REMARKS ON DEUT. 31:26 by James White

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 10, 1887

REMARKS ON DEUT. 31:26.

By James White

"Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee."

THE translation of the Hebrew word, mitzad, in this text is unfortunate, as it has led to needless misapprehensions. It is rendered "in the side," whereas it means "by the side." The proof of this is very plain and very positive.

We have two means of determining the signification of words in the original: the lexicon, and usage. Sometimes we find instances of the use of an original word when it does not seem to agree with the lexicon. In such cases the use may be exceptional, or the definition in the lexicon may not be full enough to cover the various shades of meaning of the word. In such cases we need to examine the entire use of the word, and to carefully analyze the text, and perhaps the context of the instances of the use in question.

In the text now under consideration there is little or no place for difficulty, as the following will show.

The word tzad is used in the Old Testament with three prefixes: mitzad, betzad, and al-tzad. The first is the preposition min (shortened to mi), from or of; the second, the regular preposition, in; the third is a separable particle, al, upon. We will notice them in their order.

1. Gesenius gives as the definition of mitzad, "at or by the side." The following is its entire use according to the Authorized Version.

Ex. 25:32 (three times), out of the side. 37:18 (three times), the same. Deut. 31:26, in the side of the ark. Josh. 3:16, that is beside Zaretan. 12:9, which is beside Bethel. Ruth 2:14, she sat beside the reapers. 1 Sam. 6:8, in a coffer by the side of the ark. 20:25, Abner sat by Saul's side. 23:26 (twice), on this side—on that side. 2 Sam. 13:34, by the way of the hill-side. Ps. 91:7, a thousand shall fall at thy side.

The first two texts, Ex. 25 and 37, have the translation "out of," which is admissible according to the derivation of the prefix. Deut. 31:26, "in the side," is not admissible; this word cannot be so defined, and there is a regular form for this expression, as will be seen. The Revised Version, as also other translations, gives it, "by the side."

2. Gesenius gives the definition of betzad "in the side." As before said, the prefix is the regular preposition, in. For its use see Gen. 6:16. "And the door . . . shalt thou set in the side." Num. 33:55. "Thorns in your sides." And others.

3. Al is a separable particle, meaning on or upon, and is used with tzad in such texts as Ex. 37:27, "upon the two sides thereof."

We have thus presented the three forms, that the reader may see the different definitions and uses.

There is a supposition—for it is only a supposition—that the book of the law was placed "in a coffer" by the side of the ark. And some have been led to conclude that this is the meaning of the text. But it is not. Prideaux is thought to give warrant to this conclusion, but we cannot see that his words justify the thought. His words are as follows:—

"As to the book or volume of the law, it being commanded to put mitzad, i. e., on the side of the ark, those who interpret that word, of the inside, place it within the ark, and those who interpret it, of the outside, place it on the outside of it in a case or coffer made on purpose for it, and laid on the right side, meaning by the right side, that end of it which was on the right hand. And the last seem to be in the right as to this matter; for, first, the same word, mitzad, is made use of where it is said that the Philistines sent back the ark with an offering of jewels of gold, put in a coffer by the side of it. And there it is certain that word must be understood of the outside, and not of the inside. Secondly, the ark was not of capacity," etc. "And therefore, putting all this together, it seems plain that the volume of the law was not laid within the ark, but had a particular coffer or repository of its own, in which it was placed on the side of it. And the word mitzad, which answers to the Latin a latere, cannot truly bear any other meaning in the Hebrew language."

Prideaux also quotes a Chaldee paraphrase to the same effect. But we insist that the only evidence which the language of Prideaux contains is that the book was outside, not inside the ark. Beyond that we object to his conclusion. For,

1. The description of the most holy place, and of that which it contained, is given in the Bible to the least particular, and it would be strange indeed if an extra coffer or box (for the ark itself was simply a coffer or chest) were to be made and put in the most holy, and not a word spoken concerning it in the Pentateuch.

2. The idea of a coffer beside the ark was evidently borrowed from the Philistines, who placed their golden offerings "in a coffer by the side thereof" (mitzad), when they sent the ark away from Ekron. 1 Sam. 6. But the order of Deut. 31:26 was given some four hundred years before this; and we know of no proof that any other "coffer beside the ark," ever existed than that made by the Philistines. And it is not probable that that was ever put in the most holy place.

3. The conclusion of Prideaux is not at all necessary, that they who interpret mitzad to mean outside, place the book in a coffer by the ark. For the book might just as well have been outside "by the side of the ark," without being in an extra coffer at all, of the existence of which there is no hint in the text or in the connection.

And some have even concluded that a receptacle for the book was attached to the ark—literally made in the side of the ark. This is the most fanciful idea of all, for which there does not appear to be any sanction even in tradition.

The Lord required that the people should hold in great reverence the ark wherein was placed his holy covenant, and it does not seem fitting to represent it, as it has been misrepresented by descriptions and illustrations. We have seen models of the ark of God with something on the side very much resembling the dumping-place of a grain elevator; and we have seen a minister set before a congregation a common hand-satchel, and slip a book into the side pocket, to illustrate how the book of the law was put in the side of the ark! A very little study of the subject must convince anyone that such representations are caricatures of things held sacred in the Scriptures. Prideaux gives the position of the book "on the right side," meaning by the right side, "that end of it which was on the right hand." That it was at the end is very probable; that it was at that end which was on the right hand is by no means certain. J. H. W.