Beyond the inner veil was the holy of holies, where centered the symbolic service of atonement and intercession, and which formed the connecting link between heaven and earth. In this apartment was the ark, a chest of acacia wood, overlaid within and without with gold, and having a crown of gold about the top. It was made as a depository for the tables of stone, upon which God Himself had inscribed the Ten Commandments. Hence it was called the ark of God's testament, or the ark of the covenant, since the Ten Commandments were the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel.

På den anden side af det indre forhæng var det allerhelligste, der var midtpunkt for den symbolske forsonings- og forbønstjeneste. Det dannede forbindelsesledet mellem himmel og jord. I denne afdeling stod arken, en kiste af akacietræ, overtrukket med guld udvendig og indvendig og omgivet af en gylden krans. Den var opbevaringssted for stentavlerne, hvor Gud selv havde skrevet de ti bud. Derfor blev den kaldt Guds testamentes ark eller pagtens ark, fordi de ti bud var grundlaget for pagten mellem Gud og Israel.