AC 9965 - No One Is Damned

AC 9965 [2]

For no one is damned
on account  of the omission of external rites;
but on account of evils of the heart . . ..

~ David's Charge to Solomon ~

When the time drew near for David to die,
he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

"I am about to go the way of all the earth," he said.
"So be strong, show yourself a man,
and observe what the Lord your God requires:
Walk in His ways,
and keep His decrees and commands,
His laws and requirements,
as written in the Law of Moses,
so that you may prosper in all you do
and wherever you go,
and that the Lord may keep His promise to me:
'If your descendants watch how they live,
and if they walk faithfully before Me
with all their heart and soul,
you will never fail to have a man
on the throne of Israel.'

Then David rested with his fathers
and was buried in the City of David.

(I Kings 2:1-4, 10)

AC 9954 - Anointing and "The Anointed of Jehovah"

AC 9954 [1, 11]

And thou shalt anoint them.
(Exodus 28:41)

It is important to know about this,
because anointing has remained in use
from ancient time to the present day;
for kings are anointed;
and anointing is accounted holy at the present day
in like manner as it was formerly.
Among the ancients,
when all external worship was performed
by means of representatives, that is,
by such things as represented
the interior things of faith and love
from the Lord and to Him,
thus such as are Divine,
anointing was instituted for the reason
that the oil with which the anointing was done,
signified the good of love;
for they knew
that the good of love was that essential thing
from which all things of the church
and of worship live,
because it is the being of life.
For the Divine flows in with a man
through the good of love,
and makes his life, indeed that heavenly life
in which truths are received in good.
From this it is plain what anointing represented.
Wherefore the things which were anointed
were called holy, and were also accounted as holy,
and were of service to the church
for representing Divine and heavenly things,
and in the supreme sense the Lord Himself
who is good itself,
thus for representing the good of love
which is from Him,
and also
the truth of faith
insofar as it lives from the good of love.
From this then it was that at that time
they anointed stones that were set up for pillars;
also weapons of war, such as shields and bucklers;
and afterward the altar and all its vessels;
likewise the Tent of meeting,
and all things therein;
and moreover, those who administered the priesthood,
and their garments;
likewise prophets, and lastly kings,
who from this were called "the anointed of Jehovah."
It also became customary
to anoint themselves and others,
in order to testify gladness of mind and goodwill.

The reason why the kings were called
"the anointed of Jehovah,"
and why it was therefore sacrilegious to injure them,
was that by "the anointed of Jehovah"
is meant the Lord as to the Divine Human;
although according to the sense of the letter
the term is applied to a king
who was anointed with oil.
For when the Lord was in the world,
He was, in respect to the Human,
the Divine truth itself;
and in respect to the very being of His life,
He was the Divine good itself,
which with man is called the soul from the father;
for He was conceived from Jehovah,
and in the Word "Jehovah"
denotes the Divine good of the Divine love,
which is the being of the life of all.
From this it is that the Lord alone was
"the Anointed of Jehovah"
in very essence and in very performance,
because the Divine good was in Him;
and the Divine truth proceeding from this good
was in His Human while He was in the world.
The kings of the earth, however,
were not "the Anointed of Jehovah,"
but they represented the Lord,
who alone is "the Anointed of Jehovah;"
and therefore on account of this anointing
it was sacrilegious to injure the kings of the earth.
But the anointing of the kings of the earth
was done with oil,
while the anointing of the Lord
as to the Divine Human
was done with the Divine good itself of the Divine love,
which the oil represented.
From this it is that He was called "the Messiah,"
and "the Christ,"
"Messiah" in the Hebrew tongue meaning "the Anointed,"
in like manner as "Christ" in the Greek tongue.

~ David Declares Solomon King ~

Then King David said, "Call in Bathsheba."
So she came into the king's presence
and stood before him.

The king then took an oath:
"As surely as the Lord lives,
he has delivered me out of every trouble,
I will surely carry out today
what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel:
Solomon your son shall be king after me,
and he will sit on my throne in my place."

Then Bathsheba bowed low
with her face to the ground and,
kneeling before the kings, said,
"May my lord King David live forever!"

King David said, "Call in Zadok the priest,
Nathan the Prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada."
When they came before the king, he said to them:
"Take your lord's servants with you
and set Solomon my son on my own mule
and take him down to Gihon.
There have Zadok the priest
and Nathan the prophet
anoint him king over Israel.
Blow the trumpet and shout,
'Long live King Solomon!'
Then you are to go up with him,
and he is to come and sit on my throne
and reign in my place.
I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah."

