Arca da aliança
A Arca da Aliança era o símbolo mais sagrado de Israel — representava a presença de Deus no meio do seu povo. Sobre ela brilhava a glória do Senhor entre os querubins.
And they shall make an Aron (Ark) of acacia wood; two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the width thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with zahav tahor, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a gold crown all around. And thou shalt cast four rings of zahav for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. And thou shalt make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with zahav. And thou shalt put the poles into the rings by the sides of the Aron, that the Aron may be carried with them. The poles shall be in the rings of the Aron; they shall not be removed from it. And thou shalt put into the Aron the Edut (Testimony) [of Tablets] which I shall give thee.
And thou shalt make a kapporet of zahav tahor; two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the width thereof. And thou shalt make two keruvim of zahav, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the kapporet. And make one keruv on the one end, and the other keruv on the other end, with the kapporet (atonement cover) shall ye make the keruvim on the two ends thereof. And the keruvim shall stretch forth their wings upward, covering the kapporet with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the kapporet shall the faces of the keruvim be. And thou shalt place the kapporet on the Aron from above; and into the Aron thou shalt place the Edut that I shall give thee.
And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the kapporet, from between the two keruvim which are upon the Aron HaEdut, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the Bnei Yisroel.
And Betzalel made the Aron of acacia wood; two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the width of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it;
And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying, On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the Mishkan Ohel Mo’ed. And thou shalt place therein the Aron HaEdut, and thou shalt cover so as to screen the Aron with the Parochet.
And he took and placed HaEdut (The Testimony), into HaAron, and set the carrying poles on the Aron, and put the Kapporet upon the Aron from above; And he brought the Aron into the Mishkan, and set up the Parochet HaMasach, and shielded with a covering over the Aron HaEdut; as Hashem commanded Moshe.
And when Moshe was gone into the Ohel Mo’ed to speak with Him, then he heard the voice of One speaking unto him from over the kapporet that was upon the Aron HaEdut, from between the two keruvim; so He spoke unto him.
And they departed from the Mountain of Hashem three daysʼ journey; the Aron Brit Hashem went before them in the three daysʼ derech, to search out a menuchah for them. And the Anan of Hashem was upon them by day, when they set out from the machaneh. And it came to pass, when the Aron set out, that Moshe said, Rise up, Hashem, and let Thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee.
And when it rested, he said, Return, Hashem, unto the countless thousands of Yisroel.
And Hashem spoke unto Moshe saying, Speak unto El’azar ben Aharon HaKohen that he take up the fire pans out of the burning, and scatter thou the eish yonder; for they are set apart as kodesh. The fire pans of these chatta’im against their own nefashot, let them make them hammered-out sheets for a covering of the Mizbe’ach: for they offered them before Hashem, therefore they became kadosh; and they shall be an ot unto the Bnei Yisroel. And El’azar HaKohen took the bronze fire pans, wherewith they that were burned had offered; and they made hammered-out sheets for an overlay of the Mizbe’ach: To be a memorial reminder unto the Bnei Yisroel, that no zar, which is not of the zera Aharon, encroach to offer ketoret before Hashem; that he be not as Korach, and as his edah, as Hashem said to him by the hand of Moshe.
But the next day Kol Adat Bnei Yisroel murmured against Moshe and against Aharon, saying, Ye have killed the Am Hashem. And it came to pass, when HaEdah was gathered against Moshe and against Aharon, that they looked toward the Ohel Mo’ed; and, hinei, the Anan covered it, and the Kavod Hashem appeared. And Moshe and Aharon came before the Ohel Mo’ed. And Hashem spoke unto Moshe saying, Get you away from among this edah, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. And Moshe said unto Aharon, Take a fire pan, and put eish therein from off the Mizbe’ach, and put ketoret, and go quickly unto HaEdah, and make kapporah for them; for there is Ketzef (Wrath) gone out from Hashem; the plague is begun.
So it came to pass, when HaAm moved out from their ohalim, to cross over the Yarden, and the Kohanim bearing the Aron HaBrit ahead of HaAm; And as they bearing the Aron were come unto the Yarden, and the feet of the Kohanim bearing the Aron touched the edge of the mayim, (for the Yarden overfloweth all its banks all the days of katzir [harvest]), That the waters which flowed down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Tzartan; and that which flowed down toward Yam HaAravah, the Yam HaMelach was completely cut off; and HaAm crossed over right by Yericho. And the Kohanim bearing the Aron Brit Hashem stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Yarden, and Kol Yisroel passed over on dry ground, until Kol HaGoy were passed completely over the Yarden.
And it came to pass, when the Kohanim bearing the Aron Brit Hashem were come up out of the middle of the Yarden, and the soles of the feet of the Kohanim were set on dry land, that the waters of the Yarden returned unto their place, and overflowed all its banks, as they did before.
Now Yericho was closely shut up because of the Bnei Yisroel; none went out, and none came in.
