<P> According to the Book of Exodus, God instructed Moses on Mount Sinai during his 40 - day stay upon the mountain within the thick cloud and darkness where God was and he was shown the pattern for the tabernacle and furnishings of the Ark to be made of shittim wood to house the Tablets of Stone . Moses instructed Bezalel and Oholiab to construct the Ark . In Deuteronomy, however, the Ark is said to have been built specifically by Moses himself without reference of Bezalel or Oholiab . </P> <P> The Book of Exodus gives detailed instructions on how the Ark is to be constructed . It is to be 21⁄2 cubits in length, 11⁄2 in breadth, and 11⁄2 in height (approximately 131 × 79 × 79 cm or 52 × 31 × 31 in). Then it is to be gilded entirely with gold, and a crown or molding of gold is to be put around it . Four rings of gold are to be attached to its four corners, two on each side--and through these rings staves of shittim - wood overlaid with gold for carrying the Ark are to be inserted; and these are not to be removed . A golden lid, the kapporet (traditionally "mercy seat" in Christian translations) which is covered with 2 golden cherubim, is to be placed above the Ark . Missing from the account are instructions concerning the thickness of the mercy seat and details about the cherubim other than that the cover be beaten out the ends of the Ark and that they form the space where God will appear . The Ark is finally to be placed under the veil of the covering . </P> <P> The biblical account continues that, after its creation by Moses, the Ark was carried by the Israelites during their 40 years of wandering in the desert . Whenever the Israelites camped, the Ark was placed in a separate room in a sacred tent, called the Tabernacle . </P> <P> When the Israelites, led by Joshua toward the Promised Land, arrived at the banks of the Jordan river, the Ark was carried in the lead preceding the people and was the signal for their advance . During the crossing, the river grew dry as soon as the feet of the priests carrying the Ark touched its waters, and remained so until the priests--with the Ark--left the river after the people had passed over . As memorials, twelve stones were taken from the Jordan at the place where the priests had stood . </P>

When was the ark of the covenant first mentioned in the bible