עֵדוּת (e.dut)
e.dut
testimony
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 51 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun edut means testimony, but its specific weight comes from being a legal witness that stands as evidence. It is the feminine form of the root for "witness," and in Scripture it most often refers to the tablets of the law kept inside the ark. This usage appears clearly in Exodus 25:16, where God instructs Moses to place the testimony within the ark of the covenant.
While the word can simply mean a reminder or precept as seen in Psalms 119, its primary biblical function is to serve as a permanent record of God’s covenant. The phrase "ark of the testimony" links the physical object directly to the divine law it contains. This concrete object acted as a visible sign for Israel that God had made promises and given commands they were bound to keep.
Translators often render edut as "testimony" or "witness," emphasizing its role as proof of a relationship. It is not merely information but a binding agreement. By keeping the tablets in the ark, the Israelites acknowledged that their identity was rooted in this revealed standard. The word anchors the abstract concept of law in a tangible, sacred reality.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word edut points to a lasting record of God’s faithfulness. In ancient Israel, this term described the tablets of the law kept inside the ark of the covenant. This was not just a set of rules but a physical sign of a binding agreement between God and His people. By placing these stones in the most holy place, Israel acknowledged that their identity rested on God’s revealed standard.
For your faith today, this reminds us that God keeps His promises. The covenant was a permanent witness to His love and guidance. You can trust that the same God who established that ancient agreement remains faithful to you. His word stands as a secure foundation in every season of life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 51 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ testimony34×
- testimonies/ your7×
- testimonies/ his2×
- and/ testimonies/ his2×
- a testimony2×
- to/ testimonies/ your1×
- of the/ testimony1×
- from/ testimonies/ your1×
- and/ to/ testimonies/ your1×
- and/ in/ testimonies/ his1×
- [the] testimony of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָ/עֵדֻ֑ת6×
- הָ/עֵדֻֽת\׃4×
- הָ/עֵדֻ֔ת4×
- הָ/עֵד֑וּת4×
- הָ/עֵדֻ֖ת3×
- עֵדְוֹתֶ֥י/ךָ2×
- הָ֣/עֵדֻ֔ת2×
- הָ֣/עֵד֔וּת2×
- הָ/עֵדֽוּת\׃2×
- הָ/עֵדֻת֙2×
- הָ/עֵדֻ֜ת2×
- עֵדְוֹתָ֤י/ו1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 25:16
You shall put the covenant which I shall give you into the ark.
This verse establishes the core function of edut by instructing Moses to place the covenant tablets inside the ark as a permanent witness.
-
Exodus 40:20
He took and put the covenant into the ark, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark.
Here the narrative shows the actual placement of the testimony into the ark, fulfilling the divine command and sealing the covenant relationship.
-
Numbers 1:50
but appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; and they shall take care of it, and shall encamp around it.
This occurrence highlights the Levites' responsibility to care for the Tabernacle of the Testimony, showing its central role in Israel's worship structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word edut mean?
Why is edut called the ark of the testimony?
How is edut different from other words for witness?
Every Occurrence (51 verses across 11 books)
Exodus 20 verses
As Yahweh commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
Exodus 25:16You shall put the covenant which I shall give you into the ark.
Exodus 25:21You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the covenant that I will give you.
Exodus 25:22There I will meet with you, and I will tell you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on…
Exodus 26:33You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring the ark of the covenant in there within the veil. The veil…
Exodus 26:34You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant in the most holy place.
Exodus 27:21In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil which is before the covenant, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from…
Exodus 30:6You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the covenant, before the mercy seat that is over the covenant,…
Exodus 30:26You shall use it to anoint the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the covenant,
Exodus 30:36You shall beat some of it very small, and put some of it before the covenant in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet…
Exodus 31:7the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the covenant, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furniture of the Tent,
Exodus 31:18When he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave Moses the two tablets of the covenant, stone tablets,…
Exodus 32:15Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand; tablets that were…
Exodus 34:29When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the…
Exodus 38:21These are the amounts of materials used for the tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were counted,…
Exodus 39:35the ark of the covenant with its poles, the mercy seat,
Exodus 40:3You shall put the ark of the covenant in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.
Exodus 40:5You shall set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant, and put the screen of the door to the…
Exodus 40:20He took and put the covenant into the ark, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark.
Exodus 40:21He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the covenant, as…