3197. 'Towards evening' means as compared with the things below it. This is clear from the meaning of 'evening' as obscurity, dealt with in 3056. And since the things of a lower nature in a person, namely those belonging to his natural mind, are in obscurity as compared with the things of a higher nature, namely those belonging to his rational mind, 'evening' therefore means those things which, compared with them in other states, are in obscurity, as may be seen from the train of thought in the internal sense. For the subject in the internal sense is truth from the natural that was to be joined to good in the rational. And since the subject at this point is the joining together of these two, and the enlightenment of the natural man through the rational, 'meditating in the field towards evening' therefore means a state of the rational that is immersed in good as compared with the things below it. The state of immersion in good is described by Isaac's dwelling 'in the land of the south', that is, dwelling in Divine light. Compared with this the things below the Rational dwelt in evening shade, before, that is, truth and good had been joined together and before the Natural too had been made Divine.

2971. 'The field and the cave which was in it' means as regards the good and truth of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the field' as the Church and also good itself which constitutes the Church (that which is celestial - or good that stems from love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour - is compared to 'the ground' as well as to the field, and is actually called these, because that which is celestial - or good - is the recipient of the truths of faith; and these truths are compared to and are also actually called 'seeds'); and from the meaning of 'a cave' as the truth of faith which is enveloped in obscurity, dealt with in 2935. It is said to be in obscurity because it is with spiritual people, see 1043, 2708, 2715.