6917.“银器”表真理的记忆知识，“金器”表良善的记忆知识。这从“器（皿）”、“银”和“金”的含义清楚可知：“器（皿）”是指记忆知识（参看3068，3079节），记忆知识之所以被称为“器皿”，是因为它们是总体性的，能包含无数真理和多种良善在里面；“银”是指真理，“金”是指良善（1551，1552，2954，5658节）。“埃及的银”是指含有真理在里面并适合的记忆知识（参看6112节）。至于埃及人手中的银器和金器是指真理的记忆知识和良善的记忆知识，而事实上，无论在此处还是上下文，“埃及人”都表示虚假的记忆知识，要知道，这些知识本身并不是真理，也不是虚假。相反，它们在那时处于真理的人手里会变成真理，在那些陷入虚假的人手里会变成虚假，这是他们运用和使用的结果。人的记忆知识就像他所拥有的财物和财富。财物和财富在那些陷入邪恶的人手里具有毁灭性，因为他们会将其付诸于各种恶用；但财物和财富在那些处于良善的人手里是有益的，因为他们会将其付诸于各种善用。因此，恶人手里的财物和财富若转到善人手里，就会变成良善。
记忆知识也是这样。例如：埃及人保留了大量属古教会的代表物，这从他们的象形文字清楚看出来。但由于他们将这些代表物用于巫术，因此使它们服务于恶用，所以这些事物对他们来说不是真实的记忆知识，而是虚假的记忆知识。然而，在古教会，这些知识却含有真理，因为人们将它们付诸于正确的功用，也就是用于神性敬拜。再以祭坛和祭祀为例。在希伯来民族，以及后来的犹太和以色列民族当中，它们是真正的仪式，因为他们将其用于对耶和华的敬拜。但在迦南地的各民族当中，它们是虚假的仪式，因为他们将其用于他们的偶像崇拜。这就是为何经上吩咐要把这些民族的祭坛毁掉，无论它们在哪里。其它众多事物也一样。因此，许多记忆知识能从那时陷入邪恶和虚假的人那里学来，并付诸于良善的功用，从而变成良善。
掠夺迦南地的各族，以及以色列人在那里所掠的财物、大小牲畜、房屋和葡萄园也表示这些事。这种事从掠自各族的金银看得更明显。金银也可投入神圣的功用，这从以下经文清楚看出来：
他手里还带着一些银器、金器和铜器；大卫王将这些器皿，和他征服各族所得来的金银都分别为圣，献给耶和华。就是从亚兰，摩押，亚扪人，非利士人，亚玛力人所得来的，以及从琐巴王利合的儿子哈大底谢所掠之物。（撒母耳记下8:10-12）
以赛亚书：
推罗的货财和她妓女的淫资要归耶和华为圣，必不积攒存留；因为她的货财必归给住在耶和华面前的人，使他们吃饱，也必归给用古老之物披盖自己的人。（以赛亚书23:18）
以色列人的妇人向埃及人索要，由此掠夺他们的这些东西后来也用于造约柜和他们在敬拜中所用到的其它许多神圣物件。
Potts(1905-1910) 6917
6917. Vessels of silver, and vessels of gold. That "vessels of silver" signify the memory-knowledges of truth, and "vessels of gold" the memory-knowledges of good, is evident from the signification of "vessels," as being memory-knowledges (see n. 3068, 3079); memory-knowledges are called "vessels" because they are generals, and can contain within them innumerable truths and manifold goods; from the signification of "silver" as being truth, and of "gold" as being good (n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658). (That the "silver" of Egypt denotes true and suitable memory-knowledge may be seen above, n. 6112.) As to the "vessels of silver and gold" with the Egyptians being the memory-knowledges of truth and the memory-knowledges of good, when yet by the "Egyptians" both here and in what precedes, and also in what follows, are signified false memory-knowledges, be it known that in themselves these knowledges are not truths, neither are they falsities, but that they become truths with those who are in truths, and falsities with those who are in falsities, this being the effect of their application and use. It is with man's memory-knowledges as with his riches and wealth. Riches and wealth are hurtful to those who are in evil, because they apply them to evil uses; but they are useful to those who are in good, because they apply them to good uses. If therefore the riches and wealth which pertain to the evil are transferred to the good, they become good. [2] The same is true of memory-knowledges. For example: with the Egyptians there remained many things from the representatives of the Ancient Church, as is manifest from their hieroglyphics, but as they applied those things to magic, and hence made an evil use of them, therefore to them they were not true memory-knowledges, but false memory-knowledges; yet the same in the Ancient Church were true memory-knowledges, because they applied them rightly to Divine worship. To take also as an example, altars and sacrifices; these with the Hebrew nation, and afterward with the Jewish and Israelitish nation, were true rituals, because they applied them to the worship of Jehovah; but with the nations in the land of Canaan they were false rituals, because they applied them to the worship of their idols, and therefore also it was commanded that the altars of these nations should everywhere be destroyed. It is the same with numberless other things. Therefore by those who are in evils and falsities many memory-knowledges can be acquired which are capable of being applied to good uses, and thus of becoming good. [3] Such are also signified by the spoiling of the nations in the land of Canaan and by the wealth, the herds, the cattle, the houses, the vineyards, which the sons of Israel there took for spoil. This is still plainer from the gold and silver taken from the nations for spoil being also applied to a holy use, as is evident from these passages:
