670. That 'living creature' ¹ means things of the understanding, and 'all flesh' those of the will, becomes clear from what has been stated already, and also from what follows. In the Word 'living creature' means all animal life in general, as in Genesis 1:10, 21, 24; 2:19. Here however, because the phrase 'all flesh' is added immediately after, it means things which belong to the understanding, for the reason given already, that the regeneration of the member of this Church had to begin in the things of the understanding. This also is why in the next verse 'birds' are mentioned first, which mean things of the understanding or the rational, and 'beasts', which are those of the will, second. 'Flesh' in particular means bodily-mindedness which is a feature of the will.

Footnotes:

1694. That 'they took all the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah' means that they were stripped of the power to do evil is clear from the meaning of 'taking someone's wealth'. 'The wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah' is used to mean in the internal sense nothing else than evil and falsity, evil being meant here by 'the wealth' and falsity by 'the food'. In relation to the good, spiritual wealth and riches are nothing else than the goods and truths with which they are provided and enriched by the Lord; and therefore in relation to the evil, wealth and riches are nothing else than the evils and falsities which they have acquired to themselves. Such things are also meant in the Word by wealth. From these considerations it is clear that 'taking the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah' is depriving them of the power to do evil.