476. That 'male and female' means the marriage of faith and love has been stated and shown already. That is to say, 'male' or man (vir) means the understanding and what belongs to the understanding, and so what belongs to faith, while 'female' means the will, or what belongs to the will, and so what belongs to love. This also is why she was called Eve, from a word meaning life, which belongs to love alone. 'Female' therefore also means the Church, as also shown already, and 'male' the man (vir) of the Church. At present the subject is the state of the Church at the time it was spiritual and shortly to become celestial, which is why the word 'male' comes first, as it does also in 1:26-27. Furthermore the expression 'to create' has regard to the spiritual man. As soon however as that marriage has taken place, that is, the Church has become celestial, it is no longer called 'male and female' but 'Man' (Homo) who by virtue of the marriage means both. Consequently 'and He called their name Man', which means the Church, follows next.

7843. 'And all the congregation of the assembly of Israel shall slaughter it' means preparation for enjoyment by all in general belonging to the spiritual Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'slaughtering', when used in reference to the lamb or the she-goat for keeping the Passover, as preparation for enjoyment, the enjoyment of the good of innocence meant by the lamb and the she-goat; and from the meaning of 'all the congregation of the assembly of Israel' as by all in general belonging to the spiritual Church, dealt with above in 7830. 'The congregation of the assembly' means the truths of good which those belonging to that Church possess; for 'congregation' is used with reference to truth, 6355, and 'assembly' with reference to good.