There were in his hand vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass: these also did King David sanctify unto Jehovah, with the silver and gold which he had sanctified of all the nations which he subdued; of the Syrians, of Moab, and of the sons of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah (2 Sam. 8:10-12). And the merchandise of Tyre and her harlot hire shall be holiness to Jehovah; it shall not be stored up, nor kept back; but her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before Jehovah, to eat till they are sated, and for the ancient to cover himself (Isa. 23:18). These things also which the women of the sons of Israel borrowed from the Egyptians, and thus took for spoil, were afterward applied to the use of constructing the ark and many other of the holy things of their worship.
Elliott(1983-1999) 6917
6917. 'Vessels of silver' means factual knowledge of what is true, 'and vessels of gold' means factual knowledge of what is good. This is clear from the meaning of 'vessels' as known facts, dealt with in 3068, 3079 (known facts are called 'vessels' because they are general and can contain within them countless truths and manifold forms of good); from the meaning of 'silver' as truth, and of 'gold' as good, dealt with in 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658, 'the silver of Egypt' being factual knowledge that held truth in it and was appropriate, see 6112. As regards the vessels of silver and the vessels of gold in the hands of the Egyptians - that they mean factual knowledge of what is true and factual knowledge of what is good, even though here and in what has gone before, as well as in what follows, false factual knowledge is meant by 'the Egyptians - it should be recognized that in themselves known facts are neither true nor false. Rather, they become true in the hands of those who are guided by truths, and false in the hands of those who are steeped in falsities. What use they are put to and then made to serve is what determines which of these they become. The facts a person knows are like the wealth and riches he possesses. Wealth and riches in the hands of those governed by evil are ruinous because they put them to evil kinds of use, whereas wealth and riches in the hands of those governed by good are advantageous because they put them to good kinds of use. Therefore if wealth and riches in the hands of evil people are handed over to those who are good they become good. So too with factual knowledge.
[2] Among the Egyptians, for example, there remained a large number of the representatives that belonged to the Ancient Church, as is clear from their hieroglyphics. But because they applied them to magical practices and therefore made them serve an evil use, these things were for them not true factual knowledge but false. Yet in the Ancient Church the same knowledge had held what was true since people had put it to its correct use - to Divine worship. Take sacrifices on altars as another example. Among the Hebrew nation, and subsequently among the Jewish and Israelite nation, they were ritual acts that were true because they were put to use in the worship of Jehovah. But among the nations in the land of Canaan they were false ritual acts because they were put to use in the worship of their idols. This was why the command was also given to destroy those nations' altars wherever they were. The same holds true with a very large number of other things. For this reason many known facts can be learned from those who are steeped in evils and falsities, and put to good kinds of use, thus becoming good. Similar things were also meant by plundering the nations in the land of Canaan - by the wealth, large cattle, small cattle, houses, and vineyards which the children of Israel plundered there. The same thing is still further evident from the gold and silver plundered from the nations. This too was devoted to a sacred use, as is clear from the second Book of Samuel,
There were in his hand vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of bronze. King David consecrated these also to Jehovah, along with the silver and gold that he had consecrated from all the nations which he had subdued - from the Syrians, [and] from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek, and from the plunder of Hadad Ezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 2 Sam 8:10-12.
And in Isaiah,
At length the merchandise of Tyre and her harlot's wages will be holy to Jehovah, they will not be hoarded or held back; but her merchandise will be for those that dwell before Jehovah to eat to their satiety and for one covering himself with what is ancient. Isa 23:18.
