9308. 'Lest you provoke him' means turning away from Him through falsities arising from evil. This is clear from the meaning of 'provoking', or rousing to anger - when it has reference to the Lord, who is 'the angel' here - as turning away through falsities arising from evil; for every falsity arising from evil is a turning away from the Lord, dealt with in 4997, 5746, 5841.

5746. 'And you are to say to them, Why are you repaying evil for good?' means, Why the turning away? This is clear from the meaning of 'repaying evil for good' as turning oneself away. Evil is nothing other than a turning away from good, for a person governed by evil spurns good, that is to say, spiritual good, which is the good of charity and faith. The fact that evil is a turning away is quite evident from evil people in the next life; they are seen in the light of heaven with feet pointing upwards and heads downwards, see 3641. Thus they are completely upside down and are consequently turned away.