History of the Ark
“The Ark of the Covenant … represented the eternal purpose of God … for mankind in the Christ … Christ Jesus and his Bride, the ‘little flock,’ to be … imbued with power and great glory.”
Below is a summary of the Old Testament narratives regarding the Ark.
| Sinai | References |
|---|---|
| Construction directions from God. | Ex. 25:10-22 |
| To be placed in the Most Holy. | Ex. 26:34, 40:3 |
| Moses directs Israelites to make the Ark. | Ex. 35:12 |
| Bezaelel makes it. | Ex. 37:1-9 |
| Brought to Moses by Israelites. | Ex. 39:35 |
| Tables of the Testimony put into it by Moses, and placed in the Tabernacle. | Deut. 10:1-5 Ex. 40:20, 21 |
| The meeting place between God and Moses, where Moses heard a voice speak. | Ex. 25:22 Num. 7:89 |
| To be anointed with the holy oil. | Ex. 30:26, 40:9 |
| Anointed when the Priests are consecrated. | Lev. 8:10 |
| Not to be approached by Aaron at all times. | Lev. 16:2 |
| Sprinkled with blood on Day of Atonement | |
| Under the charge of the Kohathites. | Num. 3:31 |
| Coverings of the Ark previous to the march. | Num. 4:5, 6 |
| The ordinary place of the Ark in the march. | Num. 10:21 |
|
The Wilderness |
References |
| Departs from ordinary place to lead the way. | Num. 10:33-36 |
| Remained in camp during Hormah defeat. | Num. 14:44 |
| Aaron’s rod laid up before it. | Num. 17:10 |
| Rod and pot of manna put inside. | Heb. 9:4 |
| Perhaps one of the “holy instruments” Phineas took to battle. | Num. 31:6 |
| Levites to place Book of the Law inside. | Deut. 31:9-26 |
|
The Land |
References |
| The Ark divides the waters of Jordan. | Joshua 3 & 4 |
| Walls of Jericho fall before the Ark. | Joshua 6 |
| Israel defeated at Ai. Joshua falls before the Ark, and God directs him as to Achan. | Joshua 7 |
| Ark stands before Ebel and Gerizim, while blessings and curses are pronounced. | Deut. 27:11-26 Joshua 8:30-35 |
|
Gilgal |
References |
| Joshua holds a standing camp at Gilgal, from whence he makes excursions and conquests of the land. Here also he divides some portions of the land amongst Israel. It is probable that the Tabernacle and Ark were here for some time. | Joshua 14:6 Joshua 9:6 Joshua 10:7-43 |
|
Shiloh |
References |
| Tabernacle removed to Shiloh. | Joshua 18, 19 |
| The remainder of the land divided. | Joshua 21 |
| Levitical cities appointed. | Joshua 22:9 |
| The two and a half tribes sent back. | Joshua 22:12 |
| Israel assembles here respecting the altar of the Reubenites. Hence it is possible that the Ark was in the Tabernacle all the time it was at Shiloh. | Joshua 18 |
|
Shechem |
References |
| Subsequently we find Joshua gathering all Israel to Shechem, and that “the sanctuary of the Lord” was there. But the Ark may have remained at Shiloh, as the Tabernacle was replaced there again before the time of Judges 20. | Joshua 24:1-26 |
|
Shiloh |
References |
| The Tabernacle and Ark again stationary here, as is evident from the “house of God” twice mentioned, and the Ark also in connection with it. That this was at Shiloh seems plain. 1 Samuel 1 opens with worship and sacrifice carried on at Shiloh. The Ark directly mentioned as at Shiloh. | Judges 20:18, 26 Judges 20:27 Judges 21:2, 12 Judges 21:19 1 Sam. 3:3 |
|
Aphek and Ebenezer |
References |
| Brought to battle, captured by Philistines. | 1 Sam. 4 |
|
Ashdod |
References |
| Removed by Phili. from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Dagon falls before it at Ashdod. | 1 Sam. 5:1-8 1 Sam. 5:3 |
|
Ekron |
References |
| Ark sent to Ekron, Philistines plagued. | 1 Sam. 5:8-12 1 Sam. 6:1, 2 |
|
Beth-Shemesh |
References |
| The Ark sent up in a new cart, takes the way to Beth-shemesh. The men of Beth-shemesh slain, because they looked into the Ark. | 1 Sam. 6:9, 20 |
|
Kirjath-Jearim |
References |
| Taken to Kirjath-Jearim, and remains 20 years. | 1 Sam. 6:21 1 Sam. 7:1, 2 |
|
Gibeah |
References |
| Saul consults the Ark at Gibeah at the time of Jonathan’s miraculous success; but it must have been only removed from Kirjath-Jearim for a time, as we find it again there. | 1 Sam. 14:16-18 2 Sam. 6 |
|
Kirjath-Jearim (Called also Valle of Judah and Gibeah) |
References |
| The Ark fetched up thence by David out of the house of Abinadab, whence it had been twenty years. In 2 Sam. 6 the house of Abinadab is said to be in Gibeah, but this only means “the hill”; see 1 Sam. 7:1. | 2 Sam. 6 |
|
The House of Obed-Edom |
References |
| Uzzah smitten, and the Ark is carried aside into the house of Obed-Edom, the Gittite. It remains there three months. | 2 Sam. 6:11 1 Chron. 13:14 |
|
The City of David (Jerusalem, or Zion) |
References |
| David prepares it a tent in the city of David. He carries it up on the shoulders of the Levites to the city of David and deposits it in the Tabernacle he had made for it. | 2 Sam. 6:12-23 1 Chron. 15:1-29 1 Chron. 16:1-38 |
| Levites appointed to minister before the Ark. (The Tabernacle and altar of burnt-offering this time at Gibeon, and remained there till Solomon removed it and its vessels to the Temple.) | 1 Chron. 15:1, 16:39, 21:29 1 Kings 3:4-15, 8:4 2 Chron. 1:3-13 |
| David desires to build a house for the Ark, but is not permitted. | 1 Chron. 17:1 2 Sam. 7:2 |
| David sins in the matter of Bathsheba. Uriah refuses to take his rest in his own house, because the Ark and Israel are abiding in tents. | 2 Sam. 11:11 |
| David obliged to flee from Jerusalem, because of Absalom’s rebellion, and sends back Zadok and the Levites with the Ark to Jerusalem, after they had accompanied him a little way. | 2 Sam. 15:24, 25 2 Chron. 3:1 |
| Solomon builds the Temple on Mt. Moriah. The oracle for the Ark, with two large cherubim. | 1 Kings 6:1-2 1 Kings 6:19-28 |
|
Mount Moriah |
References |
| The Ark is borne from the city of David, or Mt. Zion, to its resting place in the Temple, on Mt. Moriah; and its staves are drawn out. | 2 Chron. 5 1 Kings 8 |
| We hear no more of the Ark till the time of Josiah, when it seems as if it had been previously moved from the Temple, but was replaced there by his command. | 2 Chron. 35:3 |
| There is a prophecy concerning the Ark in Jeremiah. 3:16, 17. | Jeremiah 3:16, 17 |
Summarized from Henry W. Soltau, “The Holy Vessels and Furniture of the Tabernacle.” London, England – 1851