4. As long as the mind confines itself to the sense of the letter alone one cannot possibly see that its contents are such. Take for instance these first sections of Genesis: From the sense of the letter the only subject matter people recognize is the creation of the world, and the Garden of Eden which is called Paradise, and Adam as the first man to be created. Who thinks anything different? The fact that these things contain arcana however which have never been revealed up to now will be sufficiently clear from what follows - especially clear from the fact that the subject of Genesis 1 is, in the internal sense, the NEW CREATION of man, that is, in general his REGENERATION, and in particular the Most Ancient Church. And the subject is presented in such a way that not the smallest part of any expression fails to have a representation, carry a spiritual meaning, or embody something within itself.

774. '[Every] wild animal according to its kind' means all spiritual good, '[every] beast according to its kind' all natural good, and '[every] creeping thing that creeps over the earth [according to its kind]' all sensory and bodily good. This has been stated and shown already in 45, 46, 142, 143, 246. At first glance however it does not look at all possible for 'wild animal' to mean spiritual good. It becomes clear that it does so from the train of thought: first of all 'they' are mentioned, that is, the member of the Church, after that 'wild animal', then 'beast', and finally 'creeping thing'. Consequently 'wild animal' embodies something nobler and more excellent than 'beast' does, the reason being that in Hebrew the word used also means a living creature which contains a living soul. And so here also it does not mean a wild animal but a living creature containing a living soul, for it is the same word. That 'living creatures, beasts, and creeping things that creep over the earth' means things of the will has been stated and shown already, and further evidence will be shown later on where birds are dealt with.