veris fidei adulteratis; `reges terrae' dicuntur quia intra Ecclesiam; quod `terra' sit Ecclesia, n. 662, 1066, 1067, 1262; `equus albus' pro intellectu veri; `sedens super equo' pro Verbo. Adhuc manifestius apud Danielem, cap. xi, ubi agitur de bello inter `regem meridiei,' et `regem septentrionis,' per quae significantur vera et falsa quae pugnarunt; pugnae per bellum historice etiam ibi describuntur(n). [10] (s)Quia `rex' significat verum, constare potest quid in sensu interno sit quod Dominus dicatur Rex, tum etiam Sacerdos, ut et quid apud Dominum repraesentarunt reges, et quid sacerdotes; `reges' repraesentarunt Divinum Ipsius Verum, et `sacerdotes' Divinum Ipsius Bonum; omnes leges ordinis quibus Dominus gubernat universum ut Rex, sunt vera; omnes autem leges quibus gubernat universum ut Sacerdos et quibus etiam ipsa vera regit, sunt bona; nam regimen ex solis veris damnaret unumquemvis ad infernum, sed regimen ex bonis, tollit inde, et elevat in caelum, videatur n. 1728; quia haec bina apud Dominum sunt conjuncta, etiam antiquitus repraesentabatur per regium conjunctum sacerdotali, ut apud Malchizedekum qui fuit rex Shalem et simul sacerdos Deo Altissimo, Gen. xiv 18; et postea apud Judaeos ubi Ecclesia repraesentativa, in sua forma instituta, per judices et sacerdotes, dein per reges; [11] at quia `reges' repraesentarent vera, quae non imperare debuerunt, ex causa, ut dictum, quia damnant, ideo id {13} tantum displicuit ut increparentur, et descriptum quale sit verum in se spectatum, per jus regis, 1 Sam. viii 11-18, et prius per Mosen, Deut. xvii 14-18, mandatum quod eligerent verum genuinum quod ex bono, non spurium, et quod illud non ratiociniis et scientificis conspurcarent; haec sunt quae involvit praescriptio de rege apud Mosen loco citato, quod nusquam aliquis ex sensu litterae videre potest, sed usque patet ex singulis in sensu interno, et inde quod nihil aliud per `regem' et `regium' repraesentatum et significatum fuerit quam verum(s). @1 i ibi.$ @2 Verbum Domini after involveret.$ @3 prorsus.$ @4 adeo.$ @5 i hic sensus est internus.$ @6 A transposes these two clauses.$ @7 vocatur.$ @8 seu.$ @9 A I o.$ @10 A 10 reges, but it is included in AR and AE$ @11 nullum.$ @12 potestatem before tanquam.$ @13 in.$