(I Kings 1:28-37)
 

AC 9940 - His Will, His Good Pleasure, His Leave, and His Permission; AC 9943 - What Is Intelligence? What is Wisdom?

AC 9940

The things which are from the Lord
are either nearer to, or more remote from Him;
and they are said to be "from His will,"
"from good pleasure," "from leave,"
and "from permission."
The things which are from will
are most nearly from Him;
those which are from good pleasure
are somewhat more remotely from Him;
those which are from leave
still more remotely;
and those which are from permission
are most remotely from Him.
These are the degrees
of the influx and reception of the Divine.
But each degree contains innumerable things
which are distinct from those
which are in any other degree;
and these innumerable things are arcana of heaven,
a few only of which
fall into the human understanding.

For instance, to take only those things
which take place from permission,
which, although they are in the last place,
nevertheless on account of
the numberless arcana therein
cause a man to fall into confusion
when he looks at them
from the happenings of things in nature,
and from appearances,
and still more when from the fallacies of the senses.
Yet the arcana of permission are comparatively few
as compared with those of the higher degrees,
which are the things that take place
from leave, from good pleasure, and from will.

AC 9943
Intelligence is to know and understand truths Divine,
and afterward to have faith in them;
and wisdom is to will and love these truths,
and from this to live according to them.
 

~ The Top Three of David's Mighty Men ~

Those are the names of David's mighty men:

Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite,
was chief of the Three;
he raised his spear against eight hundred men,
whom he killed in one encounter.

Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite.
As one of the three mighty men,
he was with David
when they taunted the Philistines
gathered at Pas-Dammin for battle.
Then the men of Israel retreated,
but he stood his ground
and struck down the Philistines
til his hand grew tired and froze to the sword.
The Lord brought about a greeat victory that day.
The troops returned to Eleazar,
but only to strip the dead.

Next to him
was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite.
When the Philistines banded together
of a place where there was a field full of lentils,
Israel's troops fled from them.
But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field.
He defended it and struck the Philistines down,
and the Lord brought about a great victory.

(II Samuel 23:8-12)
 

AC 9930 - Crowns; AC 9936 - "The face of Jehovah"

AC 9930 [11]

As the good of wisdom is acquired
by means of temptation combats,
which are carried on by means of the truths of faith,
therefore crowns were assigned to those
who fought against evils and falsities
and overcame;
and for this reason also
the crowns of martyrdom were badges of command
from the Lord over evils.
That "crowns" denote
the rewards of victory over evils,
and that for this reason
they denote the goods of wisdom,
because these are the rewards,
is also evident from Revelation:

I saw, and behold a white horse;
and he that sat upon it had a bow;
and there was given unto him a crown;
and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
(Revelation 6:2)

The "white horse and he that sat upon it"
signify the Lord as to the Word;
"a bow" denotes the doctrine of truth,
by means of which the combat is waged;
from this it is evident that the "crown,"
because said of the Lord,
denotes the Divine good,
which is the reward of victory.

AC 9936

. . . by "the face of Jehovah"
are signified all things of the Divine love;
such as mercy, peace, good, wisdom.

~ The Spirit of the Lord Spoke Through David ~

These are the last words of David:

"The oracle of David son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
Israel's singer of songs:

"The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;
His word was on my tongue.
the God of Israel spoke,
the Rock of Israel said to me:
'When one rules over men in righteousness,
when he rules in the fear of God,
he is like the light or morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings the grass from the earth.'

(II Samuel 23:1-4)

AC 9918 - Pomegranates; AC 9921 - Bells of Gold

AC 9918

Pomegranates.
(Exodus 28:33)

That pomegranates were put upon the skirts of the robe,
was because "the skirts" signified
the ultimates or extremes of heaven and the church,
and the ultimates or extremes of the church
are memory-knowledges . . . about the successive order
of goods and truths in the heavens and with man.
The memory-knowledges of good and truth
which are signified by "the pomegranates,"
are doctrinal things from the Word,
which are memory-knowledges
insofar as they are in the memory
which is in the external or natural man.
But when they enter into the memory
which is in the internal or spiritual man,
as is the case when the man lives according to them,
then doctrinal things as to truth
become of faith,
and doctrinal things as to good
become of charity, and are called spiritual.
When this is done,
they almost vanish
out of the external or natural memory,
and appear as it were innate,
because they are then implanted in the man's life,
like all those things which through daily use
have become as it were of his nature.

