Stones in the Bible in general represent truths, or things we know concerning the Lord and what He wants from us and for us in life. This is why the people of Israel built altars of stone, and is also why stoning was a principal form of capital punishment (using truth to destroy falsity, or in the negative sense using falsity to destroy truth). It is also why precious stones are described in such detail on Aaron's breastplate and ephod, and also in the New Jerusalem in Revelation; precious stones represent true ideas directly from the Lord with the various colors showing various forms of love. Stones are not alone in representing truth, of course -- it sometimes seems that almost everything in the Bible represents either true ideas or desires for good. But that makes sense, since our thoughts and our desires together are everything we are in life, and the interplay between them is what life is all about. The many ways they are represented in the Bible reflect the incredible variety in our feelings and thoughts, though we can only distantly understand how those representations work. In the case of stones, in their weight, strength and permanence they tend to represent true ideas that come from a desire for good, the understanding we can have if we are truly good and loving -- and in the highest sense the exalted ideas that come from the Lord's love. Those ideas are ones that are not easily moved or changed, and make wonderful foundations for the things we want to build in our spiritual lives.

218. (ii) THE FORMS OF GOOD AND TRUTH IN THE LITERAL SENSE OF THE WORD ARE MEANT BY THE URIM AND THUMMIM ON AARON'S EPHOD.

The Urim and Thummim were mounted on Aaron's ephod, and his priesthood represented the Lord in respect of Divine good and the effecting of salvation. The garments of priesthood or of holiness represented Divine truths coming from the Lord. The ephod represented Divine truth in its outermost form, that is, the Word in its literal sense, for this is Divine truth in its outermost form. Thus the twelve precious stones called Urim and Thummim, which bore the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, represented Divine truths coming from Divine good and all that goes with them. We read about these in the writings of Moses:

They are to make the ephod of [gold] ¹ , violet and purple, with double-dyed scarlet and lawn interwoven. (Later) you are to make the breastpiece of judgment, of similar workmanship to the ephod, and you are to fill it with settings for stones. There are to be four rows of stones: ruby, topaz and emerald in the first row; chrysoprase, sapphire and diamond in the second row; turquoise, agate and amethyst in the third row; aquamarine, sardius and jasper in the fourth row. These stones are to answer to the names of the sons of Israel. The inscriptions as on a seal are to have each the name of one of the twelve tribes. And Aaron is to wear upon the breast-plate of judgment the Urim and Thummim; and let them be upon Aaron's heart, when he comes into the presence of Jehovah,Exodus 28:6, 15-21, 29-30.

[2] The representations of Aaron's garments, his ephod, mantle, tunic, turban, and sash, have been explained in ARCANA CAELESTIA (published in London) in the commentary on this chapter. It was there shown that the ephod represented Divine truth in its outermost form; the precious stones the truths made pellucid by good; the twelve set out in four rows represented the whole from first to last; the twelve tribes the whole of the church. The breast-plate represented Divine truth coming from Divine good in the universal sense; the Urim and Thummim the splendour of Divine truth coming from Divine good in its outermost form. Urim is shining fire and Thummim splendour in the language of the angels, or wholeness in Hebrew. Again, replies were given by changes in the quality of light, accompanied by an unspoken perception, or by direct speech, and there is much besides. These explanations establish that these stones stood for truths coming from good in the outermost sense of the Word. For this is the only source by which replies are given from heaven, because that sense contains the Divine which proceeds in all its fulness.

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