The Ark of the Covenant

“There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.” – Exodus 25:22 King David unites the tribes of Israel and captures Jerusalem from the Jebusites, making it the city of David. To mark this, he plans to bring the Ark of the Covenant—a sacred artifact believed to be God’s throne—into Jerusalem. According to the Old Testament, wherever the Ark was, God was present.  However, instead of following Torah instructions that only Levites should carry the Ark by hand using poles, David places it on a wagon pulled by oxen, possibly out of haste or convenience. As the wagon rumbles over rough, dirt roads, the Ark bounces along, breaking the sacred rule. Imagine God’s throne being shaken as the Ark travels this undignified route. Eventually, the wagon gets stuck.