Reference: Ark
Easton
Noah's ark, a building of gopher-wood, and covered with pitch, 300 cubits long, 50 cubits broad, and 30 cubits high (Ge 6:14-16); an oblong floating house of three stories, with a door in the side and a window in the roof. It was 100 years in building (Ge 5:32; 7:6). It was intended to preserve certain persons and animals from the deluge which God was about to bring over the earth. It contained eight persons (Ge 7:13; 2Pe 2:5), and of all "clean" animals seven pairs, and of "unclean" one pair, and of birds seven pairs of each sort (Ge 7:2-3). It was in the form of an oblong square, with flat bottom and sloping roof. Traditions of the Deluge, by which the race of man was swept from the earth, and of the ark of Noah have been found existing among all nations.
The ark of bulrushes in which the infant Moses was laid (Ex 2:3) is called in the Hebrew teebah, a word derived from the Egyptian teb, meaning "a chest." It was daubed with slime and with pitch. The bulrushes of which it was made were the papyrus reed.
The sacred ark is designated by a different Hebrew word, 'aron', which is the common name for a chest or coffer used for any purpose (Ge 50:26; 2Ki 12:9-10). It is distinguished from all others by such titles as the "ark of God" (1Sa 3:3), "ark of the covenant" (Jos 3:6; Heb 9:4), "ark of the testimony" (Ex 25:22). It was made of acacia or shittim wood, a cubit and a half broad and high and two cubits long, and covered all over with the purest gold. Its upper surface or lid, the mercy-seat, was surrounded with a rim of gold; and on each of the two sides were two gold rings, in which were placed two gold-covered poles by which the ark could be carried (Nu 7:9; 10:21; 4:5,19-20; 1Ki 8:3,6). Over the ark, at the two extremities, were two cherubim, with their faces turned toward each other (Le 16:2; Nu 7:89). Their outspread wings over the top of the ark formed the throne of God, while the ark itself was his footstool (Ex 25:10-22; 37:1-9). The ark was deposited in the "holy of holies," and was so placed that one end of the poles by which it was carried touched the veil which separated the two apartments of the tabernacle (1Ki 8:8). The two tables of stone which constituted the "testimony" or evidence of God's covenant with the people (De 31:26), the "pot of manna" (Ex 16:33), and "Aaron's rod that budded" (Nu 17:10), were laid up in the ark (Heb 9:4). (See Tabernacle) The ark and the sanctuary were "the beauty of Israel" (La 2:1). During the journeys of the Israelites the ark was carried by the priests in advance of the host (Nu 4:5-6; 10:33-36; Ps 68:1; 132:8). It was borne by the priests into the bed of the Jordan, which separated, opening a pathway for the whole of the host to pass over (Jos 3:15-16; 4:7,10-11,17-18). It was borne in the procession round Jericho (6/4/type/emb'>Jos 6:4,6,8,11-12). When carried it was always wrapped in the veil, the badgers' skins, and blue cloth, and carefully concealed even from the eyes of the Levites who carried it. After the settlement of Israel in Palestine the ark remained in the tabernacle at Gilgal for a season, and was then removed to Shiloh till the time of Eli, between 300 and 400 years (Jer 7:12), when it was carried into the field of battle so as to secure, as they supposed, victory to the Hebrews, and was taken by the Philistines (1Sa 4:3-11), who sent it back after retaining it seven months (1Sa 5:7-8). It remained then at Kirjath-jearim (1Sa 7:1-2) till the time of David (twenty years), who wished to remove it to Jerusalem; but the proper mode of removing it having been neglected, Uzzah was smitten with death for putting "forth his hand to the ark of God," and in consequence of this it was left in the house of Obed-edom in Gath-rimmon for three months (2Sa 6:1-11), at the end of which time David removed it in a grand procession to Jerusalem, where it was kept till a place was prepared for it (2Sa 6:12-19). It was afterwards deposited by Solomon in the temple (1Ki 8:6-9). When the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and plundered the temple, the ark was probably taken away by Nebuchadnezzar and destroyed, as no trace of it is afterwards to be found. The absence of the ark from the second temple was one of the points in which it was inferior to the first temple.
Illustration: Ark of the Covenant
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Noah was five hundred years old, - and Noah begat Shem, Ham and Japheth.
