4748.“用骆驼驮着香料、乳香、没药”表内层属世真理。这从“骆驼”和“香料、乳香、没药”的含义清楚可知：“骆驼”总体上是指属于属世人、服务于属灵人的事物，具体是指属世人里面总的记忆知识（3048，3071，3114，3143，3145，4156节）；“香料、乳香、没药”是指与属世人里面与良善联结的内层属世真理，如下文所述。古人在举行神圣敬拜时会用到香味浓郁的芳香物质；他们从这些物质中获取乳香和香料；类似事物还与他们用来膏抹的油调和。但如今没有人知道为何使用这些香料，因为人们完全不知道古人在敬拜时所用的东西来源于天堂里的属灵和属天之物，并与它们相对应。人类已如此远离天堂的属灵和属天之物，并沉浸于属世、世俗和肉体之物，以致他住在模糊中，许多人则对任何属灵或属天之物的存在持否定态度。
在古人当中，乳香和香料之所以用在神圣仪式上，是因为“气味”对应于感知，“香味”，如各种香料所具有的芳香，对应于怡人和愉悦的感知，如对源于良善的真理，可源于仁的信之感知。事实上，彼此的对应是这样：在来世，每当主乐意时，感知本身在来世就转化为气味（可参看前面从经历所告知的内容，925，1514，1517-1519，3577，4624-4634节）。至于此处“香料、乳香、没药”具体表示什么，这可从提及它们的其它经文看出来。一般来说，它们表示属世人里面的内层真理，不过，是那些源于那里的良善的真理；因为真理凭自己无法构成属世人，但良善藉着真理能构成属世人。因此，其多样性取决于与良善联结的真理的品质，故而取决于良善的品质；因为良善从真理获得自己的品质。
“基列”表示诸如属于感官、被称为愉悦的那种外层良善（4117，4124节），而“埃及”在正面意义上表示记忆知识，也就是与该良善相对应或相一致的属世人的外在真理（1462节）。因此，从基列来，用骆驼驮着香料、乳香、没药，要带下埃及去的以实玛利人表示他们将其基于自己的记忆知识的内层真理带到“埃及”所表示的记忆知识；对此，容后再述。内层真理是基于外层真理，也就是记忆知识的结论；因为属世人的记忆知识是能针对内层真理得出结论，并由此识别它们的手段，就像有人从别人的面部表情和目光的闪烁，以及语气、举止和行为识别他的心智状态一样。
由于这类真理是人的属世层得以越发完善和纠正所借助的手段，所以医治被归因于这种香料；如耶利米书中的乳香：
在基列岂没有乳香呢？在那里岂没有医生呢？我百姓为何不得痊愈呢？（耶利米书8:22）
同一先知书：
埃及的处女哪，可以上基列取乳香去；你虽多服药物，总是徒然，你必不得医治。（耶利米书46:11）
又：
巴比伦忽然倾覆毁坏，要为她哀号；为止她的疼痛，拿乳香或者可以治好。（耶利米书51:8）
与此类似的物品表示属灵事物，这明显可见于启示录：
地上的客商也都为她哭泣悲哀，因为没有人再买他们的货物了。这货物就是金，银，宝石，珍珠，细麻布，紫色料，绸子，朱红色料，各样香木，各样象牙的器皿，各样极宝贵的木头和铜，铁，大理石的器皿，并肉桂，香料，香膏，乳香，酒，油，细面，麦子，牲口，羊，马，车，并人的身体和灵魂。（启示录18:11-13）
这些物品绝不会被如此具体地列举出来，除非其中的每种物品都表示诸如在主的国度和教会中那类事物。否则，它们就是没有真正意义的词语。众所周知，“巴比伦”表示那些将对主的一切敬拜变成对自我的敬拜，因而外在神圣，内在亵渎的人。正因如此，他们的“货物”表示他们为了自我敬拜刻意而巧妙发明出来的东西，以及他们为了迎合自己而扭曲的取自圣言的教义事物并良善与真理的知识。因此，这几节经文所提到的个别物品表示其发明的具体特征；“肉桂，香料，香膏，乳香”表示源于良善的真理；但对他们来说，是歪曲的真理和出于邪恶的虚假。
类似事物可见于以西结书关于推罗货物的记载：
犹大和以色列地的人都与你交易；他们用米匿的麦子、饼、蜜、油、乳香兑换你的货物。（以西结书27:17）
此处“乳香”也表示源于良善的真理。对不相信圣言内义的人来说，所有这些表述纯粹是词语，因而是里面什么也没有的器皿；而事实上，它们含有神性、属天和属灵事物在里面。
Potts(1905-1910) 4748
4748. With their camels bearing spices and balsam and stacte. That this signifies interior natural truths, is evident from the signification of "camels," as being in general those things of the natural man that serve the spiritual, and specifically general memory-knowledges in the natural man (n. 3048, 3071, 3114, 3143, 3145, 4156); and from the signification of "spices, balsam, and stacte," as being interior natural truths conjoined with good in the natural man (of which in what follows). In the holy worship of the ancients use was made of sweet smelling and fragrant things, among which were their frankincense and incenses; and the like things were also mixed with the oils with which they were anointed. But the origin of this practice is at this day unknown, because it is entirely unknown that the things which were used in the worship of the ancients originated in spiritual and celestial things which are in the heavens, and corresponded to them. Man has so far removed himself from the things of heaven, and plunged into natural, worldly, and bodily things, that he is in obscurity, and many are in the negative, as to the existence of anything spiritual or celestial. [2] The reason why frankincense and incenses were used in sacred rites among the ancients, is that odor corresponds to perception, and a fragrant odor, such as that of spices of various kinds, to a grateful and pleasing perception, such as is that of truth from good, or of faith from charity. Indeed the correspondence is such that in the other life, whenever it is the good pleasure of the Lord, perceptions themselves are changed into odors (as may be seen in what has been said above from experience, n. 925, 1514, 1517-1519, 3577, 4624-4634). What is here signified in detail by "spices, balsam, and stacte," may be seen from other passages in which they are mentioned. In general they signify interior truths in the natural, but such as are from good therein; for truths by themselves do not make the natural, but good by truths. Hence its varieties are according to the quality of the truth conjoined with good, consequently according to the quality of the good; for good has its quality from truths. [3] As by "Gilead" is signified exterior good such as is of the senses and is called pleasure (n. 4117, 4124), and as by "Egypt" in a good sense are signified memory-knowledges which are the external truths of the natural man corresponding to this good, or agreeing with it (n. 1462), therefore by Ishmaelites from Gilead carrying on camels those spices down to Egypt is signified that they carried their interior truths from