4378. And that the flocks and the herds are suckling with me. That this signifies goods both interior and natural, which as yet have not acquired Divine life, is evident from the signification of “flocks,” as being interior goods (n. 2566, 3783); and from the signification of “herds,” as being exterior or natural goods (n. 2566, and further, n. 2180, 2781); and from the signification of “suckling,” as being also recent goods, here spiritual goods that are being born in the natural. For in the state of infancy (in relation to the regeneration of man) spiritual things are in potency within; for spiritual life develops successively from one age to another, as from an egg. The age of infancy is as an egg to the age of childhood, and the age of childhood is as an egg to the age of youth and early manhood, and this as an egg to adult age; so that man is as it were being born continually. From this it is evident what is meant by goods both interior and natural which as yet have not acquired Divine life, and which are here signified by the flocks and the herds that are suckling. (See also what was said just above concerning the state of infancy, n. 4377)

715. As the most ancient people knew, and when they were in self-humiliation acknowledged, that they were nothing but beasts and wild beasts, and were men solely by virtue of what they had from the Lord, therefore whatever pertained to themselves they not only likened to but called beasts and birds; things of the will they compared to beasts, and called beasts; and things of the understanding they compared to and called birds. But they distinguished between good affections and evil affections. Good affections they compared to lambs, sheep, kids, she-goats, he-goats, rams, heifers, oxen-for the reason that they were good and gentle, and serviceable to life, since they could be eaten, and their skins and wool could furnish clothing. These are the principal clean beasts. But those which are evil and fierce, and not serviceable to life, are unclean beasts.