9873.由此可见，决断胸牌上的十二颗宝石表示什么，即表示在其适当次序中的天堂的一切良善和真理。天堂分为两个国度，即属天国度和属灵国度。胸牌右边的头两行代表属天国度的良善；左边的后两行代表属灵国度的良善。属天国度的内在良善就是对主之爱的良善，这是“对良善的属天之爱”所表示的良善；属天国度的外在良善就是相爱的良善，这是“对真理的属天之爱”所表示的良善。而属灵国度的内在良善是对邻之仁的良善，这是“对良善的属灵之爱”所表示的良善；属灵国度的外在良善是信之良善，这是“对真理的属灵之爱”所表示的良善。这些良善和真理按这种次序构成众天堂（参看9468，9473，9680，9683，9780节）。
由此明显可知，被称为乌陵和土明的十二块石头代表什么。下面（9905节）将说明，作为答复的神性真理以哪种方式通过它们显明。在它们当中，爱之良善占据首位，信之真理占据末位，这一点从第一块石头是红宝石，以及最后一块石头是碧玉，因而从第一块石头是红色的，最后一块是白色的，这二者都是透明的明显看出来。因为“红”表示爱之良善（参看3300，9467节）；“白”表示信之真理（3301，3993，4007，5319节）。
胸牌上的石头与用来织以弗得的材料所表示的大致相同。以弗得是用蓝色、紫色、染过两次的朱红色线，并捻的细麻织成的，这从本章第六节经文明显看出来；“蓝色”表示属天之爱的真理，“紫色”表示属天之爱的良善，“染过两次的朱红色线”表示属灵之爱的良善，“细麻”表示属灵之爱的真理（9833节）。所表示的之所以大致相同，是因为“以弗得”表示在最后和最外层的天堂，“胸牌”也是（9824节）。但在那里，良善和真理的种类以不同的次序被列举出来，因为“以弗得”表示属灵天堂，而“胸牌”表示从最初到最后的整个天堂。由于居所与帐幕也代表天堂（9457，9481，9485，9615节），所以织幔子和帷账所用的材料同样是蓝色、紫色、染过两次的朱红色线，并捻的细麻（参看出埃及记26:1，31，36；27:16；以及
另外，要知道，一般来说，“蓝宝石”表示属天国度的外在部分，“红玛瑙”表示属灵国度的外在部分。这两种石头因具有这种含义，故是随后几行中间的石头；也就是说，蓝宝石是第二行中间的石头，红玛瑙是第四行中间的石头。第二行的石头表示属天国度的外在良善，被称为“对真理的属天之爱”，第四行石头表示属灵国度的外在良善，被称为“对真理的属灵之爱”；这从关于它们的说明（9873节）可以看出来。
“蓝宝石”表示属天国度的外在部分，这一点从圣言中提及它的经文明显看出来，如出埃及记：
七十个长老看见以色列的神，祂脚下仿佛有蓝宝石的作工，好像天空物质一般明净。（出埃及记24:10）
属天国度的外在部分被如此描述，因为经上说“祂脚下”，以此表示外在之物；“以色列神”，就是主在哪里，天堂就在哪里。以赛亚书：
你这受困苦被暴风卷走不得安慰的人啊，看哪，我必以彩色安置你的石头，以蓝宝石立定你的根基。（以赛亚书54:11）
本章所论述的主题是属天国度；“以蓝宝石立定的根基”是指该国度的外在事物；因为根基被立在下面。
耶利米哀歌：
她的拿细耳人素来比雪更亮、比奶更白；他们的骨头比珍珠更红，抛光如蓝宝石。（耶利米哀歌4:7）
拿细耳人代表属天人；故经上说“抛光如蓝宝石”；“抛光”是指外在之物。以西结书：
在基路伯头以上的穹苍之上有宝座的形像，仿佛蓝宝石的形状；在宝座形像以上有人的形状坐在上头。（以西结书1:26；10:1）
此处“蓝宝石”也用来描述属天国度的外在部分；因为在穹苍之上或周围，就是在外面；在最里面的，是“坐在宝座上”的那一位。
正如“蓝宝石”表示属天国度的外在部分，“红玛瑙石”表示属灵国度的外在部分。因此，这是安在以弗得两块肩带上、上面刻有以色列人名字的石头（28:9-14）；因为以弗得代表属灵国度的外在部分（9824节）。由于一般来说，“红玛瑙”和“蓝宝石”表示这两个天堂的外在部分，所以它们被安在第二行和第四行的三块石头的中间，如前所述。因为中间包括整体，就像外袍一样，一般来说，外袍代表属灵国度，因为它在中间，如前所示（9825节）。由于这两块石头包括了那两行其余的石头所表示的一切，故约伯记上说：
俄斐金和贵重的红玛瑙，并蓝宝石，不足与智慧比较。（约伯记28:16）
Potts(1905-1910) 9873
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 Exod. 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 (Exod. 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 (Isa. 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 (Ezek. 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).