And Hashem said unto Yehoshua, See, I have given into thine yad Yericho, and the melech thereof, and the gibborei hechayil. And ye shall march around the Ir, all ye anshei hamilchamah, and go around the Ir once. Thus shalt thou do sheshet yamim. And shivah Kohanim shall bear before the Aron shivah shoferot hayovelim; and the Yom HaShevi’i ye shall march around the Ir sheva times, and the Kohanim shall sound the shoferot. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the keren hayovel, when ye hear the sound of the shofar, Kol HaAm shall shout with a teruah gedolah; and the Chomat HaIr shall fall down, and HaAm shall go up every ish charging straight in.
And Yehoshua ben Nun called the Kohanim, and said unto them, Take up the Aron HaBrit, and let shivah Kohanim bear shivah shoferot yovelim (seven ram-shofars) before the Aron Hashem. And he ordered HaAm, Pass on, and march on the Ir, and let him that is armed pass on ahead of the Aron Hashem.
So HaAm shouted when the Kohanim sounded the shoferot; and it came to pass, when HaAm heard the kol (sound) of the shofar, and HaAm shouted with a teruah gedolah, that the chomah fell down, so that HaAm went up into the Ir, every ish straight before him, and they took the Ir.
And the Pelishtim (Philistines) put themselves in array to meet Yisroel [in battle]; and when the milchamah spread, Yisroel was defeated before the Pelishtim; and they slaughtered on the ma’arakhah (battleground) in the sadeh about arba’at alafim ish (four thousand men). And when HaAm were come into the machaneh, the Ziknei Yisroel said, Why hath Hashem defeated us today before the Pelishtim (Philistines)? Let us bring the Aron Brit Hashem out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the palm of oyeveinu (our enemies).
So HaAm sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the Aron Brit Hashem Tzva’os, Who dwelleth between the keruvim; and the two Bnei Eli, Chophni and Pinchas, were there with the Aron Brit HaElohim. And when the Aron Brit Hashem came into the machaneh, kol Yisroel shouted with a teru’ah gedolah, so that ha’aretz shook. And when the Pelishtim (Philistines) heard the kol hateruah, they said, What meaneth kol hateruah hagedolah hazot in the machaneh HaIvrit? And they understood that the Aron Hashem was come into the machaneh. And the Pelishtim (Philistines) were afraid, for they said, elohim is come into the machaneh. And they said, Oy lanu! For there hath not been such a thing as this heretofore. Oy lanu! Who shall save us out of the yad of these elohim ha’adirim (mighty g-ds)? These are the g-ds that struck the Mitzrayim with kol makkah (all the plagues) in the midbar. Be strong and conduct yourselves like anashim, O ye Pelishtim (Philistines), that ye be not avadim unto the Ivrim (Hebrews), as they have been subject to you; conduct yourselves like anashim, and fight.
And the Pelishtim fought, and Yisroel was defeated, and they fled every ish into his ohel; and there was makkah gedolah me’od (a very great slaughter); for there fell of Yisroel shloshim elef foot soldiers. And the Aron Elohim was captured; and the two Bnei Eli, Chophni and Pinchas, died.
But the Yad Hashem was heavy upon the Ashdodim, and He brought desolation, and struck them with techorim (tumors), even Ashdod and the vicinity thereof. And when the anshei Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The Aron Elohei Yisroel shall not abide with us; for His Yad is hard upon us, and upon Dagon eloheinu.
They sent therefore and gathered all rulers of the Pelishtim (Philistines) unto them, and said, What shall we do with the Aron Elohei Yisroel? And they answered, Let the Aron Elohei Yisroel be brought about unto Gat. And they brought the Aron Elohei Yisroel about to there.
And it was so, that, after they had brought it about, the Yad Hashem was against the Ir with a mehumah gedolah me’od (a very great tumult, commotion); and He struck the anshei HaIr, both katon and gadol, so that techorim (tumors) broke out on them. Therefore they sent the Aron HaElohim to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the Aron HaElohim came to Ekron, that the Ekronim cried out, saying, They have brought about the Aron Elohei Yisroel to us, to slay us and our people. So they sent and gathered together all the rulers of the Pelishtim (Philistines), and said, Send away the Aron Elohei Yisroel, and let it return to its own makom, that it slay us not, and our people; for there was a mehumah (tumult, public panic) of mavet (death) throughout kol HaIr; the Yad HaElohim was very heavy there.
And the Aron Hashem was in the territory of the Pelishtim (Philistines) shivah chodashim. And the Pelishtim (Philistines) called for the kohanim and the kosemim (sorcerers), saying, What shall we do with the Aron Hashem? Tell us wherewith we shall send it to its makom (place). And they said, If ye send away the Aron Elohei Yisroel, send it not away empty; but ye shall surely return to Him an asham (trespass offering); then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why His Yad is not removed from you.
