What type of wood does Genesis specify for building Noah’s Ark?

Genesis specifies gopher wood for building Noah’s Ark. Genesis 6:14 instructs Noah to make the Ark from “gopher wood,” although the identity of this wood is uncertain.

“Gopher” appears only in this passage in the Hebrew Bible, making it a rare and difficult term to translate. Some translations preserve the Hebrew-like word, while others have proposed terms such as cypress or resinous wood. No interpretation has achieved universal agreement.

That uncertainty matters because “gopher wood” is not the securely identified name of a modern tree species. The text gives a material label, but it does not provide enough botanical information for a definitive identification. Popular reconstructions therefore make an informed choice rather than following a universally established species name.