ark Summary and Overview

Noah's ark, a building of gopher-wood, and covered with pitch, 300 cubits long, 50 cubits broad, and 30 cubits high (Gen. 6:14-16); an oblong floating house of three stories, with a door in the side and a window in the roof. It was 100 years in building (Gen. 5:32; 7:6). It was intended to preserve certain persons and animals from the deluge which God was about to bring over the earth. It contained eight persons (Gen. 7:13; 2 Pet. 2:5), and of all "clean" animals seven pairs, and of "unclean" one pair, and of birds seven pairs of each sort (Gen. 7:2, 3). It was in the form of an oblong square, with flat bottom and sloping roof. Traditions of the Deluge, by which the race of man was swept from the earth, and of the ark of Noah have been found existing among all nations. The ark of bulrushes in which the infant Moses was laid (Ex. 2:3) is called in the Hebrew "teebah", a word derived from the Egyptian "teb", meaning "a chest." It was daubed with slime and with pitch. The bulrushes of which it was made were the papyrus reed. The sacred ark is designated by a different Hebrew word, "'aron'", which is the common name for a chest or coffer used for any purpose (Gen. 50:26; 2 Kings 12:9, 10). It is distinguished from all others by such titles as the "ark of God" (1 Sam. 3:3), "ark of the covenant" (Josh. 3:6; Heb. 9:4), "ark of the testimony" (Ex. 25:22). It was made of acacia or shittim wood, a cubit and a half broad and high and two cubits long, and covered all over with the purest gold. Its upper surface or lid, the mercy-seat, was surrounded with a rim of gold; and on each of the two sides were two gold rings, in which were placed two gold-covered poles by which the ark could be carried (Num. 7:9; 10:21; 4:5,19, 20; 1 Kings 8:3, 6). Over the ark, at the two extremities, were two cherubim, with their faces turned toward each other (Lev. 16:2; Num. 7:89). Their outspread wings over the top of the ark formed the throne of God, while the ark itself was his footstool (Ex. 25:10-22; 37:1-9). The ark was deposited in the "holy of holies," and was so placed that one end of the poles by which it was carried touched the veil which separated the two apartments of the tabernacle (1 Kings 8:8). The two tables of stone which constituted the "testimony" or evidence of God's covenant with the people (Deut. 31:26), the "pot of manna" (Ex. 16:33), and "Aaron's rod that budded" (Num. 17:10), were laid up in the ark (Heb. 9:4). (See TABERNACLE T0003559) The ark and the sanctuary were "the beauty of Israel" (Lam. 2:1). During the journeys of the Israelites the ark was carried by the priests in advance of the host (Num. 4:5, 6; 10:33-36; Ps. 68:1; 132:8). It was borne by the priests into the bed of the Jordan, which separated, opening a pathway for the whole of the host to pass over (Josh. 3:15, 16; 4:7, 10, 11, 17, 18). It was borne in the procession round Jericho (Josh. 6:4, 6, 8, 11, 12). When carried it was always wrapped in the veil, the badgers' skins, and blue cloth, and carefully concealed even from the eyes of the Levites who carried it. After the settlement of Israel in Israel the ark remained in the tabernacle at Gilgal for a season, and was then removed to Shiloh till the time of Eli, between 300 and 400 years (Jer. 7:12), when it was carried into the field of battle so as to secure, as they supposed, victory to the Hebrews, and was taken by the Philistines (1 Sam. 4:3-11), who sent it back after retaining it seven months (1 Sam. 5:7, 8). It remained then at Kirjath-jearim (7:1,2) till the time of David (twenty years), who wished to remove it to Jerusalem; but the proper mode of removing it having been neglected, Uzzah was smitten with death for putting "forth his hand to the ark of God," and in consequence of this it was left in the house of Obed-edom in Gath-rimmon for three months (2 Sam. 6:1-11), at the end of which time David removed it in a grand procession to Jerusalem, where it was kept till a place was prepared for it (12-19). It was afterwards deposited by Solomon in the temple (1 Kings 8:6-9). When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and plundered the temple, the ark was probably taken away by Nebuchadnezzar and destroyed, as no trace of it is afterwards to be found. The absence of the ark from the second temple was one of the points in which it was inferior to the first temple.

