2395# "因为我们要毁灭这地方"象征他们所处的邪恶状态将导致他们自我定罪，这一解释源于"毁灭"一词在内在意义上的含义。当用于主时，它指的是因邪恶而灭亡，即被定罪。同时，"地方"一词也象征着邪恶的状态，如第2393节所述。
在圣经中，我们经常看到"耶和华毁灭"这样的表述。但在更深层的意义上，这实际上是指人自己导致了自己的毁灭，而非耶和华或主亲自毁灭任何人。之所以在圣经中如此表述，是因为表面上看起来似乎是耶和华或主所为，因为他洞察并掌管一切。这种表述的目的是让人们保持一种基本认知：一切都在主的注视之下，一切都在他的掌控之中。一旦人们接受了这个基本概念，就能更容易地接受进一步的教导。因为对圣经内在意义的解释，本质上就是对这种普遍认知的详细阐述。
另一个原因是让那些缺乏爱的人保持敬畏之心，从而敬畏主，并为了寻求救赎而投奔于他。因此，即使内在意义教导的是另一层含义，相信字面意思也并无害处，只要这种信仰出于纯洁的心。这个话题将在后面的第24节经文的解释中（参2447节）有更详细的讨论，那里提到"耶和华将硫磺与火降在所多玛和蛾摩拉上"。
天使们因为理解圣经的内在意义，所以绝不会认为耶和华或主会毁灭任何人，他们甚至无法忍受这种想法。因此，当人们阅读圣经中这类描述时，字面意思会被搁置一旁，最终演变成这样的理解：是邪恶本身毁灭了人，而主并不毁灭任何人。这一点可以从第1875节的例子中得到印证。
2395、“我们要毁灭这地方”表示他们所处的邪恶状态会定他们的罪。这从“毁灭”和“地方”的含义清楚可知：当论及主时，“毁灭”在内义上是指因邪恶而灭亡，也就是被定罪，或说邪恶毁灭或定罪；“地方”是指一种邪恶的状态（2393节）。圣言经常说耶和华“毁灭”；但它在内义上是指人毁灭自己，因为耶和华或主不毁灭任何人。但表面上看，似乎是耶和华或主毁灭人，因为祂看见并掌管每一个事物。因此，圣言在许多地方以这些词语说话，好在人们里面维持总体观念，即：一切事物都在祂的视线和监管之下。一旦人们被保持在这种观念中，以后他们就能很容易地接受教导，因为对圣言内义的解释无非是阐明或填充总体观念的细节。
另外一个目的是让那些缺乏爱的人被保持在惧怕中，由此对主心存敬畏，并逃到祂那里寻求拯救。这表明，相信字义不会造成伤害，即便内义教导的是别的东西，只要这种相信是出于简单的心。下文（19:24；2447节）会详述这些要点，在那里，经上说：耶和华将硫磺与火如雨般降与所多玛和蛾摩拉。天使因拥有内义而如此远离“耶和华或主毁灭人”这种想法，以至于无法想象这种可能性。因此，当人阅读圣言中的这些和其它类似的话时，字义可以说被抛到脑后，最终变成这种观念：毁灭人的，是邪恶本身；主不毁灭任何人，这从前面给出的例子（1875节）可以看出来。
Potts(1905-1910) 2395
2395. For we will destroy this place. That this signifies that the state of evil in which they were would condemn them, is evident from the meaning of "destroying," when predicated of the Lord, as being in the internal significance to perish by evil, that is, to be condemned; and also from the signification of "this place," as being a state of evil (n. 2393). It is frequently said in the Word that Jehovah "destroys;" but in the internal sense it is meant that man destroys himself; for Jehovah or the Lord destroys no one. But as from the fact of His seeing and regulating all things in both general and particular it appears as if the destruction came from Jehovah or the Lord, it is so expressed in many places in the Word, to the end that men may thereby be kept in a most general idea that all things are under the Lord's eyes, and all things under His auspices; for if at first they are kept in this idea, they can afterwards be easily instructed. For the explications of the Word as to the internal sense are nothing but particulars that elucidate a general idea. [2] Another reason why it is so expressed is that they who are in no love are kept in fear, and thereby stand in awe of the Lord, and flee to Him for the sake of deliverance. This shows that it does no harm to believe the sense of the letter, even though the internal sense teaches something else, provided that it is done from a simple heart. But these things will be treated of more fully in what follows, at verse 24 (n. 2447), where it is said that Jehovah caused it to rain brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah. The angels, being in the internal sense, are so far from thinking that Jehovah destroys anyone that they cannot endure even the idea of such a thing; and therefore when these and other such things are read in the Word by man, the sense of the letter is cast away as it were to the back, and at last passes into this: that evil itself is what destroys man, and that the Lord destroys no one (as may be seen from the example given above in n. 1875).
