In Genesis, pitch was used to waterproof Noah’s Ark.
Genesis 6:14 instructs Noah to make rooms in the Ark and cover it with pitch inside and outside. Pitch is a thick, waterproofing substance traditionally associated with tar-like materials. The instruction appears before the dimensions and passenger details, forming part of the Ark’s basic construction directions.
Translations vary in how they render the underlying ancient term, sometimes using “tar” or a related word. “Pitch” is the traditional English answer and matches the wording of many major Bible translations. It should not be confused with the wood named in the same verse, which Genesis calls gopher wood.