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.

3068. 'Let down now your pitcher' means submitting facts. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'letting down' as submitting, and from the meaning of 'a pitcher' as facts. The reason why a water-pot or a pitcher means facts is that 'water' means truth, 680, 739, 2702, and a pitcher is a vessel with water in it, even as factual knowledge is a vessel with truth in it. All factual knowledge is a vessel for truth, and all truth is a vessel for good. Factual knowledge without truth is an empty vessel, and so is truth without good; but factual knowledge in which truth is held is a vessel that is filled, as is truth in which good is held. Affection which is an attribute of love is what joins them together so that they may exist in order. For love is spiritual conjunction.