Mark Yagdon

And on the seventh day, after circling the city seven times and blowing their horns, the walls of Jericho collapse, allowing the Israelites to capture the city. I mean, that's crazy. They're walking around proceeding, you know, with this arc. And on the seventh day, boom, the walls crumble. And the arc doesn't stop just there.

And on the seventh day, after circling the city seven times and blowing their horns, the walls of Jericho collapse, allowing the Israelites to capture the city. I mean, that's crazy. They're walking around proceeding, you know, with this arc. And on the seventh day, boom, the walls crumble. And the arc doesn't stop just there.

You know, obviously it has a presence in battle, but it doesn't necessarily guarantee victory. So during the period of the judges, the Israelites faced this enemy known as the Philistines. And after suffering defeat in battle, the Israelites decided to bring the Ark from its resting place in Shiloh to the battlefield at Ebenezer, hoping that it would help them win the war, right?

You know, obviously it has a presence in battle, but it doesn't necessarily guarantee victory. So during the period of the judges, the Israelites faced this enemy known as the Philistines. And after suffering defeat in battle, the Israelites decided to bring the Ark from its resting place in Shiloh to the battlefield at Ebenezer, hoping that it would help them win the war, right?

But despite their confidence, the Philistines defeated the Israelites, killed thousands, including the priest Hophni and Phinehas, and captured the Ark itself. That sucks, right? The arc, that's like, that is your, that, I mean, quarterback got sacked on that. Like you can't let that happen. You got to have a better D line. That's crazy.

But despite their confidence, the Philistines defeated the Israelites, killed thousands, including the priest Hophni and Phinehas, and captured the Ark itself. That sucks, right? The arc, that's like, that is your, that, I mean, quarterback got sacked on that. Like you can't let that happen. You got to have a better D line. That's crazy.

So this capture of the Ark was a massive catastrophe, right? And it symbolizes that God is lost. Again, this is not just some type of like, oh, whoops, we lost our little treasure chest. No, this is God manifest with his people and now it's gone. So the news causes the high priest Eli to die from shock

So this capture of the Ark was a massive catastrophe, right? And it symbolizes that God is lost. Again, this is not just some type of like, oh, whoops, we lost our little treasure chest. No, this is God manifest with his people and now it's gone. So the news causes the high priest Eli to die from shock

And Phinehas' wife goes into premature labor, naming her son Ichabod, meaning the glory has departed from Israel. Dang. Naming your son after losing the Ark, I mean, that's tough. I mean, that's, dude, that's, it's like naming your kid's south tower. You know what I mean? It's like you're not going to name after a defeat. That's a bummer, dude. So she names her son.

And Phinehas' wife goes into premature labor, naming her son Ichabod, meaning the glory has departed from Israel. Dang. Naming your son after losing the Ark, I mean, that's tough. I mean, that's, dude, that's, it's like naming your kid's south tower. You know what I mean? It's like you're not going to name after a defeat. That's a bummer, dude. So she names her son.

The glory is departed from Israel. Tough name, but, you know, the boy named Sue. We move on. The Philistines take the Ark to Ashdod, and they place it in the temple of their god, not the god of Israel, but this god Dagon. And according to the biblical account, the statue of Dagon was found toppled and broken before the ark. And the cities that hosted the ark were struck by plagues.

The glory is departed from Israel. Tough name, but, you know, the boy named Sue. We move on. The Philistines take the Ark to Ashdod, and they place it in the temple of their god, not the god of Israel, but this god Dagon. And according to the biblical account, the statue of Dagon was found toppled and broken before the ark. And the cities that hosted the ark were struck by plagues.

And after seven months of calamity, the Philistines were like, you know what? You can have your ark back. We don't need all this trouble. Take it. So they returned the Ark to Israel with offerings and acknowledged its power. So after its return, the Ark is then received at Beth Shemesh and later moved to Kiriath Jerim, where it remained for many years.

And after seven months of calamity, the Philistines were like, you know what? You can have your ark back. We don't need all this trouble. Take it. So they returned the Ark to Israel with offerings and acknowledged its power. So after its return, the Ark is then received at Beth Shemesh and later moved to Kiriath Jerim, where it remained for many years.

Eventually, King David brings the Ark to Jerusalem, and there's a bunch of fanfare. People are stoked, like, oh, man, we got the Ark. Let's freaking go. And now this is a central symbol of Israel's religious and national identity. David's son, Solomon, later placed the Ark in the Holy of Holies within the first temple where it remained until its disappearance.

Eventually, King David brings the Ark to Jerusalem, and there's a bunch of fanfare. People are stoked, like, oh, man, we got the Ark. Let's freaking go. And now this is a central symbol of Israel's religious and national identity. David's son, Solomon, later placed the Ark in the Holy of Holies within the first temple where it remained until its disappearance.

This is likely to have occurred during the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC. So... This is where the legend begins. Centuries after the disappearance, the Ark of the Covenant, right? The most holy artifact in Jewish history, potentially Christian history, is gone. So what do people do? They try to find it. And this really picks up in the medieval period.

This is likely to have occurred during the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC. So... This is where the legend begins. Centuries after the disappearance, the Ark of the Covenant, right? The most holy artifact in Jewish history, potentially Christian history, is gone. So what do people do? They try to find it. And this really picks up in the medieval period.

So the Knights Templar, this is a Christian military order established during the Crusades. They are linked to the Ark in a lot of popular lore. And there are theories that suggest that they were very interested in finding not only the Ark, but many religious artifacts.

So the Knights Templar, this is a Christian military order established during the Crusades. They are linked to the Ark in a lot of popular lore. And there are theories that suggest that they were very interested in finding not only the Ark, but many religious artifacts.