AC 9921

And bells of gold.
(Exodus 28:33)

That this signifies all things of doctrine
and of worship from good
passing over to those who are of the church,
is evident from the signification of "bells,"
. . . that they are from good
is signified by their being of gold,
for "gold" signifies good.
That "the bells" denote
all things of doctrine and of worship
passing over to those who are of the church,
is because by means of the bells
the people heard and perceived
the presence of Aaron in his ministration,
for by "the people"
are signified those who are of the church,
and by "Aaron's ministry" are signified
all things of doctrine and of worship . . ..

~ Joab Rebukes David ~

Joab was told,
"The king is weeping mourning for Absalom."
And for the whole army
the victory that day was turned into mourning,
because on that day the troops heard it said,
"The king is grieving for his son."
The men stole into the city that day
as men steal in who are ashamed
when they flee from battle.
the king covered his face and cried aloud,
"O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!"

The Joab went into the house of the king and said,
"Today you have humiliated all your men,
who have just saved your life
and the lives of your sons and daughters
and the lives of your wives and concubines.
You love those who hate you
and hate those who love you.
You have made it clear today
that the commanders and their men
mean nothing to you.
I see that you would be pleased
if Absalom were alive today
and all of us were dead.
Now go out and encourage your men.
I swear by the Lord
that if you don't go out,
not a man will be left with you by night fall.
This will be worse for you
than all the calamities that have come upon you
from your youth till now."

So the king got up
and took his seat in the gateway.
When the men were told,
"The king is sitting in the gateway,"
they all came before him.

(II Samuel 19:1-8)
 

AC 9905 - "The Urim and Thummim"

AC 9905 [1, 3]

That "the Urim and Thummim"
denote light shining forth,
is because through the stones in the breastplate
the light of heaven shone forth with variety
according to the answers
that were being given through them.
For this reason they were of different colors.
For the Divine truth that proceeds
from the Lord's Divine good
appears before the angels as light,
and from it is all the light of heaven.
The colors derived from it,
which are modifications of this light with the angels,
are variations of intelligence and wisdom with them;
for all wisdom and intelligence
are from this Divine truth or light.
From this it can be seen that by the shining forth
of various colors from this light,
Divine truths, which are answers,
are presented to view in the heavens.
In like manner there was a shining forth
through the Urim and Thummim,
when inquiry was made of the Divine.
But be it known that when the shining forth appeared,
then at the same time
an answer to the subject of inquiry
was given in an audible voice.
This was done through angels,
to whom this answer was revealed by the Lord
by means of such a shining forth;
for, as before said,
Divine truths which are answers
appear in this manner in the heavens.

"Urim" means a shining fire;
and "Thummim," the shining forth therefrom;
the "shining fire" denotes
the Divine truth from the Divine good
of the Lord's Divine love,
and the "shining forth" denotes this same truth
in ultimates, thus in the effect.
But be it known that in the Hebrew tongue
"Thummim" means "integrity;"
but in the angelic tongue a "shining forth."

~ David Receives Two Runners ~

While David was sitting
between the inner and outer gates,
the watchman went up to the roof
of the gateway by the wall.
As he looked out,
he saw a man running alone.
The watchman called out to the king and reported it.

The king said, "If he is alone, he must have good news."
And the man came closer and closer.

Then the watchman saw another man running,
and he called down to the gatekeeper,
"Look, another man running alone!"

The king said, "He must be bringing good news, too."

The watchman said, "It seems to me
that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok."

"He's a good man," the king said.
"He comes with good news."

Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, "All is well!"
He bowed down before the king
with his face to the ground and said,
"Praise be to the Lord your God!
He has delivered up the men
who lifted their hands against my lord the king."

The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?"

Ahimaaz answered, "I saw great confusion
just as Joab was about to send
the king's servant and me, your servant, 
but I don't know what it was."

The king said, "Stand aside and wait there."
So he stepped aside and stood there.

Then the Cushite arrived and said,
"My lord the king, hear the good news!
The Lord has delivered you today
from all who rose up against you."

The king asked the Cushite,
"Is the young man Absalom safe?'

The Cushite replied,
"May the enemies of my lord the king
and all who rise up to harm you
be like that young man."

