The Free Thinkers guide to the Bible

The two Ark's of the covenant

Welcome to the Free Thinkers guide to the bible. I created this series so that ‘anyone’ can explore and understand the bible. You don’t need to be a biblical scholar; all you need is a desire to see what is written. I will present to you several biblical examples and demonstrate the process of sifting the accounts to reveal the hidden. This process is very similar to archeology, where the layers are excavated and analyzed.

Just not the dirty part, though you will be digging up some dirt along the way.

Warning:

The series unfolds like a story in a book. Please study the content in the order it is presented in order to have the best learning experience. The study series begins with Part 1 #1 – The Flood

This series is not for the faint of heart. Be prepared, as you sift through the layers you will likely find that there is a lot you will need to unlearn. By the time you have completed the studies it will probably have shaken the pillars of your faith and possibly cracked the foundation.

In this study we will examine the “D” writer’s account of the Ark of Moses. This short study is meant to be thought provoking. In chapter ten of Deuteronomy we have the firsthand account of Moses instructions from the Creator regarding the second set of tablets he was to make.

We also have an obvious “A” writer’s insertion which is intended to sway the readers/listeners thoughts towards what may be a completely different Ark.

Please read the account and flow test it. You should easily spot the insertion.

The account begins in firsthand, transitions to a secondhand insertion and then returns to the firsthand account.

The information you gain in this study is consequential to your fully understanding the goals of the “A” writers and to know what lengths they went to in order to ensure ‘their’ message was first and foremost. If you have completed the studies to this point, you know that the “A” writers (thankfully) kept most or all of the “B” writer’s stories intact and cleverly added insertions and stories that highlighted priestly matters throughout the first five books. This is one example…

The Ark of Moses

1st person Deu 10:1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood. 2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. 3 And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. 4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me. 5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.

2nd person 6 And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead. 7 From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters. 8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. 9 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.

1st person 10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee. 11 And the LORD said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them.

In the firsthand account the Creator tasks Moses with preparing two stone tablets similar to the first tablets and make a wooden (ארון - ârôn) ark to store the tablets in. The Creator instructed Moses to return to the Mount and meet with him again and He would write the Commands on the new tablets. The Creator wrote the commands on the tablets. Moses spends forty day and nights on the Mount and then returns to the people.

I present to you the original “D” account with the insertion removed for your review…

Moshe’s Ark – without the insertion

1st person Deu 10:1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood. 2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. 3 And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. 4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me. 5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me. ***

The account flows smoothly as it was originally written.

Let’s examine the insertion and determine the writer’s motives…

“A” writers keywords are highlighted in RED

The Insertion

2nd person Deu 10: 6 And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead. 7 From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters. 8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. 9 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.

The insertion begins with journey accounts: this is one of the trademarks of the “A” writers which used generation and journey information to add a framework for their accounts. They also use names, dates, censuses, weights and measures to add authority to them.

The writer then added the death of Aaron and the fact that the authority of Aaron was transferred to his son Eleazar.

More journey travels are featured and then the “A” writers added that the tribe of Levi was set apart by the Lord to bear the ark during the travels. They also added that the Levites would ‘minister’ be the Priests and ‘bless’ perform and receive ritual offerings for/from the children of Israel.

Unto this day is added. This is a common identifier for scribal insertions. The priests were ministering to the Lord and blessing the people in His name at the time the scribe wrote this.

The writer also added that the Levites would not have an inheritance among the people as promised by the Lord…

The Levite inheritance

Num 18:20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. 21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. 24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

This Numbers account details the Levite inheritance of the ‘tenth’ tithe for their service as Priests to the Lord. This inheritance is said to be ‘perpetual’. This is another common “A” writer identifier. In most or every case where it is stipulated that there is a perpetual, forever or throughout your generation’s statute, It will be an “A” writer inclusion that seeks to add authority to the matter.

Note: The Lord speaks to Aaron directly regarding the Levite inheritance which adds authority to the matter as Moses is not an intercessor in the event.

In verse twenty-two there is a warning that anyone who is not a Levite cannot come near to the Tabernacle under the penalty of death. This is another tool the “A” writers use to instill authority and fear. Most or every case which states that there is a penalty of death or being ‘cut off’; was written by an “A” writer.

Examples:

The Commands

Exo 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. 16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. 17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

Exo 35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.

Lev 20:9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

Lev 20:10 and the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

The Tabernacle

Num 1:51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Num 3:10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Num 3:38 But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Num 18:7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

The stranger (זוּר - zûr) (anyone who is not a Levite according to Numbers 18:22)

Cut off

Exo 31:14 Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

Lev 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. 29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.

Summary

The “D” firsthand account stated that Moses himself built a wooden ark at the behest of the Creator. The “A” writer inserted a proclamation into the account that the tribe of Levi would be the Priests of the Lord and would carry the “Ark of the Covenant”.

We read of the creation of the Tabernacle and all of its furnishings including the “A” Ark that would be carried by the priests in Exodus thirty-seven.

Exo 37:1 And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it: 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about. 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it. 4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold. 5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark. 6 And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 7 And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;

Conclusion

The “D” account states that Moses hewed the tablets and made the Ark of shittim wood to hold the tablets and then went up the Mount.

The making of the Ark by Bezaleel in the Exodus “A” account was well after Moses had returned from the Mount with the second set of tablets.

Are these the same Ark or different?

Will the Ark ever be seen again?

I leave this to you to determine

We have learned a lot from our investigation of this simple four verse insertion. I hope the information and examples I put forth to you are helpful in your future studies. Knowing the common “A” writer key words and phrases should help you identify and associate the writer’s accounts and insertions.

Author: Hoyt Allen Spiker - 2025 - Shemoth20@Gmail.com

Please continue with us in the next portion of the series:

Part #5 - The Perpetual Priesthood