9090. 'And when a man's ox inflicts a blow on [his] companion's ox' means two truths with dissimilar affections, and the affection with one injures that with the other. This is clear from the meaning of 'inflicting a blow' as injuring truth, dealt with above in 9057; from the meaning of 'an ox' as an affection for good, and in the contrary sense an affection for evil in the natural, also dealt with above, in 9065; and from the meaning of 'a man' as truth, dealt with in 9034, so that 'man' and 'companion' mean two truths. The reason why dissimilar affections are what are meant is that they are oxen, by which affections are meant, that injure each other. For things which are dissimilar injure each other, but not those which are not dissimilar.

[2] Those unacquainted with the nature of representatives and correspondences may be astonished to learn that 'an ox', being a beast, can mean an affection for good or an affection for evil present with a person But let them know that all beasts mean such things as belong to some affection or inclination. This is very well known in the spiritual world, for various kinds of beasts frequently make their appearance there, such as oxen' young bulls, cows, horses, mules, asses, sheep, she-goats, kids, and lambs; also evil beasts, such as tigers, panthers, bears, dogs, pigs, and serpents, as well as beasts seen nowhere on our planet; and in addition various kinds of birds.

[3] The idea that such creatures make their appearance there lies far beyond the belief of those who suppose that nothing exists apart from what they see with their bodily eyes. But these same people also refuse to believe in the existence of spirits or angels, even more so in the idea that they appear to themselves as persons, see one another, talk to one another, and touch one another. Their incredulity is due to their thinking so much on the level of the senses and the body that they suppose their bodies alone are living. This is why, as has been stated, the idea of such creatures lies far beyond their belief. But I have not only seen such sights thousands of times; I have also been told where the creatures I have seen come from, and what they are signs of. I have also accordingly been told that, when presented visually in animal forms, affections for good in the natural appear as harmless oxen, and affections for evil as harmful oxen, and that all other affections are presented in the forms of other animals. So it is that different kinds of beasts are the signs of the various kinds of affections in a person to which they correspond. But regarding these matters see what has been shown already in 142, 143, 246, 714-716, 719, 1823, 2179, 2180, 2781, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3218, 3519, 5198, 7523.

1672. 'And the kings who were with him' means the apparent truth that goes with that good. This is clear from the meaning of 'kings' in the Word. Kings, kingdoms, and peoples in the historical and prophetical sections of the Word mean truths and the things that belong to truths, as may be confirmed from many places. In the Word a careful distinction is made between people and nation, 'people' meaning truths, 'nation' goods, as shown already in 1259, 1260. Kings have reference to peoples, and not so much to nations. The children of Israel, before they sought to have kings, were 'a nation' and represented good, or that which is celestial; but after they desired a king and received one, they became 'a people' and represented not good or that which is celestial, but truth or that which is spiritual, and this was the reason why this was ascribed to them as a fault in 1 Samuel 8:7-end. This, in the Lord's Divine mercy, will be explained elsewhere. In the present verse, since 'Chedorlaomer' is referred to, and then the phrase 'the kings who were with him' is added, both good and truth are meant - good by 'Chedorlaomer' and truth by 'the kings'. But what kind of good and truth it was when the Lord's temptations first began has been stated above.