883. 'The dove returned to him at evening time' means that these started to show themselves a little; and 'evening time' is similar to pre-morning twilight. This in like manner becomes clear from that has been stated already at verse 8, and also from the fact that here it is called 'evening time'. Concerning 'evening', see what has been stated in Genesis 1, where six times the statement is made 'there was evening and there was morning'. 'Evening' is a word that has to do with regeneration and indeed with that state when a person is still in near-darkness, or when there is still only a tiny quantity of light showing itself to him. Morning itself is described in verse 13 below by 'he removed the roof from the ark and saw out'. Because 'evening' meant the pre-morning twilight, mention of the evening is made so many times in the Jewish Church. This also is why sabbaths and festivals began from evening onwards, and why Aaron was commanded to light the sacred lamp 'in the evening', Exodus 27:21.

9162. 'When a man delivers to his companion an ass, or an ox, or a member of the flock, or any beast for safe keeping' means truth and good, exterior and interior, in the memory, and anything there belonging to an affection for them. This is clear from the meaning of 'ass', 'ox', and 'member of the flock' as truth, exterior and interior, dealt with above in 9135; from the meaning of 'beast' as an affection for good and truth, dealt with in 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714-716, 719, 1823, 2179, 2180, 2781, 3218, 3519, 5198, 7424, 7523, 9090; and from the meaning of 'being delivered for safe keeping' as being stored and held in the memory, dealt with above in 9149, 'man' [and] 'companion' being not two different persons but two [forms of truth] within a single person, 9149.