Can somebody explain this?
The Ark was a type, a pre-figure or picture, of Christ (acacia wood symbolized His humanity, overlaid gold represented His deity, etc.). God laid down strict ordinances which the Jews were to follow when transporting from place to place. He did not hold others as accountable in following the laid out procedures as He did the Jews. In fact, prior to the rise of the monarchy (eg. Saul, David, Solomon, et. al.) the Philistines captured it in battle. They were not immediately struck dead as was done later to the Jew, non-priest, Uzzah, who dared to steady it as it wobbled on an oxcart.
The Philistines soon learned that whichever city kept the captured Ark, the people would be plagued with hemorroids. So they were anxious to move it from one city to another. Finally, they returned it to Israel on a cart.
Christ was the fulfillment of the foreshadow of the Ark and the Old Testament sacrifices. They are no longer regarded with the importance as they once were. It would be the same as giving adoration to a picture of your wife -- yet she is sitting across the room from you.