Make for thee an ark of timbers of gopher, Grooms, shalt thou make with the ark, - and - thou shalt cover it within and without with pitch. And, this, is how thou shalt make it, - three hundred cubits, the length of the ark, fifty cubits, the breadth thereof, and thirty cubits the height thereof. read more. A place for light, shalt thou make to the ark and to a cubit, shalt thou finish it upwards, and the opening of the ark - in the side thereof, shalt thou put, - with lower, second and third stories, shalt thou make it.
Of all the clean beasts, shalt thou take to thee by sevens, a male and his female, - and, of the beasts that are not clean,, shall be two a male and his female. Also of the bird of the heavens, by sevens, male and female, - to keep alive a seed on the face of all the earth.
Now, Noah, was six hundred years old, - when, the flood, came, even waters on the earth.
On this selfsame day, entered Noah, and Shem and Ham and Japheth. Noah's sons, - and Noah's wife, and his sons' three wives with them into the ark:
So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old, - and they embalmed him, and put him in a coffin in Egypt.
And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of paper-reed, and covered it over with bitumen, and with pitch, - and put therein the child, and laid it among the rushes upon the bank of the river.
So Moses said unto Aaron - Take a single basket, and put therein an omer-full of manna, - and set it down before Yahweh, as a thing to be preserved to your generations.
And they shall make an ark of acacia wood,-two cubits and a half, the length thereof and, a cubit and a half, the breadth thereof, and, a cubit and a half, the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without, shalt thou overlay it, - and thou shalt make thereon a rim of gold, round about. read more. And thou shalt cast for it four rings of gold, and shalt put them on the four feet thereof, - even two rings on the one side thereof, and two rings on the other side thereof. And thou shalt make staves, of acacia wood, - and shalt overlay them with gold. And thou shalt bring in the staves into the rings, on the sides of the ark, - to bear the ark therewith, In the rings of the ark, shall remain the staves, - they shall not be removed therefrom. And thou shalt put into the ark, - the testimony which I will give unto thee. And thou shalt make a propitiatory, of pure gold, - two cubits and a half, the length thereof, and, a cubit and a half, the breadth thereof, And thou shalt make two cherubim of gold, - of beaten work, shalt thou make them, out of the two ends of the propitiatory. And make thou one cherub out of this end, and the other cherub out of that end, - out of the propitiatory, shall ye make the cherubim upon the two ends thereof. And the cherubim shall be spreading out two wings on high - making a shelter with their wings over the propitiatory, with their faces one towards the other, - towards the propitiatory, shall be the faces of the cherubim. And thou shalt put the propitiatory upon the ark above, - and in the ark, shalt thou put the testimony, which I will give unto thee. And I will meet with thee there, and will speak with thee from off the propitiatory, from between the two cherubim, which are upon the ark of the testimony, - whatsoever I may give thee in charge, for toe sons of Israel.
And I will meet with thee there, and will speak with thee from off the propitiatory, from between the two cherubim, which are upon the ark of the testimony, - whatsoever I may give thee in charge, for toe sons of Israel.
And Bezaleel made the ark, of acacia wood, two cubits and a half, the length thereof and, a cubit and a half, the breadth thereof, and, a cubit and a half, the height thereof; and he overlaid it with pure gold within and without,-and made for it a rim of gold, round about; read more. and he cast for it four rings of gold, upon the four feet thereof, - even, two rings, on the one side thereof and, two rings, on the other side thereof; and he made staves of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold; and he brought the staves into the rings, upon the sides of the ark, for lifting the ark. And he made a propitiatory of pure gold, - two cubits and a half, the length thereof, and, a cubit and a half, the breadth thereof: and he made two cherubim, of gold, of beaten work, did he make them, out of the two ends of the propitiatory: one cherub, out of this end, and, one cherub, out of that end, out of the propitiatory itself, made he the cherubim, out of the two ends thereof: and the cherubim were spreading out their wings on high making a shelter with their wings over the propitiatory, with, their faces, one towards the other, towards the propitiatory, were the faces of the cherubim,
And Yahweh said unto Moses - Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he do not come at all times into the holy place, within the veil, - into the presence of the propitiatory, which is upon the ark, so shall he not die, for, in the cloud, will I appear upon the propitiatory.
