8526. 'To be kept for your generations' means which those belonging to the spiritual Church possess. This is clear from the meaning of 'generations' as aspects of faith and charity, dealt with in 613, 2020, 2584, 6239, so that in the more limited sense those who belong to the spiritual Church are meant. For they are the ones who are governed by faith and charity and the ones who are represented by the children of Israel, whose 'generations' are referred to here. 'To be kept for them' means to preserve the memory of it.

1145. That 'these are the generations of the sons of Noah' means derivative matters of doctrine and derivative forms of worship in the Ancient Church, which in general is Noah, is clear from the meaning of 'generations', dealt with already. In the external or literal sense, generations involve one being begotten from another, as is well known; but in the internal sense everything has regard to things that are celestial and spiritual, that is, to what are matters of charity and of faith. Thus 'generations' here means things of the Church, and therefore matters of doctrine, as will be better evident from what follows.