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The Poles of the Ark: On the Ins and Outs of a Textual Contradiction

2016; Society of Biblical Literature; Volume: 135; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1353/jbl.2016.0045

1934-3876

Raanan Eichler,

Historical and Linguistic Studies

The ark, the primary cult object in the Hebrew Bible, is described in detail in the Priestly tabernacle pericopes of the Pentateuch. In these texts, a difficult contradiction arises with regard to its [inline-graphic 01], which are universally understood as carrying poles. The commands for the construction of the ark (Exod 25:10–16) specify that the ark’s carrying poles are to stay in its rings and never to part from it [inline-graphic 02] v. 15). In the instructions regarding the packing up of the tabernacle (Num 4), however, we read that, in the course of preparing the ark for transport, its carrying poles are to be put in by Aaron and his sons ([inline-graphic 03], v. 6). If the ark’s poles are always “in,” how can they be “put in”? This problem has received a great deal of attention from medieval exegetes and modern scholars. In this article, I review previous proposed solutions and offer a new solution based on material evidence from the ancient Near East.