Animals in the Bible generally refer to spiritual activity, the things we actually do on a spiritual level. "Cattle," as typically used in the Bible, mean a collection of domesticated animals owned by one person or group (including other animals along with cows). It makes sense, then, that cattle would represent the spiritual activities we "own" and have "domesticated."

What are the good things we like to see in ourselves and encourage? What true ideas do we keep in mind, ponder, and use in our decision-making? These can come in great varieties and from many different sources, just as a variety of animals could be part of "cattle," but the key is that we own them, care for them and use them.

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 415, 3786, 4105, 4106, 4391, 4440)

4487. 'Their acquisition, and their purchase' means their truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'acquisition and purchase' as truths. But a distinction exists between these two expressions in that 'acquisition' when also used of small cattle means the good of truth, for that is what is meant by 'small cattle', but the good of truth is truth in will and action, see 4337, 4353, 4390. 'Purchase' however, which is elsewhere called 'the purchase of silver', means truth. The former - the good of truth - is called celestial truth, whereas the latter is called spiritual truth, 2048. Celestial truth is truth which has been made part of life, whereas spiritual truth is truth that constitutes doctrine.