Ark of the Covenant
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Scripture traces the Ark pretty clearly from David into Solomon’s Temple. After that the record gets much quieter, and eventually the Ark simply disappears from the historical account.
David brought the Ark up to Jerusalem and set it inside the tent he had prepared for it. “And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it.” 2 Samuel 6:17.
After David died, Solomon built the Temple. The priests brought the Ark out of the city of David, which is Zion, and placed it in the most holy place under the wings of the cherubim. 1 Kings 8:1-6; 2 Chronicles 5:2-7. At that time Scripture says, “There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb.” 1 Kings 8:9.
Then the record is silent for a long time. The next important mention comes during the reign of Josiah. He told the Levites, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders.” 2 Chronicles 35:3.
That certainly sounds as though the Ark had been moved at some point and Josiah was ordering it put back where it belonged. Scripture does not tell us when it had been removed, who removed it, or why. Manasseh had brought idolatry right into the house of God, and Josiah later cleansed and repaired the Temple, so the Ark could have been moved sometime during those troubled years. But the Bible does not actually tell us that, so we should not state it as fact.
After Josiah, Babylon conquered Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar carried away the treasures of the house of the LORD and “cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD.” 2 Kings 24:13. Later the Babylonians took the brass pillars, the sea, the bases, pots, shovels, snuffers, spoons, firepans, bowls, and other vessels of gold and silver. 2 Kings 25:13-17; 2 Chronicles 36:18.
What is interesting is that the Ark is never named in those lists.
Years later Cyrus allowed the Jews to return and sent the Temple vessels back with them. Ezra gives an inventory of chargers, basins, knives, and thousands of vessels of gold and silver. Ezra 1:7-11. Once again, the Ark is not mentioned.
Jeremiah had already said that a time was coming when the Ark would no longer occupy the place it once had in Israel’s worship: “They shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.” Jeremiah 3:16.
The second Temple was eventually built and worship was restored, but Scripture never says that the Ark was placed inside it.
That is about as far as the Bible takes us concerning the earthly Ark. Scripture never says the Babylonians captured it. It never says they destroyed it. It never says Jeremiah or one of the priests hid it. It never says it was taken to Ethiopia or buried somewhere beneath Jerusalem. Those are claims people have made, but the Bible does not confirm them.
Hebrews 9:4 looks back at the Ark as part of the Old Testament sanctuary, describing “the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold.” Revelation 11:19 also says, “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” But Revelation does not say that this is the wooden Ark from Solomon’s Temple that somehow ended up in heaven.
So the last clear historical reference to the earthly Ark is connected with Josiah in 2 Chronicles 35:3. After that, Scripture does not tell us what happened to it.
And that is where I think we need to stop. We can trace what the Bible tells us, but once Scripture stops speaking, we should not turn guesses into facts.
David brought the Ark up to Jerusalem and set it inside the tent he had prepared for it. “And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it.” 2 Samuel 6:17.
After David died, Solomon built the Temple. The priests brought the Ark out of the city of David, which is Zion, and placed it in the most holy place under the wings of the cherubim. 1 Kings 8:1-6; 2 Chronicles 5:2-7. At that time Scripture says, “There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb.” 1 Kings 8:9.
Then the record is silent for a long time. The next important mention comes during the reign of Josiah. He told the Levites, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders.” 2 Chronicles 35:3.
That certainly sounds as though the Ark had been moved at some point and Josiah was ordering it put back where it belonged. Scripture does not tell us when it had been removed, who removed it, or why. Manasseh had brought idolatry right into the house of God, and Josiah later cleansed and repaired the Temple, so the Ark could have been moved sometime during those troubled years. But the Bible does not actually tell us that, so we should not state it as fact.
After Josiah, Babylon conquered Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar carried away the treasures of the house of the LORD and “cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD.” 2 Kings 24:13. Later the Babylonians took the brass pillars, the sea, the bases, pots, shovels, snuffers, spoons, firepans, bowls, and other vessels of gold and silver. 2 Kings 25:13-17; 2 Chronicles 36:18.
What is interesting is that the Ark is never named in those lists.
Years later Cyrus allowed the Jews to return and sent the Temple vessels back with them. Ezra gives an inventory of chargers, basins, knives, and thousands of vessels of gold and silver. Ezra 1:7-11. Once again, the Ark is not mentioned.
Jeremiah had already said that a time was coming when the Ark would no longer occupy the place it once had in Israel’s worship: “They shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.” Jeremiah 3:16.
The second Temple was eventually built and worship was restored, but Scripture never says that the Ark was placed inside it.
That is about as far as the Bible takes us concerning the earthly Ark. Scripture never says the Babylonians captured it. It never says they destroyed it. It never says Jeremiah or one of the priests hid it. It never says it was taken to Ethiopia or buried somewhere beneath Jerusalem. Those are claims people have made, but the Bible does not confirm them.
Hebrews 9:4 looks back at the Ark as part of the Old Testament sanctuary, describing “the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold.” Revelation 11:19 also says, “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” But Revelation does not say that this is the wooden Ark from Solomon’s Temple that somehow ended up in heaven.
So the last clear historical reference to the earthly Ark is connected with Josiah in 2 Chronicles 35:3. After that, Scripture does not tell us what happened to it.
And that is where I think we need to stop. We can trace what the Bible tells us, but once Scripture stops speaking, we should not turn guesses into facts.