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.

1577. That 'let there not be strife, now, between me and you, [and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen]' means that there ought to be no disagreement between the two becomes clear from what has been stated already. This agreement, or unity, of the internal man and the external man contains more arcana than can ever be fully told. The internal man and the external man have never been united in anyone - for it never has been possible nor is it ever possible for them to be united - except in the Lord; and this is a further reason why He came into the world. With people who are regenerate the internal man and the external man appear as though they are united; but in fact they are the Lord's, for the things that are in agreement are the Lord's, whereas those that are not are man's.

[2] There are two sides to the internal man, namely the celestial and the spiritual, and these two form a single entity if the spiritual has its origin in the celestial. Or what amounts to the same, there are the two sides to the internal man known as good and truth. These two form a single entity if truth has its origin in good. Or what also amounts to the same, there are the two sides to the internal man, love and faith. These two form a single entity if faith has its origin in love. Or what yet again amounts to the same, there are the two sides to the internal man, will and understanding. These two form a single entity if the understanding has its origin in the will. The light from the sun can serve to make the point plainer still. If both warmth and light are present in light from the sun, as they are in spring-time, all things consequently start to grow and thrive. But if, as in winter, there is no warmth in the light from the sun all things at that time consequently fade and die.

[3] From this it is clear what constitutes the internal man. What constitutes the external man however is evident from the fact that with the external man everything is natural; for the external man is one and the same as the natural man. The internal man is said to be united to the external when the celestial-spiritual comprising the internal man flows into the natural comprising the external man and causes them to act as one. The natural as a consequence becomes celestial and spiritual as well, though it is a lower variety of celestial and spiritual. Or what amounts to the same, the external man as a consequence becomes celestial and spiritual as well, though it is a more exterior variety of celestial and spiritual man.

[4] The internal man and the external man are completely distinct and separate since celestial and spiritual things are what move the internal man but natural things the external man. But although they are distinct they are nevertheless united, that is to say, when the celestial-spiritual comprising the internal man flows into the natural comprising the external man and reorganizes it as its own. In none but the Lord has the Internal Man been united to the external Man. It has happened to nobody else except insofar as the Lord has united and does unite them. It is solely love and charity, that is, good, which effects union, and there can never be any love and charity, that is, any good, unless it comes from the Lord. Such is the union which these words of Abram are meant to convey - 'let there not be strife, now, between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are men who are brothers'.

[5] The words 'between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen' are used for the following reason: just as the internal man has two elements, namely the celestial and the spiritual which, as has been stated, form a single entity, so too does the external man. The celestial side of the external man is called natural good, the spiritual side natural truth. 'Let there not be strife between me and you' has regard to good - that is, let there be no conflict between good in the internal man and good in the external, while 'let there be no strife between my herdsmen and your herdsmen' has regard to truth - that is, let there be no conflict between truth in the internal man and truth in the external.