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 (Rev. 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, see n. 2117, 9166; and that "walls" denote the truths of faith that protect the church, n. 6419; and that "foundations" denote truths from good, n. 9643.) [3] In Ezekiel:

Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Thou art 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, and the diamond, the tarshish [beryl], the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the chrysoprase, and the carbuncle, and gold. Thou hast been in the mountain of holiness of God; thou hast walked in the midst of the stones of fire (Ezek. 28:12-14). Here also by "the precious stones" are signified truths from good; for in the internal representative sense "Tyre" denotes one who is in intelligence and wisdom from the knowledges of good and truth (n. 1201) therefore it is said of its king that he is "full of wisdom and perfect in beauty," "wisdom" being predicated of good, and "beauty" of truth; for all the wisdom in the heavens is from good, and all the beauty there is from the truths thence derived. "Eden the garden" signifies intelligence from good (n. 100); "the garden," intelligence itself (n. 100, 108, 2702). From this it is evident that by the "stones" there mentioned are signified truths from good. [4] But what truths from good are signified by each of the stones in the breastplate, will be seen from what follows. That all truths and goods in the complex are signified, is evident from the fact that there were twelve stones, and that on them were inscribed the names of the sons of Israel, that is, of the tribes; for by "the twelve tribes" are signified the goods and truths of heaven and of the church in the whole complex (n. 3858, 3926, 3939, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6397); and that from this they signified heaven with all the societies there (n. 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); also that they signified various things according to the order in which they are mentioned in the Word (n. 3862, 3926, 3939, 4603, 6337, 6640); and that "twelve" denotes all things (n. 3272, 3858, 7973).