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Exodus 40:3 — Word Study

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WLCוְשַׂמְתָּ֣ שָׁ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת וְסַכֹּתָ֥ עַל־ הָאָרֹ֖ן אֶת־ הַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃

BSAPutsûwm the arkʼârôwn [sacred chest, container of the covenant] of the Testimonyʻêdûwth [God's laws, witness to His presence] in itshâm and screençâkak offʻal [cover, separate with] the arkʼârôwn with the veilpôreketh [behind, using, curtain, partition]

Word
Listen & take awayExodus 40
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 3 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ha.pa.Ro.khet) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Exodus 40:3quick helps
In a sentenceGod instructs Moses on how to set up the tabernacle and its sacred items.
Who is speakingGod, giving detailed instructions to Moses.
Where we areThe conclusion of the instructions for setting up the tabernacle.
The hard wordהָעֵד֑וּת
Take awayThe ark of the Testimony is central to the worship and presence of God.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Whedon & more — read them › clause verbשׂים The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Exodus 40:3

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Instructions for the Tabernaclegenerated

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.
5Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony, and hang the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:3 gives specific instructions for the placement of the Ark of the Testimony within the tabernacle, emphasizing the importance of separating the sacred space with a veil. This act signifies God's presence among His people and establishes the tabernacle as a holy place of worship. The surrounding verses detail the setup of the entire tabernacle, highlighting the significance of each item as part of Israel's worship practices.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Exodus 40:20–21Moses took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attaching the poles to the ark; and he set the mercy seat atop the ark.
2Exodus 25:10–22And they are to construct an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
3Exodus 26:31–33Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.
4Exodus 35:12the ark with its poles and mercy seat, and the veil to shield it;
5Exodus 36:35–36Next, he made the veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.Exodus 40:20–21 Exodus 25:10–22 Exodus 26:31–33 Exodus 35:12 Exodus 36:35–36 Exodus 37:1–9 Leviticus 16:14 Numbers 4:5 Revelation 11:19

The Key Word שׂים, ve.sam.Tagenerated

The verb שׂים (sim) means to put or place, with a wide range of applications including appointing and establishing. It is often used in contexts where something is set in a specific location or position.

In this verse, it is a command directed at Moses, indicating the importance of placing the Ark of the Testimony in the tabernacle as a central act of worship. The parsing shows it is a sequential perfect verb in the second person masculine singular, implying direct instruction.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb שַׂמְתָּ֣ (you will put) governs the entire verse, with two phrases hanging off it: an object phrase identifying what is to be placed and a prepositional phrase explaining how it is to be covered. The structure emphasizes the action of placing and covering as central to the instructions.

The Hebrew word order places the verb first, highlighting the action of setting the ark as the primary focus of the instruction.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint uses the Greek word θήσεις (thēseis) for שׂים, which conveys the same sense of placing or setting something down. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the focus on the act of placement.

For סָכַךְ, the LXX translates it with σκεπάσεις (skepsēis), which also means to cover or shield, indicating a similar understanding of the action in both texts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Exodus 40:3 instructs Moses to place the Ark of the Testimony in the tabernacle and to cover it with a veil. This act emphasizes the sacredness of the ark and the importance of separating it from the rest of the tabernacle.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of the Ark of the Testimony?

The Ark represents God's covenant with Israel and serves as a physical manifestation of His presence among His people.

Why is the veil important in this context?

The veil serves to separate the holy space of the Ark from the rest of the tabernacle, emphasizing the holiness of God's presence.

What does it mean to 'screen off' the ark?

To 'screen off' the ark means to cover it with a curtain, creating a barrier that signifies its sacredness.

How does this instruction relate to the overall setup of the tabernacle?

This instruction is part of a series of commands that detail how to properly set up the tabernacle, ensuring that God's presence is honored and protected.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does the Ark of the Testimony represent in my own life?
  2. How can I create a space that honors God's presence?
  3. What steps can I take to ensure that I am respecting the sacredness of God's instructions?
  4. In what ways can I be more aware of God's presence in my daily life?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Exodus 40:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And thou shall put therein the ark of the testimony,.... The ark or chest where the law was, a testimony of the divine will, and which was to be put into the most holy place of the tabernacle: and

Read John Gill on Exodus 40 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. The ark of the testimony - (see the note at Exodus 25:10).

Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 40 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(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.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 40 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

THE ORDER TO SET UP THE , Exodus 40:1-16. The formality of this command to erect the sanctuary involves an incidental repetition of what has already been described.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 40 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

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

WEBWorld English Bible2000

You shall put the ark of the covenant in it, and you shall screen the ark with the veil.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

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

NETBNew English Translation2006

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

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

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

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

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

RVARevised Version, American1894

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

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And thou shalt put in it the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And thou shalt put therein the Arke of the Testimonie, and couer the Arke with the vaile.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And thou shalt put in it the ark of the testimony, and shalt cover the ark with the veil.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and hast set there the ark of the testimony, and hast covered over the ark with the vail,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and have set the Ark of the Testimony [in] there, and have covered over the Ark with the veil,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and separate the ark with the vail.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

You must place the ark of the testimony in it, and you must shield the ark with the curtain.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And shalt put the ark in it, and shalt let down the veil before it:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Place the Ark of the Testimony inside it. Make sure the Ark is behind the veil.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And inside it put the ark of the law, hanging the veil before it.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וְandclauseverbשַׂמְתָּ֣you.will.putadverbialשָׁ֔םtherenoun phrase · objectאֵ֖ת(et)noun phraseאֲר֣וֹןthe.arknoun phraseהָofעֵד֑וּתthe.testimonyוְandclauseverbסַכֹּתָ֥you.will.coverprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלovernoun phraseהָtheאָרֹ֖ןarknoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseהַtheפָּרֹֽכֶתcurtain

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with six of the ten words matched. However, the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly, using כפרת for הַפָּרֹֽכֶת, indicating a variation in the term for the covering.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ שָׁ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֲר֣וֹן הָעֵד֑וּת וְסַכֹּתָ֥ עַל־ הָאָרֹ֖ן אֶת־ הַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְשַׂמְתָּ֣θήσειςאֲר֣וֹןκιβωτὸνהָעֵד֑וּתμαρτυρίουוְסַכֹּתָ֥σκεπάσειςהָאָרֹ֖ןκιβωτὸνהַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃καταπετάσματι

6 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ושׂמת שׁם את ארון העדות וסכת על הארון את הכפרת

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: כפרת (cover)

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Exodus 40:3שׂוּםand you wiland you will puשׂוּםשָׁםtherethereשָׁםאֵתthe object the object markאֵתאֲרוֹן[the] ark o[the] ark ofאֲרוֹןעֵדוּתthe testimothe testimonyעֵדוּתסוּךְand you wiland you will coסוּךְעַלoveroverעַלאֲרוֹןthe arkthe arkאֲרוֹןאֵתthe object the object markאֵתפָּרֹ֫כֶתthe curtainthe curtainפָּרֹ֫כֶתאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתאָרָהto pluckto pluckאָרָהאֲשֶׁרwhichwhichאֲשֶׁרעֵדwitnesswitnessעֵדעַלheightheightעַלפֶּ֫רֶךְseverityseverityפֶּ֫רֶךְעֵדוּתtestimonytestimonyעֵדוּתמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁבְּרִיתcovenantcovenantבְּרִיתכַּפֹּרֶתmercy seatmercy seatכַּפֹּרֶתשַׁמָּהhorror: dehorror: destroyשַׁמָּהשְׁמָמָהDesolateDesolateשְׁמָמָהנָדַחto banishto banishנָדַחגּוּרto sojournto sojournגּוּרלוּחַtablettabletלוּחַכָּנָףwingwingכָּנָףכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּא
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Exodus 40:3

