Deuteronomy 31:26

26 "Take this Scroll of the Law. Place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. It will remain there as a witness against you.

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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Deuteronomy 31:26 In-Context

24 I finished writing the words of that law in a scroll. I wrote them down from beginning to end.

25 Then I gave a command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. I said,

26 "Take this Scroll of the Law. Place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. It will remain there as a witness against you.

27 I know how you refuse to obey the Lord. I know how stubborn you are. You have refused to obey him while I've been living among you. So you will certainly refuse to obey him after I'm dead!

28 Gather together all of the elders of your tribes and all of your officials. Bring them to me. Then I can speak these words to them. I can call for heaven and earth to give witness against them.