9896. And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod. That this signifies the conjunction and preservation of all things of heaven by means of the sphere of Divine good in the externals of the spiritual kingdom, is evident from the signification of "binding," as being conjunction and preservation (of which above, where the binding of the breastplate to the ephod was treated of); from the signification of "the breastplate," as being a representative of all things of heaven (n. 9879, 9887); from the signification of "the rings," as being the sphere of Divine good through which there is conjunction (n. 9498, 9501, 9882); and from the signification of "the ephod," as being Divine truth in the spiritual kingdom in the external form, in which the interior things cease (n. 9824), thus the whole external of this kingdom.
