Scientists..can you explain why the Ark of the Covenant killed people who touched it?

Question

I read the link in one of Mr. P.s answers but it didn't simplify it enough for me. If you have read that link..can you explain it to me? I'll try to go back and get the link for you. (OK with you, Mr. P.?)

Answer 1

It didn't exist.  It was a story invented by men.

Answer 2

The "Ark of the Covenant" was a container that held the original "social contract" of the Hebrews after their exodus from Egypt.  While the Bible/Torah tells this as a mystical miracle tale, there is historical evidence for such "contracts" - written declarations about the relationship of kings and the ruled.

It is probable that the Hebrews, who did not formally acknowledge a "king" at the time, did set up such a "contract" with their deities (they had a male and female god at the time, although this is conveniently forgotten today) in order to define a number of social rules.  That includes the very basic 10 commandments, but probably also covered other issues as well - if you read the "contracts" of other socieities of the era, they are fascinating.  Keeping the original documents in an "ark" is not unlike the way the United States preserves the original texts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

The "ark" was lost forever - probably destroyed - after the Babylonian conquest.

The myth about death to those who dared touch the ark was one of those miracle stories circulated to keep interlopers from disturbing the Hebrew nation's most important and valued documents.

So now go back to reading about magic spells to cure acne and make the girl down the street leave your boyfriend alone

Answer 3

It was the Divine Shekina Glory of G-d. Here is the people that know way more about than anyone else. They are the Jewish priesthood.

http://www.templeinstitute.org/

Answer 4

I dunno but from what I remember from the Indiana Jones movie if you're the good guy and you're tied up to a pole all you have to do is look away and you won't melt like hot wax.

Answer 5

Deenie, that's a religious story. According to the story, it was the power of God. There's no proof it actually existed, so like Eri said, there's no reason to try to scientifically explain it.

However, there's been some attempt by some Christians and alternative-science types to try to explain it in scientific ways, though it eludes me for what reason -- don't they believe in God's power if they believe in the Ark?  Anyhow, they try to explain that it was a capacitor that could be charged. The inner and outer plating was gold which supposedly acted like the two plates of a capacitor. Unfortunately, this falls apart with a little inspection. The top of the ark was also gold lined which would have shorted out the inner and outer plating anyway. Even modern day capacitors are very leaky (they lose their charge over time), and the ark "capacitor" would be much worse considering the dielectric material was wood . It would lose charge as fast as it gained it. There was no way to charge the ark "capacitor" in those days except to hold onto the handles and shuffle along in the sand to try and transfer a static charge to it. If it could hold a charge at all, the most you might expect is a shock like from a doorknob or a rug.

Answer 6

i think the answer cannot be simplified with a scientific explanation.  that's probably why there isn't one.

Answer 7

The Ark of the Covenant housed God on earth.  Because humans were not "pure" and without sin they couldn't survive touching it.  

Only the high priest was even allowed into the arks presence and then only once a year after many rituals and sacrifices.

Answer 8

you are right , thats why i advice eveybody dont try to read it

Answer 9

I don't claim to know what the Ark contained, or whether it existed.  As for the other replies, I'd observe that most of us, when we know things we tend to believe we know perhaps more than we actually do.

The links below provide images of something a man in Australia is doing with Tesla coils.  You might notice some similarities between some of his experiments and descriptions in the link you provided.

http://tesladownunder.com/Tesla_coils_in...

http://tesladownunder.com/tesla_coil_spa...

This isn't to suggest the ancient Hebrews and Egyptians had Tesla coils, nor how they might have come to have them in their possession.  It only offers an idea of the sort of technology that might reproduce the results described in the texts.

Answer 10

You can't be serious!  The Ark of the Covenant has never been found!  Did you know that, or are you just kidding?!

It's just a theory, based on the Bible and religous myths.  Whether or not it's true, or a myth, is not for me to say, but it has to be found first for people to die from touching it.