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.

9886. 'And the two ends of the two slender ropes you shall put into the two sockets' means the mode by which it is joined to the supports in the most external parts. This is clear from the meaning of 'the ends' as the last or most external parts, dealt with above in 9882; from the meaning of 'slender ropes' as an indissoluble joining together, also dealt with above, in 9880, the mode of the joining together being meant by 'putting them into the sockets'; and from the meaning of 'the sockets', which were above the shoulders, as being brought into being and kept in being, dealt with in 9847, 9851. The reason why support is also meant by 'the sockets' is that they were above the shoulders, and supports are meant by 'the shoulders' since objects are supported by and carried on them.