And also the objects which the women of the children of Israel asked of the Egyptians, thereby plundering them, were later on put to use in the making of the Ark, and to many other sacred objects in their worship.
Latin(1748-1756) 6917
6917. `Vasa argenti' quod significent scientifica veri, `et vasa auri' quod significent scientifica boni, constat ex significatione `vasorum' quod sint scientifica, de qua n. 3068, 3079; scientifica vocantur `vasa' quia communia sunt, et in se continere possunt innumerabilia vera et multiplicia bona; ex significatione `argenti' quod sit verum, et `auri' quod sit bonum, de qua n. 1551, 1552, 2954, 5658; quod `argentum Aegypti' sit scientificum verum et aptabile, videatur n. 6112. Quod vasa argenti et `vasa auri apud Aegyptios' sint scientifica veri et scientifica boni, cum tamen per `Aegyptios' hic et in praecedentibus, tum quoque in sequentibus, significantur scientifica falsa, sciendum quod scientifica in se {1}non sint vera, nec sint falsa, sed quod fiant vera apud illos qui in veris sunt, et falsa apud illos qui in falsis; applicatio illorum {2}et usus hoc facit; se habent scientifica apud hominem sicut divitiae et opes apud illum; divitiae et opes apud illos qui in malo sunt perniciosae sunt quia applicant illas ad usus malos; at divitiae et opes apud illos qui in bono sunt utiles sunt quia applicant illas ad usus bonos; quapropter si divitiae et opes quae apud malos transferuntur ad bonos, fiunt bonae; ita quoque scientifica; ut pro exemplo: apud Aegyptios remanserunt plura ex repraesentativis 2 {3} Ecclesiae Antiquae, ut constat ex illorum hieroglyphicis; sed quia applicuerunt illa ad magica, et usum malum inde fecerunt, idcirco non illis fuerunt scientifica vera, sed scientifica falsa; {4}ast eadem in Antiqua Ecclesia fuerunt scientifica vera, quoniam applicuerunt illa {5}rite ad cultum Divinum. Sint etiam pro exemplo altaria et sacrificia: haec apud gentem Hebraeam et postea apud gentem Judaicam et Israeliticam fuerunt ritualia vera quia applicuerunt illa ad cultum {6}Jehovae; sed apud gentes in terra Canaane erant ritualia falsa quia applicuerunt illa ad cultum {7}idolorum suorum; quapropter etiam mandatum est ut {8}gentium altaria ubivis destruerentur; {9}similiter se habet cum quampluribus aliis; quapropter ab illis qui in malis et falsis sunt, multa scientifica {10} hauriri queunt, quae ad usus bonos applicari possunt, et sic fieri bona. 3 Talia quoque significata sunt per depraedationes gentium in terra Canaane, per opes, armenta, pecudes, domos, vineas, quas filii Israelis ibi depraedati sunt; {11}hoc adhuc magis patet ex eo quod aurum et argentum depraedatum (c)a gentibus, etiam ad usum sanctum {12}adhibitum fuerit, ut constat ex Libro 2 Samuelis, Fuerunt in manu ejus vasa argenti, et vasa auri, et vasa aeris; etiam haec sanctificavit rex David Jehovae, cum argento et auro, quod sanctificaverat de omnibus gentibus quas subegit: de Syris, de Moabo, et de filiis Ammonis, et de Philistaeis, et de Amaleck, et de praeda Hadad-Eseris filii Rechobi, regis Zobae, viii 10-12:et apud Esaiam, Tandem erit mercatura Tyri et merces meretricia ejus, sanctum Jehovae, non reponetur, neque detinebitur; sed habitantibus coram Jehovah erit mercatura ejus, ad comedendum, ad exsatiandum se, et tegenti se antiquo, xxiii 18. Etiam haec quae mulieres filiorum Israelis ab Aegyptiis mutuo petierunt, et sic depraedati sunt, applicata dein erant ad usum construendi arcam, et ad plura quae sancta cultus eorum fuerunt. @1 nec$ @2 d et i ad$ @3 i et significativis$ @4 at$ @5 ibi$ @6 Divinum$ @7 idololatricum$ @8 eorum$ @9 ita$ @10 i vera$ @11 quod etiam$ @12 adhibita fuerint, (m)2 Sam. viii 10-12:(n) et quoque$