The king was shaken.
He went up to the room over the gateway and wept.
As he went, he said: "O my son Absalom!
My son, my son Absalom!
If only I had died instead of you --
O Absalom, my son, my son!"

(II Samuel 18:24-33)

AC 9864, etc. - The Stones of the Ephod

AC 9864

Four rows of stones, a row.
(Exodus 28: 17)

That this signifies the conjunction of all, namely,
of truths from good, is evident
from the signification of "four,"
as being conjunction;
and from the signification of "rows of stones,"
as being truths from good in their order.
That there were four rows,
and in each row three stones,
was in order that there might be represented
the conjunction of all truths from one good,
and thereby perfection;
for by "four" is signified conjunction,
and by "three," perfection;
for when there is one good from which all truths proceed,
and to which therefore all look,
then this one good is the conjunction of all.

AC 9865 - Row One

A ruby, a topaz, and a carbuncle.
(Exodus 28: 17)

That hereby is signified the celestial love of good,
is evident from the signification of these stones,
as being the good of celestial love.
Celestial love is love to the Lord from the Lord.
That these stones signify this love
is on account of their red and flaming color,
and "red" signifies love ,
in like manner what is "flaming";
here celestial love is signified,
because they are in the first row;
and those which are in the first row correspond
to things in the inmost heaven,
where reigns celestial love, that is, love to the Lord.

AC 9866

. . . in each row there were three stones,
and that by each row is signified a trine as a one.
There were four rows for the reason
that there are two kingdoms in the heavens,
the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom,
and in each an internal and an external.
The internal and the external of the celestial kingdom
were represented by
the two rows on the right side of the breastplate;
and the internal and the external of the spiritual kingdom,
by the two rows on its left side;
for the breastplate was a doubled square.

AC 8668 [1, 2] - Row Two

A chrysoprase, a sapphire, and a diamond.
(Exodus 28: 18)

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.
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.

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.

AC 9870 - Row Three

A cyanus, an agate, and an amethyst.
(Exodus 28: 19)

That this signifies the spiritual love of good,
is evident in like manner from their color;
for a blue color that is derived from white
signifies spiritual good,
or what is the same,
the spiritual love of good.
The spiritual love of good is charity toward the neighbor,
and the spiritual love of truth is faith from charity;
of that good and this truth the second heaven consists;
its internal being the good of charity,
and its external the good of faith.

AC 9872 -  Row Four

 A tarshish [ beryl], and an onyx, and a jasper.
(Exodus 28: 20)

That this signifies the spiritual love of truth,
in which the higher things cease,
is evident from the signification of these stones,
which they derive from their colors;
for the color of all the stones of this row
verges toward a shining white that is from blue.

~ David Flees Jerusalem ~

A messenger came and told David,
"The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom."

Then David said to all his officials
who were with him in Jerusalem,
"Come!  We must flee,
or none of us will escape from Absalom.
We must leave immediately,
or he will move quickly to overtake us
and bring ruin upon us
and put the city to the sword."

The king's officials answered him,
"Your servants are ready to do
whatever our lord the king chooses."

The king set out,
with his entire household following him;
but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace.

(II Samuel 15:13-16)

AC 9857 - A Breastplate of Judgment; AC 9858 - The Work of a Thinker; AC 9863 - The Breastplate and the New Jerusalem

AC 9857

And thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment.
(Exodus 28:15)

That this signifies
that which has regard to Divine truth
shining forth from Divine good,
is evident from the signification of "the breastplate,"
as being Divine truth shining forth
from the Divine good of the Lord in ultimates.
It is called "a breastplate of judgment,"
because it gave answers,
and thereby revealed Divine truth.
Moreover, by "judgment" in the Word
is signified Divine truth,
consequently doctrine and life according to doctrine.

AC 9858 
With the work of a thinker.
(Exodus 28:15)

That this signifies from the intellectual part,
is evident from the signification of "a thinker,"
as being the understanding.
It is said from the intellectual part,
because the Lord's spiritual kingdom,
which is represented by Aaron's garments,
is the intellectual part of heaven,
even as the celestial kingdom is its will part.

