The Hebrew word commonly translated as “Ark” in Noah's story is tebah.
In the Hebrew Bible, tebah refers to Noah’s vessel in Genesis and to the basket that carries the infant Moses in Exodus. The word is often understood broadly as a box, chest, or vessel rather than as a technical nautical term. English Bibles traditionally translate it as “ark.”
This shared vocabulary creates an important connection between the two stories. Noah’s tebah preserves life through floodwater, while Moses’ tebah preserves his life on the Nile. In both cases, the object is a protective container placed in water.
Tebah should not be confused with the Hebrew term aron, used for the Ark of the Covenant. The English word “ark” links the names in translation, but the Hebrew words and narrative functions differ. Nor does tebah itself identify a particular ship design. It emphasizes the vessel’s role as a container of rescue.