According to Genesis, what material was Noah's Ark made from?

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According to Genesis, Noah's Ark was made from gopher wood.

Genesis 6:14 instructs Noah to build the Ark from “gopher wood” and to cover it inside and out with pitch. The Hebrew term translated as “gopher wood” occurs only in this passage, so its precise botanical meaning is unknown.

Some translations retain the phrase “gopher wood,” while others render it more generally as “resinous wood” or “timber.” Cypress is sometimes proposed as a possible identification, but Genesis does not name a modern tree species.

The Ark’s construction instructions also specify rooms, three decks, a roof, and a door in its side. The wood question is therefore separate from the Ark’s dimensions and design.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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