9099. 'When a man steals an ox or a member of the flock' means whoever takes away from someone his good, exterior or interior. This is clear from the meaning of 'stealing' as taking away from someone his spiritual possessions or goods, dealt with in 5135, 8906; from the meaning of 'an ox' as an affection for good in the natural, thus exterior good, dealt with in 2180, 2566, 2781, 2830, 5913, 8937; and from the meaning of 'a member of the flock' as interior good. For members of the flock mean forms of interior good, and members of the herd forms of exterior good, 2566, 5913, 6048, 8937.

8937. 'Your flocks and your herds' means forms of good, internal and external. This is clear from the meaning of 'flocks' as internal forms of good, and from the meaning of 'herds' as external forms of good, both dealt with in 2566, 5913. The reason why 'flocks' means internal forms of good is that to flocks belong lambs, sheep, kids, she-goats, rams, and he-goats, and these mean such things as are forms of innocence and forms of celestial and spiritual love in the internal man. And the reason why 'herds' means external forms of good is that to herds belong oxen, young oxen, and calves, and these mean such things as are forms of good and truth in the external man. For what was meant by 'oxen', see 2180, 2566, 2781; 'young oxen' and 'calves', 1824, 2830; 'lambs', 3519, 3994, 7840; 'sheep', 4169; 'kids' and 'she-goats', 3519, 4005, 4006, 4871; 'rams', 2830, 4170; and he-goats', 4169 (end), 4769.