In Genesis, pitch covers Noah’s Ark inside and outside as waterproofing.
Genesis 6:14 tells Noah to cover the Ark with pitch. The instruction appears immediately after the command to build it from gopher wood, linking the wooden structure with a protective coating against the Flood waters.
Pitch is a broad term for a sticky, water-resistant substance derived historically from tar, bitumen, or resinous materials. The biblical Hebrew word is related to the idea of covering or coating, and translations differ slightly in how they render it.
This detail is sometimes confused with the Ark’s building material. Gopher wood forms the vessel, while pitch seals it. Genesis does not identify the exact chemical composition or source of the pitch, so modern claims naming a precise natural product go beyond the text.