The Ark^(A)

¹⁰ “Have them make an ark^[a](B) of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.^{[b] 11} Overlay^(C) 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^(D) on one side and two rings on the other. ¹³ Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.^{(E) 14} Insert the poles^(F) into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it. ¹⁵ The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed.^{(G) 16} Then put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law,^(H) which I will give you.

¹⁷ “Make an atonement cover^(I) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. ¹⁸ And make two cherubim^(J) 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^(K) are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing^(L) the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. ²¹ Place the cover on top of the ark^(M) and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law^(N) that I will give you. ²² There, above the cover between the two cherubim^(O) that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet^(P) with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.^(Q)

Tablets Like the First Ones

10 At that time the Lord said to me, “Chisel out two stone tablets^(A) like the first ones and come up to me on the mountain. Also make a wooden ark.^{[a] 2} I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Then you are to put them in the ark.”^(B)

³ So I made the ark out of acacia wood^(C) and chiseled^(D) out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hands. ⁴ The Lord wrote on these tablets what he had written before, the Ten Commandments^(E) he had proclaimed^(F) to you on the mountain, out of the fire, on the day of the assembly.^(G) And the Lord gave them to me. ⁵ Then I came back down the mountain^(H) and put the tablets in the ark^(I) I had made,^(J) as the Lord commanded me, and they are there now.^(K)

⁶ (The Israelites traveled from the wells of Bene Jaakan to Moserah.^(L) There Aaron died^(M) and was buried, and Eleazar^(N) his son succeeded him as priest.^{(O) 7} From there they traveled to Gudgodah and on to Jotbathah, a land with streams of water.^{(P) 8} At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi^(Q) to carry the ark of the covenant^(R) of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister^(S) and to pronounce blessings^(T) in his name, as they still do today.^(U)

The Ark Brought to the Temple^(A)

² Then Solomon summoned to Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark^(B) of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David.

¹⁶ In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “people will no longer say, ‘The ark^(A) of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered;^(B) it will not be missed, nor will another one be made.