Ark of the Covenant was a sacred wooden chest described in the Bible as representing God’s presence. It was called the Ark of the Covenant because it symbolized the covenant, a special agreement that the Israelites made with God at Mount Sinai.
Descriptions of the Ark appear in chapters 25 and 37 of the Book of Exodus. A craftworker named Bezalel built the Ark in the wilderness while the Israelites wandered from Egypt toward the Promised Land (present-day Israel). The Ark was kept in a tent and equipped with poles for carrying. It enclosed the tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. See Tabernacle .
The Israelite leader Moses communicated with God before the Ark, and the Israelites carried it into battle to ensure victory. When the Israelites entered the land of Israel, their priests carried the Ark before them over the Jordan River. The Philistines captured the Ark during a battle, but returned it seven months later. King David eventually brought the Ark to Jerusalem in a great procession. His son, King Solomon, installed it permanently in his new Temple in Jerusalem. By the time the Babylonians destroyed the Temple in 587 or 586 B.C., the Ark had disappeared and was no longer mentioned in the Bible. The Ark does appear in later legends. Some people assume the Ark was destroyed by a conquering army. Others claim it is hidden.
