9509.“要造两个基路伯”表若不通过爱之良善，就不可进入或接近主。这从“基路伯”的含义清楚可知，“基路伯”是指警觉和天命，免得不通过爱之良善而接近主。由于“基路伯”表示这一点，所以它们被摆放在柜子的施恩座以上，并出于同样的原因而用实金制造。因为“（约）柜”表示主所在的天堂（参看9485节），“金”表示爱之良善（9490节）。若不通过爱之良善就不可接近主的原因是，爱是属灵的结合，一切良善皆属于爱。因此，那些处于对主之爱的良善之人就被带到天堂里的主那里，因为他们与主结合。那些处于对邻之爱的良善之人也是如此；事实上，邻舍就是同胞的利益、国家的利益、教会的利益和整个主国度的利益，在至高意义上就是主自己，因为主是与人同在的这良善的源头。
人在重生期间会经历两种状态，一个跟随着另一个。第一个就是人通过信之真理被引向爱之良善时的状态；第二个就是他处于爱之良善时的状态；当处于爱之良善时，他就与主同在天堂。由此明显可知，这良善就是与人同在的天堂本身，因为这良善就是与他同在的主，它的源头就是主。关于一个正在重生的人所经历的这两种先后状态，可参看前文（参看7923，7992，8505，8506，8510，8512，8516，8643，8648，8658，8685，8690，8701，9224，9227，9230，9274节）；当一个人处于良善时，也就是当被主通过良善引导时，他就进入天堂（8516，8539，8722，8772，9139节）。
“基路伯”表示警觉和天命，免得不通过爱之良善而接近主或天堂，也就是说，除了那些处于爱之良善的人之外有什么人接近主或天堂；也免得对来自主、存在于天堂并与人同在的良善造成任何伤害；这一点从圣言中提到“基路伯”的经文明显看出来，如创世记：
于是祂把那人赶出去了，又使基路伯住在伊甸园的东边，使自行转动的剑的火焰把守生命树的道路。（创世记3:24）
“基路伯”在此是指充当守卫的事物，这是显而易见的，因为经上说“把守生命树的道路”。“生命树”是指来自主，因此就是主的爱之良善；它通过若不通过爱之良善就不可接近而得到守卫。
有人以为通过信之真理就能接近主；但是，如果这些真理与爱之良善分离，通过它们是不可能接近主的。一旦分离的真理想要进入，天堂，也就是通向主的道路就会关闭。由于真理无法凭自己进入，除非良善在它里面，它由此而变成良善之真理，所以理解力也不能进入，与意愿的良善分离的记忆知识更不能进入。
由于“基路伯”表示警觉和天命，免得不通过爱之良善而接近主，以及天堂，所以在圣言中，经上说耶和华“坐在基路伯上”，以及骑在基路伯上、住在基路伯上，如以下经文：
以色列的牧者啊，求你侧耳过来，坐在基路伯上的啊，求你发出光来！（诗篇80:1）
诗篇：
耶和华要作王，万民当战抖！祂坐在基路伯上。（诗篇99:1）
又：
耶和华骑着基路伯飞行。（诗篇18:10）
以赛亚书：
住在基路伯上的万军之耶和华。（以赛亚书37:16）
由于同样的原因，居所的帘子，以及幔子上也有基路伯（出埃及记26:1，31；36:35）；它们也在殿周围的墙上和门上（列王记上6:23-29，31-35）；同样在以西结书（41:18-20）所描述的新殿中。居所的帘子，以及幔子、殿的墙和那里的门上有基路伯，表示主的警觉，免得不通过爱之良善而接近神性的圣洁；柜子上有基路伯表示若不通过这良善不可接近主自己。这也解释了为何基路伯由实金制造，在耶路撒冷的殿中则油木制造；因为“金”和“油”表示爱之良善。
主的这种警觉和天命在以西结书（1:1，10）中被描述为“四活物”，其中每一个都有四张脸，在主所坐的宝座之下；在启示录（4:6-10；5:6，8，9，14）还被描述为在主所坐的宝座周围的四活物。“四活物”表示从主发出，警觉并守卫，免得不通过对主之爱的良善和对邻之爱的良善就让什么东西进入的表面各异的良善。主所坐的“宝座”表示天堂（5313节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 9509
9509. And thou shalt make two cherubs. That this signifies no admission and approach to the Lord except through the good of love, is evident from the signification of "cherubs," as being guard and providence lest the Lord should be approached except through the good of love. As this was signified by the "cherubs," they were placed over the propitiatory [mercy seat] that was upon the ark, and therefore they were made of solid gold; for by the "ark" is signified heaven where the Lord is (see n. 9485), and by "gold," the good of love (n. 9490). That there is no approach to the Lord except through the good of love, is because love is spiritual conjunction, and all good is of love. Therefore those who are in the good of love to the Lord are brought in to Him in heaven, because they are conjoined with Him; and so are those who are in the good of love toward the neighbor, for the neighbor is the good of one's fellow citizen, the good of our country, the good of the church, the good of the whole kingdom of the Lord, and in the supreme sense, the Lord Himself, because from Him is this good with man. [2] During regeneration man has two states, one after the other. The first one is when the man is led by means of the truths of faith to the good of love. The second is when he is in the good of love; and when he is in this, he is in heaven with the Lord. From this it is evident that this good is heaven itself with man, because this good is the Lord with him, for it is from the Lord. (Concerning these two successive states with the man who is being regenerated, see n. 7923, 7992, 8505, 8506, 8510, 8512, 8516, 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701, 9224, 9227, 9230, 9274; and that a man comes into heaven when he is in good, that is, when he is led by the Lord by means of good, n. 8516, 8539, 8722, 8772, 9139.) [3] That the "cherubs" signify guard and providence lest the Lord and also heaven be approached except through the good of love, that is, except by those who are in the good of love; and also lest the good which is from the Lord in heaven and with man be injured; is evident from the passages in the Word where "cherubs" are mentioned; as in Genesis:
And He cast out the man; and He caused to dwell at the east of the garden of Eden cherubs, and the flame of a sword that turned itself, to guard the way of the tree of lives (Gen. 3:24);