AC 9863

And thou shalt fill it with a filling of stone.
(Exodus 28:17)

That this signifies
the truths themselves in their order from one good,
is evident from the signification of "the breastplate,"
which is what was to be filled,
as being Divine truth shining forth
from the Divine good of the Lord;
and from the signification of "a filling of stone,"
as being truths in their order;
for the breastplate was filled with stones
according to the names of the sons of Israel;
and by "stones" in a general sense
are signified truths in the ultimate of order;
and by "precious stones,"
such as were in the breastplate,
are signified truths shining from good.
It is said "from one good,"
because there is one good from which are all truths.
This good is the good of love within the Lord,
thus the Lord Himself;
and consequently it is the good of love from the Lord,
which is the good of love within the Lord;
for the good which flows in from the Lord
into man, spirit, or angel, appears as if it were theirs;
consequently love within the Lord
is love from the Lord.
This good is the one only good
from which are all truths,
and from which is the order among truths,
for truths are forms of good.

That the precious stones which were in the breastplate
signified Divine truths from Divine good,
is evident from the passages in the Word
where precious stones are mentioned;
as with John in Revelation:

The foundations of the wall of the city New Jerusalem
were adorned with every precious stone.
The first foundation was jasper;
the second, sapphire;
the third, chalcedony;
the fourth, emerald;
the fifth, sardonyx;
the sixth, sardius;
the seventh, chrysolite;
the eighth, beryl;
the ninth, topaz;
the tenth, chrysoprase;
the eleventh, jacinth;
the twelfth, amethyst.
(Revelation 21:19, 20)

That these precious stones
signify the truths of the church,
which are truths Divine,
is evident from the signification of
"the city New Jerusalem,"
of its "wall," and "the foundations of the wall."
"The New Jerusalem" signifies the New Church
which will succeed our present church;
for the book of Revelation treats of
the state of the church as it is now, even to its end;
and then of the New Church,
which is the holy Jerusalem coming down out of heaven;
its "walls" denote the truths of faith which defend;
and its "foundations" denote truths from good;
these truths themselves in their order
are designated by the precious stones there named.
Everyone can see that Jerusalem
is not to come down out of heaven,
and that the rest of what is said about it
will not happen as described;
but that in each particular of the description
such things are signified as pertain to the church.
That the truths of faith are meant by
"the foundations of its wall,"
is evident from the fact that these truths
are what protect the church from every attack,
even as walls protect a city.
(That "Jerusalem" denotes the church;
and that "walls" denote the truths of faith
that protect the church;
and that "foundations" denote truths from good.)

~ Absalom Plots ~

. . . whenever anyone approached him
to bow down before him,
Absalom would reach out his hand,
take hold of him and kiss him.
Absalom behaved in this way
toward all the Israelites
who came to the king asking for justice,
and so he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

(II Samuel 15:5-6)

AC 9836 - The Ephod; AC 9841 - Two Onyx Stones

AC 9836 [2] - The Ephod

By the ephod was represented
the external of the Lord's spiritual kingdom,
and therefore by its shoulder pieces,
on which were placed the two onyx stones
with the names of the sons of Israel,
was represented the perpetual preservation
of good and truth;
and by the joining together of the ephod
on the shoulders,
and also before the breast and behind the back,
there was represented a complete unition.
From this it can be seen what is signified by . . .
the shoulderpieces and the engravings upon them;
namely, the preservation of good and truth forever
with all exertion and power;
thus the preservation of the heavens.
These stones with the names of the sons of Israel
were placed on the shoulderpieces of the ephod,
by which was represented
the external of the spiritual kingdom,
for the reason that
all preservation depends on the state of the ultimates,
for all the interior things cease there,
and form a plane there in which they may subsist.
Ultimates are like the soles and the feet,
on which the whole body stands,
and are also like the hands and the arms,
by means of which the body exerts its powers,
and into which the body transfers its forces.
It is also from this that the hands and the arms,
as well as the soles and the feet,
correspond to the ultimates of heaven.

AC 9841 - Two Onyx Stones

That these denote the memory,
is because there was engraved on them
the names of the sons of Israel,
and by "engraving on stones"
is signified the memory of things
that are to permanently remain;
as in the engraving or writing of the Law
on the tables of stone,
by which are signified things impressed
on the memory and life,
thus which are to remain permanently.
That "engraving" or "writing on stones"
has this signification,
is because truths have been impressed
on man's memory,
and also things which have the appearance of truth,
insomuch that it is even composed of these things;
and "stones" signify truths;
and when there is engraving on them,
they signify the memory where the truths are . . ..

 

~ Rabbah of the Ammonites ~

Meanwhile Joab fought against
Rabbah of the Ammonites
and captured the royal citadel.
Joab then sent messengers to David, saying,
"I have fought against Rabbah
and taken its water supply.
Now muster the rest of the troops
and besiege the city and capture it.
Otherwise I will take the city,
and it will be named after me."

