62. The stages and states of the regeneration of man - both of mankind and of the individual person - divide into six and are called the days of his creation. Gradually from being no man at all, he first becomes something, though only little, then something more, until the sixth day is reached, when he becomes 'an image'.

6676. 'If it is a son you shall kill him' means that if it was a form of truth, they were to destroy it in whatever way they could. This is clear from the meaning of 'a son' as a form of truth, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373; and from the meaning of 'killing' as destroying, for the word is used in reference to truth. But they were to destroy it by whatever method they could; for the evil are unable among the good to destroy truths.