1165. 在圣言中, “麦西” 或埃及表知识, 即各种记忆, 人们渴望藉此探究信之奥秘, 从而确认以此获得的谬念. “麦西” 还表简单的知识, 因而表有用的知识. 这一点不仅从刚才所引用的经文清楚看出来, 也可从很多其它经文看出来, 若全部引用, 必占用大量篇幅 (参看以赛亚书 19:1 到末尾; 30:1-3; 31:1-3; 耶利米书 2:18, 36; 42:14 到末尾; 46:1 到末尾; 以西结书 16:26; 23:3, 8; 29:1到末尾; 30:1到末尾; 何西阿书 7:11; 9:3, 6; 11:1, 5, 11; 弥迦书 7:5; 撒迦利亚书 10:10-11; 诗篇 80:8 和后面几节).

389. Verses 9-11. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those slain because of the Word of God, and because of the testimony that they held. And they cried out with a great voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And there were given to every one of them white robes; and it was said unto them that they should rest yet a little time, until their fellow-servants, as well as their brethren, who were to be killed, as they also were, should be fulfilled.

9. "And when he had opened the fifth seal," signifies still further prediction (n. 390); "I saw under the altar," signifies those who were preserved under heaven n. 391; "the souls of those slain because of the Word of God, and because of the testimony that they held," signifies those who were rejected and concealed because of Divine truth and because of their confession of the Lord. n. 392).

10. "And they cried out with a great voice," signifies their grief of mind (n. 393); "saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" signifies sighings to the Lord, who is Righteousness, respecting the judgment and removal of those who persecute and infest those who acknowledge the Lord, and are in the life of charity n. 394.

11. "And there were given to every one of them white robes," signifies Divine truth from the Lord with them, and protection n. 395; "and it was said unto them they should rest yet a little time," signifies some further continuance in that state (n. 396); "until their fellow-servants, as well as their brethren, who were to be killed, as they also were, should be fulfilled," signifies until all things were consummated n. 397.