The Meaning of Exodus 40:20 Explained

Exodus 40:20

KJV: 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:

YLT: And he taketh and putteth the testimony unto the ark, and setteth the staves on the ark, and putteth the mercy-seat on the ark above;

Darby: And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and put the staves in the ark, and put the mercy-seat above on the ark.

ASV: 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:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Exodus 40:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 40:17-38 - The Tabernacle Set Up And Dedicated
At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice all was finished. Moses had placed the table on the right and the candlestick on the left of the holy place; had set the incense-altar near the veil; had washed in the laver, and had anointed it and all its vessels. The Ark had been hidden behind the veil, and Aaron invested in his robes. Then the congregation, deeply moved, retired to their tents and night settled on the mountains. Moses also retired from the scene, full of thankfulness. See Psalms 90:16-17.
They had hardly left the structure when the cloud that had guided their march settled down upon it, and the glory of the Lord-"the Shechinah"-shone within the Tabernacle itself. Moses immediately hastened back, and found the Presence of God so manifestly in possession that he dared not enter. Behold! the tabernacle of God was with men. So in after years the Divine Word dwelled in the mortal body of Jesus. See John 1:14, 2 Corinthians 5:1, Revelation 21:3. This is the worthy close of this great book of the Exodus.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comment [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Exodus 40:20 mean?

And He took and put [it] - the Testimony into the ark and inserted the poles through the [rings of] the ark and put the mercy seat on the ark on top
וַיִּקַּ֞ח וַיִּתֵּ֤ן אֶת־ הָעֵדֻת֙ אֶל־ הָ֣אָרֹ֔ן וַיָּ֥שֶׂם הַבַּדִּ֖ים עַל־ הָאָרֹ֑ן וַיִּתֵּ֧ן הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת עַל־ הָאָרֹ֖ן מִלְמָֽעְלָה

וַיִּקַּ֞ח  And  He  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וַיִּתֵּ֤ן  and  put  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעֵדֻת֙  the  Testimony 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדוּת  
Sense: testimony.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הָ֣אָרֹ֔ן  the  ark 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
וַיָּ֥שֶׂם  and  inserted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
הַבַּדִּ֖ים  the  poles 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: בַּד 
Sense: alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone.
עַל־  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָאָרֹ֑ן  the  [rings  of]  the  ark 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
וַיִּתֵּ֧ן  and  put 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הַכַּפֹּ֛רֶת  the  mercy  seat 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: כַּפֹּרֶת  
Sense: mercy-seat, place of atonement.
הָאָרֹ֖ן  the  ark 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
מִלְמָֽעְלָה  on  top 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: מַעַל 
Sense: higher part, upper part adv.