9873. From all this it can now be seen what was signified by “the twelve precious stones” in the breastplate of judgment, namely, all the goods and truths of heaven in their order. Heaven is divided into two kingdoms, the celestial and the spiritual. The good of the celestial kingdom was represented by the first two rows, which were on the right side of the breastplate; and the good of the spiritual kingdom by the following two rows, which were on the left side. The internal good of the celestial kingdom is the good of love to the Lord, and this good is what is meant by “the celestial love of good;” and the external good of the celestial kingdom is the good of mutual love, and this good is what is meant by “the celestial love of truth.” The internal good of the spiritual kingdom is the good of charity toward the neighbor, and this good is what is meant by “the spiritual love of good;” and the external good of the spiritual kingdom is the good of faith, and this good is what is meant by “the spiritual love of truth” (That goods and truths in this order constitute the heavens, see n. 9468, 9473, 9680, 9683, 9780)

[2] From this it is now evident what was represented by the twelve stones, which were called “the Urim and Thummim.” But in what manner Divine truths, which were answers, were shown by them, will be told below (n. 9905). That the good of love was in the first place among them, and the truth of faith in the last place, is evident from the first stone, which was a ruby, and the last, which was a jasper; thus from the color of the first stone which was red, and of the last stone which was white, both of them being translucent. (That “red” signifies the good of love, see n. 3300, 9467; and that “white” signifies the truth of faith, n. 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319)

[3] The like that was signified by the stones in the breastplate was also signified by the materials interwoven in the ephod. The ephod was woven of blue, of crimson, of scarlet double-dyed, and of fine linen, as appears from the sixth verse of the present chapter; and by “the blue” was signified the truth of celestial love, by “the crimson,” the good of celestial love, by “the scarlet double-dyed,” the good of spiritual love, and by “the fine linen,” the truth of spiritual love (n. 9833). The reason was that “the ephod” signified heaven in ultimates, in like manner as “the breastplate” (n. 9824); but the goods and truths are there enumerated in a different order, because “the ephod” signified the spiritual heaven, while “the breastplate” signified the whole heaven from first to last. And as the Habitation with the Tent also represented heaven (n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 9615), therefore the materials of which the curtains and the veils were interwoven consisted in like manner of blue, of crimson, of scarlet double-dyed, and of fine linen (see Exodus 26:1, 31, 36, and 27:16; also n. 9466-9469).

[4] Be it known further that in a general sense “the SAPPHIRE” signifies the external of the celestial kingdom, and “the ONYX” the external of the spiritual kingdom; and as these two stones had this signification, they were the middle stones of the last rows; namely, the sapphire was the middle stone of the second row, and the onyx the middle stone of the fourth row. The stones of the second row signified the external good of the celestial kingdom, which is called “the celestial love of truth,” and the stones of the fourth row signified the external good of the spiritual kingdom, which is called “the spiritual love of truth;” as may be seen from what has been said about them in this article above.

[5] That “the sapphire” signifies the external of the celestial kingdom is evident from the passages in the Word where it is mentioned, as in the book of Exodus:

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

Thus is described the external of the celestial kingdom, for it is said “under His feet,” by which is meant what is external; and where “the God of Israel” is, that is, the Lord, there is heaven.

In Isaiah:

O thou afflicted, and tossed with tempests, and not comforted, behold I set thy stones with antimony, and lay thy foundations in sapphires (Isaiah 54:11).

In this chapter the subject treated of is the celestial kingdom; “the foundations which are laid in sapphires” denote the external things of this kingdom, for the foundations are laid underneath.

[6] In Jeremiah:

Her Nazirites were whiter than snow; they were brighter than milk, their bones were more ruddy than pearls, a sapphire was their polishing (Lam. 4:7).

The Nazirites represented the celestial man; therefore it is said that “a sapphire was their polishing;” the “polishing” denotes what is external.

In Ezekiel:

Above the expanse that was over the head of the cherubs was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was as it were the appearance of a man sitting upon it (Ezekiel 1:26; 10:1).

Here also the external of the celestial kingdom is described by “a sapphire;” for that which is above the expanse, or round about it, denotes what is without; the inmost being denoted by “him that sitteth upon the throne.”

