-- The name itself implies there was nothing in the Ark of the Covenant but the Ten Commandments, which is the covenant of God: Numbers 10:33 says:  And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them. Numbers 10:33 is one of forty-five verses that say it is the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, and the Covenant of the LORD is the Ten Commandments.

-- Nothing in the ark but the Ten Commandments: 1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chronicles 5:10

-- God gave Moses the pattern for making the ark and told him what to put in it: Exodus 25:9-22; Deuteronomy 10:1-5

-- Jar of manna was laid up before the Lord in the Holy of Holies, not put in the ark: Exodus 16:33-34

-- Rod of Aaron was laid up before the Lord in the Holy of Holies, not put in the ark: Numbers 17:4-10

-- Sanctuary and the Holiest of all, the first and second rooms of the tabernacle:
Hebrews 9:1-5 is speaking about the items that were in the first and second rooms of the tabernacle.
The first room is called the Sanctuary, which had the candlestick, table, and showbread
The second room, after the veil, is called the Holiest of all, which had the: angels, Ark, censer, mercy seat, pot of manna, rod of Aaron, Ten Commandments,
-- -- Hebrews 9:1-3, the items in the first and second rooms, Sanctuary and the Holiest of all
-- -- Hebrews 9:2 items in the "sanctuary:" the candlestick, table, and showbread.
-- -- Hebrews 9:3-5 items in the "Holiest of all:" angels, Ark, censer, mercy seat, pot of manna, rod of Aaron, Ten Commandments, (NOTE: The Ten Commandments were in the Holiest of all being the only item inside the Ark of the Covenant. The pot of manna and the rod of Aaron were "laid up before the Lord." They were in the room but not put inside the Ark.)

-- The sacrifice law, the book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant:
Deuteronomy 31:26; (NOTE: Even the sacrifice law was not put in the Ark of the Covenant with the Ten Commandments)
-- -- Only the two tables of stone were in the Ark of the Covenant, also called the Ark of the Testimony..

-- Heart and mind is now where God's Covenant with man, the Ten Commandments, is kept: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 2:14-16; Hebrews 8:8-10; Hebrews 10:16; Hebrews 12:24

-- All scripture is given by the inspiration of God; therefore, all scripture is in agreement with each other, which means only the Ten Commandments were in the ark: 2 Timothy 3:16

-- New versions have changed scripture:
Hebrews 9:4, has been changed in new versions to make it read the jar and rod were in the ark


-- Practicality: The jar was too large and the rod too long, to fit into the Ark.

You are a Jew if you are a follower of Jesus inwardly, and if your heart has been circumcised by Jesus.

Romans 2:28-29 KJV
[28] For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: [29] But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

You are spiritual Israel if you are a follower of Jesus, and then you are heirs according to the promise of God.

Galatians 3:29 KJV
[29] And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

God's Covenant with man is his Ten Commandments:

Exodus 34:28 KJV
[28] And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

Deuteronomy 4:13 KJV
[13] And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.

Deuteronomy 4:23 KJV
[23] Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee.

Deuteronomy 4:31 KJV
[31] (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.