9476. Onyx stones and stones for filling. That this signifies spiritual truths and goods in general, is evident from the signification of "onyx stones," as being the truths of faith that are from love, or spiritual truths; for the truths of faith which are from love are spiritual truths; and from the signification of "stones for filling," as being the goods of faith, or spiritual goods. That "stones for filling" denote the goods of faith, and "onyx stones" the truths of faith, is because the stones for filling were for the breastplate, and by "the breast plate" upon the ephod was signified the good of faith, or spiritual good; but the onyx stones were upon the shoulders of the ephod, and by "the shoulders" of the ephod are signified the truths of faith, or spiritual truths. (That by precious stones in the Word are signified the truths and goods of faith, or spiritual truths and goods, see n. 114, 643, 3858, 6335, 6640.) And as the truths and goods of faith are signified by precious stones, intelligence and wisdom are also signified by them, for intelligence is from the truths of faith, and wisdom is from the goods of faith. So in Ezekiel:
Full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty, thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the ruby, the topaz, the diamond, the tarshish, the onyx (Ezek. 28:12, 13, 15);
speaking of the king of Tyre, by whom is signified intelligence from the knowledges of the truth of faith (n. 1201).
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