The Ark of the Covenant, referenced in the Old Testament, is a vital sacred object symbolizing God’s presence, housed within the Tabernacle and the Jerusalem Temple. The Hebrew term translated traditionally refers to a receptacle, box, or coffin. In Old Testament texts, this term describes the offering box installed by priest Jehoiada in the Jerusalem temple and the sarcophagus holding Joseph’s remains. The term is also present in Rabbinic Hebrew, Phoenician, Aramaic, and Akkadian languages with similar meanings.
In Russian translations of the Bible, “ark” also represents Noah’s Ark, though a separate Hebrew word is used. The Ark of the Covenant is mentioned 195 times in the Old Testament, appearing in books like Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and others. In the New Testament, it’s mentioned twice.
Names for the Ark in the Old Testament include “Ark of Yahweh,” “Ark of God,” “Ark of the Covenant,” “Ark of the Testimony,” “The Holy Ark,” and “The Ark of Your Power,” with each name reflecting aspects of its religious significance and usage.
The Ark is seldom mentioned outside the Bible, with references in Qumran texts and the Damascus Document often being compilations or altered biblical quotes. It’s mentioned in the Reworked Pentateuch and the Temple Scroll, and is noted in the Apocalypse of Moses for rituals akin to Leviticus 16.
The Damascus Document discusses the Ark with a focus on King David and the Book of the Law, highlighting a divergence from biblical placement of the law’s scroll concerning the Ark. Various literature and scholarly works analyze the Ark’s significance and history in biblical literature.
Illustration: The Transfer of the Ark of the Covenant, 13th-century miniature (Ath. Vatop. 602).
Source: Bitner, K. A. The Ark of the Covenant. Orthodox Encyclopedia, vol. 36, M., 2019.
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