Commentary

 

Camel

  
wisemen ornament
wisemen travelling

In Genesis 24:10, 64, this signifies in general worldly knowledge in the natural man. (Arcana Coelestia 3046, 4104)

In Jeremiah 49:32, this signifies memory-knowledges used to confirm truths or falsities. (Apocalypse Explained 417[7])

A camel (Matthew 22:24) signifies scientific knowledge.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 3048, 10227)


From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3047

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3047. Verse 10. And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his lord, and departed, and every good of his lord was in his hand; and he arose and went to Aram-naharaim, unto the city of Nahor. “The servant took ten camels, of the camels of his lord, and departed,” signifies general Divine memory-knowledges in the natural man; “and every good of his lord was in his hand,” signifies the goods and truths of these knowledges with it;” “and he arose” signifies elevation; “and went to Aram-naharaim,” signifies the knowledges of truth therefrom; “to the city of Nahor,” signifies kindred doctrinal things.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3019

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3019. Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his house. That this signifies the arrangement in order and influx of the Lord in His natural, which is the “servant the elder of the house,” is evident from the signification here of “saying” as being to command, because it is said to a servant; and as the subject here treated of is the disposition by the Divine of the things that are in the natural man; “to say” denotes to arrange in order and to flow in; for all that is done in the natural or external man is arranged in order by the rational or internal man, and is effected by influx. That the “servant the elder of the house” is the natural, or the natural man, is evident from the signification of “servant,” as being that which is lower and which serves what is higher; or what is the same, that which is outer and serves what is inner (see n. 2541, 2567). All things that are of the natural man, such as memory-knowledges of whatever kind, are nothing but things of service; for they serve the rational by enabling it to think equitably and will justly. That the “elder of the house” is the natural man, may be seen from what follows.

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