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and you will put there the object marker [the] ark of the testimony and you will cover over the ark the object marker the curtain
וְשַׂמְתָּ֣ve.sam.Ta and you will put H7760 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine singular
585× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to put or place something, and is used in many different ways in the Bible, such as to appoint or determine something. It is first used in Genesis to describe God's creation. In the KJV, it is translated as 'appoint' or 'set' in various contexts.
Tyndale gloss
to set: make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שׂוּם (sum) is a verb meaning to put, place, or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, establishing, and making. It can also refer to laying something upon or directing it. There is a related noun שׂוּמָה (sumah), which may denote a token of unluckiness. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׂוּם, שִׂים 582 vb. put, place, set

Qal

put, set, in a place

put something upon

put, lay, set

put, c. בֵּין

set, direct

set, ordain, in a place

set, establish a law, statute

set, found a nation

set, appoint (as ruler, official)

set, constitute, make

set, determine, fix, bounds

set, station, at a post

put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

set up altars

= plant, wheat

set, fix (countenance)

make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

make, constitute

work, bring to pass

appoint, give

set, fix (countenance)

Hiph. I will make him for a sign

Hoph. there was set before him

base

שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl;—2 S 13:32

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7760a שׂוּם, שִׂים put, place, set .. . put, set, in a place

. put something upon

. put, lay, set

. put, c. בֵּין

. set, direct

. . set, ordain, in a place

. set, establish a law, statute

. set, found a nation

. set, appoint (as ruler, official)

. set, constitute, make

. set, determine, fix, bounds

. . set, station, at a post

. put in position, sacred bread, sword, staves, bars

. set up altars

. = plant, wheat

. set, fix (countenance)

. . make a thing, or pers. (acc.), for, transform into

. make, constitute

. work, bring to pass

. appoint, give

. set, fix (countenance)

. I will make him for a sign

. there was set before him

H7760b שׂוּמָה perhaps n. f. token of unluckiness, scowl

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7760 suwm soom

or siym {seem}; a primitive root; to put (used in a great

variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially,

and elliptically):--X any wise, appoint, bring, call (a

name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider,

convey, determine, + disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap

up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out),

mark, + name, X on, ordain, order, + paint, place, preserve,

purpose, put (on), + regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set

(on, up), shew, + stedfastly, take, X tell, + tread down,

((over-))turn, X wholly, work.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: make.

: make/establish

1) to put, place, set, appoint, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix

1a4) to set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix

1a5) to make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give

1b) (Hiphil) to set or make for a sign

1c) (Hophal) to be set

שׂוּמָה (su.mah) — fate.

token of unluckiness, scowl

שׂוּם (sum) — to set: put.

: put/give

1) to put, place, set, appoint, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay (violent) hands on

1a2) to set, direct, direct toward

1a2a) to extend (compassion) (fig)

1a3) to set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-2ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq2ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

put (puT; Phoud, in Genesis and Chronicles, variant for Genesis Phout, for Chronicles, Phouth):

1. Renderings:

In consequence of the identification at the time, the prophets have "Libya" (Libues), except Nab 3:9, where the Greek renders the word as phuge, "flight." The Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) has "Phut," "Phuth," and in the Prophets "Libyes" and "Libya"; the King James Version "Phut."

2. Son of Ham:

In the "Table of Nations" Put is the third son of Ham (Ge 10:6), the first and second being Cush and Misraim, and the fourth Canaan. Put is the only one of the sons of Ham who is not credited with descendants.

3. As Nationality:

In the Prophets, warriors from Put are referred to, principally in connection with the forces of Egypt. They appear as shield-bearers (Jer 46:9

Smith's Bible Dictionary
Nave's Topical Bible

→ See PHUT

and you will put there the object marker [the] ark of the testimony and you will cover over the ark the object marker the curtain
שָׁ֔םSham there H8033 Adverb
834× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word sham means there or then, often used to describe a location or point in time. It can also mean thither or thence, indicating movement or direction. This word is used frequently in the Bible to provide context and clarify the setting of a story.
Tyndale gloss
there
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁם (sham) is a Hebrew adverb meaning 'there' or 'thither,' indicating a location or direction. It can also refer to a point in time, translating to 'then.' The word is derived from a relative pronoun and is used in various contexts, including movement and temporal references.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁם adv. there, thither

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8033 שָׁם there, thither

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8033 sham shawm

a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834);

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or

thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), +

thither, + whither.

see HEBREW for 0834

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁם (sham) — there.

