In Genesis, what type of wood was Noah’s Ark built from?

In Genesis, Noah’s Ark was built from gopher wood. Genesis 6:14 gives this instruction when God tells Noah to construct the vessel before the Flood.

The Hebrew phrase translated as “gopher wood” appears only once in the Bible, so its exact botanical identity is uncertain. “Gopher” may be a type of tree, a regional term, or a description that was preserved without a clear later equivalent. English translations generally retain the phrase rather than identifying a modern species.

This answer is sometimes confused with the material used to waterproof the Ark. Genesis separately says that Noah coated the vessel with pitch inside and out. Gopher wood therefore identifies the construction timber, while pitch describes the waterproofing treatment. The passage does not provide enough evidence to connect gopher wood confidently with cedar, cypress, or any other known species.