2280、“假若在那里找到二十个呢”表示即便没有任何争战，但仍有良善，这从“二十”的含义清楚可知。圣言所提到的一切数字都表示真实事物和状态，这在前面许多地方已经阐述和说明（参看2252节），数字“二十”也是如此。至于“二十”表示什么，这可从它如何得出来的，即从十的两倍清楚看出来。在圣言中，“十”和“十分之一”一样，也表示余剩；这些数字表示从婴孩或童年初期直到人生命的最后一刻，主灌输给他的一切良善和真理；接下来的章节会论述这种余剩。十的两倍，也就是二十，或十分之二，与十所表相同，只是在一个更高层面上，即表示良善。
余剩是指三种良善，即：婴孩或童年初期的良善，无知或未经教导的良善和聪明或明白的良善。婴孩或童年初期的良善是指从人出生的那一刻起，直到他开始接受教导并知道某些东西，被灌输给他的良善。无知或未经教导的良善是指当他正接受教导并开始知道某些东西时，被灌输给他的良善。聪明或明白的良善是指当他能反思何为良善、何为真理时，被灌输给他的良善。婴孩或童年初期的良善从人的婴孩时期开始，一直持续到他十岁；无知或未经教导的良善则从十岁持续到他二十岁。从二十岁开始，人就开始变得理性，具有反思良善和真理的能力，并为自己获得聪明或明白的良善。
无知或盲目的良善就是“二十”所表示的，因为那些只拥有这种良善的人没有经历任何试探。在能反思，并以自己的方式感知良善和真理的性质之前，没有人会经历试探。此前的两个章节论述了那些通过试探获得了良善的人，而现在这个章节则论述那些没有经历试探，但仍有良善的人。
正因数字“二十”表示那些拥有被称为无知或盲目良善的良善之人，所以凡从埃及出来的人，从“二十岁”以外的，或按经上说的，“凡能出去打仗的”（对此，参看民数记1:20，24，26，28，30，32，34，38，40，42，45；26:4）都被包括在人口统计当中；他们就表示那些不再处于无知或盲目良善的人。由于同样的原因，凡二十岁以外的，都死在了旷野（民数记14:29；32:10–11），因为邪恶能归给他们，他们代表那些在试探中屈服的人。又由于同样的原因，“从五岁到二十岁”的男子被估定二十舍客勒（利未记27:5），而“从二十岁到六十岁”的男子被估定五十舍客勒（利未记27:3）。
至于上述这三种良善的性质，即：婴孩或童年初期的良善，无知或未经教导的良善和聪明或明白的良善，情况是这样：聪明或明白的良善是最好的，因为这良善是智慧的；在它之前的良善，也就是无知或未经教导的良善的确是好的，但这良善因只有少量聪明在里面，故不能被称为智慧的良善；至于婴孩或童年初期的良善，它本身的确是好的，但不如另外两种好，因为它还没有任何聪明的真理，或说明白的那种真理与它联合，因而没有变成某种智慧的良善，只是一个能变成智慧良善的层面或基础。良善和真理的知识或认知能使得一个人获得人类智慧，或说使他像一个人一样智慧。表示纯真的婴孩或童年初期本身并不属于婴孩或童年初期，而是属于智慧，这从本章末尾关于来世的小孩子的说明看得更清楚（2289-2309节）。
在本节，“二十”只表示无知或盲目的良善，如前所述。这种良善不仅是那些二十岁以下之人的特征，如前所述，还是所有处于仁之良善，同时处于对真理的无知之人的特征。后者包括教会之内那些处于仁之良善，却出于种种原因而不知道信之真理是什么的人，如：那些虔诚思想神，对邻舍思想善事的人大多都是这样的；所有在教会之外，被称为外邦人，同样活在仁之良善中的人也是如此。尽管这两种人都缺乏信之真理，但他们仍拥有某种良善，故在来世和小孩子一样拥有容易接受信之真理的官能；事实上，他们心智的理解力部分还没有被虚假原则或错误假设玷污，意愿部分没有因邪恶的生活而变得刚硬，因为他们不知道什么是虚假和邪恶。此外，仁爱的生活具有这种性质：无知的虚假和邪恶可以毫无困难被转向真理和良善。但那些确认反对真理，同时过着一种反对良善的生活之人不是这样。
在圣言的其它地方，“十分之二”表示良善，无论属天的还是属灵的。用来烤每个陈设饼或脸饼的面“十分之二”（利未记24:5）表示属天良善和源于这良善的属灵良善，而与公绵羊一同献上的素祭的“十分之二”表示属灵良善（民数记15:6；28:12，20，28；29:3，9，14）。蒙主的神性怜悯，我将在别处（7978，10140节）详述这些事。
Potts(1905-1910) 2280
2280. Peradventure twenty shall be found there. That this signifies if there be not anything of combat, but still there be good, is evident from the signification of "twenty." As all the numbers that are mentioned in the Word signify actual things, and states (as before said and shown in many places, see n. 2252), so also does "twenty;" and what it signifies can be seen from its derivation, namely, from twice ten. "Ten" in the Word, as also "tenths," signify remains, by which is meant everything good and true that the Lord insinuates into man from infancy even to the end of his life, and which are treated of in the following verse. Twice ten, or double tenths, that is, twenty, signify the same, but in a higher degree, namely, good. [2] Goods of three kinds are signified by remains, namely, the goods of infancy, the goods of ignorance, and the goods of intelligence. The goods of infancy are those which are insinuated into man from his very birth up to the age in which he is beginning to be instructed and to know something. The goods of ignorance are what are insinuated when he is being instructed and is beginning to know something. The goods of intelligence are what are insinuated when he is able to reflect upon what is good and what is true. The good of infancy exists from the man's infancy up to the tenth year of his age; the good of ignorance, from this age up to his twentieth year. From this year the man begins to become rational, and to have the faculty of reflecting upon good and truth, and to procure for himself the good of intelligence. [3] The good of ignorance is that which is signified by "twenty," because those who are in the good of ignorance do not come into any temptation for no one is tempted before he is able to reflect, and in his own way to perceive the nature of good and truth. Those who have received goods by means of temptations have been treated of in the two immediately preceding verses; those who have not been in temptations, and yet have good, are now treated of in this verse. [4] As those who have this good, which is called the good of ignorance, are signified by "twenty," all those who went forth from Egypt were reckoned from "a son of twenty years" and upward; or as it is expressed, "everyone