their own memory-knowledges, to the memory-knowledges signified by Egypt (of which hereafter). Interior truths are conclusions from exterior truths, or from memory-knowledges; for the memory-knowledges of the natural man serve as a means for drawing conclusions about, and thus viewing, interior things; in like manner as anyone views the mind of another in his countenance, in the vibration of the light in his eyes, and in the life of the tone of his voice, and in that of his gesture and action. [4] As it is by such truths that man's natural is perfected and also amended, healing is therefore ascribed to spices of this kind-as to balsam in Jeremiah:
Is there no balsamic gum in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then doth not the health of my people go up? (Jer. 8:22). Go up into Gilead, and take balsam, O virgin daughter of Egypt; in vain hast thou multiplied medicines; there is no healing for thee (Jer. 46:11). Babylon is suddenly fallen and shattered, howl upon her, take balsam for her pain, if so be she may be healed (Jer. 51:8). [5] That such things have a spiritual signification is very evident in Revelation:
The merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over Babylon; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more; merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearl, and fine linen, and crimson, and silk, and scarlet; and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel made of most precious wood, and brass, and iron, and marble; and cinnamon, and incense, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and bodies and souls of men (Rev. 18:11-13);
these things would never have been so specifically enumerated unless each one of them signified such things as are in the Lord's kingdom and in His church, for otherwise they would have been words without meaning. It is known that by "Babylon" are signified those who have turned aside all worship of the Lord to the worship of self, and who are thus in a profane internal while they are in a holy external, wherefore by their "merchandise" are signified the things which they have studiously and artfully invented for the sake of self-worship, and also doctrinal things and knowledges of good and truth from the Word which they have perverted in their own favor. Thus by the particulars here mentioned such things are specifically signified, and by "cinnamon," "incense," "ointment," and "frankincense" truths from good; but in relation to them truths perverted and falsities from evil. [6] The same is true of what is related in Ezekiel of the merchandise of Tyre:
Judah and the land of Israel were thy traders; in wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, in honey and oil, and balsam, they furnished thy trading (Ezek. 27:17);
here also by "balsam" is signified truth from good. To one who does not believe in the internal sense of the Word, all the foregoing expressions must be bare words, thus vessels containing nothing within; and yet Divine, celestial, and spiritual things are in them.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4748
4748. 'And their camels carrying spices, and resin' and stacte' means interior natural truths. This is clear from the general meaning of 'camels' as things belonging to the natural man which serve the spiritual, and from their specific meaning as general facts within the natural man, dealt with in 3048, 3071, 3114, 3143, 3145, 4156; and from the meaning of 'spices, resin, and stacte' as interior natural truths joined to the good there, which are dealt with below. Among the ancients, sweet smelling and fragrant substances were used in their sacred worship; from these substances they obtained their frankincense and incense, similar substances being mixed with oil for their anointings. But no one today knows why those fragrances were used, for the reason that no knowledge at all exists of the fact that all aspects of the worship of the ancients had their origin in the spiritual and celestial things existing in heaven, or that those aspects of it corresponded to these. Mankind has been removing itself so far from spiritual and celestial things, immersing itself in natural, worldly, and bodily ones, that it lives in obscurity, many people having a negative attitude of mind to the existence of anything spiritual or celestial.
