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Exodus 25:10-22 tells us that this ark was made of acacia wood and measured 3 3/4
feet by 2 1/4 feet by 2 1/4 feet. It was gold-plated inside and outside, with a molding of
gold. Each of its four feet had a golden ring at its top, through which passed unremovable
golden carrying poles. The golden cover or mercy seat (place of propitiatory atonement)
had the same dimensions as the top of the ark. Two golden cherubim sat on this cover
facing each other, representing the heavenly majesty (Ezek. 1:10) that surrounds the
living God.
In addition to containing memorials of divine redemption, the ark represented the
presence of God. To be before it was to be in God’s presence (Num. 10:35), although His
presence was not limited to the ark (cf. 1 Sam. 4:3-11; 7:2, 6). The ark ceased to have this
sacramental function when Israel began to regard it as a magical box with sacred power
(a
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).
God promised to meet Moses at the ark (Exod. 25:22). Thus, the ark functioned as a
place where divine revelation was received (Lev. 1:1; 16:2; Num. 7:89). The ark served
as an instrument through which God guided and defended Israel during the wilderness
wandering (Num. 10:11). Finally, it was upon this ark that the highest of Israel’s
sacraments, the blood of atonement, was presented and received (Lev. 16:2ff.).
ARM
(
, 2220), “arm; power; strength; help.” Cognates of
occur both in
Northwest and South Semitic languages.
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is attested 92 times in biblical Hebrew
and in all periods. The related word
appears twice (Job 31:22; Jer. 32:21).
Biblical Aramaic attests
once and
once.
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means “arm,” a part of the body: “Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he
dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head” (Deut. 33:20). The
word refers to arms in Gen. 49:24 (the first occurrence): “But his bow abode in strength,
and the arms of his hands were made strong.…” The strength of his arms enabled him to
draw the bow. In some passages,
refers especially to the forearm: “It shall be as
when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm.…” (Isa. 17:5).
Elsewhere, the word represents the shoulder: “And Jehu drew a bow with his full
strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms …” (2 Kings 9:24).
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connotes the “seat of strength”: “He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow
of steel is broken by mine arms” (Ps. 18:34). In Job 26:2, the poor are described as the
arm that hath no strength.
God’s strength is figured by anthropomorphisms (attributing to Him human bodily
parts), such as His “stretched out arm” (Deut. 4:34) or His “strong arm” (Jer. 21:5). In
Isa. 30:30, the word seems to represent lightning bolts: “And the Lord shall cause his
glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm, with the
indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and
tempest, and hailstones” (cf. Job 40:9).
The arm is frequently a symbol of strength, both of man (1 Sam. 2:31) and of God
(Ps. 71:18): “Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I
have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to