ARK of the Covenant, a small chest or coffer, three feet nine inches in length, two feet three inches in breadth, and two feet three inches in height, in which were contained the golden pot that held manna, and Aaron's rod, and the tables of the covenant. This coffer was made of shittim wood, and covered with a lid, which was made of solid gold. The ark was reposed in the holiest place of the tabernacle. It was taken by the Philistines, and detained 20, some say 40 years, at Kirjath-jearim; but the people being afflicted with emerods on account of it, returned it with divers presents. It was afterwards placed in the temple.
The lid or covering of the ark was called the propietatory or mercy-seat; over which were two figures placed called Cherubim, with expanded wings of a peculiar form. Here the Shechinah rested both in the tabernacle and temple in a visible cloud: hence were issued the Divine oracles by an audible voice; and the high priest appeared before this mercy-seat once every year on the great day of expiation; and the Jews, wherever they worshipped, turned their faces towards the place where the ark stood.
In the second temple there was also an ark, made of the same shape and dimensions with the first, and put in the same place, but without any of its contents and peculiar honours. It was used as a representative of the former on the day of expiation, and a repository of the original copy of the holy Scriptures, collected by Ezra and the men of the great synagogue, after the captivity. And in imitation of this, the Jews to this day have a kind of ark in their synagogues, wherein their sacred books are reposed. This they call aron. Leo of Modena gives a description thereof in his Account of the Customs and Ceremonies of those of his Nation. "The Jews (says he), in the eastern side of their synagogues, have an ark, or armory, called aron, in memory of the ark of the covenant. In this are preserved the five books of Moses, written on vellum, with ink made on purpose," &c. Some have supposed that the figure of this ark, is still remaining on the triumphal arch of Titus at Rome; though Villapandus and others, with greater reason, are of opinion, that it is the table of shew bread. Prideaux's Con. vol. i. p. 209. Tertullian calls this ark Armarium Judaeum; whence the phrase, to be in the armory of the synagogue, q. d. in the number of canonical writings.
A chest or coffer, very nearly resembling the Jewish ark, and called the house of the God, was found in Huahine, one of the islands in the southern sea. Mr Banks could obtain no other information concerning it than what the name imports. Hawkesworth's Account, &c. vol. ii. p. 252.