Where is the Ark of the Covenant? What happened to it?

what does the bible say?

For more than two thousand years, people around the world have been fascinated with the mystery of what happened to the ark of the covenant that was central to Israelite worship in the Old Testament. The mystery begins where the Bible's historical account ends, in the time of King Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:1–6; 2 Kings 23:21–23), when the ark of the covenant disappears from the biblical record. There is no mention of the ark when the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple, which led to speculation about its fate. Some believe it was hidden or taken elsewhere; references in apocryphal texts like 2 Maccabees suggest that Jeremiah hid it on a mountain. Theories about its location vary wildly, from Ethiopia to under the Hill of Tara in Ireland, none of which are verifiable. Revelation 11:19 indicates the ark will be seen again in the end times, suggesting it still exists and will reemerge as part of prophecy.

from the old testament

The ark of the covenant was a container made of acacia wood, overlaid with gold (Exodus 25:10–22), and contained a jar of manna (Exodus 16:33–34), Aaron’s staff (Numbers 17:10), and the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 10:2–5).The ark of the covenant was housed in the inner sanctum of the tabernacle in the desert and eventually in the Holy of Holies in the temple when it was built in Jerusalem.The lid of the ark of the covenant was called the "mercy seat." On the lid were two gold cherubim, facing each other, with wings spread upward and covering the seat. God's presence hovered above the seat, between the cherubim, when He talked to the priest.The mercy seat was important because once a year, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies where the ark was kept and sprinkle blood on the lid to make atonement for the sins of that year (Leviticus 16). This was the only place in the world where this atonement could occur.In 1 Samuel, the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines after Israel brought it to battle in hopes of securing victory, but instead suffered defeat (1 Samuel 4:1-11). The Ark caused plagues in Philistine cities, leading them to return it to Israel, where it eventually came to rest in Kiriath-jearim (1 Samuel 5-7).Second Chronicles 35:1–6 and 2 Kings 23:21–23 describe the last biblical mention of the ark during King Josiah's reign. Josiah had discovered the Law and the Israelites celebrated Passover for the first time since Samuel’s time.Although Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land because of his disobedience, he made sure the Law was written down and gave it to the priests who carried the ark so they would teach people the Law and teach the people to follow the Lord by obeying it (Deuteronomy 31:1–13). Jeremiah 3:15–18 talks about a time when the ark will no longer be needed or missed. At that time, the Jews will freely and completely follow God and have access to Him.

from the new testament

Revelation 11:19 foretells the ark's appearance in the heavenly temple, affirming its continued existence and future significance in eschatological events.

implications for today

People are fascinated by the disappearance of the ark of the covenant. Modern theories of the ark's location include the ark traveling to Africa (either Ethiopia or Egypt) via Solomon to the Queen of Sheba, that the ark is hidden below Jerusalem in a location inaccessible due to its proximity to the Muslim Dome of the Rock mosque, and that the Copper Scroll discovered in the Qumran caves describe the location of the ark although it cannot be deciphered well enough to determine its location. An Irish tale even claims the ark is buried under Ireland's Hill of Tara. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to have the ark in a treasury that they keep behind locked doors. There are also legends that the Knights Templar or Freemasons have it. But none of these stories are likely. Neither is the concept that Indiana Jones found it in Tanis, Egypt, and brought it to America where the government stored it in a warehouse.

Although not canonical, 2 Maccabees states in its second chapter that the prophet Jeremiah received a vision to hide the Ark and other items in a cave upon the mount where Moses climbed to see the land of Israel before his death (Deuteronomy 34:1–6). These texts reflect Jewish tradition that Jeremiah played a role in preserving the ark from Babylonian capture.

The main options for what happened to the ark of the covenant include that 1) it was destroyed, 2) it was taken by the Babylonians, or 3) it was hidden by the Jewish people before the destruction of the temple.

While intriguing, the physical location of the ark of the covenant is less important than the truths it represents: God's presence, covenant, and faithfulness. This teaches us about the eternal nature of God's promises and the fulfillment of His plans. The ark, whether found or not, reminds us that God's purposes are not bound by time or human understanding but are always moving toward their fulfillment in His perfect timing.