3947. 'And will you take also my son's dudaim?' means that in that case the conjugial element linking natural good to external truth would be taken away. This is clear from the meaning of 'taking' here as taking away; from the meaning of 'dudaim' as the conjugial element, dealt with in 3942; and from the meaning of 'son' as truth, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, in this case external truth since it is Leah who is speaking and who, as shown above, means external truth.

1148. 'After the Flood' means from the time when this new Church emerged. Similarly this is clear from what has been stated in previous chapters. Actually the end of the Most Ancient Church and also the start of the Ancient Church is described by the Flood. It should be noted that the Church before the Flood is called the Most Ancient Church, but the Church after the Flood the Ancient Church.