On the surface, there seems to be little difference between flocks and herds, with “herds” being the term for cows and other large animals capable of doing work and “flocks” used for sheep and sometimes goats, smaller animals good for wool and meat.
Swedenborg says both terms represent those who follow the Lord from a desire to be good, and on a deeper level the desire for good itself. “Flocks,” however, represent that desire when it springs from a more internal source, the true love of others. “Herds” represent that desire when it springs from more external sources, the desire to obey the Lord and the desire to perform good works.
This makes sense in a way: cows and other large animals were used to pull plows and carts and to carry goods – more external work – while sheep were used solely for the more personal uses of clothing and food.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 2566
2566. ‘Flocks and herds’ means, enriched with rational goods and natural goods…. This is clear from the meaning of ‘flocks and herds’. The word ‘flock’ is used of those inside the Church who are truly rational, that is, who are internal people; and from this ‘flock’ also means – abstractedly – rational or internal goods themselves. Regarding the meaning of ‘a flock’, see 343, 415, 1565. The word ‘herd’ however is used of those inside the Church who are natural, that is, who are external people; and from this too ‘herd’ means – abstractedly – natural or external goods themselves.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9135
9135. ‘Or member of the flock’ means or it is interior truth and good. This is clear from the meaning of ‘member of the flock’ as spiritual truth and good, thus interior truth and good, dealt with in 6016, 6045, 6049. Some places in the Word use the expression ‘flocks’, while others use ‘members of the flock’. In the internal sense interior forms of good, and truths derived from them, are meant by ‘flocks’, whereas interior truths, and forms of good springing from them, are meant by ‘members of the flock’. No one however can know the difference between them unless he knows the nature of a person’s two states, the prior state and the subsequent state, when he is being regenerated. The prior state is one in which he is led by means of the truths of faith to the good of charity; the subsequent state is one in which he is governed by the good of charity and from this by the truths of faith. The prior state brings a person into the Church in order that he may come to have the Church within him; and when he comes to have the Church within him he is in the subsequent state. Forms of good and truths residing with him in the subsequent state are meant by ‘flocks’, but truths and forms of good residing with him in the prior state are meant by ‘members of the flock’. This explains why at this point truths are mentioned first and forms of good second.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7663
7663. ‘With our flocks and with our herds we shall go’ means those governed by good, interior and exterior. This is clear from the meaning of ‘flocks’ as interior good, and of ‘herds’ as exterior good, dealt with in 5913, 6048. The words in this verse, saying that they would go with their children and old people, sons and daughters, and flocks and herds, are used to mean in the internal sense everything that belongs to the Church, both the external Church and the internal. What belongs to the external Church is meant by ‘children’, ‘sons’, and ‘herds’, and what belongs to the internal Church by ‘old people’, ‘daughters’, and ‘flocks’; for ‘old people’ are aspects of wisdom, ‘daughters’ affections for good, and ‘flocks’ genuine good. These are what belong to the internal Church; but ‘children’ are aspects of simplicity, ‘sons’ affections for truth, and ‘herds’ external good, these being what belongs to the external Church.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 343
343. ‘A shepherd of the flock’ means someone who practises good flowing from charity. Anyone can know this, for it is a recurrent feature of the Old Testament and of the New. He who leads and teaches is called the Shepherd, those who are led and taught are called the flock. One who does not lead to good flowing from charity, and does not teach that good is not a true shepherd; and one who is not being led to good and learning it is not the flock.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1565
1565. That ‘flocks and herds’ are the possessions of the external man becomes clear from the meaning of ‘flocks and herds’ as goods, dealt with in 343 and 415. Here however since it is said they belonged to Lot, who was being separated from Abram, they mean those things that were to be separated, thus things that were not good are meant.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5913
5913. ‘And your flocks, and your herds’ means natural good, interior and exterior. This is clear from the meaning of ‘flock’ as interior good, dealt with in 2566, in this case interior natural good since the flocks belonged to Israel, who represents spiritual good from the natural, 5906; and from the meaning of ‘herd’ as exterior natural good. The reason why ‘herd’ means exterior good and ‘flocks’ interior good is that the animals which constituted a herd, such as oxen and young bulls, were signs, when used in sacrifices, of external forms of the good of charity and also of the forms of good present in the external man. But the animals constituting flocks, such as lambs, sheep, she-goats, were signs of internal forms of the good of charity and also of the forms of good present in the internal man. Consequently people in whom these forms of good are present are referred to in the Word by the single term ‘flock’, and the one who leads them by the term ‘pastor’ or ‘shepherd’.