So then Aaron and his sons shall enter when the camp is to set forward, and take down the screening veil, - and enwrap therein the ark of the testimony;
So then Aaron and his sons shall enter when the camp is to set forward, and take down the screening veil, - and enwrap therein the ark of the testimony; and put thereon a covering of badgers skin, and spread a complete wrapper of blue over above, - and put in the staves thereof.
This, therefore, do ye for them, so shall they live and not die when they approach the most holy place, - Aaron and his sons shall enter and set them man by man over his labour, and unto his burden; but they shall not enter to see, for a moment, that which is holy, else should they die.
but, unto the sons of Kohath, gave he none, - because as to the laborious work of the sanctuary which pertained unto them, upon their shoulders, were they to carry it.
And when Moses entered into the tent of meeting, that He might speak with him, then heard he the Voice speaking unto him from off the propitiatory that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim, - so He spake unto him.
Then set forward the Kohathites, bearing the sanctuary, - and so the habitation was reared by the time they came in.
So then they went forward, from the mountain of Yahweh, a journey of three days, - and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, was going before them a journey of three days, to search out for them a resting-place, And the cloud of Yahweh, was over them by day, - when they set forward out of the camp. read more. And it came to pass when the ark set forward, that Moses said: Arise, O Yahweh! and scattered be thy foes, Let them that hate thee flee before thee; But when it rested, he said, - Return, O Yahweh! unto the myriads of the thousands of Israel.
And Yahweh said unto Moses - Put back the rod of Aaron, before the testimony, to be kept as a sign unto such as are perverse, - that thou mayest bring to an end their murmurings against me that they die not.
Take this scroll of the law, and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, - so shall it be there in thy midst as a witness.
And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take ye up the ark of the covenant, and pass on before the people. So they took up the ark of the covenant, and went on before the people.
then, as the bearers of the ark came as far as the Jordan, and, the feet of the priests who were bearing the ark, were dipped in the edge of the waters, - the Jordan being full over all his banks, all the days of harvest, that the waters which were coming down from above, stood - rose up in one mound, a great way off, by the city Adam, which is beside Zarethan, and, they which were going down to the sea of the waste plain, the salt sea, failed - were cut off, - and, the people, passed over, right against Jericho.
Then shall ye say unto them - That the waters of the Jordan, were cut off, from before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, when it passed into the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan, were cut off. So shall these stones become a memorial unto the sons of Israel, unto times age-abiding.
Now, the priests who were bearing the ark, continued standing in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished which Yahweh commanded Joshua, to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, - the people therefore hasted, and passed over. And so it was, as soon as all the people had made an end of passing over, - then passed over the ark of Yahweh, and the priests, in presence of the people.
So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, - Come ye up out of the Jordan. And it came to pass, when the priests who were bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the feet of the priests were withdrawn unto the dry ground, then returned the waters of the Jordan unto their place, and went, as before, over all his banks.
And, seven priests, shall bear the seven rams' horns before the ark, and, on the seventh day, shall ye compass the city seven times, - and, the priests, shall blow with the horns.
Then called Joshua son of Nun unto the priests, and said unto them, Bear ye the ark of the covenant, - and let, seven priest, bear seven rams horns, before the ark of Yahweh.
And it was so, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that, the seven priests who were bearing the seven rams' horns before Yahweh, passed on and blew with the horns, - the ark of the covenant of Yahweh also coming after them.
So he caused the ark of Yahweh to compass the city, going round once, - and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. And Joshua rose early in the morning, - and the priests bare the ark of Yahweh;
though, the lamp of God, was not yet to be put out, and, Samuel, was lying down in the temple of Yahweh, where was the ark of God,
And, when the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath Yahweh smitten us to-day, before the Philistines? Let us fetch unto us, out of Shiloh, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, that, when it cometh into our midst, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. So the people sent to Shiloh, and bare from thence the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts, who inhabiteth the cherubim, - and, there, were the two sons of Eli, with the ark of the covenant of God, namely, Hophni and Phinehas. read more. And so it was, when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, that all Israel brake out into a loud shout of joy, - so that the earth rang again. And, when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said - What meaneth the noise of this loud shout of joy in the camp of the Hebrews? And they learned that, the ark of Yahweh, had come into the camp. And the Philistines were afraid, for they said - God hath come into the camp. And they said - Woe to us! for there hath not happened the like of this, heretofore. Woe to us! Who shall rescue us out of the hand of these majestic gods? These, are the gods, who smote the Egyptians with all manner of smiting in the desert! Take courage, and quit yourselves like men, ye Philistines, lest ye come into bondage to the Hebrews, as they have been in bondage unto you, - therefore must ye quit yourselves like men, and fight. So the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man to his home; and the slaughter became exceeding great, - and there fell of Israel - thirty thousand footmen. And, the ark of God, was taken, - and, the two sons of Eli, were slain, Hophni and Phinehas.
