5:9 there it is unto this day. The ark and its staves were gone by the time Ezra (or someone of his generation) compiled and edited the two books of Chronicles, which climax with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. This section, therefore, must have been written originally by some earlier scribe, possibly during the times of Hezekiah or Josiah. Then the Chronicler decided to let the statement stand as it was, probably for the emotional impact it would have on the returning exiles as they realized the ark could never again be in the post-exile temple.