ARK . The word indicates three structures. 1. Noah's ark, the vessel constructed at God's command for the preservation of himself and family and a stock of the various animals, etc., during the Flood. Gen 6:14. 2. Moses' ark of bulrushes. Ex 2:3. 3. And usually, the ark of the covenant. 1. Noah's Ark. -- It was four hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet in breadth, and forty-five in height, and was designed, not to sail, but only to float when borne up by the waters. It had lower, second, and third stories, besides what in common vessels is called the hold. A door was placed in the side, and on the roof a series of windows or a window-course in which some translucent substance may have been used. The ark was constructed of gopherwood, and covered with bitumen or pitch to exclude water. It is doubtful where the ark was built and as to how long time it took. The weight of opinion is that it was from one hundred to one hundred and twenty years. Compare Gen 5:32 and 1 Tim 7:6; Gen 6:3 with 1 Pet 3:20. The ark is supposed to have been a long, square-cornered boat with a flat bottom and a sloping roof; and the construction of it has been the subject of much curious, not to say useless, speculation. The proportions of the ark, as those recommended by the experience of centuries of ship-building, are of themselves a proof of Noah's inspiration. In regard to the capacity of the ark, it was large enough to accommodate the eight persons of Noah's family, and all the animals to be saved in it. Some scholars confine the number of animals to the species living in the parts of the world then inhabited by men, excepting, of course, such as live in the water or lie dormant. Traditions of the ark and of the Deluge are found among most ancient nations. See Flood. 1. Moses's Ark was made of the bulrush or papyrus, which grows in marshy places in Egypt. It was daubed with slime, which was probably the mud of which their bricks were made, and with pitch or bitumen. Ex 2:3. 2. Ark of the Covenant, Ex 25:10, a chest constructed by the express command of Jehovah, three feet nine inches in length, and two feet three inches in width and height, made of shittim-wood and covered with plates of gold within and without. A border or crown of gold encircled it near the top, and it was surmounted by the Supposed form of Ark of the Covenant. mercy-seat, which was of solid gold, and answered the purpose of a cover or lid to the ark. On each end of the mercy-seat was placed a golden image representing a cherub facing inward and bending down over the ark. Two rings of gold were attached to the body of the ark on each side, through which passed the staves or poles, made of the same wood and overlaid with gold, that were used in carrying it from place to place, and these were never taken out. This ark contained originally and in design, 1. A golden pot in which the three quarts of manna were preserved. Ex 16:33. 2. Aaron's rod, which at different places miraculously budded and blossomed and yielded fruit all at once, Num 17:8; and, 3. The tables of the testimony, or the tables of the ten commandments, written with the finger of God and constituting the testimony or evidence of the covenant between God and the people. Deut 31:26; Heb 9:3, 4. Hence it is sometimes called the ark of the testimony, and sometimes the ark of the covenant. Ex 25:16 and Ex 40:21; It is probable that the first two were hopelessly lost before the reign of Solomon. 1 Kgs 8:9. On the mercy-seat which surmounted the ark rested the awful and mysterious symbol of the divine presence. Lev 16:2; Num 7:89. When the Israelites were journeying through the wilderness, the ark was borne in advance of the people, and their route was providentially indicated by "the cloud of the Lord." When the ark set forward, Moses said, "Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee." Num 10:33-36. After the children of Israel had passed the Jordan, whose waters divided at the approach of the ark. Josh 3:14-17, the tabernacle was set up at Gilgal, and this sacred vessel remained in it for a season. It was then removed to Shiloh, where it was stationary between three and four hundred years, [scripture]Jer. 7:12-15[scripture]; and being then taken out and borne before the army, it fell into the hands of the Philistines at the defeat of the Israelites near Aphek. 1 Sam 4. The Philistines took it to Ashdod and placed it by the side of their idolgod Dagon, 1 Sam 5; but by severe judgments God avenged his insulted majesty, and they were compelled to return the ark to the people of Israel, by whom it was lodged at Kirjath-jearim. 1 Sam 6 and 1 Kgs 15:7. When David had fixed his residence at Jerusalem, the ark was removed thither with sacred ceremonies, and kept until the temple was prepared to receive it. 2 Sam 6; 1 Chr 15:25-28, on which occasion it is supposed the one hundred and thirty-second Psalm was written. Solomon put it in the temple. 2 Chr 5:2-10. Manasseh placed a carved image in the house of God, probably removing the ark to make way for it. Josiah, however, restored it. See 2 Chr 33:7 and 2 Chr 35:3. The second temple did not contain the ark; whether it was seized among the spoils when the city was sacked, or whether it was secreted and afterward destroyed, does not appear. The Jews think it will be restored when their Messiah appears. Wherever the Jews dwelt or wandered, they always worshipped toward the place where the ark of the covenant rested. Dan 6:10.

(See NOAH.) The term (teebah) is applied to the infant Moses' ark. (See BULRUSH.) Teebah is evidently the Egyptian teb, "a chest," Hebraised. It has no Semitic equivalent. It is a type of the manger which disclosed to the shepherds Messiah, who, beginning with the manger, at last ascended to His