Ark (of the Covenant): Arohn, masculine noun (Strong’s 727)
Root: אָרוֹן
Sounds like: a’rone
The Ark of the Covenant is a well known article of piety, probably the most notable item in the Bible. The word for this Ark is arohn, and it’s different from the word for Noah’s Ark, which is tevah. Arohn simply means a box. Although arohn was primarily used to describe the Ark of the Covenant, it was also used to describe a money chest and a coffin. The first time arohn shows up in the Bible it’s associated with the box Joseph was buried in:
Genesis 50:26
So Joseph died at the age of 110 years; and they embalmed him and placed him in a coffin [ba-arohn בָּאָר֖וֹן] in Egypt.
Another example of an arohn was the money box made to collect donations for Temple maintenance:
2 Chronicles 24:8-11
So the king commanded, and they made a chest [a’rohn אֲר֣וֹן] and set it outside by the gate of the house of YHWH. And they made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to YHWH the contribution commanded by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness. All the officers and all the people rejoiced, and they brought in their contribution and dropped it into the chest [la-arohn לָאָר֖וֹן] until they had finished. It happened that whenever the chest [et ha-arohn אֶת־הָֽאָרֹ֜ון] was brought to the king’s officer by the Levites, and they saw that the money was substantial, the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer would come and empty the chest [et ha-arohn אֶת־הָ֣אָרֹ֔ון], and pick it up and return it to its place. They did this daily and collected a large amount of money.
Arohn was simply a chest or a box-shaped thing. Most commonly the Bible used the word to identify the box of YHWH’s covenant with His people, known as the Arohn B’rit (Ark of the Covenant). However, it also went by two other names. Here are two passages from Exodus that introduce the Ark into the narrative, starting with YHWH’s instructions for an ark to hold the covenant:
Exodus 25:10-22
[YHWH to Moses:] “Now they shall construct an ark [arohn אֲר֖וֹן] of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding around it. You shall also cast four gold rings for it and fasten them on its four feet; two rings shall be on one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. And you shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark [ha-arohn הָאָרֹ֑ן], to carry the ark [ha-arohn הָאָרֹ֖ן] with them. The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark [ha-arohn הָאָרֹ֔ן]; they shall not be removed from it. You shall put into the ark [ha-arohn הָאָרֹ֑ן] the testimony which I shall give you.”
“And you shall make an atoning cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. You shall make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the atoning cover. Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the atoning cover at its two ends. And the cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the atoning cover with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the atoning cover. Then you shall put the atoning cover on top of the ark [ha-arohn הָאָרֹ֖ן], and in the ark [ha-arohn הָ֣אָרֹ֔ן] you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. There I will meet with you; and from above the atoning cover, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark [al a’rohn עַל־ אֲרֹ֣ן] of the testimony, I will speak to you about every commandment that I will give you for the sons of Israel.”
And where was this Ark-Box to go?
Exodus 26:31-35
[YHWH to Moses:] “You shall also make a veil of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer. Then you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also of gold, on four bases of silver. You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and bring in the ark of the testimony [et arohn ha-edut אֵ֖ת אֲרֹ֣ון הָעֵד֑וּת] there within the veil; and the veil shall serve as a partition for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. You shall put the atoning cover on the ark of the testimony [al arohn ha-edut עַ֖ל אֲרֹ֣ון הָעֵדֻ֑ת] in the Most Holy Place.”
Interesting that the Bible used the phrase Ark of the Testimony (et arohn ha-edut) before it was called the Ark of the Covenant (arohn b’rit). Exodus exclusively used the term Ark of the Testimony. It was first called Ark of the Covenant (arohn b’rit) in Numbers 10 when Moses and the tribes left Sinai:
Numbers 10:33-36
So they moved on from the mountain of YHWH three days’ journey, with the ark of the covenant of YHWH [wa-a’rohn b’rit וַאֲר֨וֹן בְּרִית] going on in front of them for the three days, to seek out a resting place for them. And the cloud of YHWH was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
Then it came about when the ark [ha-arohn הָאָרֹ֖ן] set out that Moses said,
“Rise up, YHWH! And may Your enemies be scattered, and those who hate You flee from Your presence.”
And when it came to rest, he said,
“Return, YHWH, to the myriad thousands of Israel.”
The other term used to describe the Ark, when praying to YHWH, was the Ark of Your might (arohn uzzeka). Solomon used this term in his prayer of dedication for the new Temple:
2 Chronicles 6:40-42
[Solomon:] “Now, my God, please, let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. Now then arise, YHWH God, to Your resting place, You and the Ark of Your might [wa-a’rohn uzz’ka וַאֲרֹ֣ון עֻזֶּ֑ךָ] of Your might; let Your priests, YHWH God, be clothed with salvation, and let Your godly ones rejoice in what is good. YHWH God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; remember Your faithfulness to Your servant David.”
This phrase was also found in one of the Songs of Ascent. In fact, it’s the only time that the word arohn shows up in our Biblical Psalms:
Psalm 132:7-14
[Song of Ascent:] Let’s go into His dwelling place; let’s worship at His footstool. Arise, YHWH, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength [wa-arohn uzz’ka וַאֲרֹ֥ון עֻזֶּֽךָ]. May Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and may Your godly ones sing for joy.
For the sake of Your servant David, do not turn away the face of Your anointed. YHWH has sworn to David a truth from which He will not turn back:
“I will set upon your throne one from the fruit of your body. If your sons will keep My covenant and My testimony which I will teach them, their sons also will sit upon your throne forever.” For YHWH has chosen Zion; He has desired it as His dwelling place.
“This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”
Studying the word arohn gives us a timeline of Ark events.
- Exodus 25-26 The Ark was commissioned and built
- Joshua 3-4 The Ark was carried into the promised land
- Joshua 6 the Ark was marched around Jericho before the walls fell
- 1 Samuel 4 The Ark was carried into war without YHWH’s permission, and as a result, the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant. When this happened the daughter-in-law to the high priest, Eli, said, “The glory has departed from Israel, because the ark of God [arohn ha-Elohim הָאֱלֹהִֽים] has been taken” (1 Samuel 4:22)
- 1 Samuel 5 While in the Philistine’s temple of Dagon, the Ark of the Covenant caused the statue of Dagon to fall in front of YHWH as if he were bowing down in awe of His Presence. (Personally, this is one of my favourite Bible stories!)
- 1 Samuel 6 Out of fear, and distressed by the plagues caused by their capturing the Ark, the Philistines returned the Ark to the Israelites.
- 1 Samuel 7:1-2 The Ark went to Kiriath-jearim and remained there for 20 years in “the house of Abinadab on the hill.”
- 2 Samuel 6:1-11 (see also 1 Chronicles 13) Under David’s decision, the Ark was moved from Abinadab’s house on the hill and was meant to be taken to Jerusalem by cart. When the cart slipped on route, and Uzzah reached out to secure it, he died from exposure. David, in fear and anger, stopped the procession. It was placed in the nearby house of Obed-edom the Gittite, whose family was blessed by its presence. It remained there for three months.
- 2 Samuel 6:12-17 (see also 1 Chronicles 15-16) David finally brought the Ark into Jerusalem, with great celebration.
- 1 Kings 8 (see also 2 Chronicles 5) The Ark was brought into Solomon’s newly built Temple.
- 2 Chronicles 35 The Ark was still in Israel’s possession during Josiah’s reign where the king told his officials to put the Ark back into the Temple. This indicates that one of his predecessors had moved it out of the Temple, which was not surprising considering the apostasy that had occurred in earlier years.
The final appearance of the Ark can be found in the writings of the prophet Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 3:11-18
And YHWH said to me, “Faithless Israel has proved herself to be more righteous than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say,
‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares YHWH; ‘I will not look at you in anger. For I am gracious,’ declares YHWH; ‘I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your wrongdoing, that you have revolted against YHWH your God, and have scattered your favours to the strangers under every leafy tree, and you have not obeyed My voice,’ declares YHWH. ‘Return, you faithless sons,’ declares YHWH; ‘For I am a master to you, and I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and bring you to Zion.’
“Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you knowledge and understanding. And it shall be in those days when you become numerous and are fruitful in the land,” declares YHWH, “they will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of YHWH. [a’rohn b’rit YHWH]’ And it will not come to mind, nor will they remember it, nor miss it, nor will it be made again. At that time they will call Jerusalem ‘The Throne of YHWH,’ and all the nations will assemble at it, at Jerusalem, for the name of YHWH; and they will no longer follow the stubbornness of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance.
After Jeremiah and the subsequent exile to Babylon, the Ark pretty much disappears from the story. Jeremiah’s announcement, that the Ark would not be missed or made again, clarified that its purpose had been fulfilled. It would become redundant when YHWH’s Presence, in human form, would “tabernacle” on the earth.
Yeshua was the Presence of YHWH; He was the living Mercy Seat, and when He came to dwell amongst us it was like the box (ark) had been opened and all its beautiful contents (the Law/Commandment Tablets, the Bread of Heaven/Jar of Manna, and the Life/budding branch (see Hebrews 9:1-5)) had arrived to fulfill YHWH’s plan of Salvation.
On this day, many of us are remembering that Yeshua rose from the dead; let us also remember that the Covenant that YHWH held with His people was once held in a box and now, with the power of the Spirit, and with Yeshua’s redemptive sacrifice, the covenant lives in our hearts and no longer in a box behind a curtain. Hallelu-YAH! Praise YAH! Amen!
Next week: There is No Other
Hebrew Word Lessons 