The most important piece of furniture in the wilderness tabernacle (the tent-sanctuary) that God instructed Moses to build (Exodus 25:10–22). The Hebrew word for ark can also mean "chest" (2 Kings 12:9–10) or "coffin" (Genesis 50:26). This is not the same word used for Noah’s ark.
Description of the Ark
Moses told Bezalel to make a special box called the ark. It was made of acacia wood and covered with gold inside and out (Exodus 31:1–5; 37:1–9). The chest measured about 45 by 27 by 27 inches (or 114 by 69 by 69 centimeters). The ark had rings on its sides. People could put poles through these rings to carry it.
The ark was designed to hold the two tablets of the covenant given to Moses (Exodus 25:16). Because the tablets were also called the "testimony," the ark was sometimes referred to as the "ark of the testimony." Inside the ark was also placed a pot of manna, the miraculous food from God (Exodus 16:33), and Aaron’s rod that had budded (Numbers 17:10; Hebrews 9:4).
The lid of the ark was called the "mercy seat" or "place of mercy" (Exodus 25:17). This was a gold slab that covered the top of the ark and had its own significance. Each year, the high priest would atone for the people of Israel by sprinkling the mercy seat with the blood of bulls and goats (Leviticus 16:2–16). The term "mercy seat" is related to the Hebrew word for "atone." The lid was called a “seat” because the Lord was believed to sit between two cherubim (winged creatures) positioned on opposite ends of the mercy seat (Psalm 99:1). The Lord spoke to Moses from between the cherubim (Numbers 7:89).
The ark was sometimes simply called "the ark" (Exodus 37:1; Numbers 3:31). Other times, it was called the "ark of the covenant" (Numbers 4:5; Joshua 4:16). The Israelites were reminded that the ark's holiness was not magical but came from the holy law of God contained within it. The name "ark of the testimony" also reminded them of their need to follow the commands given in God’s covenant.
These commands were given by the God who made the covenant (or promise) with them. He was the same God who rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt and promised to be their ever-present God. (Exodus 6:6–7). So, the ark was usually called the "ark of the covenant." Sometimes that name was "the ark of the covenant of the LORD" (1 Chronicles 28:18).
At times, the ark was called "the ark of God." It was a visible sign that the invisible God was present among the Israelites. The ark had a powerful and often deadly holiness. For example, the people of Beth-shemesh were severely punished for not treating the ark well enough (1 Samuel 6:19).
Similarly, Uzzah was killed by the Lord when he touched the ark to keep it from falling off a cart (2 Samuel 6:6–9). The ark was dangerous to touch because it symbolized God's presence. Because of this, God commanded that the ark be placed in the holy of holies, separated from the rest of the tabernacle (and later the temple) by a heavy veil (Exodus 26:31–33; Hebrews 9:3–5). No sinful person could look on the glory of God above the ark and live (Leviticus 16:2).
History
When the Israelites journeyed from Mount Sinai to Canaan, the ark accompanied them through the desert. It served as a constant reminder of God's holy presence. During this journey, the ark was described almost as if it had personal features (Numbers 10:33–36). The detailed instructions for wrapping and carrying the ark (Numbers 4) showed the close relationship between God and the ark, giving it a sense of being "alive."
The ark played a significant role during the desert journey. When a group of Israelites tried to invade Canaan on their own, without the ark or Moses, they were defeated by their enemies (Numbers 14:44–45). The ark had an important role in the following events:
Crossing the Jordan River (Joshua 3:13–17; 4:9–10)
The conquest of Jericho (Joshua 6:6–11)
The life of the Israelites in their new land (Joshua 8:33; Judges 20:27)
The Israelites did not use the ark in ways that were superstitious or magical. They did not treat it like a lucky object or something with special powers.
Instead, the ark was important for two main reasons:
It held God's laws (called the "testimony").
It showed that God was with them.
In contrast, by the time of Eli and his sons, at the end of the period when judges ruled Israel, the ark's role had changed. The Israelites still respected the ark, but they misunderstood its purpose. They thought it was a magic object that would always bring them success or victory. When the Israelites lost a battle against the Philistines, they brought the ark to the battlefield hoping it would secure victory (1 Samuel 4:1–10). However, this misuse led to the ark being captured by the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:11) and caused defeat and death among the Israelites, including the high priest Eli's family (1 Samuel 4:13–22).
Even though the Israelites misused the ark, God still protected its honor. When the Philistines put the ark in the temple of their god Dagon, funny things happened (1 Samuel 5–6). This story shows two important things:
God's people should not treat the ark like a magic object.
God's enemies cannot make fun of the ark.
Samuel, a great reformer and prophet, did not immediately try and make the ark important again after its return to Israel. He left it in Kiriath-jearim until Israel returned to obedience (1 Samuel 6:21; 7:2). Samuel first had to make Israel obey God's covenant before the ark was useful. David, who was king after Saul, worked to bring the ark back to an important place in the life of Israel (2 Samuel 6:1–17).
While the ark would have been an advantage for David's new capital, Jerusalem, Psalm 132 reveals David’s deep concern for the ark and God’s honor. In a moment of great religious joy and enthusiasm, David prayed directly to God, saying, "Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength" (Psalm 132:8). David saw the ark as "restless" because Israel was not at rest. Canaan was not completely conquered. Although some peace was achieved during Joshua’s time (Joshua 21:43–45), there was still work to be done. By conquering Jebus (Jerusalem), David nearly completed the conquest of the promised land.
With the land finally at rest, the Lord could now "dwell" in his temple, the appropriate resting place for the ark. Despite David’s wish to build a temple for the ark, God did not allow him to do so (2 Samuel 7:1–17). Instead, he was told that his son Solomon would build a temple. Solomon constructed a great temple, placing the ark in the most holy part, behind the curtains (1 Kings 8:1–11).