going forth into the army," by whom are meant those who were no longer in the good of ignorance, concerning whom we read in Numbers (1:20, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 40, 42, 45; 26:4); and also that all those who were more than twenty years old died in the wilderness (32:10, 11), because evil could be imputed to them, and they represented those who yield in temptations; as well as that the valuing made of a male, from "a son of five years" to "a son of twenty years" was "twenty shekels" (Lev. 17:5); and another valuing from "a son of twenty years" old to one of sixty was fifty shekels (verse 3). [5] As regards the before-mentioned goods, namely those of infancy, of ignorance, and of intelligence, the case is this. The good of intelligence is the best, for this is of wisdom the good which precedes it, namely that of ignorance, is indeed good, but as there is but little of intelligence in it, it cannot be called the good of wisdom; and as for the good of infancy, it is indeed good in itself, but still it is less good than the other two; for as yet there is not any truth of intelligence adjoined to it, and thus it has not become any good of wisdom, but it is only a plane for being able to become so; for it is the knowledges of good and truth that cause a man to be wise as a man. Infancy itself, by which is signified innocence, does not belong to infancy, but to wisdom; as can be better seen from what will be said about little children in the other life, at the end of this chapter. [6] By "twenty," in this verse, as has been said, there is signified no other good than the good of ignorance which good is not only declared to be with those who are under their twentieth year, as already said, but also with all who are in the good of charity and at the same time in ignorance of truth, as are those within the church who are in the good of charity, but from whatever cause, do not know what the truth of faith is; as is the case with very many of those who think devoutly about God and kindly about the neighbor; and as is also the case with all outside the church, who are called Gentiles, and who in like manner live in the good of charity. Both the latter and the former, although not in the truths of faith, yet being in good, are in the faculty of receiving the truths of faith in the other life equally as are little children; for their understanding has not as yet been tainted with principles of falsity, nor their will so confirmed in a life of evil, because they are ignorant of its being falsity and evil; and the life of charity is attended with this: that the falsity and evil of ignorance may be easily bent to truth and good. Not so is it with those who have confirmed themselves in things contrary to the truth, and at the same time have lived a life in things contrary to good. [7] In other cases by "two tenths" in the Word is signified good both celestial and spiritual, good celestial and thence spiritual by the two tenths of which every loaf of the showbread or bread of faces was prepared (Lev. 24:5), and spiritual good by the two tenths of the meat-offering with the sacrifice of the ram (Num. 15:6; 28:12, 20, 28; 29:3, 9, 14), concerning which, of the Lord's Divine mercy elsewhere.
Elliott(1983-1999) 2280
2280. That 'perhaps twenty will be found there' means even if there is no existence of conflict but good is nevertheless present is clear from the meaning of 'twenty'. As all the numbers mentioned in the Word mean real things and states, as stated and shown in various places already, see 2252, so also does 'twenty'; and what twenty means becomes clear from how it may be obtained, namely from twice ten. In the Word ten, as also tenths, means remnants, and by these are meant everything good and true which the Lord instills into a person from earliest childhood through to the final period of life. Such remnants are referred to in the verse that follows this. Twice ten, or two tens, that is, twenty, is similar in meaning to ten, but to a higher degree, namely that of good.
