4361. 'And Leah also came near, then her sons, and they bowed down' means the affection for the truth of faith so far as exterior things and their truths are concerned, and their submissive introduction. This is clear from the representation of 'Leah' as the affection for exterior truth, dealt with in 3793, 3819, and therefore the affection for the truth of faith so far as exterior things were concerned; from the meaning of 'sons' as truths, dealt with immediately above; and from the meaning of 'bowing down' as submission, that is, a submissive introduction into Divine Natural Good, which 'Esau' represents.

Animals in the Bible generally refer to spiritual activity, the things we actually do on a spiritual level. "Cattle," as typically used in the Bible, mean a collection of domesticated animals owned by one person or group (including other animals along with cows). It makes sense, then, that cattle would represent the spiritual activities we "own" and have "domesticated."

What are the good things we like to see in ourselves and encourage? What true ideas do we keep in mind, ponder, and use in our decision-making? These can come in great varieties and from many different sources, just as a variety of animals could be part of "cattle," but the key is that we own them, care for them and use them.

(Mga Sanggunian: Arcana Coelestia 415, 3786, 4105, 4106, 4391, 4440)