The Bible

 

Genesis 1:26

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26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Commentary

 

Return to Egypt

  

In Exodus 4:18, this signifies the continuation of the previous life. (Arcana Coelestia 7014)

In Exodus 13:17, this signifies to fall into falsities. (Arcana Coelestia 8097)

In John 13:3, this signifies to be conceived and to exist from the Divine in Himself, and to be united to Him as soul to body. (Arcana Coelestia 852[9])

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #670

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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:

1. literally, living soul

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.