To the Israelites, the Ark also was a symbol — and a vehicle for — God's almighty power. Jewish legend and tradition describe the Ark lifting it's bearers off the ground. Many biblical accounts of the Ark seem almost to be describing a weapon of war. To march into battle bearing the Ark of the Covenant was to be undefeated. The Bible describes the Ark's power at the conquering of Jericho. When the Israelites hold it before them and sound their rams' horns, the city walls are blown over and Jericho is easily taken.
对于以色列人而言，约柜也是一个象征和一个传达手段 －作为上帝的万能。犹太传奇及其传统记述了约柜使它的担负者离开地面。《圣经》里记载到约柜的地方多是作为一种战争的武器来描绘的。肩负着约柜行军到战争中的一方是不可战胜的。《圣经》记载有约柜的力量攻克耶利哥城。当以色列人把约柜抬在队伍前面、吹响他们的羊角号时，耶利哥城墙立即神奇地塌陷了、被轻松地攻占。
But the Ark could be unpredictable. When the glowing cloud arced between the cherubim, Moses himself would often keep clear of the Tabernacle as implied in Exodus 40:35. Biblical accounts describe a Holy Ark that seems to strike down its caretakers with the same raw power unleashed against its caretakers' enemies. The sons of Aaron— Moses' own nephews— were struck dead by the fire of the Lord when they bring the wrong offering before the Ark. In 2 Samuel 6:7, during a celebration in Jerusalem, the driver of the cart bearing the Ark reaches out to steady the golden box and falls dead at its touch.

约柜也是不可预测的。当浮云在约柜上的两个小天使间起电弧时，摩西经常会亲自到来清洁圣堂，按照《出埃及记》中所暗示的。《圣经》记载有约柜把对其看护者的敌人才发出的能量同样也释放在它的看护人身上，把他们击倒在地。
The Ark of the Covenant did not always bring victory to its bearers. In about 1050 B.C., the rival Philistines defeated the Hebrews in battle and captured the Ark, which they took back to their home city of Ekron. But for them, the treasure turned into a torment. When they placed it in their temple, the idol of their god Dagon was found the next morning with its head and hands mysteriously gone. The Philistines themselves were afflicted with painful leprosy-like sores until the Ark was returned to the Hebrews.
约柜并不总是给它的管理者带来胜利。大约公元前1050年，对立的非利士人击败了犹太人，把约柜掠夺带回他们自己的城市。但是对于他们而言，珍宝变成了痛苦。当他们把约柜放在他们的宗庙里时，在第二天早上惊奇地发现他们极受崇拜的偶像-大衮的头和手神奇失踪了。而非利士人他们自身则忍受着类似麻风的痛苦，直到约柜被归还给犹太人为止。
Constructing the Ark<<＝＝　 ＝＝>>Last Known Resting Place of the Ark