Put the tablets of the testimony that I will give you into the ark.Make a mercy seat of pure gold, 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.Make two cherubim of gold; make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat.Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end. At its two ends, make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat.The cherubim are to have wings spread out above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and are to face one another. The faces of the cherubim should be toward the mercy seat.Set the mercy seat on top of the ark and put the testimony that I will give you into the ark.I will meet with you there above the mercy seat, between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony; I will speak with you from there about all that I command you regarding the Israelites.
and commanded the people:“ When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you must break camp and follow it.But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.”Joshua told the people,“ Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.”Then he said to the priests,“ Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
God’s sanctuary in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His sanctuary. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings of thunder, an earthquake, and severe hail.