Exodus 25:15
New International Version
The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed.

New Living Translation
These carrying poles must stay inside the rings; never remove them.

English Standard Version
The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.

Berean Standard Bible
The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed.

King James Bible
The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

New King James Version
The poles shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.

New American Standard Bible
The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it.

NASB 1995
“The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it.

NASB 1977
“The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it.

Legacy Standard Bible
The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it.

Amplified Bible
The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it [so that the ark itself need not be touched].

Christian Standard Bible
The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed from it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed from it.

American Standard Version
The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

Contemporary English Version
Don't ever remove the poles from the rings.

English Revised Version
The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The poles must stay in the rings of the ark. Never remove them.

Good News Translation
The poles are to be left in the rings and must not be taken out.

International Standard Version
The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark and are not to be removed from it.

Majority Standard Bible
The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed.

NET Bible
The poles must remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed from it.

New Heart English Bible
The poles shall be in the rings of the ark. They shall not be taken from it.

Webster's Bible Translation
The staffs shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

World English Bible
The poles shall be in the rings of the ark. They shall not be taken from it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
the poles are in the rings of the Ark, they are not turned aside from it;

Young's Literal Translation
in the rings of the ark are the staves, they are not turned aside from it;

Smith's Literal Translation
The bars shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not remove from them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they shall be always in the rings, neither shall they at any time be drawn out of them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
These must always be in the rings, neither shall they ever be drawn out of them.

New American Bible
they must remain in the rings of the ark and never be withdrawn.

New Revised Standard Version
The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall never be taken out of them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The poles shall be in the rings of the ark and they shall not be taken away from them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The staves shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The staves shall remain fixed in the rings of the ark.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Ark of the Covenant
14Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, in order to carry it. 15The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark; they must not be removed. 16And place inside the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.…

Cross References
1 Kings 8:8
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 5:9
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.

Hebrews 9:4
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.

Numbers 4:6
They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles.

Numbers 10:21
Then the Kohathites set out, transporting the holy objects; the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.

1 Samuel 4:11
The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

1 Samuel 6:19
But God struck down some of the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the LORD. He struck down seventy men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck them with a great slaughter.

2 Samuel 6:6-7
When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled. / And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there beside the ark of God.

1 Chronicles 13:9-10
When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled. / And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

1 Chronicles 15:15
And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD.

1 Kings 8:6-7
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.

2 Chronicles 5:7-8
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.

Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.

Joshua 3:3
and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.

Joshua 4:10
Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until the people had completed everything the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell them, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried across,


Treasury of Scripture

The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

1 Kings 8:8
And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.

2 Chronicles 5:9
And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day.

Jump to Previous
Ark Kept Poles Removed Rings Rods Staffs Staves Turned
Jump to Next
Ark Kept Poles Removed Rings Rods Staffs Staves Turned
Exodus 25
1. What the Israelites were to offer for the building of the tabernacle
10. The dimensions of the ark
17. The mercy seat, with the cherubim
23. The table of show bread, with the furniture thereof
31. The golden candlestick, with the instruments thereof














The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark;
This instruction emphasizes the sacredness and the holiness of the Ark of the Covenant. The poles, made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, were designed to ensure that the Ark was never touched directly by human hands, preserving its sanctity. This reflects the broader biblical theme of God's holiness and the need for separation between the divine and the profane. The Ark, representing God's presence among His people, was to be treated with utmost reverence. The use of poles also facilitated the mobility of the Ark, allowing it to be carried by the Levites as the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness. This mobility symbolizes God's guidance and presence with His people wherever they go.

they must not be removed.
The permanence of the poles in the rings signifies the enduring nature of God's covenant with Israel. This command underscores the idea that God's presence and His promises are constant and unchanging. The instruction also serves as a safeguard against the Ark being mishandled or desecrated, as seen in the tragic incident involving Uzzah in 2 Samuel 6:6-7, where touching the Ark led to his death. This highlights the seriousness with which God views His commands and the importance of obedience. The unremovable poles can also be seen as a type of Christ, who is the unchanging mediator of the New Covenant, always present and accessible to believers, yet never to be approached casually or irreverently.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, who received the instructions for the construction of the Ark of the Covenant from God on Mount Sinai.

2. Ark of the Covenant
A sacred chest that held the tablets of the Ten Commandments, representing God's covenant with Israel.

3. Israelites
The chosen people of God, who were to follow His commandments and carry the Ark during their journey.

4. Mount Sinai
The mountain where God gave Moses the instructions for the Tabernacle and its furnishings, including the Ark.

5. Tabernacle
The portable earthly dwelling place of God among the Israelites, where the Ark was housed.
Teaching Points
Reverence for God's Instructions
The command to keep the poles in the rings signifies the importance of adhering to God's specific instructions. This teaches us to respect and follow God's Word meticulously.

Symbol of God's Presence
The Ark, with its poles, symbolizes God's presence among His people. We are reminded that God is with us, guiding and directing our paths.

Holiness and Separation
The permanence of the poles indicates the Ark's holiness and the need for separation from common use. As believers, we are called to live lives set apart for God's purposes.

Preparedness for Movement
The poles being permanently attached suggest readiness for movement. We should be prepared to follow God's leading at any moment, being flexible and obedient to His call.

Community Responsibility
The carrying of the Ark was a communal task, requiring the Levites to work together. This reflects the importance of unity and shared responsibility in the body of Christ.(15) The staves . . . Shall not be taken from it.--The staves were to remain always in the rings, whether the ark was in motion or at rest, that there might never at any time be a necessity for touching the ark itself, or even the rings. He who touched the ark imperilled his life. (See 2Samuel 6:6-7.)

Verse 15. - The staves, when once inserted into the rings of the ark, were never to be taken from them. The object probably was that there might be no need of touching even the rings, when the ark was set down or taken up. The bearers took hold of the staves only, which were no part of the ark. On the danger of touching the ark itself, see 2 Samuel 6:6, 7.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The poles
הַבַּדִּ֑ים (hab·bad·dîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 905: Separation, a part of the body, branch of a, tree, bar for, carrying, chief of

are to remain
יִהְי֖וּ (yih·yū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

in the rings
בְּטַבְּעֹת֙ (bə·ṭab·bə·‘ōṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 2885: A seal, signet, a ring of any kind

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

they must not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

be removed.
יָסֻ֖רוּ (yā·su·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5493: To turn aside


Links
Exodus 25:15 NIV
Exodus 25:15 NLT
Exodus 25:15 ESV
Exodus 25:15 NASB
Exodus 25:15 KJV

Exodus 25:15 BibleApps.com
Exodus 25:15 Biblia Paralela
Exodus 25:15 Chinese Bible
Exodus 25:15 French Bible
Exodus 25:15 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Exodus 25:15 The poles shall be in the rings (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 25:14
Top of Page
Top of Page