9868. A chrysoprase, a sapphire, and a diamond. That hereby is signified the celestial love of truth, from which are the things which follow, is evident from the signification of these stones, as being the celestial love of truth (of which below). It is said that from this are the things which follow, because all the goods and truths that follow proceed in order from those which go before, for there cannot possibly be anything that is unconnected with the things that are prior to itself. The first in order is the celestial love of good; the second is the celestial love of truth; the third is the spiritual love of good; and the fourth is the spiritual love of truth. This order is what was represented in the rows of stones in the breastplate of judgment, and this is the very order of the goods and truths in the heavens. In the inmost heaven is the celestial love of good, and the celestial love of truth. The celestial love of good is its internal, and the celestial love of truth is its external. But in the second heaven is the spiritual love of good, which is its internal; and the spiritual love of truth, which is its external. The one also flows into the other in the same order, and they constitute as it were a one. From this it is evident what is meant by “from which are the things which follow.”

[2] As regards the stones of this row, these, like the preceding stones, and also all the rest, derive their signification from their colors. (That precious stones have a signification according to their colors, see n. 9865; and that in the heavens colors are modifications of the light and shade there, thus that they are variegations of the intelligence and wisdom with the angels, n. 3993, 4530, 4677, 4742, 4922, 9466; for the light of heaven is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, whence come all intelligence and wisdom.) The stones of the first row signified the celestial love of good, from their redness; but the stones of this row partake of a blue which is from red. For there is a blue from red, and a blue from white; the blue from red inwardly glows from flame; and it is this blue which signifies the celestial love of truth; while the blue from white, such as is in the stones of the next row, which signifies the spiritual love of good, does not inwardly glow from flame, but from light.

[3] Whether the chrysoprase, which is the first stone of this row, was of a blue color, cannot be known from its derivation in the original tongue; but that it signifies the celestial love of truth is plain in Ezekiel:

Syria was thy trader by reason of the multitude of thy works; with chrysoprase, crimson, and broidered work (Ezekiel 27:16);

speaking of Tyre, by which is signified wisdom and intelligence from the knowledges of good and truth (n. 1201). The chrysoprase is here joined with crimson, and as “crimson” signifies the celestial love of good (n. 9467), it follows that “the chrysoprase” signifies the celestial love of truth; for in the prophetic Word wherever good is treated of, truth of the same kind is also treated of, on account of the heavenly marriage in everything therein (n. 9263, 9314). Moreover, “Syria,” which is “the trader,” signifies the knowledges of good (n. 1232, 1234, 3249, 4112); and the knowledges of good are the truths of celestial love.

[4] That the sapphire, which is the second stone of this row, is of a blue color, such as is that of the sky, is known; wherefore it is said in the book of Exodus:

Seventy of the elders saw the God of Israel; and there was under His feet as a work of sapphire, and as the substance of heaven in respect to cleanness (Exodus 24:10).

(That this stone signifies what is translucent from interior truths, which are the truths of celestial love, may be seen above, n. 9407.)

[5] But that “the diamond,” which is the third stone of this row, denotes the truth of celestial love, is from its transparency, which verges toward an inward blueness; for in this way the colors of the stones of this row, and also those of the former one, shine through this stone, because it is the last one, and communicate with those which are in the following row. The case is the same with the good and truths in the inmost heaven, in regard to the good and truths in the following heavens; for these derive their life of charity and of faith from the former by communication, as it were by a shining through.

1201. That “Zidon” signifies exterior knowledges of spiritual things, is evident from the fact that it is called the “first-born of Canaan;” for the firstborn of every church, in the internal sense, is faith n. 352, 367 as at here, where there is no faith, because no internal things, there are nothing but exterior knowledges of spiritual things which are in the place of faith; thus knowledges such as existed among the Jews, which are knowledges not only of the rites of external worship, but also of many things, such as doctrinals, which belong to that worship. That this is the signification of “Zidon” is also evident from the fact that Tyre and Zidon were extreme borders of Philistia, and were moreover by the sea; and therefore by “Tyre” interior knowledges are signified, and by “Zidon” exterior knowledges, that is, of spiritual things-which is also evident from the Word.

In Jeremiah:

On the day that cometh to lay waste all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Zidon every helper that remaineth; for Jehovah will lay waste the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Caphtor (Jeremiah 47:4).

Here “the Philistines” denote the mere memory-knowledge of the knowledges of faith and charity; “Tyre” denotes the interior knowledges, and “Zidon” the exterior knowledges, of spiritual things.

[2] In Joel:

What are ye to Me, O Tyre and Zidon, and all the borders of Philistia? Forasmuch as ye have taken My silver and gold, and have carried into your temples My desirable good things (Joel 3:4-5).

Here “Tyre and Zidon” evidently denote knowledges, and are called “the borders of Philistia;” “silver and gold,” and “desirable good things,” are knowledges.

In Ezekiel:

The princes of the north, all of them, and every Zidonian who has gone down with the slain into the pit. When he has been made to lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with them that are slain with the sword; Pharaoh and all his crowd (Ezekiel 32:30, 32).

“The Zidonians” here denote exterior knowledges, which without internal things are nothing but memory-knowledges and therefore they are named in connection with Pharaoh, or Egypt, by whom memory-knowledges are signified.

In Zechariah:

Hamath also shall be bordered thereon; Tyre and Zidon, because she was very wise (Zechariah 9:2).

The subject here is Damascus; “Tyre and Zidon” denote knowledges.

[3] In Ezekiel:

The inhabitants of Zidon and of Arvad were thy rowers; thy wise men, O Tyre, were in thee, they were thy pilots (Ezekiel 27:8).

Here “Tyre” denotes interior knowledges; wherefore her wise men are called “pilots;” and “Zidon” denotes exterior knowledges, and therefore her inhabitants are called “rowers;” for such is the relation of interior knowledges to exterior.

In Isaiah:

Let the inhabitants of the isle be silent, the merchant of Zidon, that passes over the sea, they have replenished thee. And in great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river was her revenue, and she was the mart of nations. Be ashamed, O Zidon, for the sea hath spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, nor brought forth, nor have I brought up young men, nor caused virgins to grow up (Isaiah 23:2-4).

“Zidon” here denotes exterior knowledges, which, because there is nothing internal in them, are called “the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river her revenue, the mart of the nations,” and also “the sea,” and “the stronghold of the sea;” and it is said that she doth not “travail and bring forth”—which could not be comprehended in the literal sense, but is all perfectly clear in the internal sense; as is the case with other passages in the Prophets. Because “Zidon” signifies exterior knowledges, it is said to be “a circuit about Israel,” that is, around the spiritual church (Ezekiel 28:24, 26); for exterior knowledges are like a circuit round about.