5642. And slaying slay and make ready. That this signifies through the goods of the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of “slaying,” as involving that which is slain-an ox, a bullock, a he-goat, or other cattle-as being the goods of the natural (that an “ox” and a “bullock” are the goods of the natural may be seen above, n. 2180, 2566, 2781, 2830); here the goods of the exterior natural, because through these they were now first introduced to conjunction; for his “bringing the men to Joseph’s house” signifies the first introduction into the good which is from the celestial of the spiritual (see below n. 5645). As the “bullock” and “ox” signified the goods of the natural, everything done in regard to them also signified this good, for the one involved the other.

1910. And she conceived. That this signifies the first life of the rational, is evident from the signification of “conception,” as being the first life. As regards the rational, it receives its life, as before said, from the life of the internal man flowing into the life of the affection of knowledges [cognitiones et scientiae] in the exterior man. The life of the affection of these knowledges gives a sort of body to the rational, or clothes the life of the internal man as the body clothes the soul; for this is precisely the case with these knowledges. In everything appertaining to man, in everything of his affection and in everything of his thought, there is the idea or likeness of soul and body, for there is nothing, however simple it may appear, that is not composite, and that does not come forth from what is prior to itself.