[7] As “the sapphire stone” signifies the external of the celestial kingdom, so “the onyx stone” signifies the external of the spiritual kingdom. Therefore this was the stone that was put on the two shoulderpieces of the ephod with the names of the sons of Israel engraved upon it (see verses 9 to 14 of this chapter); for by the ephod was represented the external of the spiritual kingdom (n. 9824). As in a general sense “the onyx” and “the sapphire” signified the external things of the two heavens, they were placed, as before said, in the middle of the three stones of the second and fourth rows; for the middle involves the whole (as was shown above in connection with the robe, by which in a general sense was represented the spiritual kingdom, because it was in the middle, n. 9825). As these two stones involve all that is signified by the rest in these rows, therefore it is said in Job:

Wisdom cannot be compared to the gold of Ophir, to the precious onyx, and the sapphire (Job 28:16).

9824. And an ephod. That this signifies Divine truth in this kingdom in the external form in which interior things cease, is evident from the signification of “the ephod,” as being Divine truth in an external form. The reason why this is signified by “the ephod” is that by Aaron’s garments of holiness were represented Divine truths in the spiritual kingdom in their order (see above, n. 9522); and the ephod was the outermost of three garments; Aaron’s garments for the priest’s office being the ephod, the robe, and the checkered tunic. That which is outermost not only contains the interior things, but the interior things also cease in it. This is the case in the human body, and consequently also in the heavens, to which the things of the human body correspond. The case is similar with truths and goods, for these make the heavens.

[2] As the ephod represented the outermost of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, it was more holy than the rest of the garments, and on it was the breastplate, in which were the Urim and Thummim, through which answers were given by the Divine. That what is most external is more holy than the internal things, is because the external holds all the interior things in their order, and in their form and connection, insomuch that if the external were removed, the internal things would be dispersed; for internal things not only cease in the external, but they are also together in it. That this is so can be known to those who know how it is with things successive and things simultaneous; namely, that successive things, which proceed and follow one another in their order, are nevertheless presented together in the ultimate things. Take for example, end, cause, and effect; the end is the first in order, the cause is the second, and the effect is the ultimate. So also do they advance in succession. Nevertheless the cause is presented simultaneously in the effect, which is the ultimate; and the end is so presented in the cause. Consequently the effect is the completion, in which the interior or prior things are collected together and are lodged.

[3] The case is similar in man, with will, thought, and action. To will comes first, to think second, and to do is the ultimate, and this is also the effect in which the prior or interior things come forth in simultaneous order. For insofar as the act contains within itself that which the man is thinking, and that which he is willing, so far the interior things are held together in their form and in their connection. It is from this that it is said in the Word, that man will be judged according to his deeds, or according to his works, which means that he will be judged according to his thought and will, for these are in his deeds as the soul is in his body. As then the interior things are presented simultaneously in the ultimate, it follows that, as already said, if the order is perfect, the ultimate is accounted more holy than the interior things, for therein is complete the holiness of the interior things.

[4] As the interior things are together in the ultimate ones (as for instance, as just said, man’s thought and will are together in his deeds or works; or in regard to spiritual things, his faith and love are so), therefore John was beloved by the Lord more than the rest of the disciples, and lay on His breast (John 13:23; 21:20, 22), for the reason that this disciple represented the works of charity. (See the prefaces to Genesis 18 and 2 2760 so n. 3934.) From this it is also evident why the external or ultimate which is in perfect order, is more holy than the internal things regarded singly; for when the Lord is in the ultimate, He is simultaneously in all things, and when He is in this, the interior things are held together in their order, connection, and form; and under super-vision and guidance at His good pleasure. This is the secret which is meant in n. 9360, which see.

[5] This then is the reason why the ephod, being a representative of the ultimate in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, was accounted more holy than the rest of the garments of the priesthood. Wherefore the ephod was the chief priestly vestment, and was made of threads of gold in the midst of blue, of crimson, of scarlet double-dyed, and of fine twined linen (Exodus 39:3); but the rest of the priests had ephods of linen (1 Samuel 2:18; 22:18). On this account also the ephod stood for all the vestments of a priest, and he was said “to wear the ephod,” whereby was signified that he was a priest (1 Samuel 2:28; 14:3). On this account also the breastplate was fastened to the ephod, and answers were given by means of the Urim and Thummim thereon, for the reason that this vestment was a representative of the ultimate in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom; and Divine answers are presented in ultimates, for they pass through all the interior things in succession, and are there dictated, because there they cease. That answers were given when the priests were clothed with the ephod, is evident from 1 Samuel 23:6-13; 30:7-8; and also in Hosea:

The sons of Israel tarried many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod, and teraphim (Hos. 3:4); where “teraphim” signify Divine answers, for answers were formerly given by means of these (Zech. 10:2). Moreover, in the original tongue the word “ephod” comes from “to enclose all the interior things,” as is evident from the meaning of the word in Exodus 29:5; Leviticus 8:7.