Exodus 40:20 · Bible study
Exodus 40:20 Commentary: Testimony in the Ark, Mercy Seat Above
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Moses completes the tabernacle's heart by placing the law inside the ark and the mercy seat on top, a type of Christ who covers our sin.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Moses obeys God’s command by placing the covenant tablets inside the ark and covering them with the mercy seat, establishing the sanctuary’s heart.
- Key words: testimony (ʿēdût), the stone tablets; mercy seat (kappōret), the gold covering and place of atonement.
- Main debate: whether other items (pot of manna, Aaron’s rod) were placed inside the ark at this time; Barnes and others argue they were “before the testimony,” not inside.
- Theological theme: God’s holy law, stored within the ark, is covered by mercy through atonement, the pattern of judgment and grace that Christ fulfills.
- Best use: Teaching the typology of Christ as the embodiment of both the law (perfect obedience) and the mercy seat (atoning sacrifice).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark.
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.
KJV King James Version 1769
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:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And 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;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And 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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he set the table in the tabernacle of the testimony, at the north side, without the veil,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y tomó y puso el testimonio dentro del arca, y colocó las varas en el arca, y encima la cubierta sobre el arca:
E tomou e pôs o testemunho dentro da arca, e colocou as varas na arca, e encima o propiciatório sobre a arca:
Il prit le témoignage, et le plaça dans l’arche; il mit les barres à l’arche, et il posa le propitiatoire au-dessus de l’arche.
und nahm das Zeugnis und legte es in die Lade und tat die Stangen an die Lade und tat den Gnadenstuhl oben auf die Lade
Voorts nam hij, en legde de getuigenis in de ark, en deed de handbomen aan de ark, en hij zette het verzoendeksel boven op de ark.
Poi prese la testimonianza e la pose dentro l’arca, mise le stanghe all’arca, e collocò il propiziatorio sull’arca;
Potem wziąwszy świadectwo, włożył je do skrzyni, i przewlókł drążki u skrzyni, i włożył ubłagalnią z wierzchu na skrzynię.
И взял и положил откровение в ковчег, и вложил шесты в кольца ковчега, и положил крышку на ковчег сверху;
又 把 法版 放 在 櫃 裡，把 槓 穿 在 櫃的兩旁，把 施恩座 安 在 櫃 上。
And he took the law and put it inside the ark, and put the rods at its side and the cover over it;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 40:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse recounts Moses following the precise instructions God had given earlier (Exodus 25:16, 21). The “testimony” is the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (Clarke, Barnes, Gill, Keil & Delitzsch). Keil says the term is an abbreviated expression for “the tables of testimony.” The “mercy seat” (kapporet) is the gold slab that covered the ark, flanked by cherubim, where the high priest would sprinkle blood on the Day of Atonement. Barnes notes that nothing else is said to have been placed inside the ark at this point, the pot of manna and Aaron’s rod were laid “before the testimony,” not inside it (Exodus 16:34; Numbers 17:10). The act of putting the poles on the ark made it ready for transport, a detail Gill connects to Israel’s journey ahead. All commentators stress that Moses’ actions are a direct execution of Yahweh’s command, a pattern of obedience that allows God’s glory to fill the tabernacle.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Moses placed the two stone tablets of the covenant inside the ark and set the mercy seat on top, exactly as God had commanded.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Contents of the ark at the time of Moses | All commentators agree the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments (the testimony) were placed inside the ark. | Barnes and others argue the pot of manna and Aaron’s rod were laid up 'before the testimony' (Ex 16:34; Num 17:10), not inside the ark, while Hebrews 9:4 later mentions them as inside, likely a later tradition. |
| Meaning of the mercy seat | All agree the mercy seat is the gold cover of the ark, where atonement was made on the Day of Atonement. | Some emphasize its role as a physical throne of God’s presence (Ex 25:22), while others focus on its propitiatory function (the kapporet covering sin). |
