What were the approximate dimensions of Noah’s Ark in Genesis?
Answer
300 by 50 by 30 cubits
Genesis gives Noah’s Ark dimensions of 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. These measurements appear in Genesis 6:15.
A cubit was an ancient length unit commonly related to the distance from an adult’s elbow to the tip of the middle finger. Its exact value varied, so converting the ark into modern units produces estimates rather than one universally exact figure. Using a common cubit estimate, the ark would have been roughly 137 metres long, 23 metres wide, and 14 metres high.
Genesis also describes the vessel as having lower, second, and third decks. Its proportions are often compared with those of a large rectangular barge, emphasizing stability rather than speed or maneuverability.
The dimensions are sometimes mistakenly presented as modern measurements. They are ancient cubit measurements, and the uncertainty lies mainly in the cubit’s exact length, not in the biblical numbers themselves.