According to Genesis, what material was Noah’s Ark built from?

According to Genesis, Noah’s Ark was built from gopher wood.

The Hebrew Bible gives this instruction in Genesis 6:14, where Noah is told to make the ark from “gopher wood” and coat it with pitch inside and out. The phrase is traditionally translated as a type of wood, but the exact species is unknown.

“Gopher wood” is not clearly identified in surviving Hebrew or other ancient sources. Some proposals connect it with cypress, cedar, or a general term for prepared timber, but none is certain. Modern translations therefore often retain “gopher wood” rather than naming a species.

The ark’s construction account also describes compartments, a door in its side, and three levels. The material detail belongs to the biblical narrative and should not be confused with archaeological evidence for a surviving vessel.