9140. And shall let his beast go in. That this signifies if he does this with but little consciousness, is evident from the signification of a “beast of burden,” as being bodily pleasure, or appetite. That it signifies with but little consciousness, is because when a man is in these cupidities, he consults reason but little, and thus has but little consciousness of what he is doing. All beasts, of whatsoever genus and species, signify affections; gentle and useful beasts, good affections; and fierce and useless beasts, evil affections (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 714-719, 1823, 2180, 2781, 3218, 3519, 5198, 7523, 7872, 9090). When a beast is called a “beast of burden” it signifies mere bodily affections which have in them but little reason; for the more a man acts from the body, the less he acts from reason, the body being in the world, thus remote from heaven, where genuine reason is. Moreover, in the original tongue a “beast of burden” is so called from its brutishness and stupidity, thus from its little consciousness; as in Isaiah 19:11; Psalms 49:10; 73:22; Jeremiah 51:17.

2782. And took two of his boys. That this signifies the former rational which He had adjoined, is evident from the signification of “boys.” A “boy” and “boys” signify various things in the Word; because these terms are applied not only to the sons of the house but also to the sons of the stranger, and to servants also; here to servants. (That man’s natural things which are to serve the rational are dignified by “servants” also in the Word, may be seen above, n. 1486, 1713, 2541, 2567.) As however they are not here called “servants,” but “boys,” the former or merely human rational, which was to serve the Divine rational, is signified; as may also be seen from the very series of the things.