Deuteronomy 31:26

26 "Take this book of God's Law and place it beside the Covenant Box of the Lord your God, so that it will remain there as a witness against his people.

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 Moses wrote God's Law in a book, taking care not to leave out anything.
25 When he finished, he said to the levitical priests, who were in charge of the Lord's Covenant Box,
26 "Take this book of God's Law and place it beside the Covenant Box of the Lord your God, so that it will remain there as a witness against his people.
27 I know how stubborn and rebellious they are. They have rebelled against the Lord during my lifetime, and they will rebel even more after I am dead.
28 Assemble all your tribal leaders and officials before me, so that I can tell them these things; I will call heaven and earth to be my witnesses against them.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.