3835. 'And Laban gave to her Zilpah his servant-girl - to Leah his daughter to be her servant-girl' means external affections or external bonds which are subservient means. This is clear from the meaning of 'a servant-girl' as external affections, dealt with in 1895, 2567. Laban's giving her means that they derive from a parallel good springing from a common stock, for this is the source of such affections. They are called external bonds because all affections are bonds, see 1077, 1080, 1835, 1944. For nothing else holds someone in bonds than his affection. No person's affection seems to him to be a bond, but it is nevertheless called such for the reason that it governs him and is for him binding. Internal affections however are called internal bonds, even as affections for truth and good are called the bonds of conscience. External bonds or affections correspond to these, for everything internal possesses a corresponding external. Since it is by means of external things that one who is being regenerated is introduced to internal things, and since this state is the subject here, mention is therefore made here of Laban's servant-girl's being given to his daughter Leah as a servant-girl. This description means that the kind of affections which served as means were given. The fact that these affections were the most external, like those called bodily affections, is evident from the consideration that 'Leah' represents the affections for external truth. But in the Lord's Divine mercy more about these matters too will appear elsewhere.

2566. 'Flocks and herds' means, enriched with rational goods and natural goods.... This is clear from the meaning of 'flocks and herds'. The word 'flock' is used of those inside the Church who are truly rational, that is, who are internal people; and from this 'flock' also means - abstractedly - rational or internal goods themselves. Regarding the meaning of 'a flock', see 343, 415, 1565. The word 'herd' however is used of those inside the Church who are natural, that is, who are external people; and from this too 'herd' means - abstractedly - natural or external goods themselves. Regarding this meaning of 'herd', see 2180. It has been shown that 'beasts' has these meanings in 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 776, 1823, 2179. 'Abimelech took and gave' means that the doctrine of faith was enriched, for, as has been stated, 'Abimelech' means the doctrine of faith.