- The Ark is described in the Book of Exodus in The Bible. Moses ordered the Ark to be built after which it was carried by the Israelites during their 40 years of wandering.
- When King Solomon built the First Temple of Jerusalem he had it placed in a dedicated room. But after the Babylonian Exile (587-539 BCE), the Ark was never seen again.
Description
- It was described as a Gold covered wooden Chest containing the Ten Commandments written on two tablets of stone. It also held Aaron’s Rod and which produced buds and a Gold pot which contained Manna.
- The Tablets were given to Moses when he ascended Mount Sinai.
- Instructions were given to Moses on how to build the Ark. This took place shortly after the Exodus from Egypt.
Disappearance
- The Ark was kept in the Temple of Solomon, in Jerusalem.
- It disappeared from history after the destruction of this Temple by the Nebuchadnezzar II after he besieged Jerusalem in 587 BCE.
Alleged location of the Ark in Ethiopia
- The Kebra Nagast describes the Kings of Ethiopia as being descended from the marriage of King Solomon to the Queen of Sheba, who lived in Ethiopia.
- Ethiopia claims to be the home of the Ark of the Covenant, which is housed in the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion in Axum, Tigray Province. The church was built by King Ezana, the first King of Ethiopia to convert to Christianity circa 330 CE.
- According to the Kebra Nagast, the Ark was first brought to Ethiopia by King Menelik I in c. 950 CE, the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, after a visit to meet his Father in Jerusalem.
- The Aksumite Empire had a Jewish population who seem to have started arriving in Ethiopia around 100 BCE. Between 100-325 CE it was considered to be a Jewish State. After this date Ethiopia converted to Christianity.
- The main followers of Judaism were the Falashas.
- Ethiopia was considered to be the home of the Queen of Sheba who married King Solomon. The Kings of Ethiopia claimed descent from King Solomon.
Jerusalem