915. 'The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, [20] the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst' signifies all the things of that doctrine derived from the sense of the letter of the Word in their order with those who approach the Lord directly and live in accordance with the precepts of the Decalogue by fleeing from evils as sins; for these and no others are in the doctrine of love directed to God and of love towards the neighbour, which are the two foundations of religion. That by 'the twelve foundations of the wall' are signified all the things of the doctrine of the New Jerusalem derived from the sense of the letter of the Word, may be seen above (n. 902, 914); that by 'precious stones' in general are signified all the truths of the doctrine derived from the Word transparent by means of the spiritual sense, above (n. 231, 540, 726, 911, 914). Here by each stone is signified some specific truth transparent in that manner. That the Word in the sense of the letter as to the doctrinal things thereof corresponds to precious stones of every kind, may be seen in THE DOCTRINE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM CONCERNING THE SACRED SCRIPTURE (n. 43-45). [2] There are two colours in general that shine forth in precious stones, the colour red and the colour bright white. The rest of the colours, as green, yellow, sky-blue and many more, are composed of those modified with black (ex illis mediante nigro); and by the red colour is signified the good of love, and by the bright white colour is signified the truth of wisdom. The reason why the red colour signifies the good of love is because it derives its origin from the fire of the sun, and the fire of the sun of the spiritual world is in its essence the Lord's Divine Love, thus the good of love; and the reason why the bright white colour signifies the truth of wisdom is because it derives its origin from the light that proceeds out of the fire of that sun, and that proceeding light is in its essence Divine wisdom, thus the truth of wisdom; and black derives its origin from the shade of those, which is ignorance. [3] But to explain in detail what [kind] of good and what [kind] of truth is signified by each stone would be too tedious. Nevertheless in order to know what of good and truth any one stone in this order signifies, the things may be seen that have been expounded above (chap. vii from vers. 5-8, n. 349-361), where the twelve tribes of Israel are treated of. For a similar thing is signified by each stone here as by each tribe there named, since by the twelve tribes there described are likewise signified all the goods and truths of the Church and of its doctrine in their order. And therefore also it is said in this chapter (verse 14) that 'in the twelve foundations were written the names of the Lamb's twelve apostles', and by the twelve apostles' are signified all the things of the doctrine concerning the Lord, and concerning a life in accordance with His precepts (n. 903). Similar things also are signified by these twelve stones as by the twelve precious stones in Aaron's breastplate, which was called the Urim and Thummim (treated of in Exod. xxviii 15-21, of which the details have been expounded in ARCANA CAELESTIA from n. 9856-9882), with the difference that in the latter were the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, but in the former the names of the Lamb's twelve apostles. [4] That the foundations are of precious stones is also said in Isaiah:-