432. Verse 5. Of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand sealed.

5. "Of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed," signifies love to the Lord, and that all who are in that love are in heaven, and come into heaven n. 433; "of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand sealed," signifies the light of truth from that good, and that all who are in that light are in heaven and come into heaven n. 434; "of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand sealed," signifies the consequent good of life (n. 435, 436).

9837. 'And the girdle of his ephod, which is on it' means the outward bond that gathers things together. This is clear from the meaning of 'the girdle' as a common bond by which everything within is held in connection, dealt with above in 9828, thus a bond that gathers things together. The reason why an outward bond is meant is that 'the ephod' means the outermost part of the spiritual kingdom, 9824.