Exodus 40:3
New International Version
Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain.

New Living Translation
Place the Ark of the Covenant inside, and install the inner curtain to enclose the Ark within the Most Holy Place.

English Standard Version
And you shall put in it the ark of the testimony, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.

Berean Standard Bible
Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil.

King James Bible
And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.

New King James Version
You shall put in it the ark of the Testimony, and partition off the ark with the veil.

New American Standard Bible
You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen off the ark with the veil.

NASB 1995
“You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.

NASB 1977
“And you shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.

Amplified Bible
You shall place the ark of the Testimony there, and you shall screen off the ark [from the Holy Place of God’s Presence] with the veil (partition curtain).

Christian Standard Bible
Put the ark of the testimony there and screen off the ark with the curtain.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Put the ark of the testimony there and screen off the ark with the veil.

American Standard Version
And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil.

Contemporary English Version
and put the chest with the Ten Commandments behind the inside curtain.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Place the ark containing the words of my promise inside it, and hang the canopy over the ark.

Good News Translation
Place in it the Covenant Box containing the Ten Commandments and put the curtain in front of it.

International Standard Version
You are to put the Ark of the Testimony there, and screen off the ark with the curtain.

Majority Standard Bible
Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil.

NET Bible
You are to place the ark of the testimony in it and shield the ark with the special curtain.

New Heart English Bible
You shall put the ark of the testimony in it, and you shall veil the ark with the curtain.

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt put in it the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.

World English Bible
You shall put the ark of the covenant in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and have set the Ark of the Testimony [in] there, and have covered over the Ark with the veil,

Young's Literal Translation
and hast set there the ark of the testimony, and hast covered over the ark with the vail,

Smith's Literal Translation
And put there the ark of the testimony, and cover over the ark with the vail.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And shalt put the ark in it, and shalt let down the veil before it:

Catholic Public Domain Version
and you shall place the ark in it, and you shall release the veil before it.

New American Bible
Put the ark of the covenant in it, and screen off the ark with the veil.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall put in it the ark of the covenant, and you shall screen the ark with the curtain.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And you shall put in it the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the veil.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And set there the Ark of the Testimony and cover the Ark with the curtain.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and thou shalt place in it the ark of the testimony, and shalt cover the ark with the veil,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Setting Up the Tabernacle
2“On the first day of the first month you are to set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting. 3Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil. 4Then bring in the table and set out its arrangement; bring in the lampstand as well, and set up its lamps.…

Cross References
Hebrews 9:2-5
A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place. / Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, / containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. ...

Exodus 25:21-22
Set the mercy seat atop the ark and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark. / And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony; I will speak with you about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.

Leviticus 16:2
And the LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron not to enter freely into the Most Holy Place behind the veil in front of the mercy seat on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.

1 Kings 8:6-8
Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. / For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles. / The poles extended far enough that their ends were visible from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are there to this day.

2 Chronicles 5:7-9
Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim. / For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles. / The poles of the ark extended far enough that their ends were visible from in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are there to this day.

Numbers 4:5-6
Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it. / They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles.

1 Samuel 4:4
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

Psalm 80:1
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph. Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth

Psalm 99:1
The LORD reigns; let the nations tremble! He is enthroned above the cherubim; let the earth quake!

Isaiah 37:16
“O LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.

Revelation 11:19
Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Matthew 27:51
At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, and the rocks were split.

Mark 15:38
And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Luke 23:45
The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.

Hebrews 6:19-20
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, / where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.


Treasury of Scripture

And you shall put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the veil.

Exodus 40:20,21
And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: …

Exodus 25:10,22
And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof…

Exodus 26:31,33,34
And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: …

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Ark Cover Covered Curtain Hanging Inside Law Screen Shield Testimony Therein Vail Veil
Exodus 40
1. The tabernacle is commanded to be reared, anointed, and consecrated
13. Aaron and his sons to be sanctified
16. Moses performs all things accordingly
34. A cloud covers the tabernacle














Put the Ark of the Testimony in it
The phrase "Put the Ark of the Testimony in it" refers to the placement of the Ark of the Covenant within the Tabernacle. The Hebrew word for "Ark" is "אֲרוֹן" (aron), which signifies a chest or box. The Ark was central to Israelite worship, symbolizing God's covenant with His people. The "Testimony" refers to the tablets of the Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai, representing God's divine will and covenant. Historically, the Ark was a sacred object, constructed according to divine specifications (Exodus 25:10-22), and it served as the earthly throne of God, where His presence dwelt among the Israelites. This act of placing the Ark in the Tabernacle signifies the establishment of God's dwelling place among His people, a precursor to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers under the New Covenant.

and screen off the ark with the veil
The instruction to "screen off the ark with the veil" involves the use of a curtain or veil to separate the Holy of Holies, where the Ark was placed, from the rest of the Tabernacle. The Hebrew word for "veil" is "פָּרֹכֶת" (paroketh), which denotes a curtain or screen. This veil was a significant element in the Tabernacle, symbolizing the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity. Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). Theologically, this veil represents the barrier sin creates between God and man, which was ultimately torn at the crucifixion of Christ (Matthew 27:51), symbolizing the new access believers have to God through Jesus' atoning sacrifice. The veil's presence in the Tabernacle underscores the holiness of God and the need for mediation, pointing forward to Christ as the ultimate High Priest and Mediator.

(3) Thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony.--The most precious of the objects which the tabernacle was to contain was to be placed in it; first. Then immediately it was to be covered up with the vail.

Verse 3. - The first thing to be placed within the tabernacle was the ark of the testimony, as containing the foundation of the covenant between God and Israel, and being the special token of God's presence with his people. See the comment on Exodus 25:10. The "two tables" were placed within the ark before it was brought into the tabernacle (vers. 20, 21). Cover the ark with the veil - i.e., "hang up the veil in front of the ark, so as to cover or conceal it."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Put
וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ (wə·śam·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

the Ark
אֲר֣וֹן (’ă·rō·wn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

of the Testimony
הָעֵד֑וּת (hā·‘ê·ḏūṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5715: Testimony

in it
שָׁ֔ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

and screen
וְסַכֹּתָ֥ (wə·sak·kō·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5526: To entwine as a, screen, to fence in, cover over, protect

off
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the ark
הָאָרֹ֖ן (hā·’ā·rōn)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

with the veil.
הַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃ (hap·pā·rō·ḵeṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6532: A separatrix, screen


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OT Law: Exodus 40:3 You shall put the ark (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 40:2
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