What was the estimated weight of the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat?

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The Christian Bible and Jewish Torah describes the Ark as being covered all over with the purest gold, not made of pure gold. The Ark was, according to The Bible, made of shittah-tree wood (acacia). This can be all found spelled out very clearly in the book of Exodus 25:10-11. It would have been somewhat heavy and several bearers would have been required to carry it.

Some sources indicate that Egyptian gold, during Pharaonic times, was "pure" to a degree of up to 23K. Giving the craftsmen of the day the benefit of being able to purify to this degree gives a theoretical basis for relative gold weight. Sources also point out that taking the dimensions and design specifications that are laid out in Exodus, assuming a gold density of 1061 lbs (481.26Kg) per cubic foot, and a gold overlay method available to craftsmen of the day of 0.02cm, a total Ark weight of approximately 183lbs./83Kg can be ascertained. This is a very manageable weight for the bearers of the Ark to carry and far less than the weight of "tons" that has been suggested.

It may also be pointed out that "mercy seat" is a gross mistranslation according to the original understanding of the Hebrew text. The Word in question (kaporet) simply means a cover, not a "seat" and not "mercy."