1) there, thither

1a) there

1b) thither (after verbs of motion)

1c) from there, thence

1d) then (as an adverb of time)

Aramaic equivalent: tam.mah (תַּמָּה "there" H8536)

שָׁם (sham) — (Jerusalem) Is There.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

This name means there, thither

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
HD
and you will put there the object marker [the] ark of the testimony and you will cover over the ark the object marker the curtain
אֵ֖ת'et the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and you will put there the object marker [the] ark of the testimony and you will cover over the ark the object marker the curtain
אֲר֣וֹן'a.Ron [the] ark of H727 Noun common · masculine singular construct
202× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a box or chest, like the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus 25:10-22. It can also mean a money chest or a coffin. In the Bible, it appears in stories about the Israelites and their sacred objects.
Amplified meaning
sacred chest, container of the covenant
Tyndale gloss
ark
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲרוֹן, transliterated as arown, means 'chest' or 'ark.' It can refer to various types of containers, including a money chest, the Ark of the Covenant, and even a coffin. The word is built from the root meaning 'gathering' and is used in contexts related to sacred and practical storage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲרוֹן, c. art. הָאָרוֹן, הָאָרֹן 203 n.m. chest, ark

chest, for money-offerings

sarcophagus, mummy-case

chest, ark in tabernacle & temple

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H727 אֲרוֹן, c. art. הָאָרוֹן, הָאָרֹן chest, ark

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

727 'arown aw-rone'

or laron {aw-rone'}; from 717 (in the sense of gathering); a

box:--ark, chest, coffin.

see HEBREW for 0717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲרוֹן (a.ron) — ark.

1) chest, ark

1a) money chest

1b) Ark of the Covenant

2)(TWOT) coffin

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and you will put there the object marker [the] ark of the testimony and you will cover over the ark the object marker the curtain
הָעֵד֑וּתha.'e.Dut the testimony H5715 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
61× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means a testimony or witness, often referring to God's laws or instructions. It is used in several books, including Exodus and Deuteronomy, to describe God's guidance. The word emphasizes the importance of following God's laws.
Amplified meaning
God's laws, witness to His presence
Tyndale gloss
testimony
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עֵדוּת (eduwth) is a feminine noun meaning 'testimony' or 'witness.' It is derived from the root word עֵד (ed), which also relates to the concept of testimony. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, emphasizing its significance in legal and religious settings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֵדוּת 19 and עֵדֻת 27 n.f. testimony

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5715 עֵדוּת, עֵדֻת testimony

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5715 `eduwth ay-dooth'

feminine of 5707; testimony:--testimony, witness.

see HEBREW for 05707

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֵדוּת (e.dut) — testimony.

testimony

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Testimony

(1.) Witness or evidence (2 Thess. 1:10).

(2.) The Scriptures, as the revelation of God’s will (2 Kings 11:12; Ps. 19:7; 119:88; Isa. 8:16, 20).

(3.) The altar raised by the Gadites and Reubenites (Josh. 22:10).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The whole revelation of God, testifying to man what he is to believe, do, and hope, Ps 19:7 119:88,99 1Co 1:6 Re 1:2. The two stone tables of the law were a visible "testimony" or witness of God’s covenant with his people; and hence the ark of the covenant was called sometimes the testimony, or the ark of the testimony, Ex 25:22 34:29. See ARK.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ LEGAL