[2] The reason frankincense and incense were used among the ancients in sacred acts of worship is that 'odour' corresponds to perception, and 'a fragrant odour' - like that of the aromas which various kinds of spices have - to a pleasing and acceptable perception, as is the perception of truth derived from good, or of faith from charity. Indeed the correspondence of one to the other is such that, as often as it pleases the Lord, actual perceptions in the next life are converted into odours. Regarding these, see what has already been told from experience in 925, 1514, 1517-1519, 3577, 4624-4634. What specifically is meant here by 'spices, resin, and stacte' may be seen from other places where these three are mentioned. In general they mean interior truths within the natural, but those truths which are derived from the good there; for truths do not on their own constitute the natural, but good does by means of truths. Consequently variations exist, conditioned by what the truth joined to the good is like and therefore by what the good is like, since the particular nature of the good depends on what the truths are like.
[3] 'Gilead' means exterior good like that belonging to the senses, called pleasure, 4117, 4124, while 'Egypt' in the good sense means facts, which are the external truths of the natural man that correspond to, that is, are in accord with, that good, 1462. Therefore the reference to Ishmaelites from Gilead bringing down those aromatic commodities on camels to Egypt means bringing their own interior truths, based on their own facts, to the facts meant by 'Egypt', which matters are dealt with below. Interior truths are conclusions based on exterior truths, that is, on facts; for the facts belonging to the natural man are the means that enable conclusions to be drawn about interior truths and thereby to identify them, just as a person identifies another's state of mind in his facial expressions and in the twinkling of light in his eyes, as well as in his tone of voice and his gestures.
[4] Because such truths are the means by which a person's natural is made more perfect and also receives correction, healing is therefore associated with spices of this kind - with resin, for example, in Jeremiah,
Is there no balsamic resin in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why has not the healing of the daughter of my people arisen? Jer 8:22.
In the same prophet,
Go up to Gilead to take resin, O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you have multiplied medicaments; there is no healing for you. Jer 46:11.
In the same prophet,
Suddenly Babel has fallen and been broken; wail over her! Take resin for her pain; perhaps she will be healed. Jer 51:8.
[5] Wares similar to this mean spiritual things, as is quite evident in John,
The merchants of the earth will weep and will mourn over Babel, that nobody buys their wares any longer, wares of gold and silver, and precious stones, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel made of most precious wood, and bronze, and iron, and marble, and cinnamon, and incense, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and draught-cattle, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and the bodies and souls of people. Rev 18:11-13.
These wares would never have been listed in this specific manner if each and all had not meant the kinds of things that exist in the Lord's kingdom and in His Church. Otherwise they would have been words that had no real meaning. It is well known that 'Babel' means those who turn all worship of the Lord into worship of themselves, so that profanity exists inwardly while outwardly they are doing what is holy. This being so, 'their wares' means the things which, for the sake of worship of themselves, they themselves have invented enthusiastically and skillfully, as well as doctrinal teachings and ideas of good and truth from the Word which they have twisted to suit themselves. Thus the individual wares mentioned in these verses mean specific features of their invention, 'cinnamon, incense, ointment, and frankincense' meaning truths that are derived from good, but with those people perverted truths and falsities that are the products of evil.
[6] Something similar may be seen in what is recorded in Ezekiel regarding the wares of Tyre,
Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders. Wheat of minnith and pannag, and honey, and oil, and resin, they exchanged for your trading. Ezek 27:17.
Here also 'resin' means truth derived from good. To one who has no belief in the internal sense of the Word all these expressions will be mere words and so vessels with nothing in them, when in fact they hold Divine, celestial, and spiritual things within them.
