Deuteronomy 31:26

26 "Take this Instruction scroll and put it next to the chest containing the LORD your God's covenant. It must remain there as a witness against you

Deuteronomy 31:26 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 31:26

Take this book of the law
Not Deuteronomy only, but the whole Pentateuch:

and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your
God;
not in the ark, for there were nothing there but the two tables of stone with the ten commands on them, ( 1 Kings 8:9 ) ; but on one side of it; the Targum of Jonathan says, it was

``put in a chest (or box) on the right side of the ark of the covenant;''

which is very probable. Jarchi observes, that the wise men of Israel are divided about it in the Talmud F5; some of them say there was a table (or ledge) that stood out from the ark without, and there it was put; others say it was put on the side of the tables of the law within the ark; the former are in the right:

that it may be therefore a witness against thee;
when they fall into idolatry or any other sin, a transgression of any of the laws therein contained.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 T. B. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 1. 2.

Deuteronomy 31:26 In-Context

24 Once Moses had finished writing in their entirety all the words of this Instruction scroll,
25 he commanded the Levites who carry the chest containing the LORD's covenant as follows:
26 "Take this Instruction scroll and put it next to the chest containing the LORD your God's covenant. It must remain there as a witness against you
27 because I know how rebellious and hardheaded you are. If you are this rebellious toward the LORD while I'm still alive, it's bound to get worse once I'm dead!
28 Assemble all of your tribes' elders and your officials in front of me, so I can speak these words in their hearing, and so I can call heaven and earth as my witnesses against them,
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