See EVIDENCE

See WITNESSES

Ark of

See ARK

→ RELIGIOUS 1Ch 16:8,9; Ps 9:11; 18:49; 26:6,7; 119:27,172; 145:11,12; Isa 12:4-6; 32:4; 43:10; 44:8; 45:24; Jer 51:10; Mt 5:15; 10:32; Mr 4:21; 5:16,19,20; Lu 8:16,38,39; 12:8,9; 24:48; Joh 4:28-30,39,41,42; 15:27; Ac 1:8,22; Ro 10:9,10; 1Co 1:5,6; 12:3…

and you will put there the object marker [the] ark of the testimony and you will cover over the ark the object marker the curtain
וְסַכֹּתָ֥ve.sa.ko.Ta and you will cover H5526 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine singular
24× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To weave means to entwine or fence in, implying protection, as seen in the Bible where it means to cover or defend something.
Tyndale gloss
to fence
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word סוּךְ (*sukh*) and its variants relate to the concepts of covering, protecting, and weaving together. It encompasses meanings such as to hedge in, overshadow, and screen, with implications of defense and joining. The entries reference various forms and usages, including a noun for 'protector' and verbs that describe actions of covering and weaving. Notably, the word appears in Exodus 33:22.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סוּךְ, סִיךְ] vb. hedge, or fence about, shut in

base

[סָכַךְ] vb. overshadow, screen, cover

Qal

screen, cover

reflex. cover oneself

Hiph. screen, cover

Pilp. denom.

base

[סָכַךְ] vb. weave together;—Qal ψ 139:13

ref

סֹכֵךְ n. [m.] protector;—term. techn. of structure shielding stormers of city Na 2:6

ref

[שָׂכַךְ] vb. cover, lay over, so as to screen;—Qal Ex 33:22 (J E).

ref

[שָׂכַךְ] vb. weave; Po‛lel Jb 10:11

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5526a סוּךְ, סִיךְ hedge, or fence about, shut in H5526b סָכַךְ overshadow, screen, cover H5526c סָכַךְ weave together H5526d סֹכֵךְ n. [m.] protector H5526e שָׂכַךְ cover, lay over, so as to screen H5526f שָׂכַךְ weave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5526 cakak saw-kak'

or sakak (Exod. 33:22) {saw-kak'}; a primitive root;

properly, to entwine as a screen; by implication, to fence in,

cover over, (figuratively) protect:--cover, defence, defend,

hedge in, join together, set, shut up.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סוּךְ (sukh) — to fence.

(Qal) to hedge, fence about, shut in

סָכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to cover.

1) to block, overshadow, screen, stop the approach, shut off, cover

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to screen, cover

1a2) to cover oneself

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to screen, cover

סָכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to weave.

1) to weave together

4a) (Qal) to weave together

1b) (Pilpel) to weave, weave together

סֹכֵךְ (so.kh) — protector.

protector (participle)

שָׂכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to cover.

(Qal) to cover, lay over

שָׂכַךְ (sa.khakh) — to weave.

1) to weave together

1a) (Qal) to weave together

1b) (Pilpel) to weave, weave together

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-2ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq2ms
and you will put there the object marker [the] ark of the testimony and you will cover over the ark the object marker the curtain
עַל־'al- over H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Amplified meaning
cover, separate with
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence 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

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence 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 . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) 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

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and you will put there the object marker [the] ark of the testimony and you will cover over the ark the object marker the curtain
הָאָרֹ֖ןha.'a.Ron the ark H727 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
202× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for a box or chest, like the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus 25:10-22. It can also mean a money chest or a coffin. In the Bible, it appears in stories about the Israelites and their sacred objects.
Tyndale gloss
ark
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֲרוֹן, transliterated as arown, means 'chest' or 'ark.' It can refer to various types of containers, including a money chest, the Ark of the Covenant, and even a coffin. The word is built from the root meaning 'gathering' and is used in contexts related to sacred and practical storage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲרוֹן, c. art. הָאָרוֹן, הָאָרֹן 203 n.m. chest, ark

chest, for money-offerings

sarcophagus, mummy-case

chest, ark in tabernacle & temple

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H727 אֲרוֹן, c. art. הָאָרוֹן, הָאָרֹן chest, ark

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

727 'arown aw-rone'

or laron {aw-rone'}; from 717 (in the sense of gathering); a

box:--ark, chest, coffin.

see HEBREW for 0717

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲרוֹן (a.ron) — ark.