Elliott(1983-1999) 9873
9873. All this now makes clear what the twelve precious stones in the breastplate of judgement served to mean, namely all the kinds of good and truth of heaven in their proper 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 next two rows, which were on the left side. The internal good of the celestial kingdom is the good of love to the Lord; this is the good that is meant by the celestial love of good. The external good of the celestial kingdom however is the good of mutual love; this is the good that is meant by the celestial love of truth. But the internal good of the spiritual kingdom is the good of charity towards the neighbour; this is the good that is meant by the spiritual love of good. And the external good of the spiritual kingdom is the good of faith; this is the good that is meant by the spiritual love of truth. These kinds of good and truth in this order constitute the heavens, see 9468, 9473, 9680, 9683, 9780.
[2] From this it is now evident what the twelve stones, which were called the Urim and Thummim, represented. But in what way the Divine Truths which were answers were made known by means of them will be stated below in 9905. The fact that the good of love occupied the first place there and the truth of faith the last is clear from the first stone's being a ruby and the last's being a jasper, thus from the first stone's being red in colour, and the last's being white, both of them translucent. For the meaning of 'red' as the good of love, see 3300, 9467; and for that of 'white' as the truth of faith, 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319.
[3] Much the same as is meant by the stones in the breastplate was also meant by the materials used in weaving the ephod. The ephod was woven from violet, purple, twice-dyed scarlet, and fine linen, as is evident from verse 6 of the present chapter, and 'violet' meant the truth of celestial love, 'purple' the good of celestial love, 'twice-dyed scarlet' the good of spiritual love, and 'fine linen' the truth of spiritual love, 9833. The reason why much the same was meant is that 'the ephod' meant heaven on last and outermost levels, in the same way as 'the breastplate' does, 9824. But the kinds of good and truth are listed in a different order there, because 'the ephod' meant the spiritual heaven, whereas 'the breastplate' means all heaven from first to last. And since the dwelling-place along with the tent also represented heaven, 9457, 9481, 9485, 9615, the material from which its curtains and veils were woven were likewise violet, purple, double-dyed scarlet, and fine twined linen, see the previous Chapters 26:1, 31, 36; 27:16, and 9466-9469.
[4] In addition it should be recognized that in the general sense SAPPHIRE means the external part of the celestial kingdom and SHOHAM the external part of the spiritual kingdom. And because these two stones had this meaning they were the middle stones belonging to the secondary rows, that is to say, the sapphire was the middle stone in the second row, and the shoham the middle stone in the fourth row. The stones belonging to the second row meant the external good of the celestial kingdom, which has been called the celestial love of truth, and the stones belonging to the fourth row meant the external good of the spiritual kingdom, which has been called the spiritual love of truth, see what has been stated about them above in this paragraph 9873.
[5] The fact that 'sapphire' means the external part of the celestial kingdom is evident from places in the Word where it is mentioned, such as in the Book of Exodus,
Seventy of the elders saw the God of Israel, and under His feet there was so to speak a work of sapphire, and it was like the substance of the sky for clearness. Exod. 24:10.
The external part of the celestial kingdom is so described, because the words 'under His feet', meaning what is external, are used, and where 'the God of Israel', who is the Lord, is, there heaven is. In Isaiah,
O afflicted one and storm-tossed, and receiving no comfort! Behold, I am arranging your stones with antimony, and will lay your foundations in sapphires. Isa. 54:11.
