Bible Strands
Exodus 40:20
Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses acts as the executor of divine instructions during the final stage of tabernacle construction, positioning the sacred furniture after the tent and coverings are secured.
The words — הָ/עֵדֻת (ha./'e.Dut) translates to "the testimony," and הָ֣/אָרֹן (ha./'a.Ron) means "the ark," denoting the specific objects receiving Moses’ actions. וַ/יִּקַּ֞ח (va/i.yi.Kach) literally renders "and he took," marking the initial physical transfer of the tablets.
The thread — The placement of the Testimony inside the ark directly fulfills the command in Exodus 25:16, while the broader pattern of preserving holy items under divine direction appears in Exodus 16:34 and Exodus 31:18.
Why it lands — The text demands precise obedience to commanded spatial arrangements, requiring the reader to recognize that sacred objects are handled strictly according to divine specification rather than human preference.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:
Cross-references
- Exodus 16:34 And Aaron placed it in front of the Testimony, to be preserved just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Exodus 25:16 And place inside the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.
- Exodus 31:18 When the LORD had finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.
- Exodus 37:6 He constructed a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
- Exodus 40:3 Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil.
- Deuteronomy 10:5 and I went back down the mountain and placed the tablets in the ark I had made, as the LORD had commanded me; and there they have remained.
- 1 Kings 8:9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of the land of Egypt.
- Psalms 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.”
- Matthew 3:15 “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him.
- Romans 3:25 God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.