1) chest, ark

1a) money chest

1b) Ark of the Covenant

2)(TWOT) coffin

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

see ARK OF BULRUSHES; ARK OF THE COVENANT; ARK OF NOAH

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ark

Noah’s ark, a building of gopher-wood, and covered with pitch, 300 cubits long, 50 cubits broad, and 30 cubits high (Gen. 6:14-16); an oblong floating house of three stories, with a door in the side and a window in the roof. It was 100 years in building (Gen. 5:32; 7:6). It was intended to preserve certain persons and animals from the deluge which God was about to bring over the earth. It contained eight persons (Gen. 7:13; 2 Pet. 2:5), and of all “clean” animals seven pairs, and of “unclean” one pair, and of birds seven pairs of each sort (Gen. 7:2, 3). It was in the form of an oblong square, with flat bottom and…

Nave's Topical Bible

1. NOAH'S

Directions for building of Ge 6:14-16

Noah and family preserved in Ge 6:18; 7:8; Mt 24:38; Heb 11:7; 1Pe 3:20

Animals saved in Ge 6:19,20; 7:1-16

2. Of BULLRUSHES Ex 2:3

3. IN THE TABERNACLE. Called THE ARK

OF THE COVENANT Nu 10:33; De 31:26; Jos 4:7; 1Sa 4:3;

(1) Noah's

Ge 6:14; 7:1; 8:1,16; Mt 24:38; Heb 11:7; 1Pe 3:20

--SEE Deluge, DELUGE, THE

(2) Of Bulrushes

Ex 2:3

(3) Of the Covenant

Ex 25:10,16; 26:33; 30:26; 37:1; Nu 4:5; 10:35; De 10:8; 31:26

Jos 3:15; 4:11; 6:11; 7:6; Jud 20:27; 1Sa 4:3,11,18; 5:1; 6:1

and you will put there the object marker [the] ark of the testimony and you will cover over the ark the object marker the curtain
אֶת־'et- the object marker H853 Particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTo — Particle
HTo
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and you will put there the object marker [the] ark of the testimony and you will cover over the ark the object marker the curtain
הַפָּרֹֽכֶת׃ha.pa.Ro.khet the curtain H6532 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
25× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a curtain or veil, like a screen that separates one area from another. In the Bible, it is used to describe the veil in the Temple that separated the holy place from the most holy place.
Amplified meaning
behind, using, curtain, partition
Tyndale gloss
curtain
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּרֹ֫כֶת (poreketh) refers to a curtain or veil, specifically one that separates the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle. It is derived from a root meaning to shut off. The entries consistently emphasize its function as a screen or separatrix.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּרֹ֫כֶת 25 n.f. curtain, before Most Holy Place, in tabern. (P) (prop. that which habitually shuts off)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6532 פָּרֹ֫כֶת curtain, before Most Holy Place, in tabern. (P) (prop. that which habitually shuts off)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6532 poreketh po-reh'-keth

feminine active participle of the same as 6531; a separatrix,

i.e. (the sacred) screen:--vail.

see HEBREW for 06531

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּרֹ֫כֶת (po.re.khet) — curtain.

curtain, veil

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kur'-t'-n, -ten, -tin: The word ordinarily used for curtain is yeri`ah. Thus in Ex 26:1 ff; 36:8 ff of the curtains of the tabernacle (see TABERNACLE); in 2Sa 7:2; Ps 104:2; So 1:5; Isa 54:2; Jer 4:20; 10:20; 49:29; Hab 3:7.

Figurative: In Isa 40:22 (like Ps 104:2, of the heavens), the word used is doq, literally, "gauze."

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Curtain

(1.) Ten curtains, each twenty-eight cubits long and four wide, made of fine linen, also eleven made of goat’s hair, covered the tabernacle (Ex. 26:1-13; 36:8-17).

(2.) The sacred curtain, separating the holy of holies from the sanctuary, is designated by a different Hebrew word (peroketh). It is described as a “veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work” (Ex. 26:31; Lev. 16:2; Num. 18:7).

(3.) “Stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain” (Isa. 40:22), is an expression used with reference to the veil or awning which Orientals spread for a screen over their courts in summer.…

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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