Exodus 40 · Verse 20

Exodus 40:20

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:
Exodus 40:20, King James Version

Exodus 40:20 in other translations

BSBMoses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark.
WEBHe took and put the covenant into the ark, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark.
ASVAnd 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:
YLTAnd he taketh and putteth the testimony unto the ark, and setteth the staves on the ark, and putteth the mercy-seat on the ark above;
DARBYAnd he took and put the testimony into the ark, and put the staves in the ark, and put the mercy-seat above on the ark.
BBEAnd he took the law and put it inside the ark, and put the rods at its side and the cover over it;
WebsterAnd he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staffs on the ark, and put the mercy-seat above upon the ark:

What does Exodus 40:20 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 And put the testimony into the ark - That is, the two tables on which the ten commandments had been written. See Exo 25:16. The ark, the golden table with the shew-bread, the golden candlestick, and the golden altar of incense, were all in the tabernacle, within the veil or curtains, which served as a door, Exo 40:22, Exo 40:24, Exo 40:26. And the altar of burnt-offering was by the door, Exo 40:29. And the brazen laver, between the tent of the congregation and the brazen altar, Exo 40:30; still farther outward, that it might be the first thing the priests met with when entering into the court to minister, as their hands and feet must be washed before they could perform any part of the holy service, Exo 40:31, Exo 40:32. When all these things were thus placed, then the court that surrounded the tabernacle, which consisted of posts and hangings, was set up, Exo 40:33.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 40:16-33

When the tabernacle and the furniture of it were prepared, they did not put off rearing it till they came to Canaan; but, in obedience to the will of God, they set it up in the midst of their camp. Those who are unsettled in the world, must not think that this will excuse want of religion; as if it were enough to begin to serve God when they begin to be settled in the world. No; a tabernacle for God is very needful…

Read the full comment on Exodus 40:16-33 →

Exodus 40:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּקַּ֞חvai.yi.Kachand he tookH3947
וַיִּתֵּ֤ןvai.yi.Tenand he putH5414
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָעֵדֻת֙ha.'e.Dutthe testimonyH5715
אֶל\־'el-intoH413
הָ֣אָרֹ֔ןha.'a.Ronthe arkH727
וַיָּ֥שֶׂםvai.Ya.semand he putH7760
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַבַּדִּ֖יםha.ba.Dimthe polesH905
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הָאָרֹ֑ןha.'a.Ronthe arkH727
וַיִּתֵּ֧ןvai.yi.Tenand he putH5414
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶתha.ka.Po.retthe atonement coverH3727
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הָאָרֹ֖ןha.'a.Ronthe arkH727
מִלְמָֽעְלָה\׃mil.Ma.'e.lahfrom to above <towards>H4605

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 40:20

  • Exodus 16:34

    As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.

  • Hebrews 4:16

    Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

  • Hebrews 9:4

    Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

  • Psalms 40:8

    I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

  • Exodus 25:16-21

    And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. …

  • Hebrews 10:19-21

    Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God;

  • Matthew 3:15

    And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

  • Exodus 40:3

    And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.

  • 1 John 2:2

    And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

  • 1 Kings 8:9

    There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

  • Romans 3:25

    Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

  • Romans 10:4

    For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the testimony.
16:34; 25:16-21; 31:18; Ps 40:8; Mt 3:15
mercy.
3; 37:6-9; Ro 3:25; 10:4; Heb 4:16; 10:19-21; 1Jo 2:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 40:19

    And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the Lord commanded Moses.

  • Exodus 40:20

    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:

  • Exodus 40:21

    And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the Lord commanded Moses.

Read all of Exodus 40

Exodus 40:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y tomó y puso el testimonio dentro del arca, y colocó las varas en el arca, y encima la cubierta sobre el arca:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et il prit et mit le témoignage dans l’arche; et il plaça les barres à l’arche; et il mit le propitiatoire sur l’arche, par-dessus.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und er nahm das Zeugnis und legte es in die Lade und tat die Stangen an die Lade und legte den Deckel auf die Lade, oben darauf;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Posuit et mensam in tabernaculo testimonii ad plagam septentrionalem extra velum,