that "the cherubs" here are guards is evident, for it is said "to guard the way of the tree of lives." "The tree of lives" denotes the good of love which is from the Lord, thus the Lord; and it is guarded by its not being approached except through the good of love. [4] It is believed that the Lord can be approached through the truths of faith; but He cannot be approached through these truths when they are separated from the good of love; nor indeed can heaven; but as soon as truths separated wish to enter, heaven is closed against them, thus the way to the Lord; and as truth cannot enter by virtue of itself, unless good is in it, and it thereby becomes the truth of good, so neither can the understanding, and still less can memory-knowledges separated from the good of the will. [5] As guard and providence lest the Lord be approached, and also heaven, except through the good of love, is signified by "the cherubs," therefore in the Word Jehovah is said "to sit on the cherubs," and also "to ride" and "to dwell upon the cherubs," as in the following passages:
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that sittest upon the cherubs, shine forth (Ps. 80:1). Jehovah shall reign; the peoples shall shake. He sitteth on the cherubs (Ps. 99:1). Jehovah rode upon a cherub, and did fly (Ps. 18:10). Jehovah Zebaoth, that dwellest on the cherubs (Isa. 37:16). And for this reason there were cherubs on the curtains of the Habitation, and on the veil (Exod. 26:1, 31; 36:35); and also upon the walls of the temple round about, and upon the doors thereof (1 Kings 6:23-29, 31-35); and in like manner in the new temple described in Ezekiel (41:18-20). That there were cherubs upon the curtains of the Habitation, upon the veil, upon the walls of the temple, and upon the doors of it, signified the guard of the Lord lest the holy Divine should be approached except through the good of love; and that there were cherubs upon the ark signified that the Lord Himself was not to be approached except through this good. Therefore also the cherubs were made of solid gold, and in the temple at Jerusalem were made of wood of oil, for by "gold" and by "oil" is signified the good of love. [6] This guard and providence of the Lord is described by the four animals, each of which had four faces, under the throne on which the Lord was, in Ezekiel (1, 10); and also by the four animals round about the throne on which the Lord was, in Revelation (4:6-10; 5:6, 8, 9, 14). By "the four animals" is signified under various aspects the good that proceeds from the Lord, and guarding and protecting lest there be admitted anything else except the good of love to the Lord, and the good of love toward the neighbor; by the "throne" upon which the Lord was, is signified heaven.
Elliott(1983-1999) 9509
9509. 'And you shall make two cherubs' means that there is no admission or access to the Lord except through the good of love. This is clear from the meaning of 'cherubs' as watchfulness and providence, guarding against access to the Lord except through the good of love. Since this was meant by the cherubs, they were placed over the mercy-seat that was over the ark; and they were for the same reason made from solid gold. For 'the ark' means heaven where the Lord is, 9485, and 'gold' means the good of love, 9490. The reason why there is no access to the Lord except through the good of love is that love is spiritual togetherness, and all good belongs to love. Those therefore who are governed by the good of love to the Lord are brought to Him in heaven, because they have been joined together with Him. So too are those who are governed by the good of love towards the neighbour; for the neighbour is the good of a fellow-citizen, the good of one's country, the good of the Church, the good of the whole of the Lord's kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself since He is the source of that good present with a person.
