The book examines the history of the genesis of all the Old Testament texts where there is talk of "Jehovah's Ark" or "The Ark of the Covenant", i.e. in particular Exodus 25 and 40; Numbers 10; Joshua 3f. and 6-8; 1 Samuel (1-3) 4-6; 2 Samuel 6; 1 Kings 8 and Parallels; Jeremiah 3,16 and Psalm 132. The study attempts to proceed from the individual texts rather than be led by predefined superordinate models. The results show that the number and scope of old pre-exilic sources is significantly less than previously assumed. Only in 1 Samuel 4 are traces to be found of an old tradition, the literary growth of which started here. It can be assumed that the Ark never stood in King Solomon's Temple. It is rather the case that the majority of texts handed down are less evidence of pre-exilic religious history and more of the history of the post-exilic theology of Ancient Israel. This can be seen in exemplary fashion in researchers' quest for the contents of the Ark. One final chapter is devoted to incidences of the Ark of Jehovah in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Here it occurs in what is known as the Damascus Document in a new role - in defence of David.
