47. That these words contain arcana concerning regeneration becomes additionally clear from the fact that verse 24 above spoke of the earth bringing forth 'living creatures, beasts, and wild animals of the earth', while in the verse that followed the order was different, namely that God made the wild animals of the earth first and then the beasts. Indeed a person does first produce things so to speak from himself, and continues to do so until he becomes celestial. And so regeneration begins with the external man and moves on to the internal. This is why there is a different order here, with external things coming first.

8081. 'And it shall be when your son asks you' means perception springing from truth that belongs to conscience. This is clear from the meaning of 'asking' as knowledge gained by perception, dealt with in 5597, 5800, 6250; and from the meaning of 'son' as truth, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373. The fact that perception springing from truth that belongs to conscience is meant is evident from the explanation in 7935, where similar words occur. The expression 'springing from truth that belongs to conscience' is used because the conscience of members of the spiritual Church is a conscience composed of truth; for it is acquired from the things taught by the Church which are believed to be truths, whether they are in fact truths or not. But they become matters of conscience when they also become matters of life.