| Foreshadowing of Christ | Christian interpreters see the mercy seat as a type of Christ’s atoning work (Rom 3:25; Heb 9:5). | Catholic and Orthodox traditions also see the ark as a type of Mary (who carried the Word); Protestant traditions typically emphasize the legal and substitutionary aspects of the mercy seat. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This scene takes place on the first day of the first month of the second year after the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 40:17). The tabernacle, a portable tent-sanctuary, is being set up in the wilderness camp. Moses, acting as both prophet and mediator, personally assembles its most sacred object. The ark of the covenant is a chest of acacia wood overlaid with gold, measuring about 1.1 metres long by 0.7 metres wide and high. Within it were placed the two stone tablets that God had engraved “with his finger” after the golden calf incident (Exodus 31:18; 34:1). These tablets contained the terms of the covenant, making them the charter of Israel’s relationship with God. Above the ark sat the mercy seat, a solid gold plate with two cherubim at its ends, whose wings overshadowed the cover (Exodus 37:6-9). This was the appointed place where Yahweh would meet with Moses and speak “from between the cherubim” (Exodus 25:22). Once the ark was inside the tabernacle, a veil screened it from the outer chamber (Exodus 40:21). The placement of the law inside and the mercy seat on top formed the symbolic center of Israel’s worship: the holy law that convicts, covered by the place atonement that provides mercy. The poles, always kept in their rings, signified that God’s presence was not static but journeyed with his people.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the ancient versions (LXX, Syriac, Vulgate) agree closely. The main variation among English translations is the rendering of עֵדוּת as “testimony” or “covenant,” but this reflects translation preference rather than a textual difference.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, Exodus 40:20 is part of the account of the Mishkan’s dedication, celebrated as the day God’s presence came to dwell with Israel. The mercy seat is central to Yom Kippur liturgy. Christians early on saw the ark as a typological preview of Christ. The Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb 9:4-5) refers to the ark’s contents and the mercy seat as “the place of atonement,” linking it directly to Christ’s sacrifice. Church fathers such as Augustine and Chrysostom taught that the ark prefigured Christ’s human nature treasuring the law, while the mercy seat pointed to his work of covering sin. During the Reformation, this verse was used to emphasize that God’s law is not abolished but satisfied through grace. Across traditions, the ark and mercy seat remain symbols of God’s covenant faithfulness and his provision for reconciliation.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Law Placed Inside: God’s commands (the testimony) are stored within the ark. This shows his holy standard for his people and the basis of the covenant relationship.
- The Mercy Seat Above: The slab of gold covers the ark. It is the place of propitiation, where blood is sprinkled to atone for sin. The law is not left exposed; mercy literally covers it.
- The Poles on the Ark: The ark is made ready to travel. God’s presence moves with his people through the wilderness, reminding them that his grace is not confined to one place.
Five-point outline
- Moses’ Obedience: He does “according to all that Yahweh commanded him” (Exodus 40:16). The careful sequence shows the necessity of following God’s design for approaching him.
- The Testimony Inside: The law is deposited as a witness against sin, but also as the gift of divine instruction.
- The Mercy Seat Covering: The kapporet is not merely a lid; it is the place where atonement is made, pointing forward to Christ as our propitiation (Rom. 3:25).
- The Poles for Carrying: The ark is equipped for the journey. God’s presence is portable, accompanying his redeemed people wherever they go.
- The Veil Afterward: Moses then screens the ark with the veil (v.21), creating a separation that only the high priest could cross on the Day of Atonement, a reminder that access to God’s presence was not yet fully open.
Illustration hooks
- A safety deposit box holds a treasure (the law) inside, and the only key is the mercy seat, God’s grace that unlocks access.
- A courtroom has a bench where the judge’s lawbook sits, but also a space for pardon. The ark combines both: the law stored, the mercy seat on top.
- Packing a family heirloom for a move: you place the most precious items carefully, wrap them, and keep them handy. The poles show the ark was meant to travel, not sit still.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What does it mean that the law was placed inside the ark, and the mercy seat covered it? How does that relate to Jesus?
