The Ark^(A)

37 Bezalel^(B) made the ark^(C) of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.^{[a] 2} He overlaid it with pure gold,^(D) both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. ³ He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. ⁴ Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold. ⁵ And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.

⁶ He made the atonement cover^(E) of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. ⁷ Then he made two cherubim^(F) out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. ⁸ He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover. ⁹ The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing^(G) the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.^(H)

²⁴ After Moses finished writing^(A) in a book the words of this law^(B) from beginning to end, ²⁵ he gave this command to the Levites who carried^(C) the ark of the covenant of the Lord: ²⁶ “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you.^{(D) 27} For I know how rebellious^(E) and stiff-necked^(F) you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! ²⁸ Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them.^{(G) 29} For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt^(H) and to turn from the way I have commanded you. In days to come, disaster^(I) will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.”

⁶ The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant^(A) to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place,^(B) and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.^(C)