So David mustered the entire army
and went to Rabbah,
and attacked and captured it.
He took the crown from the head of their king --
its weight was a talent of gold,
and it was set with precious stones --
and it was placed on David's head.
He took a great quantity of plunder from the city
and brought out the people who were there,
consigning them to labor
with saws and with iron picks and axes,
and he made them work at brickmaking.
He did this to all Ammonite towns.
Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

(II Samuel 12:26-31)
 

AC 9818, etc. - Aaron's Garments

AC 9819

. . . the signification of "Aaron's garments,"
as being a representative of
the spiritual kingdom of the Lord
joined to His celestial kingdom.
That the wise in heart,
filled with the spirit of wisdom,
were to make the garments,
was because by them are meant
those who are in the celestial kingdom;
and the spiritual kingdom
is that which is from the celestial,
and thus covers it,
as a garment covers the body.

AC 9823 - A Breastplate

That this signifies Divine truth
shining forth from Divine good,
is evident from the signification of "the breastplate,"
as being Divine truth shining forth from Divine good,
here in ultimates progressively from
the inmost things in the heavens.
For the ephod, on which was this breastplate,
represented the ultimates of the spiritual kingdom,
and consequently the ultimates of heaven.
"The breast plate" had this signification
because it was fastened upon the breast
where the heart is,
and was filled with precious stones,
and the heart corresponds to celestial good,
which is the good of love to the Lord from the Lord,
and the twelve precious stones
correspond to Divine truths thence derived.
Hence by "the breastplate" in the supreme sense
is signified Divine truth shining forth
from the Divine good of the Lord.

AC 9824 [2, 4] - An Ephod

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.

. . . 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 supervision and guidance
at His good pleasure.

AC 9825 - And a Robe

That this signifies Divine truth there in the internal form,
is evident from the signification of "the robe,"
as being the middle of the spiritual kingdom,
thus the truth itself which is there;
The reason of its being so
is that everywhere there must be end, cause, and effect;
the end must be the inmost,
the cause the middle,
and the effect the ultimate,
in order that the thing may be perfect.
It is from this that in the Word
"three" signifies what is complete from beginning to end.

It is said to be "of checker work,"
because it was woven, as is evident
from what follows in the book of Exodus:

They made tunics of fine linen,
the work of the weaver, for Aaron,
and for his sons
(Exodus 39:27);
that the tunics were of fine linen was in order
that truth from a celestial origin might be represented.

AC 9827 - And a Miter

That this signifies intelligence and wisdom,
is evident from the signification of "a miter,"
as being intelligence and wisdom.
A "miter" has this signification
because it is a covering for the head,
and by "the head"
are signified the interior things of man
that belong to intelligence and wisdom.

AC 9828 - The Belt

That "the belt" denotes a general bond
to the intent that all things may look to one end,
is because in the spiritual world the end reigns,
insomuch that all things there may be called "ends;"
for the Lord's kingdom, which is a spiritual world,
is a kingdom of uses,
and uses there are ends;
thus it is a kingdom of ends.
But the ends there follow one another
and are also associated together in a varied order;
the ends which follow one another
being called "intermediate ends,"
but the ends which are associated together
being called "consociate ends."
All these ends have been
so mutually conjoined and subordinated
that they look to one end,
which is the universal end of them all.
This end is the Lord;
and in heaven with those who are receptive,
it is love and faith in Him.
Love is there the end of all their wills,
and faith is the end of all their thoughts,
these being of the understanding. 

~ The Ammorites and the Arameans ~

When the Ammonites realized
that they had become a stench in David's nostrils,
they hired twenty thousand
Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah,
as well as the king of Maacah with a thousand men,
and also twelve thousand men from Tob.

After the Arameans saw
that they had been routed by Israel,
they regrouped.
Hadadezer had Arameans
brought from beyond the River;
they went to Helam,
with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer's army
leading them.

When David was told of this,
he gathered all Israel,
crossed the Jordan and went to Helam.
The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David
and fought against him.
But they fled before Israel,
and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers
and forty thousand of their foot soldiers.
He also struck down
Shobach the commander of their army,
and he died there.
when all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer
saw that they had been defeated by Israel,
they made peace with the Israelites
and became subject to them.

So the Arameans were afraid
to help the Ammonites anymore.

(II Samuel 10:6, 15-19)