What wood was Noah instructed to use for the Ark?

Noah was instructed in Genesis to build the Ark from gopher wood.

Genesis 6:14 tells Noah to make an ark from “gopher wood” and to construct rooms inside it. The Hebrew expression is unusual and appears only in this passage, so translations generally preserve it as “gopher wood” rather than identifying a certain modern tree species. The text does not provide a secure botanical definition.

Noah is also told to coat the ark inside and outside with pitch, a waterproofing substance. This instruction is part of the vessel’s construction description, along with its multiple levels, rooms, and a covering or opening near the top. The narrative therefore combines a named material with practical details about sealing and layout.

Cypress, cedar, and other woods are sometimes proposed in discussions of what “gopher” might mean, but none is established as the definitive answer by the biblical text. For a trivia question based on Genesis, the canonical wording is “gopher wood,” not a modern species identification.