1 Kings 8:9
in 1 Kings 8There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of the land of Egypt.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when Jehovah made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
KJV
There was nothing in the ark save the two tables 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.
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This verse in 1 Kings 8
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThe words "there was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone" does not mean that the author did not know that there were also the jar [containing the manna], the staff [of Aaron], and so forth. He simply wants to signify all …
This site's exposition
save the two tables of stone
Kings states plainly that nothing lay in the ark but the two tables of stone Moses placed there at Horeb, while Heb 9:4 lists the ark itself holding also the golden pot of manna and Aaron's rod that budded. Wesley reads Hebrews loosely, by it rather than strictly within it, in the most holy place before the ark of the testimony. Barnes reads the difference literally, that Solomon, once the ark reached its final resting place, removed the pot and the rod from inside the chest and set them elsewhere in the holy of holies. Both readings hold the same room and the same furniture, and only the chest's exact contents differ between them.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Nothing - Strictly and properly: but in a more large sense, the pot of manna, and Aaron's rod were also in it, Heb. ix, 4, that is, by it, in the most holy place, before the ark of the testimony, where God commanded Moses to put them.
), a treasure far exceeding all the dedicated things both of David and Solomon. The pot of manna and Aaron's rod were by the ark, but not in it. What was brought up with the ark (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
There was nothing in the ark, save the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Comparing this statement with Heb 9:4, it would seem that Solomon, now that the sacred chest had reached its final resting-place, and stood in a large chamber surrounded by tables 2Ch 4:8, removed the pot of manna and the rod from the interior, and set them elsewhere in the holy of holies.
Save the two tables of stone - See my notes on Heb 9:4 (note).
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
After the Kohanim went out of the Kodesh. As the Kohanim who carried the Ark into the Holy of Holies were leaving, the Divine Presence immediately came to rest in the Sanctuary.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֵ֚ין | ʾein | there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| בָּֽאָר֔וֹן | baaron | [was] in the ark | H727 → | 202 times |
| רַ֗ק | rak | only | H7535 → | 109 times |
| שְׁנֵי֙ | shenei | [the] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| לֻח֣וֹת | luchot | [the] tablets of | H3871 → | |
| הָאֲבָנִ֔ים | haavanim | <the> stone<s> | H68 → | 273 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הִנִּ֥חַ | hiniach | he placed | H5117 → | 142 times |
| שָׁ֛ם | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֖ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| בְּחֹרֵ֑ב | bechorev | at Horeb | H2722 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| כָּרַ֤ת | karat | he made | H3772 → | 288 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| בְּצֵאתָ֖ם | betzetam | when came out they | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מֵאֶ֥רֶץ | meeretz | from [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| מִצְרָֽיִם׃ | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
אֵ֚יןthere not
ʾeinH369 →789 times
בָּֽאָר֔וֹן[was] in the ark
baaronH727 →202 times
רַ֗קonly
rakH7535 →109 times
שְׁנֵי֙[the] two
sheneiH8147 →768 times
לֻח֣וֹת[the] tablets of
luchotH3871 →
הָאֲבָנִ֔ים<the> stone<s>
haavanimH68 →273 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הִנִּ֥חַhe placed
hiniachH5117 →142 times
שָׁ֛םthere
shamH8033 →834 times
מֹשֶׁ֖הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
בְּחֹרֵ֑בat Horeb
bechorevH2722 →
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhere
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
כָּרַ֤תhe made
karatH3772 →288 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
בְּצֵאתָ֖םwhen came out they
betzetamH3318 →1067 times
מֵאֶ֥רֶץfrom [the] land of
meeretzH776 →2504 times
מִצְרָֽיִם׃Egypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 9:4containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.
it leads to
- Exodus 40:3
Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 17:10
The LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebellious, so that you may put an end to their grumbling against…
- 2 Chronicles 5:10
There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of…
- Exodus 26:33
And hang the veil from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the veil. So the veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
- Leviticus 16:12
Then he must take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of finely ground fragrant incense, and take them inside the veil.
- Exodus 40:3
Through
Exodus 25:21Set the mercy seat atop the ark, and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark.
it leads to
- Exodus 26:34
Put the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.
- Romans 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.
- Exodus 26:34
Through
Exodus 40:20Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark.
it leads to
- Exodus 16:34
And Aaron placed it in front of the Testimony, to be preserved just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Exodus 16:34
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Kings
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ishodad of Merv, BOOKS OF SESSIONS 1 KINGS 8:9; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.