And, when the men of Ashdod saw that, so, it was, then kept they saying, Let not the ark of the God of Israel abide with us, for, hard, is his hand upon us, and upon Dagon our god. So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said - What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they said: To Gath, let the ark of the God of Israel go round. So they took round the ark of the God of Israel.
Then came the men of Kiriath-jearim and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab, in the hill, - and, Eleazar his son, hallowed they, to guard the ark of Yahweh. And so it was, that, from the day the ark came to dwell in Kiriath-jearim, the days multiplied, and became twenty years, - and all the house of Israel went mourning after Yahweh.
And David, once more, gathered together all the choice young men in Israel, thirty thousand. Then David, and all the people that were with him, arose and went beyond Baale Judah, - to bring up from thence, the ark of God, the name whereof is called by the name of Yahweh of hosts, who inhabiteth the cherubim thereupon. read more. So they carried the ark of God in a new waggon, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, who was in Gibeah, - and, Uzza and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were driving the new waggon. So they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was in Gibeah, with the ark of God, - and, Ahio, was going before the ark. And, David and all the house of Israel, were dancing for joy before Yahweh, with all boldness and with songs, - and with lyres, and with harps, and with timbrels, and with sistrums, and with cymbals. And, when they came as far as the threshing-floor of Nachon, Uzzah thrust forth his hand unto the ark of God, and took hold of it, for the oxen were restive. Then was kindled the anger of Yahweh, against Uzzah, and God smote him there, for the error, - so that he died there, by the ark of God. And it was a sadness unto David, for that Yahweh had broken in with a breach against Uzzah, - therefore called he that place, Perez-uzzah as it is called until this day. And David was afraid of Yahweh, on that day, - and said, How can the ark of Yahweh come unto me? So David would not remove unto him the ark of Yahweh, unto the city of David, - but David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom, the Gittite. And the ark of Yahweh abode in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, three months, - and Yahweh blessed Obed -edom, and all his household. And it was told King David, saying, Yahweh hath blessed the household of Obed-edom, and all that he hath, because of the ark of God. David therefore went and brought up the ark of God, out of the house of Obed-edom, unto the city of David, with rejoicing. And so it was that, when they who bare the ark of Yahweh had stepped forward six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a heifer. And, David, was dancing with all boldness before Yahweh, - David, being girt with an ephod of linen. So, David and all the house of Israel, were bringing up the ark of Yahweh, - with triumphant shoutings, and with the sound of a horn. Now it so came about that, when the ark of Yahweh entered the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter, looked out through the window, and saw King David, leaping and dancing before Yahweh, and she despised him, in her heart. So they brought in the ark of Yahweh, and set it in its place, in the midst of the tent which David had stretched out for it, - and David caused to go up ascending-sacrifices before Yahweh, and peace-offerings. And, when David had finished offering up the ascending-sacrifice and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh of hosts. And he apportioned to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and to women - to every one, a loaf of bread, and a sweet drink, and a raisin-cake, - and all the people went their way, every one unto his own house;
So the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh into its place, into the shrine of the house, into the holy of holies, - under the wings of the cherubim. For, the cherubim, were spreading forth their two wings, over the place of the ark, - and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and over the staves thereof, above. read more. And they drew out the staves, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place, in front of the shrine, although they were not seen on the outside, - and they have remained there until this day.
And they drew out the staves, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place, in front of the shrine, although they were not seen on the outside, - and they have remained there until this day. There was nothing in the ark, save the two tables of stone, which Moses deposited there in Horeb, - the tables of the covenant which Yahweh solemnised with the sons of Israel, when they came forth out of the land of Egypt.
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered, Yea let them that hate him flee before him:
Arise! O Yahweh, unto thy place of rest, Thou, and the ark of thy strength.
For go I pray you, unto my place which was in Shiloh, Where I made my Name to dwell, at first, - And see what I did to it, because of the wickedness of my people Israel!
