9477. 'For the ephod and for the breastplate' means which should be for a covering for celestial realities, external and internal. This is clear from the meaning of 'the ephod' as that which covers celestial good. For Aaron as a high priest represented the Lord in respect of the good of love, and his garments, especially his ephod, represented the truth of faith that springs from the good of love. The good of love is a celestial reality, and the truth of faith is its covering, since truths cover forms of good. This is why truths are meant in the Word by garments or clothes, 4545, 5248, 5319, 5954, 9093, 9212. For in heaven the celestial realities that belong to the good of love are represented as being naked, for which reason those belonging to the Lord's celestial kingdom appear naked, whereas those belonging to the spiritual kingdom, namely those who have been brought by the Lord by means of the truths of faith to the good of charity, appear wearing clothes. This kingdom lies below the celestial kingdom, and what lies below is the covering for what is higher; for the lower is more external, the higher more internal, 2148, 3084, 4599, 5146, 8325. From this it is evident what 'the ephod' means when Aaron represents the Lord in respect of the Divine Celestial; for priests represented the Lord in respect of Divine Good, and kings in respect of Divine Truth, see 6148. But it should be recognized that 'the ephod' was the sign of the covering for external celestial realities, and 'the breastplate' the covering for internal celestial realities. But more will be stated later on about these, where the ephod and the breastplate, which had the Urim and Thummim in it, are the subject.