THERE has been a great query in many minds in regard to the exact meaning of the above expression; and some have been in doubt whether the construction put upon it by the authorities recently quoted by Bro. Canright was natural and necessary, or one only adopted to suit their own ideas of the facts in the case. The first is correct; it is the only just view that can be taken of that passage. The original (Heb. tzad), is used thirty-two times in the Old Testament, and is translated in the side, by the side, beside, &c., but it is never used to denote position as of the contents of anything of which it is spoken. The nearest approach to that use is found in Gen. 6:16: “The door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof;” but the door of a house is no part of the contents of the house. A few instances of its use will give a correct idea of its true signification. Josh. 3:16: “The city Adam, that is beside Zaretan.” 1 Sam. 6:8: “And put the jewels of gold . . . in a coffer by the side thereof;” Ps. 91:7: “A thousand shall fall at thy side.” Its occurrence in 1 Sam. 6:8, is exactly parallel with that of Deut. 31:26. The ark of God was sent home from the land of the Philistines, and a trespass offering was put in a coffer (Heb. tzad) by the side of the ark. And so would Deut. 31:26, be literally rendered. Tzad is several times translated in the side, but never inside; nor will it bear that construction in any case of its occurrence in the Scriptures. By the ark, and not in the ark as a part of its contents, was the place of the book of the law. This book was to be frequently read in the hearing of the people, and was, therefore, frequently brought out of its place of deposit. But they were not permitted to open the ark. Every consideration shows that the book of the law, written by Moses, was not put into the ark. J. H. W.