[2] There are two states that a person passes through while being regenerated, one of which follows the other. The first is a state during which he is led by means of the truths of faith to the good of love; the other is one in which he is governed by the good of love, and when governed by it he is in heaven with the Lord. From this it is evident that this good is heaven itself present with the person, that good being the Lord present with him because its source is the Lord. Regarding these two states that a person who is being regenerated passes through, one of which follows the other, see 7923, 7992, 8505, 8506, 8510, 8512, 8516, 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701, 9224, 9227, 9230, 9274; and the fact that a person comes into heaven when governed by good, that is, when led by the Lord by means of good, 8516, 8539, 8722, 8772, 9139.
[3] It is clear from places in the Word where 'cherubs' are mentioned that they mean watchfulness and providence, guarding against access to the Lord or to heaven except through the good of love, that is, except by those governed by the good of love, and also guarding against any harm being done to the good from the Lord which is present in heaven and with a person, as for instance in Genesis,
And He expelled the man, and away from the east towards the garden of Eden He caused the cherubs to dwell, and the flame of a sword turning itself this way and that to guard the way to the tree of life. Gen 3:24.
Here it is self-evident that things which serve as guards are meant by 'the cherubs', since it says 'to guard the way to the tree of life'. 'The tree of life' is the good of love, which comes from the Lord and for that reason is the Lord; and it is guarded by the prevention of any access except through the good of love.
[4] It is thought that the Lord is accessible through the truths of faith. But there can be no access to Him, nor even to heaven, through those truths if they have been separated from the good of love. As soon as separated truths wish to enter, heaven, which is the way to the Lord, is closed. And since truth cannot enter by itself unless it has good within it, and by virtue of this has come to consist of good, neither can understanding do so, still less factual knowledge, if separated from good desired by the will.
[5] Because watchfulness and providence guarding against access to the Lord, or for that reason to heaven, except through the good of love is meant by 'the cherubs', the Word says that Jehovah is seated on the cherubs, also rides and dwells upon the cherubs, as in David,
Turn Your ears, O Shepherd of Israel; You who are seated upon the cherubs, shine forth. Ps 80:1.
In the same author,
Jehovah will reign, the peoples will be shaken. He is seated on the cherubs. Ps 99:1.
In the same author,
Jehovah rode on a cherub, and flew. Ps 18:10.
And in Isaiah,
Jehovah Zebaoth is dwelling on the cherubs. Isa 37:16.
For the same reasons there were cherubs upon the curtains of the dwelling-place, and upon the veil, Exod 26:1, 31; 36:35; they were also upon the walls of the temple round about and upon the doors there, 1Kings 6:23-29, 31-35, and similarly in the new temple, as described in Ezekiel 41:18-20. The presence of the cherubs on the curtains of the dwelling-place, on the veil, on the walls of the temple, and on the doors there, was a sign of the Lord's watchfulness, guarding against access to Divine Holiness except through the good of love; and the presence of the cherubs over the ark was a sign that no one should gain access to the Lord Himself except through that good. This also explains why the cherubs were made from solid gold, and in the Jerusalem temple from olive wood; for 'gold' and 'olive oil' mean the good of love.
[6] That watchfulness and providence of the Lord is described in Ezekiel by 'the four living creatures', each of which had four faces, under the throne where the Lord was, Ezek. 1:1-end; 10:1-end, and also in John by 'four living creatures' around the throne where the Lord was, Rev. 4:6-10; 5:6, 8, 9, 14. By 'the four living creatures' is meant the good, varying in appearance, which emanates from the Lord, and which watches and guards against the letting in of anything other than the good of love to the Lord and the good of love towards the neighbour. By 'the throne' on which the Lord was seated heaven is meant, 5313.