And the anashim did so; and took two milch cows, and hitched them to the agalah, and penned up their calves babayit; And they laid the Aron Hashem upon the agalah, and the box with the akhbarim of zahav and the tzalmei techorim (likenesses of tumors) of theirs. And the cows took the straight derech to the derech Beit-Shemesh, and went along the path, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the yamin or to the semol; and the rulers of the Pelishtim went after them as far as the border of Beit-Shemesh.
And they of Beit-Shemesh were kotzerim (harvesting) their ketzir chittim (wheat harvest) in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the Aron, and they rejoiced to see it. And the agalah came into the sadeh of Yehoshua, a man of Beit-Shemesh, and stopped there, where there was an even gedolah (a large rock); and they chopped up the wood of the agalah, and offered the cows as an olah (burnt offering) unto Hashem. And the Levi’im took down the Aron Hashem, and the box that was with it, wherein were the kelei zahav, and put them on the even hagedolah (large rock); and the anashim of Beit-Shemesh offered olot (burnt offerings) and sacrificed zevakhim (sacrifices) on that day unto Hashem.
And the anshei Kiryat-Ye’arim came, and took up the Aron Hashem, and brought it into the bais Avinadav on the givah (hill), and set apart as kodesh El’azar bno to be shomer over the Aron Hashem.
And it came to pass, while the Aron abode in Kiryat-Ye’arim, that the time was long; for it was esrim shanah; and kol Bais Yisroel mourned after Hashem.
And it was told Dovid HaMelech, saying, Hashem hath blessed the bais Oved-Edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the Aron HaElohim. So Dovid went and brought up the Aron HaElohim from the bais Oved-Edom into Ir Dovid with simchah. And it was so, that when they that nosei Aron Hashem (carried the Aron HaShem) had gone six steps, he sacrificed ox and fattened calf. And Dovid danced before Hashem with kol oz; and Dovid was girded with an ephod bad (linen ephod). So Dovid and kol Bais Yisroel brought up the Aron Hashem with ter’uah (shout) and with the sound of the shofar.
Then Sh’lomo assembled the Zekenim of Yisroel, and all the Rashei HaMattot, the Nesi’ei HaAvot of the Bnei Yisroel, unto HaMelech Sh’lomo in Yerushalayim, that they might bring up the Aron Brit Hashem out of Ir Dovid, which is Tziyon. And all the Ish Yisroel assembled themselves unto HaMelech Sh’lomo at the Chag in the month Etanim, which is the seventh month. And all the Zekenim of Yisroel came, and the Kohanim took up the Aron. And they brought up the Aron Hashem, and the Ohel Mo’ed and all the kelei hakodesh that were in the Ohel, even those did the Kohanim and the Levi’im carry up. And Sh’lomo HaMelech, and all the Adat Yisroel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the Aron, sacrificing tzon and bakar, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the Kohanim brought in the Aron Brit Hashem unto its makom, in the Devir HaBayit, the Kodesh HaKodashim, even under the wings of the keruvim. For the keruvim spread forth their kenafayim (wings) over the place of the Aron, and the keruvim overshadowed the Aron and the poles thereof. They drew out the poles, that the ends of the poles were seen out in the Kodesh before the Devir, but they were not seen from the outside; there they are unto this day.
There was nothing in the Aron except the two Luchot HaAvanim (Tablets of Stone), which Moshe placed there at Chorev, when Hashem cut a Brit with the Bnei Yisroel, when they came out of Eretz Mitzrayim.
And it came to pass, when the Kohanim were come out of the Kodesh, that the anan filled the Beis Hashem, So that the Kohanim could not stand up to minister because of the anan; for the Kavod Hashem had filled the Beis Hashem.
Shuvu (Turn), O banim shovaviv (backsliding children),
saith Hashem;
for I am married unto you:
and I will take you one from a town,
and two from a mishpakhah,
and I will bring you to Tziyon:
And I will give you ro’im according to Mine lev, which shall feed you with da’as and seichel. And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in HaAretz, in those days, saith Hashem, they shall say no more, The Aron Brit Hashem: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they ask for it; neither shall another be fashioned.
Now the Brit HaRishonah farshteit zich (of course) had regulations for avodas kodesh in an earthly Mikdash. For the Mishkan was furnished, that is, hachitzon (the outer one) in which were both the Menorah and the Shulchan and the setting out of the Lechem HaPanim. This part is the Kodesh, the Holy Place. And behind the Parokhet HaSheynit was the part of the Mishkan being called the Kodesh HaKodashim, Having a golden Mizbe’ach of ketoret (incense) and the Aron HaBrit having been covered on all sides with gold, and in which was a golden jar holding the manna and the rod of Aharon which budded, and the Luchot haBrit (the tablets of the Covenant, the Decalogue, Aseret HaDibrot). And above the Aron HaBrit the keruvim of kavod overshadowing the kapporet, about which things it is not possible to speak now in praht (detail).
And the Heikhal of Hashem was opened in Shomayim, and the Aron HaBrit (Ark of the Covenant) of Hashem was seen in the Heikhal of Hashem. And there were flashes of lightning and kolot (sounds) and thunders and an earthquake and great barad (hail).