[2] Three kinds of goods are meant by 'remnants' - those instilled in earliest childhood, those instilled when want of knowledge is still present, and those instilled when intelligence is present. The goods of earliest childhood are those instilled into a person from birth up to the age when he starts to be taught and to know something. The goods received when want of knowledge is still present are instilled when he is being taught and starting to know something. The goods that come with intelligence are instilled when he is able to reflect on what good is and what truth is. Good instilled in earliest childhood is received up to his tenth year.
[3] Good instilled when want of knowledge is still present is instilled from then until his twentieth year; and from this year the person starts to become rational and to have the ability to reflect on good and truth, and to acquire the good received when intelligence is present. The good instilled when want of knowledge is still present is that which is meant by 'twenty', because those with whom merely that good exists do not enter into any temptation. For no one undergoes temptation until he is able to reflect on and to perceive in his own way what good and truth are. Those who have acquired goods by means of temptations were the subject in the two verses previous to this, while in the present verse the subject is those who do not undergo temptations but who nevertheless possess good.
[4] It is because these who possess the good called 'good instilled during want of knowledge' are meant by 'twenty' that all those who had come out of Egypt were included in the census - from 'a son of twenty years and over', and who, as it is stated, were every one 'going into the army'- by whom were meant those whose good was no longer merely that instilled during want of knowledge, referred to in Num 1: 20, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 40, 42, 45; 26: 4. It is also said that all who were over twenty years of age died in the wilderness, Num 14: 29; 32: 10, 11, because evil could be attributed to them, and because they represented those who yield in temptations. Also the value set for a male who was between five years of age and twenty years was twenty sheckels, Lev 27: 5, whereas a different value was set for one between twenty years old and sixty, namely fifty shekels, Lev 27: 3.
[5] As regards the nature of these different kinds of goods- those instilled in earliest childhood, those when want of knowledge is still present, and those when intelligence is present - the last of these is the best, since it is an attribute of wisdom. The good which precedes it, namely that instilled during want of knowledge, is indeed good, but because it has only a small amount of intelligence within it, it cannot be called the good of wisdom. The good that belongs to earliest childhood is indeed in itself good, but it is nevertheless less good than the other two kinds, because it has not as yet had any truth of intelligence allied to it, and so has not become in any way the good of wisdom, but is merely a plane enabling it to become such. Cognitions of truth and good are what enable a person to be wise in the way possible to man. Earliest childhood itself, by which is meant innocence, does not belong to earliest childhood but to wisdom, as may become clearer from what will be stated at the end of this chapter about young children in the next life.
[6] In this verse 'twenty' means no other kind of good, as has been stated, than the good that belongs to not knowing. This good is a characteristic not only, as has been stated, of those under twenty years of age but also of all with whom the good of charity exists but who at the same time have no knowledge of truth. The latter consists of those inside the Church with whom the good of charity exists but who, for whatever reason, do not know what the truth of faith is - as is the case with the majority of those who think about God with reverence and think what is good about the neighbor - and also of all those outside the Church called gentiles who in a similar way lead lives abiding in the good of charity. Though the truths of faith do not exist with such persons outside the Church and inside it, nevertheless because good does so, they have the capacity, no less than young children do, to receive the truths of faith. For the understanding part of their mind has not yet been corrupted by false assumptions nor has the will part been so confirmed by a life of evil, for they do not know what falsity and evil are. Furthermore the life of charity is of such a nature that the falsity and evil that go with want of knowledge can be turned without difficulty towards what is true and good. This is not so in the case of those who have confirmed themselves in things contrary to the truth and who at the same time have led a life immersed in things contrary to good.
[7] In other places in the Word 'two-tenths' means good, both celestial and spiritual. Celestial good and spiritual good derived from this are meant by the two-tenths from which each loaf of the shewbread or of the Presence was made, Lev 24: 5, while spiritual good was meant by the two-tenths constituting the minchah that accompanied the sacrifice of a ram, Num 15: 6; 28: 12, 20, 28; 29: 3, 9,14. These matters will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with elsewhere.