- Why was the ark built to be carried? What does that say about God’s presence with us today?
- How is the mercy seat both a place of judgment and a place of grace?
Leading a Discussion
Exodus 40:20 shows us the climax of setting up the tabernacle: the ark receives the law and the mercy seat. This small but detailed action teaches us about God’s way of dealing with sin, both his justice and his mercy. As you discuss, keep in mind that this event happens exactly as God commanded, showing that the path to his presence is not our invention but his gift.
Discussion questions
- What does the text say Moses did with the testimony, the poles, and the mercy seat? Why do you think the details matter?
- What is the “testimony”? (Use Exodus 31:18 and Deuteronomy 10:5 to identify it.) Why would God want the tablets placed inside the ark instead of displayed openly?
- The Hebrew word for “mercy seat” (kapporet) comes from a root meaning “to cover” or “to atone.” How does the mercy seat cover the law? What does that suggest about God’s character?
- The writer of Hebrews (Hebrews 9:4-5) later refers to the ark containing the manna and Aaron’s rod as well. Barnes’ commentary says at this point only the tablets were inside. What does that difference teach us about how later traditions understood the ark?
- How does this verse connect to Jesus? In Romans 3:25, Paul says God presented Christ as a “mercy seat” (propitiation). What does that comparison add to your understanding of the cross?
- The poles were set in the rings so the ark could be carried. How does the mobility of God’s presence speak to our lives today, especially in times of transition or uncertainty?
- This passage emphasizes obedience: Moses did as Yahweh commanded. How does the precision of the tabernacle’s construction encourage or challenge you in your own walk with God?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 16:34 | As Yahweh commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. |
| Exodus 25:16 | You shall put the covenant which I shall give you into the ark. |
| Exodus 25:21 | You 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 31:18 | When he finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, he gave Moses the two tablets of the covenant, stone tablets, written with God’s finger. |
| Exodus 37:6 | He made a mercy seat of pure gold. Its length was two and a half cubits, and a cubit and a half its width. |
| Exodus 37:9 | The cherubim spread out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat. |
| Exodus 40:3 | You shall put the ark of the covenant in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. |
| Deuteronomy 10:5 | I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are as Yahweh commanded me. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
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What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the deliberate order of the tabernacle furnishings, especially the laver placed farthest outward. This positioning ensured priests washed their hands and feet immediately upon entering the court, before any part of their holy service could begin.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that only the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments were placed inside the ark itself. The pot of manna and Aaron's rod were kept before the ark, not inside it, though he suggests they may have been placed inside at a later time and subsequently lost.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights that Moses carried out the tabernacle setup exactly as instructed, even noting a subtle Hebrew difference between “set up” in one verse and “hang up” in another. This attention to precise wording shows how the biblical writer emphasizes strict obedience to God’s detailed commands.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights Moses' precise obedience in carrying out every detail of God's command for the Ark's furnishings. Particular attention is given to placing the testimony inside first, the poles in their rings, and the mercy seat on top, showing that even the order of these actions mattered.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the Targum of Jonathan claims Moses placed the broken pieces of the first tablets into the ark, but he rejects this. He argues that Scripture only records the second set of tablets, which Moses cut at God's command, being placed there.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insists that "the testimony" here means the Decalogue written on the two stone tablets, not a broader body of revelation about the sanctuary. They note that hanging the curtain concealed the ark from anyone entering the holy place.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that God Himself consecrated the tabernacle with His glory before any priest could perform a dedication rite. This divine priority, he argues, marks the Levitical system as a temporary, educational institution pointing beyond itself. The cloud veiling the sanctuary shows God’s presence is a mystery perceived only by faith.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes Moses’s exact, step-by-step obedience to every detail God commanded about the tabernacle. The repeated phrase “as the Lord commanded Moses” shows that faithful service requires precise attention to divine instructions, not creative interpretation or selective compliance.