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Exodus 40:21

in Exodus 40

Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, put up the veil for the screen, and shielded off the ark of the Testimony, just as the LORD had commanded him.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

KJV

And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the Lord commanded Moses.

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This verse in Exodus 40

Commentary

4 notes on this verse

This site's exposition

Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark

on Exodus 40:20-21

The Testimony placed in the ark is the second pair of tablets, cut at 34:1 after Moses broke the first at 32:19. The tablets written at 34:28 now lie under the mercy seat.

This site's exposition

shielded off the ark of the Testimony

John Gill says the veil hid the ark from everyone, the priests in the holy place included. Exodus 26:33 had ordered the veil to separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Leviticus 16:2 restricts entry behind it.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

), and that which was to be used he used immediately, for the instruction of the priests, that by seeing him do the several offices they might learn to do them the more dexterously. Though Moses was not properly a priest, yet he is numbered among the priests ( Ps. xcix.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation

And he brought the ark into the tabernacle,.... Into that part of it called the holy of holies: and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; the vail which divided between the and most holy place, and so kept out of sight the ark of the testimony within, from being seen by any, even by the priests in the holy place: as the Lord commanded Moses; Exo 26:33.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

The meaning of this is that he took the Tablets from the wooden ark in Moses’ tent which they were in, and brought them to the Tabernacle. 96 Verse.
Ramban: Spain, 1194–1270 · Ramban on Exodus 40:20:1, via Sefaria, Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976

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. 4 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

18 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַיָּבֵ֣אand he brought

    vaiyave'H935 →2568 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הָאָרֹן֮the ark

    haaronH727 →202 times

  • אֶל־into

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • הַמִּשְׁכָּן֒the tabernacle

    hamishkanH4908 →139 times

  • וַיָּ֗שֶׂםand he set up

    vaiyasemH7760 →584 times

  • אֵ֚ת<obj.>

    ʾetH853 →10935 times

  • פָּרֹ֣כֶת[the] curtain of

    parokhetH6532 →25 times

  • הַמָּסָ֔ךְthe screen

    hamasakhH4539 →25 times

  • וַיָּ֕סֶךְand he covered

    vaiyasekhH5526 →24 times

  • עַ֖לover

    ʾalH5921 →5755 times

  • אֲר֣וֹן[the] ark of

    ʾaronH727 →202 times

  • הָעֵד֑וּתthe testimony

    haedutH5715 →59 times

  • כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רjust as

    kaasherH834 →5497 times

  • צִוָּ֥הhe had commanded

    tzivahH6680 →494 times

  • יְהוָ֖הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • מֹשֶֽׁה׃ סMoses

    moshehH4872 →765 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

10 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Exodus 26:33And 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.5 worksExodus 40:3Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil.5 worksExodus 35:12the ark with its poles and mercy seat, and the veil to shield it;4 worksHebrews 9:3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,4 worksHebrews 10:19–20Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,2 works2 Samuel 7:2he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”2 works
The other 4 cross-references, with their words ▾
Genesis 6:22So Noah did everything precisely as God had commanded him.2 worksMatthew 27:51At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.2 worksExodus 36:35Next, he made the veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.2 worksExodus 26:31Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Exodus 40:3

    Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil.

    it leads to

    • Exodus 35:12

      the ark with its poles and mercy seat, and the veil to shield it;

    • Numbers 4:5

      Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.

    • Revelation 11:19

      Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder, and an earthquake,…

  • Through

    Exodus 35:12

    the ark with its poles and mercy seat, and the veil to shield it;

    it leads to

    • Exodus 25:10–22

      And they are to construct an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

    • Exodus 26:31–33

      Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

    • Exodus 36:35–36

      Next, he made the veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

  • Through

    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.

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 9:2–3

      A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place.

    • Leviticus 16:2

      And the LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter freely into the Most Holy Place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark, or else he…

Where this verse is studied

About Exodus

The Israelites Leaving Egypt, David Roberts, 1829. Public domain.
The Israelites Leaving Egypt, David Roberts, 1829. Public domain.
Exodus: the study guide →Read Exodus 40 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Sir Robert Anderson, Types in Hebrews.

Read on in Exodus 40 →