What was the biblical Noah's Ark made from, according to Genesis?

According to Genesis, Noah's Ark was made from gopher wood.

Genesis 6:14 instructs Noah to make the ark from “gopher wood” and to cover it inside and outside with pitch. The Hebrew term translated as “gopher wood” occurs only in this passage, so its exact botanical identity is not known.

That uncertainty creates a common mix-up: some translations and commentators have proposed cypress or another durable wood, but those are interpretations rather than the wording of the traditional English rendering. “Gopher wood” remains the standard short answer in trivia and Bible references.

The ark's construction instructions also specify compartments and waterproofing. These details distinguish the biblical description from later artistic reconstructions, which often give the vessel features not stated in Genesis.