THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

A reconstruction of the Ark

This is one of many models of the Ark of the Covenant. It is based on the biblical description, and on related ancient artifacts (see images at bottom of this page).

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The Ark was an outward sign of Yahweh's presence. It was carried by priests of the tribe of Levi, who were the only people who could touch it.

It was believed to have sacred power. Touching it could be lethal, as Uzzah found when he reached out to steady it while it was being transported by cart into Jerusalem. He was killed instantly.

But it provided protection against Israel's enemies.

The Bible says that when the Israelites began their day's march, a cloud representing Yahweh's presence descended over the Ark, enclosing the Israelites. They were cupped in God's hands.

The Ark originally contained sacred Jewish artifacts: 

• the stone tablets on which were inscribed the Ten Commandments
• a golden jar containing manna from the desert
• the staff of Aaron.

The Bible describes it:

Exodus 25:10-21

10  Have them make a chest of acacia wood--two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
11  Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it.
12  Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
13  Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
14  Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it.
15  The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed.
16  Then put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.
17  Make an atonement cover of pure gold--two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
18  And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover.
19  Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends.
20  The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover.
21  Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.

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THE ARK AND THE SHRINE OF TUTANKHAMUN

The design of the Ark was probably influenced by sacred artifacts in surrounding cultures:

• the Bible description of the Ark bears a strong resemblance to the portable Altar of Anubis found in the tomb of Tutankhamen (below).
• the winged cherubim protecting the Ark could be modelled on the winged deities found in the third outer shrine of this same tomb.

The design used for the Ark, and even its purpose as a portable container for sacred objects, may have been common in ancient Middle Eastern countries.

Photograph of part of the third outer shrine in the Tomb of Tutankhamen
The two figures are the protective Egyptian deities Isis and Nephthys

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