ark

ark

ark, in the Bible. 1 Boat of Noah, which he built at God's command to preserve his family and certain creatures from the Deluge. 2 Ark of the Covenant, the sacred wooden chest of the Hebrews, representative of God or identified with Him. It was overlaid with gold inside and out and was always heavily veiled; the high priest alone could look upon its uncovered surface. Especially guarded, it was carried about by staves thrust through rings on its side, for to touch it was a profanation punished by death. Uzza, while escorting the Ark, inadvertently broke this law and so lost his life. As its presence implied victory, it accompanied the warriors into battle, where once it was captured by the Philistines. Restored after many years, the Ark found a resting place in Solomon's Temple.

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ark

An ornamental, enclosed repository in a synagogue for the scrolls of the Torah.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

ark

the vessel that Noah built and in which he saved himself, his family, and a number of animals and birds during the Flood (Genesis 6--9)

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Ark

Judaism

1. the cupboard at the front of a synagogue, usually in the eastern wall, in which the Torah scrolls are kept

2. the most sacred symbol of God's presence among the Hebrew people, carried in their journey from Sinai to the Promised Land (Canaan) and eventually enshrined in the holy of holies of the Temple in Jerusalem

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005