9208. Verses 25-27 If you lend silver to My people, to the needy one with you, you shall not be like a money-lender to him; you shall not charge him interest. If you ever take your companion's clothing as a pledge you shall restore it to him even at the going in of the sun. For this is his only covering; it is his clothing for his skin, in which he may sleep; and it shall be, when he cries out to Me, that I shall hear, for I am merciful.

'If you lend silver to My people, to the needy one with you' means giving instruction to those who have no knowledge of truth and still have a desire to learn it. 'You shall not be like a money-lender' means that it must be done in a spirit of charity. 'You shall not charge him interest' means that therefore it must not be done for the sake of gain to be acquired from it. 'If you ever take your companion's clothing as a pledge' means if factual knowledge of truth is dispersed by illusions that are a product of sensory impressions. 'You shall restore it to him even at the going in of the sun' means that it is to be restored before the arrival of a state of shade induced by delights belonging to external kinds of love. 'For this is his only covering' means because sensory impressions lie on a level below more internal things. 'It is his clothing for his skin' means that they also clothe relatively external things. 'In which he may sleep' means resting on them. 'When he cries out to Me' means pleading to the Lord. 'I shall hear' means help. 'For I am merciful' means that such help comes wholly from Him, out of mercy.

2566. 'Flocks and herds' means, enriched with rational goods and natural goods.... This is clear from the meaning of 'flocks and herds'. The word 'flock' is used of those inside the Church who are truly rational, that is, who are internal people; and from this 'flock' also means - abstractedly - rational or internal goods themselves. Regarding the meaning of 'a flock', see 343, 415, 1565. The word 'herd' however is used of those inside the Church who are natural, that is, who are external people; and from this too 'herd' means - abstractedly - natural or external goods themselves. Regarding this meaning of 'herd', see 2180. It has been shown that 'beasts' has these meanings in 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 776, 1823, 2179. 'Abimelech took and gave' means that the doctrine of faith was enriched, for, as has been stated, 'Abimelech' means the doctrine of faith.