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.

6913. Verses 21-22 And I will give this people favour ¹ in the eyes of the Egyptians; and so it will be when you go, that you will not go empty-handed. And let a woman ask of her female neighbour, and of the female guest in her house, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and clothes; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. And you shall plunder the Egyptians.

'And I will give this people favour ¹ in the eyes of the Egyptians' means fear, on account of the plagues, which those steeped in falsities had of those belonging to the spiritual Church. 'And so it will be when you go, that you will not go empty-handed' means a life no longer destitute so far as the contents of the natural mind are concerned. 'And let a woman ask of her female neighbour, and of the female guest in her house' means that everyone's good will be enriched with such things as are suited to it. 'Vessels of silver' means factual knowledge of what is true. 'And vessels of gold' means factual knowledge of what is good. 'And clothes' means inferior factual knowledge corresponding to these. 'And you shall put them on your sons' means application to their truths. 'And on your daughters' means application to their forms of good. 'And you shall plunder the Egyptians' means that such things are to be taken away from those who are steeped in falsities and in evils arising from them.

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