3788. 'And they said, We cannot until all the droves are gathered together' means that they ought to be all together. This is clear from the meaning of 'being gathered together' as being made into one or brought together, as above in 3786, and from the meaning of 'droves' as matters of doctrine, dealt with in 3767, 3768. What these words embody becomes clear from what has been stated immediately above in 3786, 3787.

142. Verses 19-20 And Jehovah God formed out of the ground every beast of the field, and every bird of the air, ¹ and He brought it to the man to see what he would call it; and whatever the man called it, the living creature, ² that was its name. And the man gave names to every beast, and to the birds of the air, ¹ and to every wild animal of the field; but for man there was not found a help suitable for him.

'Beasts' means celestial affections, 'birds of the air' ³ spiritual ones; that is, 'beasts' means things that belong to the will, and 'birds' those that belong to the understanding. 'Bringing them to the man to see what he would call them' means enabling him to know their nature. 'He gave them names means that he did recognize their nature. But even though he knew the nature of the affections for good and the cognitions of truth which the Lord had granted him, he still set his heart on the proprium, which is expressed in the same way as before - 'there was not found a help suitable for him'.

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