Deuteronomy 31:26
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.
Take this book of the law,.... Not Deuteronomy only, but the whole Pentateuch:
and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God; not in the ark, for there were nothing there but the two tables of stone with the ten commands on them, 1 Kings 8:9; but on one side of it; the Targum of Jonathan says, it was
"put in a chest (or box) on the right side of the ark of the covenant;''
which is very probable. Jarchi observes, that the wise men of Israel are divided about it in the Talmud {e}; some of them say there was a table (or ledge) that stood out from the ark without, and there it was put; others say it was put on the side of the tables of the law within the ark; the former are in the right:
that it may be therefore a witness against thee; when they fall into idolatry or any other sin, a transgression of any of the laws therein contained.
{e} T. B. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 1. 2.