9900. 'And Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel' means the preservation of good and truth, of their entire essential nature imparted to them by the Lord. This is clear from the meaning of 'carrying' - when it refers to 'the breastplate', by which all the forms of good and the truths belonging to heaven are meant, 9879, 9887 - as preserving, for what is carried on the breast is preserved ('carrying' also means, when it refers to the Divine, holding in a state of goodness and truth, see 9500, 9737); from the representation of 'Aaron' as the Lord in respect of Divine Good, dealt with in 9806; and from the meaning of 'the names of the sons of Israel' as the forms of good and the truths that belong to heaven and the Church, the entire essential nature of them, dealt with in 9842.

9887. 'And put them onto the shoulders of the ephod' means the support given thereby to heaven, and the preservation of the good and truth there by all exertion and power. This is clear from the meaning of 'putting onto the shoulders of the ephod' as the support given to good and truth in the heavens, and the preservation of them. Regarding that support, see immediately above in 9886; and regarding that preservation by all exertion and power, 9836. The reason why the support given to heaven by means of the Divine emanating from the Lord and also the preservation of the good and truth there are meant is that 'the breastplate', which was tied to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod by means of the slender ropes, and thereby supported, means the Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good, 9823, and so means all the forms of good and the truths in their entirety which make heaven, 9879.