Exodus 40:20

20 (40-17) And spread the roof over the tabernacle, putting over it a cover, as the Lord had commanded.

Exodus 40:20 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 40:20

And he took and put the testimony into the ark
The ten commands, called the "testimony", because they testified and declared what was the will of God with respect to things to be done, or not done. The Targum of Jonathan says, he put the broken pieces of the tables into it; but what became of them, or were done with them, we nowhere read; and it does not appear that any other, but those that Moses hewed by the order of God, were put into the ark; see ( Deuteronomy 10:1-5 )

and set the staves on the ark;
that it might be ready to be carried whenever a remove was necessary:

and put the mercy seat above upon the ark;
together with the cherubim.

Exodus 40:20 In-Context

18 (40-15) So in the first month of the second year, the first day of the month, the tabernacle was set up.

19 (40-16) And Moses reared it up, and placed the boards and the sockets and the bars, and set up the pillars,

20 (40-17) And spread the roof over the tabernacle, putting over it a cover, as the Lord had commanded.

21 (40-18) And he put the testimony in the ark, thrusting bars underneath, and the oracle above.

22 (40-19) And when he had brought the ark into the tabernacle, he drew the veil before it to fulfil the commandment of the Lord.