How could My Lord, in his anger, enshroud in gloom, the daughter of Zion? have cast from the heavens to the earth, the beauty of Israel? and not have remembered his footstool, in the day of his anger?
Having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant covered around on every side with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and the rod of Aaron that sprouted, and the tables of the covenant;
Having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant covered around on every side with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and the rod of Aaron that sprouted, and the tables of the covenant;
Fausets
(See NOAH.) The term (teebah) is applied to the infant Moses' ark. (See BULRUSH.) Teebah is evidently the Egyptian teb, "a chest," Hebraised. It has no Semitic equivalent. It is a type of the manger which disclosed to the shepherds Messiah, who, beginning with the manger, at last ascended to His Father's throne; also of the paper ark to which God has committed His revelation.
Hastings
This word, from Lat. arca, 'a chest,' is the rendering of two Hebrew words, of which one (t
See Verses Found in Dictionary
So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old, - and they embalmed him, and put him in a coffin in Egypt.
Now, therefore, go lead the people to the place of which I spake to thee, lo! a my messenger, shall go before thee, - But, in the day when I do visit, then wilt I visit upon them their sin.
And I will send before thee a messenger,-and will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite;
So then he said, - Mine own presence, shall go on thus will I give thee rest.
So then they went forward, from the mountain of Yahweh, a journey of three days, - and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, was going before them a journey of three days, to search out for them a resting-place,
And it came to pass when the ark set forward, that Moses said: Arise, O Yahweh! and scattered be thy foes, Let them that hate thee flee before thee;
But they presumptuously ascended into the top of the mountain, - though, neither, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh nor Mosses moved out of the midst of the camp.
But they presumptuously ascended into the top of the mountain, - though, neither, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh nor Mosses moved out of the midst of the camp.
And because that he loved thy fathers, therefore chose he his seed after him, - and brought thee forth with his presence with his great might, out of Egypt;
When I went up into the mountain to receive the tables of stone - the tables of the covenant, which Yahweh had solemnised with you, then abode I in the mountain forty days and forty nights, food, did I not, eat, and water, did I not drink.
At that time, said Yahweh unto me - Cut thee out two tables of stone like the first, and come up unto me into the mountain, - and make thee an ark of wood; that I may write, upon the tables, the words which were on the first tables which thou brakest in pieces, - then shalt thou put them in the ark.
that I may write, upon the tables, the words which were on the first tables which thou brakest in pieces, - then shalt thou put them in the ark. So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut out two tables of stone like the first, - and went up the mountain, having the two tables in my hand.
So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut out two tables of stone like the first, - and went up the mountain, having the two tables in my hand. And he wrote upon the tables according to the first writing - the ten words, which Yahweh had spoken unto you in the mountain, out of the midst of the fire in the day of the convocation, - and Yahweh delivered them unto me. read more. Then turned I, and came down out of the mountain, and put the tables in the ark which I had made, - and they have remained there, as Yahweh commanded me. And, the sons of Israel, set forward out of Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah, - there, died Aaron and was buried there, and Eleazar his son became priest in his stead.
and commanded the people saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and, the priests the Levites, bearing it, ye also, shall break up out of your place, and come after it.
Then called Joshua son of Nun unto the priests, and said unto them, Bear ye the ark of the covenant, - and let, seven priest, bear seven rams horns, before the ark of Yahweh.
though, the lamp of God, was not yet to be put out, and, Samuel, was lying down in the temple of Yahweh, where was the ark of God,
And so it was, when the word of Samuel had reached all Israel, that Israel went forth to meet the Philistines in battle, and they encamped near Eben-ezer, while, the Philistines, encamped in Aphek.
And, when the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath Yahweh smitten us to-day, before the Philistines? Let us fetch unto us, out of Shiloh, the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, that, when it cometh into our midst, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
Then said the men of Beth-shemesh, Who is able to stand before Yahweh, this holy God? and, unto whom, shall he go up from us?
Then came the men of Kiriath-jearim and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab, in the hill, - and, Eleazar his son, hallowed they, to guard the ark of Yahweh.
So David would not remove unto him the ark of Yahweh, unto the city of David, - but David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom, the Gittite.
And, David, was dancing with all boldness before Yahweh, - David, being girt with an ephod of linen.
