Exodus 31 7

Exodus 31:7 kjv

The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,

Exodus 31:7 nkjv

the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the tabernacle?

Exodus 31:7 niv

the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent?

Exodus 31:7 esv

the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent,

Exodus 31:7 nlt

the Tabernacle;
the Ark of the Covenant;
the Ark's cover ? the place of atonement;
all the furnishings of the Tabernacle;

Exodus 31 verses

Exodus 31 7 Meaning

Exodus 31:7 details three central and sacred components of the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary built by the Israelites under divine command. These elements are "the tent of meeting," which served as the designated place for God to commune with His people; "the ark of the testimony," containing the covenant tablets, representing God's active presence and covenant faithfulness; and "the mercy seat that is on it," the lid of the Ark where atonement for sins was made. The verse signifies the essential core of Israel's divinely appointed worship and the foundational means of God's presence, communication, and provision for reconciliation among His people.

Exodus 31 7 Context

Exodus 31:7 is part of a longer passage (Ex 31:1-11) where the Eternal One reveals His divine provision of skilled craftsmen, Bezalel and Oholiab, whom He has filled with His Spirit to carry out the detailed construction of the Tabernacle and its sacred furnishings. This verse specifically lists three paramount items: the meeting tent, the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat. This section comes directly after the extensive blueprint given to Moses for the Tabernacle (Ex 25-30), emphasizing that all these elements, no matter how intricate, are precisely specified by God Himself for a holy purpose. Historically and culturally, the Tabernacle's design served as a counter-narrative to the idolatrous temples of the surrounding ancient Near Eastern cultures, showcasing the true God's desire to dwell uniquely among His people through an instructed system of worship, rather than through images crafted by human imagination. Its portability also signified God's dynamic presence with a migrating nation.

Exodus 31 7 Word analysis

• the tent of meeting (Hebrew: אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵד֮ - ’ōhel môʿēḏ)

  • ’ōhel: "tent." This word highlights its temporary and mobile nature, distinguishing it from permanent structures like pagan temples and emphasizing God's dynamic presence with His wandering people. It also signifies intimacy, like a person's private dwelling.
  • môʿēḏ: "appointed place," "appointed time," "assembly." This is not just any tent, but a specifically designated "place of rendezvous." It's where God appointed to meet with Moses and with Israel, underscoring the divine initiative and faithfulness in seeking communion with humanity. Its function was to facilitate a set, pre-arranged encounter.

• the ark of the testimony (Hebrew: הָאָרֹ֖ן הָעֵדֻ֑ת - hā’ārōn hā‘ēḏūt)

  • hā’ārōn: "the ark," "the chest." This term consistently refers to the chest containing the covenant. It was God's dwelling place in a symbolic sense, though His glory filled the whole Tabernacle.
  • hā‘ēḏūt: "the testimony," "the witness," "the covenant." This refers to the two tablets of the Ten Commandments (Ex 25:16, 21; Deut 10:1-5) placed inside the Ark. The Ark served as a permanent witness to the covenant established between God and Israel at Sinai. It underscored the centrality of God's holy law in His covenant relationship with His people.

• and the mercy seat that is on it (Hebrew: וְאֶת־הַכַּפֹּ֥רֶת אֲשֶׁר־עָלָֽיהָ - wə’eṯ-hakkappōreṯ ’ăšer ‘ālāyhā)

  • hakkappōreṯ: "the mercy seat," "the atonement cover" or "propitiatory cover." Derived from the Hebrew root kpr (כָּפַר), meaning "to cover," "to atone," or "to make propitiation." This was not merely a lid, but the specific place where atonement for the nation's sins was accomplished annually on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) by the sprinkling of blood (Lev 16).
  • ’ăšer-ʿālāyhā: "that is upon it." This phrase explicitly links the mercy seat directly to its position on the Ark of the Testimony, visually symbolizing grace (atonement) resting upon law (testimony), and judgment being appeased through a divinely prescribed means. The mercy seat was seen as the literal "throne" of God between the cherubim (Ex 25:22).

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat": This listing creates a progression of holiness and function. The Tent is the overall structure; the Ark is its most sacred furniture; and the Mercy Seat is the very epicenter of divine interaction and atonement within the Ark. Together, they represent God's active presence (Ark), His authoritative word (Testimony within the Ark), and His provision for sin (Mercy Seat). They collectively establish the foundational means through which God condescended to relate to His chosen people, embodying principles of divine presence, law, and grace. The sequence emphasizes their individual importance yet interdependent relationship for the Tabernacle's full function.

Exodus 31 7 Bonus section

The deliberate divine specification for every detail of the Tabernacle and its furnishings, including these three crucial items, underscored God's absolute sovereignty and intolerance for human invention in worship. It served as a safeguard against syncretism and arbitrary religious practices. The profound theological weight attached to the "mercy seat" is further evident in the New Testament's reinterpretation of kappōreṯ through the Greek hilasterion (Rom 3:25), explicitly linking Christ to this pivotal place of atonement. Thus, what was a physical location for propitiation became a personal reality in the Savior.

Exodus 31 7 Commentary

Exodus 31:7 highlights three integral components of the Tabernacle, meticulously commanded by God for its construction by divinely empowered craftsmen. The "tent of meeting" underscored God's commitment to regular communion with His people, a deliberate, portable place for rendezvous. The "ark of the testimony" served as the quintessential symbol of God's covenant presence and the unchanging nature of His holy law given to Israel. Crowning this was "the mercy seat," the literal "covering" of atonement, where annual propitiation for the nation's sins occurred. This divinely designed ensemble proclaimed that a holy God desired to dwell among an imperfect people, providing the means not only for His presence but also for their necessary reconciliation and approach. The meticulous details of these elements, culminating in the provision for atonement, ultimately pointed forward to Jesus Christ, the one who fully fulfills their typology as the ultimate Dwelling Place (Jn 1:14), the embodiment of the living Word (Jn 1:1, 14), and our propitiation and High Priest, by whose blood we enter the holiest presence (Heb 9-10). The entire structure foreshadowed access to God made possible through a perfect sacrifice, bridging the gap between human sin and divine holiness.