7556. 'And now send, assemble your livestock' means that the truth of good should be gathered. This is clear from the meaning of 'assembling' as gathering; and from the meaning of 'livestock' as the good of truth, and also the truth of good, dealt with in 6016, 6045. What the truth of good and the good of truth are, see 2063, 3295, 3332, 3669, 3688, 3882, 4337, 4353, 4390, 5526, 5733. The subject in this and the next two verses is the goodness and truth which the Lord places in safe keeping even within the evil. For goodness and truth which have not been linked to evils and falsities are not laid waste but are stored away interiorly by the Lord and at a later time brought out for use. The goodness and truth placed in safe keeping within a person by the Lord are meant in the Word by 'the remnant', regarding which, see 468, 530, 560, 561, 576, 661, 798, 1738, 1906, 2284, 5135, 5342, 5344, 5897-5899, 6156.

5733. 'Fill the men's pouches with food' means into the natural, bringing the good of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'pouch' as the exterior natural, dealt with in 5497, and from the meaning of 'food' as the good of truth, dealt with in 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5487, 5582, 5588, 5655. From these meanings it is evident that 'he commanded the one who was over his house, Fill the men's pouches with food' means an influx from itself into the natural, bringing the good of truth. Since the expressions 'the good of truth' and 'the truth of good' occur rather often, the difference between the two should be stated. Anyone unacquainted with what the celestial Church is when compared with the spiritual Church cannot possibly know the difference. The truth of good is a characteristic of the celestial Church, the good of truth a characteristic of the spiritual Church. With members of the celestial Church good was implanted in the will part of the mind, the proper place for good to be seated. From that good - that is, through that good received from the Lord - they had a perception of truth; that is why the truth of good resided with them. But with members of the spiritual Church good is implanted in the understanding part of the mind, by means of truth; for all truth belongs in the understanding. They are led by means of truth towards good, for good consists for these people in putting truth into practice, which is why the good of truth resides with them. This is the situation, properly speaking, with those two Churches; but the truth of good is also attributed to those who belong to the spiritual Church, even though they are not properly speaking in possession of it, for reasons which will be discussed elsewhere.