Exodus 25:21
New International Version
Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you.

New Living Translation
Place inside the Ark the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you. Then put the atonement cover on top of the Ark.

English Standard Version
And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you.

Berean Standard Bible
Set the mercy seat atop the ark and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark.

King James Bible
And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

New King James Version
You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you.

New American Standard Bible
Then you shall put the atoning cover on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you.

NASB 1995
“You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you.

NASB 1977
“And you shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I shall give to you.

Legacy Standard Bible
You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you.

Amplified Bible
You shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony which I will give you.

Christian Standard Bible
Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the testimony that I will give you into the ark.

American Standard Version
And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

Contemporary English Version
Inside it place the two flat stones with the Ten Commandments on them and put the gold lid on top of the chest.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After you put into the ark the words of my promise which I will give you, place the throne of mercy on top.

Good News Translation
Put the two stone tablets inside the Box and put the lid on top of it.

International Standard Version
You are to put the Mercy Seat on top of the ark, and put the Testimony that I'll give you into the ark.

Majority Standard Bible
Set the mercy seat atop the ark and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark.

NET Bible
You are to put the atonement lid on top of the ark, and in the ark you are to put the testimony I am giving you.

New Heart English Bible
You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I will give you.

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

World English Bible
You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the covenant that I will give you.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you have put the propitiatory covering on the Ark above, and you put the Testimony which I give to you into the Ark;

Young's Literal Translation
'And thou hast put the mercy-seat on the ark above, and unto the ark thou dost put the testimony which I give unto thee;

Smith's Literal Translation
And give the cover upon the ark from on high; and to the ark thou shalt give the testimony which I shall give to thee.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
In which thou shalt put the testimony that I will give thee.

Catholic Public Domain Version
in which you will place the testimony that I will give to you.

New American Bible
This cover you shall then place on top of the ark. In the ark itself you are to put the covenant which I will give you.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark; and in the ark you shall put the covenant that I shall give you.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And you shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark; and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you will put the Mercy Seat on the ark from above and you will put in the ark the testimony that I shall give to you.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou shalt put the ark-cover above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou shalt set the propitiatory on the ark above, and thou shalt put into the ark the testimonies which I shall give thee.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Mercy Seat
20And the cherubim are to have wings that spread upward, overshadowing the mercy seat. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the mercy seat. 21Set the mercy seat atop the ark, and put the Testimony that I will give you into the ark. 22And 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.…

Cross References
Hebrews 9:4-5
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. / Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

Exodus 40:20
Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark.

Deuteronomy 10:1-5
At that time the LORD said to me, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the originals, come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood. / And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you are to place them in the ark.” / So I made an ark of acacia wood, chiseled out two stone tablets like the originals, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. ...

1 Kings 8:9
There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of the land of Egypt.

2 Chronicles 5:10
There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of Egypt.

Leviticus 16:13-15
He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the cloud of incense will cover the mercy seat above the Testimony, so that he will not die. / And he is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the east side of the mercy seat; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the mercy seat. / Aaron shall then slaughter the goat for the sin offering for the people and bring its blood behind the veil, and with its blood he must do as he did with the bull’s blood: He is to sprinkle it against the mercy seat and in front of it.

Numbers 7:89
When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony. Thus the LORD spoke to him.

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!

Romans 3:25
God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 8:5
The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

Hebrews 9:3-5
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. / Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

Hebrews 10:19-22
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, / by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, / and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ...

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.


Treasury of Scripture

And you shall put the mercy seat above on the ark; and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you.

mercy seat

Exodus 25:17
And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

Exodus 26:34
And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.

Romans 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

in

Exodus 25:16
And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.

Jump to Previous
Ark Ark-Cover Cover Mercy Mercy-Seat Record Seat Testimony Top You
Jump to Next
Ark Ark-Cover Cover Mercy Mercy-Seat Record Seat Testimony Top You
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














Set the mercy seat
The "mercy seat" is translated from the Hebrew word "kapporet," which refers to the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. This was not merely a lid but a significant symbol of God's presence and His throne of grace. In the context of the tabernacle, the mercy seat was where God would meet with Moses and communicate His will to the Israelites (Exodus 25:22). Theologically, it represents the place of atonement, where the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement, symbolizing the covering of sins. This foreshadows the ultimate atonement through Jesus Christ, who is our mercy seat, providing reconciliation with God.

atop the ark
The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred chest made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, symbolizing the divine presence and covenant between God and Israel. Placing the mercy seat "atop the ark" signifies the covering of the law within the ark, highlighting the theme of mercy triumphing over judgment. The ark itself was a tangible representation of God's covenant and His faithfulness to His promises. It was central to Israel's worship and journey, reminding them of God's holiness and their need for atonement.

and put the Testimony
The "Testimony" refers to the stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments, which were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. These commandments were the core of the covenant between God and Israel, serving as a divine standard for righteous living. By placing the Testimony inside the ark, it signified the centrality of God's law in the life of His people. It was a constant reminder of their covenant obligations and God's righteous requirements.

that I will give you
This phrase emphasizes the divine origin of the Testimony. It was not a human invention but a direct revelation from God to Moses. This underscores the authority and sacredness of the commandments. The giving of the law was an act of grace, providing guidance and a framework for the Israelites to live in a way that was pleasing to God. It also points to the future giving of the Holy Spirit, who writes God's law on the hearts of believers, enabling them to live in obedience.

into the ark
Placing the Testimony "into the ark" signifies the protection and preservation of God's word. The ark served as a sacred repository, safeguarding the divine law amidst the journey and challenges of the wilderness. This act symbolizes the importance of treasuring God's word in our hearts, as the psalmist declares, "I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11). It also reflects the enduring nature of God's word, which remains unchanging and authoritative throughout generations.

Verse 21. - Thou shalt put the mercy seat above the ark. Rather, "upon the ark" - "thou shalt cover the ark with it." This had not been expressed previously, though the dimensions (ver. 17), compared with those of the ark (ver. 10), would naturally have suggested the idea. In the ark thou shalt put the testimony. This is a mere repetition of verse 16, marking the special importance which attached to the provision.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Set
וְנָתַתָּ֧ (wə·nā·ṯa·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

the mercy seat
הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת (hak·kap·pō·reṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3727: Propitiatory

atop
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

and put
תִּתֵּן֙ (tit·tên)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

the Testimony
הָ֣עֵדֻ֔ת (hā·‘ê·ḏuṯ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5715: Testimony

that
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

I will give
אֶתֵּ֖ן (’et·tên)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

you
אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ (’ê·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

into
וְאֶל־ (wə·’el-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

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


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OT Law: Exodus 25:21 You shall put the mercy seat (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 25:20
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