JOSEPH W. TKACH
PASTOR GENERAL

December 1987

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your question concerning the contents of the ark of the covenant.

I Kings 8:9 and Hebrews 9:4 do seem to contradict each other. One verse says that only the two tables of stone (inscribed with the Ten Commandments) were in the ark. The other verse lists several additional objects which apparently were also in the ark. But, God's Word does not contradict itself!

The original Greek word translated "wherein" in Hebrews 9:4 is HOU. From "Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible" and other sources, we find that HOU means "at which place." HOU is a general word which does not necessarily mean "wherein," "within," or "in." It simply means "in the same location as."

With this in mind, notice Deuteronomy 31:24-26: "And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book [not the Ten Commandments which God had written on two tables of stone, but the civil law which Moses had written in a book -- the law of Moses], until they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee."

Notice that the book of the law was not placed INSIDE the ark, but "in the side of" ("by the side of" RSV) the ark. That is why the book of the law is not mentioned in I Kings 8:9 as being in the ark. The book of the law, along with the pot of manna (Ex. 16:33-34) and Aaron's rod, was kept by the side of the ark, not in it. All of these items could properly be described as being HOU -- in the same place as -- the ark.

We hope you will let us know whenever we can be of additional assistance in your study of the Bible. It is our pleasure to serve you.

PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT