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.

7523. And it shall be upon man and upon beast. That this signifies which are from evil interior and exterior, is evident from the signification of “man,” as being the affection of good, and in the opposite sense the cupidity of evil; in like manner “beast;” but when “man and beast” are mentioned, then by “man” is signified interior affection or cupidity, and by “beast” exterior (see n. 7424). The interior good and also the interior evil which are signified by “man” are those which are of the intention or end, for the intention or end is the inmost of man; but the exterior good and also the exterior evil which are signified by “beast” are those which are of the thought, and of the consequent action when nothing stands in the way. That what is exterior is signified by “beast” is because in respect to his external or natural man, a man is nothing else than a beast, for he takes delight in the like cupidities and pleasures, as also in the like appetites and senses. And the reason why that which is interior is signified by “man” is that man is man in respect to the internal or spiritual man, taking delight there in the affections of good and truth, such as belong to the angels in heaven, and also because through this he rules his natural or animal man, which is a beast. (That a “beast” denotes the affection of good, and in the opposite sense the yearning of evil, see n. 45-46vvv3, 142-143, 246, 714-715, 719, 776, 2179-2180, 3218, 3519, 5198)

[2] Such is the signification of “man and beast” also in the following passages, in Jeremiah:

Mine anger and My wrath have been poured out upon this place, upon man and upon beast (Jeremiah 7:20).

I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they shall die of a great pestilence (Jeremiah 21:6).

It shall make her land a desolation, that none shall dwell therein; from man even to beast they have scattered, they have gone away (Jeremiah 50:3).

When a land sinneth against Me by trespassing a trespass, I will cut off from it man and beast (Ezekiel 14:13, 19, 21).

I will stretch out My hand upon Edom, and will cut off from it man and beast; and I will make it a waste (Ezekiel 25:13).

I will consume man and beast, I will consume the bird of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks together with the wicked; and I will cut off man from the surfaces of the land (Zeph. 1:3).

[3] “Man and beast” denote interior and exterior good in the following passages, in Jeremiah:

I have made the earth, the man and the beast, by My great power (Jeremiah 27:5).

Behold the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast (Jeremiah 31:27).

The earth shall be a desolation, so that there is no man or beast (Jeremiah 32:43).

In the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are laid waste, no man and no inhabitant and no beast (Jeremiah 33:10; 51:62).

Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God; Thy judgments are a great deep; O Jehovah, Thou preservest man and beast (Psalms 36:6).

Because such things were signified by “man and beast,” therefore the firstborn of the Egyptians died, both of men and of beasts (Exodus 12:29); and therefore the firstborn were sanctified, both of man and of beast (Numbers 18:15); and therefore also from a holy rite it was commanded by the king of Nineveh, that both man and beast were to fast, and were also to be covered with sackcloth (Jonah 3:7-8).