In the biblical account of Noah's Ark, how many levels did the vessel have?

In the biblical account of Noah's Ark, the vessel had three levels. Genesis 6:16 instructs Noah to make the Ark with lower, second, and third decks.

The same verse includes other construction details: an opening or window, a door in the side, and a roof. Together with the dimensions in Genesis 6:15, these instructions present the Ark as a large, multi-level enclosed vessel intended to hold Noah's household and the animals preserved from the flood.

The text does not provide a modern architectural plan. It does not specify the precise height of each deck, the arrangement of rooms, or a complete inventory of the animals. Illustrations and film versions therefore make many design choices that are not stated in Genesis.

The number of levels is sometimes confused with the number of dimensions, which are three, or with later artistic divisions of the vessel. The explicit construction detail is three levels: the lower, second, and third decks.