How Long Was Noah's Ark?
According to Genesis 6:14-16, Noah's Ark was 300 cubits long or about 510 feet long!
More Facts About Noah's Ark
- When God sent the flood, it rained for 40 days and 40 nights according to the book of Genesis.
- After 150 days the flood waters subsided according to Genesis 7:24.
- Noah is assumed by biblical scholars to have been in the ark for 370 days.
Scripture on The Ark's Length
Genesis 6:14-16 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make [a]rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.
15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred [b]cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.
16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.
The Ark's Formidable Construction
Constructing Noah’s Ark would have been extraordinarily demanding, particularly because the workforce consisted solely of Noah and his sons according to Scripture. Scholars such as C.F. Keil (Leipzig, Commentary on Genesis, 1866) and Franz Delitzsch (Erlangen, Biblical Commentary, 1850) acknowledged the immense scale of the Ark especially considering such limited labor.
Another scholar, John Lightfoot (Cambridge, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae, 1658) emphasized the logistical challenges: felling and shaping timber, transporting massive beams, and assembling a watertight structure. Adam Clarke (Clarke’s Commentary, 1810) also highlighted the physical strain and the need for meticulous planning, as even minor mistakes could compromise stability.
With just a few people to perform all tasks, each step required intense labor, endurance, and coordination. Scholars agree that while construction was feasible, it demanded extraordinary diligence and reliance on God, demonstrating that the Ark’s completion depended on both human effort and God’s wisdom and strengthening.
Scholarly Table On The Construction of The Ark :
| Scholar | Institution & Work | View on Construction |
|---|---|---|
| C.F. Keil | University of Leipzig – Commentary on Genesis (1866) | Emphasized the Ark’s vast size but argued construction was feasible using ancient timber-working methods under God’s guidance. |
| B.F. Westcott | Cambridge University – Genesis in The Bible for English Readers (1870) | Saw the Ark as a logical structure for survival of species; acknowledged difficulty but manageable under God’s supervision. |
| J.W. McGarvey | College of the Bible (Kentucky) – Commentary on Genesis (1887) | Focused on its stability and practicality; noted challenge but possible with obedience and divine guidance. |
| E.W. Hengstenberg | University of Berlin – Christology of the Old Testament (1832) | Emphasized scale as a testament to divine foresight; construction was formidable yet feasible with God’s direction. |
From Scripture the ark held up structurally during the flood with all the mentioned animals and humans (Noah's extended family on board). Some scholars even believe that the remains of the ark are present today.
| Scholar/Explorer | Institution & Work | View on Noah’s Ark Remains |
|---|---|---|
| John Lightfoot | Cambridge University – Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae (1658) | Believed the Ark could still exist on Mount Ararat, interpreting Genesis literally and considering divine preservation. |
| J.J. Ross | London – The Ark and Its Remains (1880) | Claimed reports of Ark sightings on Mount Ararat were credible, emphasizing eyewitness accounts from local inhabitants. |
| E. Hull | University of Dublin – Bible and Geology (1892) | Argued Mount Ararat was geologically stable enough to preserve the Ark’s structure over millennia. |
| Henry Clay Trumbull | Philadelphia – Noah’s Ark: A History of Discovery (1885) | Documented alleged sightings and local reports of Ark remains, affirming the possibility of survival. |
| George Faber | England – The Ark and Its Builders (1860) | Concluded that remains might still exist, based on scriptural interpretation and accounts from Armenian locals. |
