Exodus 40:20

Exodus 40:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)He took the tablets of the covenant law and placed them in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He took the testimony and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark and set the mercy seat above on the ark.
• New King James Version (NKJV)He took the Testimony and put it into the ark, inserted the poles through the rings of the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark.

Context of Exodus 40:20

18When Moses put up the tabernacle, he first put the metal bases in their right places. Then he put up the boards, the bars to hold them, and the poles. 19Then he covered the tabernacle with the tent and he put the leather covers over the tent. He did this in the way that the Lord had commanded him. Moses took the two flat stones with God's special commands on them. He put them inside the Covenant Box. He put the poles through the rings on the box. He put the special lid on top of the box. 21Then he brought the Covenant Box into the tabernacle. He hung the special curtain to hide it, so that nobody could see it. He did this in the way that the Lord had commanded him. 22Moses put the special table inside the Tent of Meeting. He put it outside the curtain, on the north side of the Holy Place.

Exodus 40:20 word by word

וַיִּקַּ֞ח וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־הָעֵדֻת֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָרֹ֔ן וַיָּ֥שֶׂם אֶת־הַבַּדִּ֖ים עַל־הָאָרֹ֑ן וַיִּתֵּ֧ן אֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת עַל־הָאָרֹ֖ן מִלְמָֽעְלָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• and putנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• the testimonyעֵדוּת‛êdûth · testimonyH5715
• into the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
• and setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• the stavesבַּדbad · alone: poleH905
• the mercy seatכַּפֹּרֶתkappôreth · mercy seatH3727
• aboveמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605

Cross-references for Exodus 40:20

• Exodus 16:34Aaron did what the Lord had told Moses. He put the jar in the Covenant Box, to keep it safe.
• Exodus 25:16Then put into the box the two flat stones with the words of the covenant on them. I will give those to you.
• Exodus 31:18The Lord finished speaking to Moses on Sinai mountain. Then he gave Moses the two flat stones with the special commands that God himself had written on them.
• Psalms 40:8I want to do what pleases you. Your law is always in my thoughts.’
• Matthew 3:15Jesus replied, ‘This time, do what I ask you to do. We must do everything correctly, as God wants it.’ So John did what Jesus asked him to do.
• Exodus 40:3Put the Covenant Box in the tabernacle and hide it behind the special curtain.
• Exodus 37:6He used pure gold to make the special lid for the Covenant Box. It was 1 metre long and 75 centimetres wide.
• Romans 3:25God showed everyone that Jesus Christ died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. God forgives us if we trust in Jesus and the blood of his sacrifice. God did this to show clearly that he is always right and fair. In past times, God was patient. He did not punish people who did wrong things.
• Romans 10:4God gave his Law to Israel's people for a purpose. But Christ has finished that purpose. So now, every person who believes in Christ becomes right with God.
• Hebrews 4:16So we should come near to God and we should not be afraid. God is our King. We can ask him to help us when we need help. We know that he will forgive us and he will be kind to us in whatever way we need.
• Hebrews 10:19So then, Christian friends, we see that Jesus died as a sacrifice on our behalf. Because of that, we may go into God's Most Holy Place. We are not afraid to do that.
• 1 John 2:2Jesus died as a sacrifice to take the punishment for our sin. Then God could forgive us. Jesus did that not only for us. He did it for all people in the world, so that God could forgive them for their sins.

Commentaries on Exodus 40:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20And put the testimony into the ark - That is, the two tables on which the ten commandments had been written. See Exodus 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, Exodus 40:22, Exodus 40:24, Exodus 40:26. And the altar of burnt-offering was by the door, Exodus 40:29. And the brazen laver, between the tent of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The testimony - i. e. the tables of stone with the Ten Commandments engraved on them Exodus 25:16; Exodus 31:18. Nothing else is said to have been put into the ark. These were found there by themselves in the time of Solomon 1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chronicles 5:10. The pot of manna was “laid up before the testimony” Exodus 16:34; Aaron‘s rod was also placed “before the testimony” Numbers 17:10; and the book of the law was put at “the side of the ark” Deuteronomy…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-33Verses 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, even in a wilderness…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-33The report on setting up the Tent of Meeting starts with the Lord's commands (40:1–15). It continues with how Moses obeyed those commands (40:16–33). The repeated statement that "Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded" (40:16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32) strongly contrasts with Aaron’s self-serving statement in 32:22–24. God wants to share his presence with us, but his holiness requires us to give up our own efforts to secure his presence and…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-382. On the first day of the first month--From a careful consideration of the incidents recorded to have happened after the exodus (Ex 12:2; 13:4; 19:1; 20:18; 34:28, &c.), it has been computed that the work of the tabernacle was commenced within six months after that emigration; and consequently, that other six months had been occupied in building it. So long a period spent in preparing the materials of a movable pavilion, it would be difficult to…Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 40:20

• Ark
• Decalogue
• Law
• Mercy-Seat
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• Tabernacle
• Ark of the Covenant
• Atonement, Day of
• Canon of the Old Testament
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis
• Leviticus
• Papyrus
• Prayer
• Ten Commandments, the

Commentaries on Exodus 40

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings