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- THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
-
- It was called the "ark of the covenant" (Numbers 10:33) or the "ark of
- the testimony" (Exodus 25:22).
-
- The ark was made of acacia wood ("shittim") two and one half cubits
- long, one and one half cubits broad, and one and one half cubits high (exter-
- nal dimensions), and plated inside and out with pure gold. Running round each
- side was a gold border (A.V. "crown"), extending above the top of the ark, so
- as to keep the lid from moving.
-
- The lid was called the "mercy seat" (Exodus. 25:20) of the same size
- as the ark itself, and made of acacia wood covered with gold.
-
- The ark was transported by means of two gold-covered poles, run
- through two gold rings on each side, from which they were not drawn (Exodus
- 25:15) unless it might be necessary to remove them in order to cover the ark
- when the tabernacle was removed (Numbers 4:6).
-
- Upon the lid, or mercy seat, or at the ends of the ark, were place the
- cherubim. They stood facing each other, looking down upon the mercy seat, with
- their wings forward. Between the cherubim was the "Shekinah", the cloud in
- which Yahweh's glory appeared above the mercy seat (Exodus 25:20).
-