Latin(1748-1756) 2280
2280. `Forte inventi fuerint ibi viginti': quod significet si non aliquid pugnae sed usque bonum, constat ex significatione `viginti': sicut omnes numeri qui in Verbo nominantur, significant res et status, ut prius passim dictum et ostensum, videatur n. 2252, ita quoque viginti, quae quid significant, constare potest a derivatione ejus, nempe a bis decem: `decem' in Verbo, sicut etiam `decimae,' significant `reliquias,' per quas significatur omne bonum et verum quod Dominus apud hominem ab infantia usque ad ultimum ejus aestatis insinuat, de quibus in versu sequente; `bis decem' seu `binae decimae,' hoc est, viginti, simile significant sed in superiore gradu, nempe bonum. [2] Triplicis generis bona per reliquias significantur, nempe bona infantiae, bona ignorantiae, et bona intelligentiae; bona infantiae sunt quae insinuantur homini a prima ejus nativitate usque ad aetatem qua incipit instrui et aliquid scire; bona ignorantiae sunt quando instruitur, et aliquid scire incipit; bona intelligentiae sunt quando reflectere potest quid bonum et quid verum: bonum infantiae est ab infantia hominis usque ad decimum annum aetatis ejus; [3] bonum ignorantiae ab hac aetate usque ad annum ejus vigesimum; ab hoc anno incipit homo rationalis fieri, et facultatem reflectendi super bonum et verum habere {1}, et sibi bonum intelligentiae comparare {2}: bonum ignorantiae est quod significatur per `viginti,' quia illi qui in bono ignorantiae sunt, non in aliquam tentationem veniunt; nemo enim tentatur priusquam reflectere potest, et percipere suo modo quid bonum et verum; de his qui bona acceperunt per tentationes, actum est in versibus binis qui proxime praecedunt, de illis nunc in hoc versu qui non in tentationibus, et usque bonum habent: [4] quia per `viginti' significantur hi {3}, qui hoc bonum quod bonum ignorantiae vocatur, habent, inde est quod omnes illi qui exierunt Aegypto recensiti sint a filio viginti annorum et supra, ac, ut dicitur, omnis exiens in exercitum, per quos intellecti illi qui non amplius in bono ignorantiae essent, de quibus, Num. i, 20, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 40, 42, 45; xxvi 4; et quod omnes illi qui supra viginti annos, mortui sint in deserto, Num. xiv 29; xxxii 10, 11 {4}; (m)quia illis imputari potuit malum, et repraesentabant eos qui succumbunt in tentationibus(n): tum quod aestimatio facta sit masculi a filio quinque annorum ad filium viginti annorum, viginti sicli, Lev. xxvii 5; et alia aestimatio a filio viginti annorum ad sexaginta, quinquaginta sicli, ibid. vers. 3. [5] Cum bonis illis, nempe infantiae, ignorantiae et intelligentiae, ita se habet: bonum intelligentiae est optimum, nam hoc est sapientiae; bonum quod praecedit, nempe ignorantiae, est quidem bonum, sed quia parum intelligentiae inest, non vocari potest bonum sapientiae; bonum autem infantiae est quidem in se bonum, sed usque est minus bonam quam priora, nam adhuc non adjunctum (o)est ei aliquid verum intelligentiae, ita non factum aliquod bonum sapientiae, sed est modo planum ut fieri possit; cognitiones boni et veri faciunt ut homo sicut homo sapiat; ipsa infantia per quam significatur innocentia, non est infantiae sed est sapientiae, ut melius constare potest ex illis quae de infantibus in altera vita, ad finem hujus capitis dicentur. [6] Per `viginti' in hoc versu non aliud bonum, ut dictum, significatur quam bonum ignorantiae; quod bonum non solum praedicatur esse apud eos qui sunt intra annum vigesimum, ut dictum, sed etiam apud omnes qui in bono charitatis sunt et simul in ignorantia veri, ut sunt illi intra Ecclesiam qui in bono charitatis, nec sciunt quid verum fidei, ex quacumque causa, ut sunt perplurimi ex illis qui sancte {5} de Deo et bene de proximo cogitant; tum quoque sunt omnes extra Ecclesiam qui gentes appellantur, et similiter in bono charitatis vivant; hi et illi, tametsi in veris fidei non sunt, usque quia in bono, in facultate sunt recipiendi vera fidei in altera vita, aeque ac infantes; intellectuale enim eorum nondum infectum est principiis falsi, nec voluntarium vita mali ita confirmatum [est], quia ignorant quod falsum et malum; et charitatis vita secum habet quod falsum et malum ignorantiae possit {6} facile flecti ad verum et bonum; non ita apud eos qui in contrariis vero se confirmarunt, et simul in contrariis bono vitam egerunt. [7] Alioquin `binae decimae' in Verbo bonum, tam caeleste quam spirituale, significant; bonum caeleste et inde spirituale per `duas decimas,' ex quibus unusquisque panis dispositionis et {7} facierum conficiebatur, Lev. xxiv 5; et bonum spirituale per `duas decimas' minhae super sacrificium arietis, Num. xv 6; xxviii 12, 20, 28; xxix 3, 9, 14; de quibus, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, alibi. @1 Before reflectendi.$ @2 After sibi.$ @3 i nempe.$ @4 A has Lev. xxxii 10, 11; Num. xiv 29. I has Lev. xxxii 10, 11.$ @5 i in externo cultu sunt, et.$ @6 S frequently uses a singular verb after bonum et verum or falsum et malum, and similar pairs of words.$ @7 aut.$