Exodus 25:16

the testimony i.e. the attestation, or (cf. the cognate verb in Psalms 50:7 -testify," Jeremiah 11:7 -protest") affirmation, averment, viz. of God's will, and man's duty, expressed in the Decalogue. In Dt. (Deuteronomy 4:45; Deuteronomy 6:17; Deuteronomy 6:20), and Deuteronomic writers (as 1 Kings 2:3), and writers influenced by them (as Psalms 119:2; Psalms 119:14), the same or almost the same word is used, in the plural, of Divine commandments in general, as avermentsof God's will; in P, in the singular, it occurs 36 times, for the Decalogue in particular, both absolutely, as here, v.21, Exodus 16:34; Leviticus 16:13 al., and in the expressions, the ark, tables, Dwelling(RV. tabernacle: see on v.9), tent, and veil, of the testimony(v.22, Exodus 26:33; Exodus 31:18; Exodus 38:21; Leviticus 24:3; Numbers 1:50; Numbers 17:7, &c.). Cf. p. 193. -Testimony" may also denote the law in general (Psalms 19:7; Psalms 119:88).