Latin(1748-1756) 4748
4748. `Et cameli illorum ferentes aromata, et resinam, et stacten': quod significet vera interiora naturalia, constat ex significatione `camelorum' quod sint in genere illa quae sunt naturalis hominis inservientia spirituali, et in specie scientifica communia in naturali homine, de qua n. 3048, 3071, 3114, 3143, 3145, 4156; et ex significatione `aromatum, resinae et stactes' quod sint vera interiora naturalia conjuncta ibi bono, de quibus sequitur. Apud antiquos in cultu eorum sacro adhibita sunt (t)suaveolentia et fragrantia, inde tura eorum et suffimenta, etiam similia immiscebantur {1} oleis quibus ungebantur; sed hodie nescitur unde hoc; causa est quia prorsus nescitur quod illa quae fuerunt in cultu apud antiquos, traxerint originem ex spiritualibus et caelestibus quae sunt in caelis, et quod illis corresponderint;removerat se homo in tantum ab illis, et immerserat naturalibus, mundanis et corporeis, ut in obscuro sit, et multi in negativo quod aliquid spirituale et caeleste sit. [2] Quod tura et suffimenta in sacris apud antiquos adhibita sint, inde est quia `odor' correspondet perceptioni, `odor fragrans' ut aromatum varii generis, perceptioni gratae et acceptae, qualis est veri ex bono, seu fidei ex charitate; immo talis est correspondentia ut ipsae perceptiones in altera vita quoties Domino beneplacet, vertantur in odores; de his videantur quae prius ab experientia, n. 925, 1514, 1517-1519, 3577, 4624-4634. Quid in specie hic significant aromata, {2} resina et {2} stacte, constare potest ab aliis locis ubi nominantur; in genere significant interiora vera in naturali, sed quae ex bono ibi, nam vera per {3} se id non faciunt, sed est bonum per vera; inde varietates se habent secundum quale veri conjuncti bono, proinde secundum quale boni, nam bonum suum quale habet a veris. [3] Quia per `Gileadem' significatur bonum exterius quale est sensualium ac quod volupe vocatur, n. 4117, 4124, et per `Aegyptum' in bono sensu scientifica quae sunt vera naturalis hominis externa illi bono correspondentia, seu cum illo concordantia, n. 1462, ideo per `quod Jishmaelitae ex Gileade super camelis deferrent aromatica illa ad Aegyptum' significatur quod sua vera interiora ex suis scientificis, ad scientifica quae per Aegyptum significantur, de quibus sequitur {4}. Vera interiora sunt conclusiones ex veris exterioribus seu scientificis, scientifica enim naturalis hominis sunt media inservientia concludendi et sic intuendi interiora, similiter sicut quis alterius animum intuetur in vultu ejus et in vibratione lucis ejus oculorum inque vita soni loquentis ac gestuum agentis. [4] Quia vera talia sunt per quae naturale {5} hominis perficitur et quoque emendatur, idcirco aromatibus hujusmodi {6} adscribitur sanatio, sicut resinae, apud Jeremiam, Num resina balsamica non est in Gilead? num medicus non ibi, quare non ascendit sanitas [filiae] populi mei? viii 22:
apud eundem, Ascende Gilead, et sume resinam virgo filia Aegypti, in vanum multiplicasti medicamenta, sanatio non tibi, xlvi 11:
apud eundem, Subito cecidit Babel, et confracta est, ejulate super eam, sumite resinam pro dolore, forte sanabitur, li 8:
[5] quod similia significent spiritualia, patet manifeste apud Johannem, Mercatores terrae flebunt, et plangent super Babele, quod merces eorum nemo emat amplius; merces auri {7} et argenti, et lapidis pretiosi, et margaritae, et byssi, et purpurae, et serici, et coccini, et omne lignum thyinum, et omne vas elephantinum, et omne vas ex ligno pretiosissimo, et aere, et ferro, et marmore, et cinnamomum, et suffimenta, et unguenta {8}, et tus, et vinum, et oleum, et similam, et triticum, et jumenta, et oves, et equos, et redas, et corpora, et animas hominum, Apoc. xviii i 11-13;
haec nequaquam ita specifice recensita fuissent nisi singula significavissent talia quae in regno Domini et in Ecclesia Ipsius, alioquin fuissent voces nullius rei; quod per `Babelem' significentur illi qui omnem cultum Domini deflexerunt ad cultum sui, notum est, et sic qui in profano interno sunt cum in sancto externo, quapropter per merces eorum significantur illa quae propter cultum sui ipsi studio et arte invenerunt, ac doctrinalia et cognitiones boni et veri ex Verbo quas ad sui favorem perverterunt, ita per singula quae ibi memorantur in specie talia, et per `cinnamomum, suffimenta, unguenta et tus vera quae ex bono, at apud illos vera perversa et falsa ex malo. [6] Similiter quae de mercibus Tyri memorantur apud Ezechielem, Jehudah et terra Israelis fuerunt negotiatores tui in triticis minnith {9}, et pannag, in melle et oleo, et resina, dederunt negotiationem tuam, xxvii 17;
hic quoque per `resinam' significatur verum {10} ex bono; qui non credit sensum internum verbi, ei erunt omnia illa nudae voces, ita vasa in quibus nihil intus, cum tamen in illis sunt Divina, caelestia, et spiritualia. @1 immixta sunt$ @2 i quid$ @3 ex$ @4 A had ut instruerentur de quibus mox sequitur, but d and i as above. Comparison with 4749 suggests that possibly only mox should have been deleted.$ @5 rationale$ @6 talibus$ @7 A italicises only cinnamomum, suffimenta, unguentum and tus in this quotation.$ @8 unguentum$ @9 See note to n. 3941$ @10 i quod$