The subject in this chapter is the celestial kingdom. The foundations which will be laid in sapphires, are the external things there; for foundations lie underneath.
[6] In Jeremiah,
Her Nazirites were brighter than snow, they were whiter than milk. Their bonesa were ruddier than pearls,b polished like sapphires.c Lam. 4:7.
Nazirites represented the celestial man, which is why it says 'polished like sapphires', 'polished' referring to what is external. In Ezekiel,
Above the expanse that was above the heads of the cherubs, in appearance like a sapphire stone, there was the likeness of a throne, and above the likeness of a throne there was the appearance of a man (homo) sitting upon it. Ezek. 1:26; 10:1.
Here also 'sapphire' is used to describe the external part of the celestial kingdom; for what is above the expanse or round about is outside, that which is inmost being the one 'sitting upon a throne'.
[7] Just as sapphire stone means the external part of the celestial kingdom, so shoham stone means the external part of the spiritual kingdom. Therefore also this was the stone which was placed on the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod with the names of the sons of Israel inscribed on them, which are dealt with in verses 9-14 of the present chapter; for the ephod represented the external part of the spiritual kingdom, 9824. Since shoham and sapphire in the general sense meant the external parts of two heavens, they were placed in the middle of the sets of three stones forming the second and fourth rows, as stated above. For the middle includes the whole, as is also true of the robe, which in the general sense has represented the spiritual kingdom, because it comes in the middle, as shown above in 9825. Because those two stones include everything meant by all the other stones in those rows, it says in Job,
Wisdom cannot be compared with the gold of Ophir, with the precious shoham and the sapphire. Job 28:16.
Latin(1748-1756) 9873
9873. Ex his nunc constare potest quid significatum est per duodecim lapides pretiosos in pectorali judicii, quod nempe omnia bona et vera caeli in suo ordine; caelum est distinctum in duo regna, caeleste et spirituale; bonum regni caelestis repraesentatum est per binos ordines primos, qui erant a latere dextro ibi, et bonum regni spiritualis per binos ordines sequentes, qui erant a latere sinistro; bonum internum regni caelestis est bonum amoris in Dominum, hoc bonum est quod intelligitur per amorem caelestem boni; bonum autem externum regni caelestis est bonum amoris mutui, hoc bonum est quod intelligitur per amorem caelestem veri; bonum autem internum regni spiritualis est bonum charitatis (x)erga proximum, hoc bonum est quod intelligitur per amorem spiritualem boni; et bonum externum regni spiritualis est bonum fidei, hoc bonum est quod intelligitur per amorem spiritualem veri; quod bona et vera in eo ordine constituant caelos, videatur n. 9468, 9473, 9680, 9683, 9780; [2] inde nunc patet quid repraesentatum est per duodecim lapides, qui Urim et Thumim {1}dicebantur; quomodo autem Divina Vera quae responsa fuerunt, per illos manifestata fuerint, {2} infra n. 9905 dicetur; quod ibi bonum amoris primo loco fuerit, et verum fidei ultimo, constat ex primo lapide qui rubinus, et ex ultimo qui jaspis, ita ex colore primi lapidis qui ruber, et ultimi qui albus, uterque pellucens; quod `rubrum' significet bonum amoris, videatur n. 3300, 9467, et quod `album' verum fidei, n. 