The Hebrew word for the vessel called Noah’s Ark in Genesis is tebah.
The Hebrew noun tebah appears in the Flood narrative for Noah’s vessel. It is also used for the small basket in which the infant Moses is placed in Exodus, making those two objects the only major biblical uses commonly discussed for this unusual word.
Tebah is often translated as “ark,” but the English word can suggest a particular ship shape. The Hebrew term itself does not necessarily specify the modern image of a boat with a pointed bow. Genesis focuses on the vessel’s dimensions, decks, roof, and door rather than giving a detailed nautical classification.
This term should not be confused with mishkan, a Hebrew word associated with the tabernacle, or with the menorah, the seven-branched lampstand. Those belong to different biblical contexts.