And Uriah said unto David - The ark, and Israel and Judah, are dwelling in huts and, my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, on the face of the field, are encamped, Was, I, then, to enter my own house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? By thy life, yea by the life of thy soul, I could not do this thing.
Then, did Solomon call together the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, chiefs of the fathers of the sons of Israel, unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, - that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, out of the city of David, the same is Zion.
And it came to pass, when they saw that there was much silver in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and brought together and counted the silver that was found in the house of Yahweh;
In all their affliction, he, was afflicted And the messenger of his presence saved them, In his love and in his pity, he, redeemed them, - And then lifted them up and carried them all the days of the age-past time.
And it shall come to pass when ye shall be multiplied and become fruitful in the land, in those days, Declareth Yahweh, They shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of Yahweh, Neither shall it come up on the heart, Neither shall they remember it, Neither shall they miss it, Neither shall it be made any more.
Watsons
ARK, arca, denotes a kind of floating vessel built by Noah, for the preservation of himself and family, with several species of animals during the deluge. The Hebrew word by which the ark is expressed, is ??? or ????, the constructive form of ???, which is evidently the Greek ????; and so the LXX render the word in Ex 2:3, where only it again occurs. They also render it ???????; Josephus, ???????; and the Vulgate arcam; signifying an ark, coffer, or chest. Although the ark of Noah answered, in some respects, the purpose of a ship, it is not so certain that it was of the same form and shape. It has been inconclusively argued by Michaelis and some others, that if its form had not been like that of a ship, it could not have resisted the force of the waves; because it was not intended to be conducted, like a ship, from one place to another, but merely "to float on the surface of the waters," Ge 7:17. It appears to have had neither helm, nor mast, nor oars; but was merely a bulky capacious vessel, light enough to be raised aloft with all its contents, by the gradual rise of the deluge. Its shape, therefore, was of little importance; more especially as it seems to have been the purpose of Providence, in this whole transaction, to signify to those who were saved, as well as to their latest posterity, that their preservation was not in any degree effected by human contrivance. The ark in which Moses was exposed bears the same name; and some have thought that both were of the same materials. With respect to the etymology of the Hebrew word, the most rational seems to be that of Clodius, who derives it from the Arabic word ???, "he collected," from which is formed ???, or ????, denoting a place in which things are collected. Foster deduces it from two Egyptian words, thoi, "a ship," and bai, "a palm tree branch;" and such ships are still to be seen not only in Egypt, but in India and other countries; particularly in some isles of the Pacific Ocean.
To the insufficiency of the ark to contain all the creatures said to have been brought into it, objections have, at different times, been made. Bishop Wilkins and others have learnedly discussed this subject, and afforded the most satisfactory answers. Dr. Hales proves the ark to have been of the burden of forty-two thousand four hundred and thirteen tons; and asks, "Can we doubt of its being sufficient to contain eight persons, and about two hundred or two hundred and fifty pair of four-footed animals, (a number to which, according to M. Buffon, all the various distinct species may be reduced,) together with all the subsistence necessary for a twelvemonth, with the fowls of the air, and such reptiles and insects as cannot live under water?" All these various animals were controlled by the power of God, whose special agency is supposed in the whole transaction, and "the lion was made to lie down with the kid." Whether Noah was commanded to bring with him, into the ark, a pair of all living creatures, zoologically and numerically considered, has been doubted. During the long period between the creation and the flood, animals must have spread themselves over a great part of the antediluvian earth, and certain animals would, as now, probably become indigenous to certain climates. The pairs saved must therefore, if all the kinds were included, have travelled from immense distances. But of such marches no intimation is given in the history; and this seems to render it probable that the animals which Noah was "to bring with him" into the ark, were the animals clean and unclean of the country in which he dwelt, and which, from the capacity of the ark, must have been in great variety and number. The terms used, it is true, are universal; and it is satisfactory to know, that if taken in the largest sense there was ample accommodation in the ark. Nevertheless, universal terms in Scripture are not always to be taken mathematically, and in the vision of Peter, the phrase ????? ?? ????????? ??? ???,
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And it came to pass, that the flood was forty days on the earth, - and the waters increased and bare up the ark, and it was lifted high above the earth,
And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of paper-reed, and covered it over with bitumen, and with pitch, - and put therein the child, and laid it among the rushes upon the bank of the river.