New King James Version
Deuteronomy 31:26
26“Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there as a witness against you;
Deuteronomy 31:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
- New International Version (NIV)“Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Take this Book of the Law and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against you.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Take this Book of Instruction and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, so it may remain there as a witness against the people of Israel.
Context of Deuteronomy 31:26
24So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished, 25that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying: “Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there as a witness against you; 27for I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. If today, while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord, then how much more after my death? 28Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them.
Read all of Deuteronomy 31Deuteronomy 31:26 word by word
לָקֹ֗חַ אֵ֣ת סֵ֤פֶר הַתּוֹרָה֙ הַזֶּ֔ה וְשַׂמְתֶּ֣ם אֹת֔וֹ מִצַּ֛ד אֲר֥וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָֽיָה־שָׁ֥ם בְּךָ֖ לְעֵֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- this bookסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: bookH5612
- of the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
- and putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- it in the sideצַדtsad · sideH6654
- of the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
- of the covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- your Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- that it may be there for a witnessעֵד‛êd · witnessH5707
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 31:26
- 1 Kings 8:9Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets 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.
- 2 Kings 22:8Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
- 2 Chronicles 34:14Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses.
- Deuteronomy 31:19“Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel.
- Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
- Galatians 2:19For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 31:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Take this book of the law - The standard copy to which all transcripts must ultimately refer: another copy was put into the bands of the priests. See the note on Deuteronomy 31:9.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24-29Verses 24-29 Moses completes the writing out of the book of the Law, and directs it to be placed by the ark of the covenant. Deuteronomy 31:24 The “book” here spoken of would contain the whole Pentateuch up to this verse, and be “the Book of Moses,” called generally by the Jews “the Law” (compare Matthew 22:40; Galatians 4:21). Deuteronomy 31:25 The Levites, which bare the ark - i. e., as in Deuteronomy 31:9, “the priests the sons of Levi.” The…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-30Verses 23-30 The solemn delivery of the book of the law to the Levites, to be deposited in, or rather by the side, of the ark, is again related. The song which follows in the next chapter is delivered to Moses, and by him to the people. He wrote it first, as the Holy Spirit taught him; and then spake it in the hearing of all the people. Moses tells them plainly, I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves. Many a sad thought, no doubt…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26beside the ark: Unlike the stone tablets, they must place the scroll of Deuteronomy near the ark of the covenant, not inside it. It was kept in the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle and later in the temple (see 31:9; Exodus 25:16; 26:33). a witness: Like the song the Israelites were required to sing, the scroll of Deuteronomy served as a constant reminder of Israel's covenant obligations and privileges (see Deuteronomy 31:19; see 31:10, 19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark--The second copy of the law (see on De 31:9) was deposited for greater security and reverence in a little chest beside the ark of the covenant, for there was nothing contained within it but the tables of stone (1Ki 8:9). Others think it was put within the ark, it being certain, from the testimony of Paul (He 9:4), that there were once other things inside the ark, and that this was the copy…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 31:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 31
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries