3163. 'So it was, when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he bowed down to the earth to Jehovah' means the perception of joy in the natural man. This is clear from the meaning of 'hearing the words' as perceiving, from the representation of 'Abraham's servant' as in general the natural man insofar as it is subservient to the rational, here to the Divine, dealt with in 3019, 3020, and from the meaning of 'bowing down to Jehovah' as rejoicing, dealt with in 2927, 2950, 3118.

2950. 'Abraham bowed before the people of the land' means the Lord's joy at the goodwill of those who belonged to the new spiritual Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'bowing' here as feeling joy, as also above in 2927, from the representation of 'Abraham' as the Lord, often dealt with already, and from the meaning of 'the people of the land' as those who belong to the spiritual Church, dealt with above in 2928, where the same words occur. But there it is said that 'he bowed to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth', verse 7; and the reason why the expression 'the sons of Heth' is added there is that members of the Church who are first introduced [to truth] are meant, as is also meant by 'the sons of the people', 2947. The present verse however refers to those who are making progress, and therefore simply 'the people of the land' is used without the addition of 'the sons of Heth'. The previous verse meant His joy at being received kindly, the present His joy at their goodwill. Reception comes first because it is an activity of the understanding, goodwill after because it is an activity of the will, see 2954.