Deuteronomy 31:26

26 take the boke off thys lawe and put it by the syde of the arcke of the testament of the Lorde youre God, and let it be there for a witnesse vnto the.

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Deuteronomy 31:26 In-Context

24 When Moses had made an ende of wrytynge out the wordes of this lawe in a boke vnto the ende

25 of them he commaunded the Leuites which bare the arcke of the testamet of the Lorde sayenge:

26 take the boke off thys lawe and put it by the syde of the arcke of the testament of the Lorde youre God, and let it be there for a witnesse vnto the.

27 I For knowe thi stubernesse and thi stiffe necke: beholde, while I am yet a lyue with you this daye, ye haue bene dishobedient vnto the Lorde: ad how moch moare after my deeth.

28 Gather vnto me al the elders of youre trybes and youre officers, that I maye speake these wordes in their eares and call heaue ad erth to recorde agenst them.