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319. [3] Simile quod per lapides in pectorali, etiam per contexturas in ephodo significatum est; ephodum contextum erat ex hyacinthino, purpura, coccineo dibapho, et byssino, {3}ut patet a vers. 6 hujus capitis, et per `hyacinthinum' significatum est verum amoris caelestis, per `purpuram' bonum amoris caelestis, per `(x)coccineum dibaphum' bonum amoris spiritualis, et per `byssinum' verum amoris spiritualis, {4}n. 9833; causa {5}erat quia `ephodum' significabat caelum in ultimis, similiter ac `pectorale,' n. 9824; sed bona et vera recensentur ibi in alio ordine, quia `ephodum' significabat caelum spirituale {6}, `pectorale' autem totum caelum a primo ad ultimum; et quia habitaculum cum tentorio etiam repraesentabat caelum, n. 9457, 9481, 9485, 9615,' ideo contextura cortinarum et velorum ejus pariter ex hyacinthino, purpura, coccineo dibapho, et byssino erat, videatur cap. praecedens xxvi 1, 31, 36, xxvii 16, (d)et n. 9466-9469.(s) [4] Praeterea sciendum {7}quod SAPPHIRUS in communi sensu significet externum regni caelestis, ac SCHOHAM externum regni spiritualis; {8}et quia id duo illi lapides significabant, ideo erant lapides medii ultimorum ordinum, nempe sapphirus lapis medius in secundo ordine, et schoham lapis medius in quarto; lapides {9} secundi ordinis significabant bonum externum regni caelestis, quod {10}vocatum est amor caelestis veri, et lapides quarti ordinis significabant bonum externum regni spiritualis, quod {10}vocatum est amor spiritualis {3}veri, videantur quae supra in hoc articulo de illis dicta sunt. [5] Quod sapphirus significet externum regni caelestis, patet a locis in Verbo ubi nominatur, ut in Libro Exodi, Septuaginta ex senioribus viderunt Deum Israelis, et sub pedibus Ipsius sicut opus sapphiri, et sicut substantia caeli quoad munditiem, xxiv 10;ita describitur externum regni caelestis, nam dicitur sub pedibus Ipsius, {11}quod est externum, et ubi Deus Israelis, hoc est, Dominus, ibi est caelum: apud Esaiam, Afflicta et procellis jactata, nec consolationem nacta; ecce dispono cum stibio lapides tuos, et fundamenta tua ponam in sapphiris, liv 11;
agitur in eo capite de regno caelesti; fundamenta, quae ponentur in sapphiris, sunt externa {12}ibi, nam fundamenta substrata sunt: [6] apud Jeremiam, Albi Naziraei ejus prae nive, candidi erant prae lacte, rubuerunt ossa prae margaritis, sapphirus polities eorum, Threni iv 7;
`Naziraei' repraesentabant caelestem hominem, {13}ideo dicitur quod `sapphirus polities eorum'; `polities' est externum: apud Ezechielem, Super expansum quod super capite Cheruborum, quasi aspectus lapidis sapphiri, similitudo throni, et super similitudine throni quasi aspectus hominis sedentis super illo, i 26, x 1;
ibi etiam externum regni caelestis per sapphirum describitur, nam quod supra expansum est, seu {14}quod circumcirca est, id extra est; intimum est `sedens super throno.' [7] Sicut lapis sapphirus significat externum regni caelestis, ita lapis schoham {15} externum regni spiritualis; ideo quoque hic lapis erat qui super binis umeralibus ephodi cum insculptis nominibus filiorum Israelis ponebatur, de quibus in vers. 9-14 hujus capitis; per ephodum enim repraesentabatur externum regni spiritualis, n. 9824. Quia schoham et sapphirus in communi sensu `externa duorum caelorum' significabant, ideo etiam ponebantur in medio trium lapidum secundi et quarti ordinis, ut supra dictum est; {17}nam medium involvit totum, similiter ac de pallio, per quod in communi sensu repraesentatum est regnum spirituale, quia medium, ut (d)supra n. 9825 (d)ostensum est. (m){18}Quia bini illi lapides involvunt omne, quod reliqui in ordinibus illis significabant, ideo dicitur apud Hiobum, Sapientia non aequiparatur auro Ophiro, schoham pretioso et sapphiro, xxviii 16.(n) @1 dicta sunt$ @2 i ex Divina Domini Misericordia$ @3 videatur$ @4 i videatur$ @5 est$ @6 i in ultimis$ @7 d quod i quia$ @8 ideo sapphirus erat lapis medius lapidum secundi ordinis, et schoham medius lapidum quarti ordinis$ @9 i enim$ @10 appellatum$ @11 d coelum enim in Verbo vocatur scabellum pedum Domini, et quoque habitaculum$ @12 illius Regni$ @13 inde$ @14 circum$ @15 i significat$ @16 id$ @17 et$ @18 quoniam bini hi lapides simile quod reliqui tres simul significabat$