What kind of wood was Noah told to use for the Ark?

Genesis tells Noah to make the Ark from gopher wood.

Genesis 6:14 uses the Hebrew expression traditionally translated into English as “gopher wood.” The verse then instructs Noah to make rooms in the Ark and cover it inside and outside with pitch. In English Bible translations, “gopherwood” may appear as one word, while other modern translations leave the Hebrew term untranslated or use a descriptive alternative.

The identity of the tree or timber meant by “gopher” is uncertain. The word occurs only in this passage, so there is no wider biblical usage that securely identifies a species. Proposed explanations have included cypress and other durable woods, but these remain interpretations rather than established facts.

This uncertainty is why “gopher wood” is the safest canonical answer. It should not be confused with pitch, which was the waterproofing substance, or with cedar and olive wood, which belong to other biblical construction contexts.