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.

2623. 'A son' means the Divine Rational. This is clear from the meaning of 'a son'. In the internal sense of the Word 'a son' means truth, 489, 491, 533; and because truth is the principal element in the rational, 2072, 2189, 'a son' also means the rational. But here the Divine Rational is meant in which the principal element is good. 'Isaac' too, to whom 'a son' refers, represents this good, as will be shown further on.