774. That by the “wild animal after its kind” is signified every spiritual good, and by “beast after its kind” every natural good, and by “creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” every sensuous and corporeal good, has been stated and shown before n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246). At first view it may appear as if it could not be that the “wild animal” signifies spiritual good; yet that this is the true signification appears from the series of expressions, in that mention is first made of “they” meaning the man of the church; next of “wild animal;” then of “beast;” and lastly of “creeping thing.” So that “wild animal” involves what is of higher worth and excellence than “beast” the reason of which is that in the Hebrew language the expression “wild animal” means also an animal in which there is a living soul. And so it does not here mean every wild animal, but every animal in which there is a living soul, for it is the same word. That by “animals” “beasts” and “creeping things that creep upon the earth” are signified things pertaining to the will, has been stated and shown before, and will be further shown in what presently follows, where birds will be spoken of.

142. Verses 19-20. And Jehovah God formed out of the ground every beast of the field, and every fowl of the heavens, and brought it to the man to see what he would call it; and whatsoever the man called every living soul, that was the name thereof. And the man gave names to every beast, and to the fowl of the heavens, and to every wild animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a help as with him. By “beasts” are signified celestial affections, and by “fowls of the heavens” spiritual affections; that is to say, by “beasts” are signified things of the will, and by “fowls” things of the understanding. To “bring them to the man to see what he would call them” is to enable him to know their quality, and his “giving them names” signifies that he knew it. But notwithstanding that he knew the quality of the affections of good and of the knowledges of truth that were given him by the Lord, still he inclined to his Own, which is expressed in the same terms as before-that “there was not found a help as with him.”