7425. All the dust of the land became louse in all the land of Egypt. That this signifies that these evils were from the things that had been damned, is evident from the signification of “the dust of the land,” as being what is damned (of which above, n. 7418); from the signification of “lice,” as being evils (n. 7419); and from the signification of “the land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind (of which also above, n. 7420).

246. That the “beast and the wild animal of the field” signify affections, is evident from what was previously said concerning them n. 45, 46), to which it is permitted to add the following passage from David:

Thou, O God, dost send the rain of Thy kindnesses; Thou confirmest Thy laboring inheritance; Thy wild animal shall dwell therein (Psalms 68:9-10),

where also “wild animal” denotes the affection of good, because it is said that it shall “dwell in the inheritance of God.” The reason why here, and also in chapter 2, the “beast and the wild animal of the field” are mentioned, while in chapter 1, the “beast and the wild animal of the earth” are named, is that the present passage treats of the church or regenerated man, whereas the first chapter related to what was as yet not a church, or to man about to become regenerate; for the word “field” is applied to the church, or to the regenerate.