Elliott(1983-1999) 2395
2395. 'For we are destroying this place' means that the state of evil which was theirs would condemn them. This is clear from the meaning of 'destroy', when used of the Lord, as - in the internal meaning - to perish from evil, that is, to be condemned; and also from the meaning of 'place' as a state of evil, 2393. The expression 'Jehovah destroys' occurs many times in the Word, but in the internal sense the meaning is that man destroys himself, for Jehovah or the Lord destroys no one. But because it does seem as though Jehovah or the Lord were the author of such destruction since He sees every single thing and governs every single thing, that expression occurs in various places in the Word, for the reason that it holds men to the very general idea that all things are before the Lord's eyes and all things under His guidance. Once they are held to that idea men can then be taught easily, for explanations of the Word giving its internal sense are nothing other than the details that fill out the general idea. There is the further reason that those who do not have love are held in fear, and in that fear revere the Lord and flee to Him for deliverance. From this it is evident that it does no harm to believe the sense of the letter, even though the internal sense teaches something other, provided that such belief is that of a simple heart. But these points are dealt with more fully further on at verse 24, in 2447, where it is said that 'Jehovah rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire'. Because they have the internal sense angels are so far removed from thinking of Jehovah's or the Lord's destroying anybody that they do not tolerate the very idea. Consequently when man reads these and similar statements in the Word, the sense of the letter is so to speak pushed to the back and at length merges into the teaching that evil itself is what destroys a person and that the Lord destroys nobody, as becomes clear from the example referred to in 1875.
Latin(1748-1756) 2395
2395. `Quia perdentes nos locum hunc': quod significet quod status mali in quo erant, damnaret eos, constat a sensu `perdere' cum praedicatur de Domino, quod in significatu interno sit perire a malo hoc est, damnari; tum a significatione `loci' quod sit status mali, n. 2393. Multoties in Verbo occurrit quod `Jehovah perdat,' sed in sensu interno intelligitur quod homo semet perdat, Jehovah enim seu Dominus nullum perdit, sed quia apparet sicut foret a Jehovah seu Domino, quia omnia et singula videt, et omnia et singula regit, ita passim locutum est in Verbo ob causam ut inde homines teneantur in communissima idea, quod omnia sub oculis Domini sint, et omnia sub Ipsius auspicio, in qua idea cum primum tenentur, dein possunt facile instrui; explicationes enim Verbi quoad sensum internum, non sunt nisi quam singularia quae communem ideam elucidant: causa etiam est quod qui in nullo amore sunt, teneantur in timore, et sic vereantur Dominum et ad Ipsum propter liberationem fugiant; inde patet quod nihil noceat quod credatur sensui litterae, tametsi internus aliud docet, modo illud fiat ex simplici corde; sed de his plenius in sequentibus ad vers. 24, n. 2447, ubi dicitur quod `Jehovah pluere fecit super Sodomam et Amoram sulphur et ignem'; tantum abest ut angeli quia in sensu interno sunt, cogitent quod Jehovah seu Dominus aliquem perdat, ut solam ejus rei ideam non sustineant, quare cum haec et similia in Verbo ab homine leguntur, rejicitur quasi ad tergum sensus litterae, et abit tandem in illum, quod ipsum malum sit quod perdit hominem, {1} et quod Dominus neminem perdat, ut constare potest ab exemplo, de quo n. 1875. @1 A i et sic damnat illum. This should probably have been deleted for it continues et quod Dominus neminem perdat, minus damnet, quia nihil nisi bonum ab Ipso. From minus to Ipso is then deleted.$