These terms refer to a special wooden chest, overlaid with gold, that was constructed for the purpose of holding the two stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written.
* The ark of the covenant also contained Aaron's staff and a jar of manna.
* These objects were reminders of God's covenant with his people, the Israelites.
* The ark of the covenant was located in the most holy place of the tabernacle, and later, of the temple.
* When God desired to speak to Israel through Moses in the tabernacle, God's presence would appear over the ark of the covenant.
* The high priest was the only one who could go near the ark of the covenant in the most holy place of the temple, once a year on the Day of Atonement.
* The term "ark of the covenant decrees" is literally "ark of the testimony." The "testimony" refers to the Ten Commandments, which bore witness to God's covenant with his people.
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