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

18Moses erected the Tabernacle by setting down its bases, inserting the frames, attaching the crossbars, and setting up the posts. 19Then he spread the coverings over the Tabernacle framework and put on the protective layers, just as the Lord had commanded him. He took the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant and placed them inside the Ark. Then he attached the carrying poles to the Ark, and he set the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—on top of it. 21Then he brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Tabernacle and hung the inner curtain to shield it from view, just as the Lord had commanded him. 22Next Moses placed the table in the Tabernacle, along the north side of the Holy Place, just outside the inner curtain.

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 just as the Lord had commanded Moses. He eventually placed it in the Ark of the Covenant—in front of the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant.
• Exodus 25:16When the Ark is finished, place inside it the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you.
• Exodus 31:18When the Lord finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, written by the finger of God.
• Psalms 40:8I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.”
• Matthew 3:15But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.
• Exodus 40:3Place the Ark of the Covenant inside, and install the inner curtain to enclose the Ark within the Most Holy Place.
• Exodus 37:6Then he made the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—from pure gold. It was 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.
• Romans 3:25For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,
• Romans 10:4For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
• Hebrews 4:16So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
• Hebrews 10:19And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.
• 1 John 2:2He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

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