9484. Verses 1-16. And let them make an ark of shittim wood; two cubits and a half the length thereof and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, from within and from without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a border of gold round about. And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them upon the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put the staves into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark withal. The staves shall be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. And thou shalt put into the ark the Testimony which I shall give thee. “And let them make an ark,” signifies the inmost heaven; “of shittim wood,” signifies righteousness; “two cubits and a half the length thereof,” signifies all in respect to good; “and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof,” signifies full in respect to truth; “and a cubit and a half the height thereof,” signifies full in respect to degrees; “and thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,” signifies that all these things must be founded on good; “from within and from without shalt thou overlay it,” signifies everywhere; “and shalt make upon it a border of gold round about,” signifies a fixing of the bounds by good, lest they be approached and injured by evils; “and thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it,” signifies the Divine truth conjoined with Divine good that is round about on all sides; “and put them upon the four corners thereof,” signifies stability; “and two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it,” signifies the marriage of truth with good and of good with truth; “and thou shalt make staves of shittim wood,” signifies the power thence derived; “and overlay them with gold,” signifies good everywhere; “and thou shalt put the staves into the rings,” signifies the power of the Divine sphere; “on the sides of the ark,” signifies in ultimates; “to carry the ark withal,” signifies thus the coming-forth and subsistence of heaven; “the staves shall be in the rings of the ark,” signifies that the power shall endure from the Divine sphere of good and truth; “they shall not be removed from it,” signifies forever, without change; “and thou shalt put into the ark the Testimony,” signifies the Divine truth, which is the Lord in heaven; “which I shall give thee,” signifies its representative.