Exodus 40:20

20 He took and put the testimony inside the ark, put the poles on the ark, and set the ark-cover above, on the ark.

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 Moshe erected the tabernacle, put its sockets in place, put up its planks, put in its crossbars and set up its posts.

19 He spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent above it, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.

20 He took and put the testimony inside the ark, put the poles on the ark, and set the ark-cover above, on the ark.

21 Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle, set up the curtain as a screen and concealed the ark for the testimony, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.

22 He put the table in the tent of meeting on the side of the tabernacle facing north, outside the curtain.