What happened to the original ark of the Covenant?

The ark vanished when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem in 587 B.C. When the ark was captured by the Philistines, outbreaks of tumors and disease afflicted them, forcing the Philistines to return the ark to the Israelites. Some stories describe how death would come to anyone who touched the ark or looked inside it.

Can you touch the Ark of the Covenant?

Jewish and Christian holy scriptures dictate that the Ark of the Covenant can be carried only by Levites, who constituted the ancient Jewish priestly class. They must carry the Ark by using two wooden poles inserted through rings on its sides, as touching the Ark itself will result in death at the hands of God.

Was the Ark of the Covenant used as a weapon?

In one of the rounds of fighting between the Israelites and the Philistines, the Israelites decided to deploy an unconventional weapon – the Ark of the Covenant. According to 1 Samuel, the ark was brought to the battlefield, but the outcome was catastrophic.

Is the arc of the covenant found?

Whether it was destroyed, captured, or hidden–nobody knows. One of the most famous claims about the Ark’s whereabouts is that before the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem, it had found its way to Ethiopia, where it still resides in the town of Aksum, in the St. Mary of Zion cathedral.

Who guards the ark of the Covenant?

virgin monks
It arrived nearly 3,000 years ago, they say, and has been guarded by a succession of virgin monks who, once anointed, are forbidden to set foot outside the chapel grounds until they die.

What nation stole the ark of the Covenant?

According to legend, the ark was brought to Ethiopia in the 10th century BC after being stolen by the staff of Menelik, the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon of Israel — who deemed the theft was permitted by God because none of his men were killed.

Who ordered the Ark of the Covenant to be returned?

In the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah of Judah ordered the caretakers of the Ark of the Covenant to return it to the temple in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 35:1-6; cf. 2 Kings 23:21-23).

What was the Ark of the covenant made out of?

The cherubim and the Ark cover were made of beaten gold, all one piece. The Ark itself was of acacia wood overlaid with gold. This Ark, kept in the Tabernacle for five hundred years, was finally transferred to Solomon’s Temple.

Did God let the Ark of the Covenant burn itself down?

One could argue that God did not allow them to enter the Holy of Holies but let the Ark destroy itself in the fire. But none has ever seen a speck of gold from the Ark which should have survived the fire. The Tablets of stone would also have survived, but could not be found either.

Many people all over the world have heard about the Ark of the Covenant as a most sacred relic too holy to go near with penalty of death for anyone venturing to look into it, let alone touch it. The movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark popularized the Ark in recent times, though in Hollywood style.