Latin(1748-1756) 9509
9509. `Et facies binos cherubos': quod significet intromissionem et aditum ad Dominum non nisi quam per bonum amoris, constat ex significatione `cheruborum' quod {1}sint custodia et providentia ne adeatur Dominus (x)nisi per bonum amoris; quia id per cherubos significabatur, ideo ponebantur super propitiatorio quod super (x)arca, et ideo facti sunt ex auro solido; nam per `arcam' significatur caelum ubi Dominus, n. 9485, et per `aurum' bonum amoris, n. 9490. Quod non sit aditus ad Dominum quam per bonum amoris, est causa quia amor est conjunctio spiritualis, et omne bonum est amoris; qui itaque in bono amoris in Dominum sunt, illi ad Ipsum in caelo introducuntur, quia Ipsi sunt conjuncti; similiter qui in bono amoris erga proximum sunt, nam proximus est bonum concivis, bonum patriae, bonum Ecclesiae, bonum totius regni Domini, et in supremo sensu Ipse Dominus, quia ab Ipso id bonum apud hominem. Sunt bini status homini {2}dum regeneratur, et succedit unus 2 alteri, unus qui (t)primus, est cum ducitur per {3}vera fidei ad bonum amoris, alter cum in bono amoris est, in quo cum est, in caelo apud Dominum est; inde patet quod id bonum sit ipsum caelum apud hominem, quia id bonum est Dominus apud illum, est enim a Domino; de binis illis statibus successivis apud hominem qui regeneratur, videatur n. 7923, 7992, 8505, 8506, 8510, 8512, 8516, 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701, 9224, 9227, 9230, 9274, et quod homo in caelum veniat quando in bono est, hoc est, quando per bonum ducitur a Domino, n. 8516, 8539, 8722, 8772, 9139. Quod `cherubi' significent custodiam et providentiam ne Dominus, 3 nec caelum, {4}adeatur nisi per bonum amoris, hoc est, nisi ab illis qui in bono amoris sunt, tum quoque ne bonum quod a Domino in caelo, et apud hominem, laedatur, constat a locis in Verbo ubi `cherubi' nominantur, ut {5} Gen. iii, Et ejecit hominem, et habitare fecit ab oriente ad hortum Edenis cherubos, et flammam gladii vertentis se, ad custodiendum viam arboris vitarum, vers. 24;quod ibi `cherubi' sint custodiae, patet, nam dicitur ad custodiendum viam arboris vitarum; arbor vitarum est bonum amoris quod a Domino, ita Dominus, et custoditur per quod non adeatur nisi per bonum amoris. Creditur quod Dominus adiri possit per vera fidei, {4}sed per illa 4 separata a bono amoris non (x)adiri {6}potest, ne quidem caelum, {7}sed ut primum vera separata intrare volunt, occluditur caelum, ita via ad Dominum; et quia verum non potest ex se intrare nisi in eo sit bonum, et per id factum boni, ita nec potest intellectuale, et minus scientifica separata a bono {8} voluntatis. Quia custodia et providentia ne adeantur Dominus, ita nec caelum, 5 nisi per bonum amoris, significatur per `cherubos,' ideo in Verbo dicitur `Jehovah {9}insidere cherubis,' tum '{10}equitare et habitare super cherubis,' ut apud Davidem, Pastor Israelis, adverte aures; Qui sedes super cherubis, effulge Ps. lxxx 2 [A.V. 1]:
apud eundem, Jehovah regnabit, commovebuntur populi, insidens cherubi Ps. xcix 1:
apud eundem, Jehovah equitavit super cherubo, et volavit, Ps. xviii 11 [A.V. 10]:
et apud Esaiam, Jehovah Zebaoth habitans cherubis, xxxvii 16:
et ideo {11} cherubi erant super aulaeis habitaculi, et super velo, Exod. xxv 1, 31, xxxvi 35, et quoque super parietibus templi circumcirca, et super foribus ibi, 1 Reg. vi 23-29, 31-35; similiter in novo templo, de quo apud Ezechielem, (x)xli 18-20; quod cherubi essent super aulaeis {12}habitaculi, super velo, super parietibus templi, et super foribus ibi significabat custodiam Domini ne adiretur Sanctum Divinum nisi per bonum amoris, et quod essent cherubi super arcam, significabat quod Ipse Dominus non adiretur nisi per illud bonum; ideo quoque cherubi facti sunt ex auro solido, et in templo {13}Hierosolymitano ex ligno olei, nam per `aurum' et per {14}'oleum' significatur bonum amoris. 6 Custodia et providentia illa Domini describitur per quattuor: animalia, quorum unicuique quattuor facies, infra thronum ubi Dominus, apud Ezechielem i I-fin., et x I-fin.; {15}et quoque per quattuor animalia circum thronum ubi Dominus, apud Johannem in Apocalypsi iv 6-10, v 6, 8, 9, 14; per `quattuor animalia' significatur bonum sub varia specie procedens a Domino, et custodiens (c)ac tutans ne intro mittatur aliud quam bonum amoris in Dominum et bonum amoris erga proximum; per thronum super quo Dominus significatur caelum n. 5313. @1 sit$ @2 qui$ @3 verum$ @4 After amoris$ @5 i in$ @6 potest Dominus, nec$ @7 d ut i nam$ @8 i quod$ @9 insidens$ @10 equitans et habitans$ @11 i quoque$ @12 tentorii$ @13 Hierosolymae$ @14 lignum olei$ @15 ac per eadem$