What does the Arch of the covenant consist of?

Answer 1

Actually, the word is "ark", and older English word for "box".

And it was indeed a box. According to the book of Exodus, it was constructed as Moses' command, as a chest in which the stone tablets of the covenant (which we know as the Ten Commandments) were to be kept.

These tablets were a declaration of the LORD God's having made a "covenant" with the people of Israel. A "covenant" is a sort of legal agreement -- like a treaty, except with a more personal dimension. The point was that they were now HIS people, under obligation to obey him as their King, and his promise to protect and keep them.

The box was ornately decorated -- covered with gold and having a cover with carved "cherubim" on it. (These unusual creatures were considered to be God's heavenly agents and powerful GUARDIANS of his royal court and 'holy place.' The cherubim on the ark were seen not as creatures themselves, but as representative of God's heavenly servants.)

This box was to be kept in the "Most Holy Place" -- the inner sanctuary in the 'tabernacle' (a tent) and later in the similarly designed Temple in Jerusalem.

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Actually, we know many examples from the Ancient Near East of the practice of placing a copy of a treaty/covenant with another power (or esp. a high king of an empire) in the main temple of the gods of the people of EACH side of a treaty.

(Thus some have suggested, correctly I believe, that the TWO tablets from Sinai were actually identical, following the established pattern. Except in this case the temple of the people's God and the LORD God's temple were one and the same, so both copies were kept in the same location, and symbolic of the TWO sides of this covenant.)

God was thought to show his presence OVER the ark in the temple, and figuratively to "dwell" or "sit enthroned between the cherubim. The box was thought of as a portable "throne", and might even be carried by the priests when leading the people into battle, even a warrior king's "chariot", symbolic of GOD's going before them to fight for them as, for example, in the battle of Jericho. (Numbers 10 and Psalm 68 describe it all this way.)
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We are told that this ark at one point ALSO contained two other sacred objects:

1) a container with 'one omer (that is, a day's ration) of manna', preserved from the people's trek through the desert (for 40 years) from Egypt to Canaan. Thus is held the reminder of God's daily provision and keeping his promises (esp 'on the march')

2) Aaron's rod, which had miraculously budded with almonds (Num 17), as a sign that he and his house were God's appointed (high) priests for the people, and so of his promise to THEM. The blossoms, like other 'tree' features in the tabernacle (and later the Temple) representing the 'garden of God' where he met with his people and ALSO, in this case, that his chosen people (since the rod stood for a group of people) would flourish living in his presence.
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EDIT -- there is NO consensus that the ark contained both the original and replacement tablets. I'll grant that some statements to that effect may be found in the Talmud. But the Torah says no such thing.

My own understanding (as a Christian I believe the Talmud is useful but NOT authoritative):

Only the replacements were used. The originals were destroyed when Moses threw them down. (Note the imagery here -- he broke the tablets when the people broke their covenant with God by worshiping other gods [the golden calf - Exodus 32].)

Answer 2

Well if you mean The "Ark" of the covenant it's this.

The Ark of the Covenant is described in the Hebrew Bible as a sacred container, wherein rested the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments as well as other sacred Israelite objects.

Answer 3

The contents of the Ark has been debated through the centuries. The general consensus is that the first tablets containing the Ten Commandments, which were broken by Moses, and the second tablets, which remained intact, were contained in the Ark. According to one opinion in the Talmud, both Tablets were together in the Ark; according to another, there were two Arks, and each contained one set of Tablets

Answer 4

It's the Ark of the Convenant. Google it up and you'll get a ton of information.

Answer 5

OK you might want to rephrase the question or you will get a lot of grief in the answers I fear.