10340. 'And all the vessels of the tent' means that which is representative of all the forms of goodness and truth which are of service. This is clear from the meaning of 'the vessels of the tent of meeting' as the forms of goodness and truth which minister to the heavens, thus which are of service to them. Forms of goodness and truth which are of service are cognitions and known facts, these being meant by vessels in general, see 3068, 3079, 9724.

9724. 'And shovels, and basins, and its forks, and its tongs' means known facts that act as containers and serve every purpose. This is clear from the meaning of vessels generally as the items of knowledge or known facts that the external memory possesses, dealt with in 3068, 3069, and - in regard to things of a holy nature - as the cognitions of good and truth which serve as means by which to worship the Lord, 9544. Such also is what the vessels for ministry around the altar mean. But each particular vessel there means the known facts that relate to some specific purpose, so that all the vessels there mean the known facts that serve every purpose.