Ark of the Covenant mystery blown wide open as 'biblical relic' is discovered
According to scripture, Moses placed the Ten Commandments inside the Ark, which was kept in the Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary built shortly after the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt, traditionally dated by some scholars to around 1445 BC.
While the fate of the Ark remains a mystery, it vanishes from the biblical record before the Babylonian sack of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
Now, a team working at the ancient biblical site of Shiloh has unearthed a stone structure that appears to match the dimensions and orientation of the Tabernacle described in the Bible.
Dr Scott Stripling, director of the Tel Shiloh dig, said: 'We've uncovered a monumental building from the Iron I period that matches the biblical dimensions of the Tabernacle. The structure is oriented east-west and divided in a 2:1 ratio, just as described in scripture.'
Adding to the discovery, excavators have found over 100,000 animal bones, mostly from sheep, goats, and cattle, and predominantly from the right side of the animals, aligning with Leviticus 7, which states that the right side was reserved for priestly offerings.
'This isn't a coincidence,' Dr Stripling told The Christian Broadcasting Network. 'The evidence of sacrificial rituals here is overwhelming, and it matches the biblical account to a degree that's hard to ignore.'
Pottery found among the bones dates back to the same period, reinforcing the site's connection to the Tabernacle era, which the Bible says lasted nearly 400 years before the Temple was built in Jerusalem.
Shiloh, located in the hill country of Ephraim, is described in the Bible as Israel's first major religious center.
It was here, according to the Bible, that Eli the high priest presided over the Tabernacle during a critical moment in Israel's history.
In 1 Samuel 4, the Israelites, locked in war with the Philistines, bring the Ark to the battlefield in hopes of securing divine favor.
The plan disastrously backfires when the Philistines capture the Ark, and Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are killed.
When a messenger brings word of the defeat back to Shiloh, he finds Eli, 98 years old and nearly blind, anxiously waiting by the city gate.
Upon hearing the Ark has been taken, Eli falls backward from his seat, breaks his neck and dies.
Scripture emphasizes the significance of the moment, noting, 'He had judged Israel for forty years.'
Dr Stripling now believes his team may have uncovered the very gate where Eli died, CBN reported.
According to scripture, Moses placed the Ten Commandments inside the Ark , which was kept in the Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary built shortly after the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt , traditionally dated by some scholars to around 1445 BC
The newly uncovered building at the site also features a massive interior wall, dividing the space into two areas.
According to Exodus 26, the Tabernacle's inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place, or Holy of Holies, was separated from the outer room by a veil.
This inner room housed the Ark of the Covenant, and was believed to be the earthly dwelling place of God's presence.
Leviticus 16:2 warns of the sanctity of the space, stating:'The Lord said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die.'
This aligns with later references in 2 Samuel 6, which describe the Ark as so holy that touching it, or even looking inside, could result in death. Mishandling the Ark was seen as a direct offense to God's presence.
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The Independent
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