Genesis 6:14
"Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Make thee an ark of Gopher wood,.... It is not called a ship, for it was not made for sailing to any distant parts, but an ark or chest, being like one, flat bottomed, and ridged and sloping upwards, and was made for floating on the waters for a little way. So Lucian (c), and other Heathen writers, call it "an ark" or "chest": this was made of "Gopher wood", which all the Targums, and the more ancient Rabbins, understand of cedar wood; some the box tree, as the Arabic version; others, the pine; others, fir; the Mahometans say it was the Indian plane tree; and others, the turpentine tree: but the cypress tree bids fairest to be the wood of which, the ark was made, as Fuller (d), Bochart (e), and others (f) have shown; that being nearest to "Gopher" in sound, and

being a wood very durable and incorruptible, and fit for shipping. Alexander made a navy of cypress trees in the groves and gardens about Babylon, as Strabo (g) relates: where this ark was made, is not easy to say: some think in Palestine; others, near Mount Caucasus, on the borders of India; others, in China: but it is most likely it was near the garden of Eden, where Noah lived, and not far from Ararat, where the ark rested. Bochart (h) conjectures, that "Gopher" is the name of the place where it was made, as well as of the wood of which it was made; and that it might be Cupressetum or Cyparisson, which Strabo (i) places in Assyria. How long Noah was building the ark is variously conjectured: a Jewish (k) writer says fifty two years; and an Arabic writer (l) an hundred years; others think Noah was building it the whole one hundred and twenty years (m), the time of God's longsuffering and forbearance, which some conclude from Pe1 3:20 but though it would require not a few years to build such a vessel, and prepare everything necessary for the use of it, yet one would think it should not take so many years as the least account gives unto it: it may be observed, the order is, "make thou", or "for thyself" (n); for thy use and benefit, for the saving of thyself and family, as well as for the preservation of the several creatures which were for the service of him and his posterity: rooms shalt thou make in the ark; or "nests" (o); little apartments, and many of them for the several creatures, and for their provisions, as well as for Noah and his family. The Targum of Jonathan gives us the number of them, paraphrasing the words thus,"one hundred and fifty cells shalt thou make for the ark on the left hand, and ten apartments in the middle to put food in, and five cabins on the right, and five on the left:" and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch; it was pitched without to keep out the waters, and that they might more easily slide off, and to preserve the ark from being eat with worms, or hurt with the wind and sun; and it was pitched within, to take off the ill smell that might arise from the several creatures, as well as for the better security of the ark. Some take it to be bitumen, a sort of clay or slime like pitch, such as was used at the building of Babel, and of the walls of Babylon. De Dieu conjectures it was that kind of bitumen which the Arabs calls Kaphura, which agrees in sound with the word here used; but why not the pitch of the pine tree, or the rosin of the cypress tree, and especially the latter, if the ark was made of the wood of it (p)? (c) De Dea Syria. (d) Miscellan. Sacr. l. 4. c. 5. (e) Phaleg. l. 1. c. 4. col. 22, 23. (f) Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 1. p. 35. (g) Geograph, l. 16. p. 510. (h) Ut supra. (Phaleg. l. 1. c. 4. col. 22, 23.) (i) Ib. p. 508. (k) Pirke Eliezer, c. 23. (l) Elmacinus, p. 11. apud Hottinger, Smegma, l. 1. c. 8. p. 249. (m) Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 1, 2. (n) "tibi", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. (o) "nidos", Pagninus, Montanus. (p) Vid. Scheuchzer. p. 35.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (13 words)

H6213 עָשָׂה
Definition:

A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows) -- accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows) -- accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly,

Possible Meanings:
  • press (semantic_range)
  • squeeze (semantic_range)
H8392 תֵּבָה
Definition:

1+; constructתֵּבַתGenesis 6:14;Exodus 2:3; — vessel in which infant Moses was laid among reedsExodus 2:3(made of papyrus,גֹּמֶא),Exodus 2:5(both E;ᵐ5θῖβις,θήβη, compare LewyFremdw. 100); vessel which 1+; constructתֵּבַתGenesis 6:14;Exodus 2:3; — vessel in which infant Moses was laid among reedsExodus 2:3(made of papyrus,גֹּמֶא),Exodus 2:5(both E;ᵐ5θῖβις,θήβη, compare LewyFremdw. 100); vessel which

Possible Meanings:
  • ark (semantic_range)
  • chest (semantic_range)
  • box (semantic_range)
H6086 עֵץ
Definition:

9tree, trees, wood; —׳עabsoluteGenesis 3:3+, constructGenesis 3:24+,עֵץֿGenesis 2:16+; suffixֵ˜עצְךָDeuteronomy 28:42, etc.; pluralעֵצִיםJudges 9:8+, constructעֲצֵיIsaiah 7:2+, suffixעֵצֶיךָDeuteronom 9tree, trees, wood; —׳עabsoluteGenesis 3:3+, constructGenesis 3:24+,עֵץֿGenesis 2:16+; suffixֵ˜עצְךָDeuteronomy 28:42, etc.; pluralעֵצִיםJudges 9:8+, constructעֲצֵיIsaiah 7:2+, suffixעֵצֶיךָDeuteronom

H1613 גּפֶר
Definition:

14(P), wood of which the ark was made (word dubious; Thes compareכֹּפֶר& so Rob Ges (hence 'pitch-wood, resinous wood'), compare Di; LagSemitica i. 64; Symmict. ii. 93, BN 217 ff. thinks word not orig 14(P), wood of which the ark was made (word dubious; Thes compareכֹּפֶר& so Rob Ges (hence 'pitch-wood, resinous wood'), compare Di; LagSemitica i. 64; Symmict. ii. 93, BN 217 ff. thinks word not orig

Possible Meanings:
  • gopher (semantic_range)
H7064 קֵן
Definition:

6nest; — absolute׳קIsaiah 10:14+; constructקַןֿDeuteronomy 22:6; suffixקִנּוֺDeuteronomy 32:11+, etc.; pluralקִנִּיםGenesis 6:14; —1nest, of birdDeuteronomy 22:6;Job 39:27; in simIsaiah 10:14;Proverbs 6nest; — absolute׳קIsaiah 10:14+; constructקַןֿDeuteronomy 22:6; suffixקִנּוֺDeuteronomy 32:11+, etc.; pluralקִנִּיםGenesis 6:14; —1nest, of birdDeuteronomy 22:6;Job 39:27; in simIsaiah 10:14;Proverbs

Possible Meanings:
  • cells (semantic_range)
H6213 עָשָׂה
Definition:

A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows) -- accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows) -- accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly,

Possible Meanings:
  • press (semantic_range)
  • squeeze (semantic_range)
H0854 אֵת
Definition:

25;Joshua 14:12, next2 Samuel 24:24; then repeatedly (but not exclusively)1 Kings 20—2 Kings 8, & in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, e.g.1 Kings 20:25(but1 Kings 20:23אִתָּם)1 Kings 22:7,8,24 (besideמֵאִתִּי)2 Kin 25;Joshua 14:12, next2 Samuel 24:24; then repeatedly (but not exclusively)1 Kings 20—2 Kings 8, & in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, e.g.1 Kings 20:25(but1 Kings 20:23אִתָּם)1 Kings 22:7,8,24 (besideמֵאִתִּי)2 Kin

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H8392 תֵּבָה
Definition:

1+; constructתֵּבַתGenesis 6:14;Exodus 2:3; — vessel in which infant Moses was laid among reedsExodus 2:3(made of papyrus,גֹּמֶא),Exodus 2:5(both E;ᵐ5θῖβις,θήβη, compare LewyFremdw. 100); vessel which 1+; constructתֵּבַתGenesis 6:14;Exodus 2:3; — vessel in which infant Moses was laid among reedsExodus 2:3(made of papyrus,גֹּמֶא),Exodus 2:5(both E;ᵐ5θῖβις,θήβη, compare LewyFremdw. 100); vessel which

Possible Meanings:
  • ark (semantic_range)
  • chest (semantic_range)
  • box (semantic_range)
H3722 כָּפַר
Definition:

A primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel -- appease, make (an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardo A primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel -- appease, make (an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardo

Possible Meanings:
  • dig (semantic_range)
  • dig (semantic_range)
  • cave (semantic_range)
  • basket, measure (semantic_range)
  • cave, sepulchre (semantic_range)
H0853 אֵת
Definition:

33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34: 33,אֹתָ֑ךְ,אֹתָ֑כָהExodus 29:35, feminineאֹתָךְ;אֹתוֺetc.; 2 pluralאֶתְכֶם, once˜אוֺתְכֶםJoshua 23:15; 3masculine plural regularlyאֹתָם, rarelyאֶתְהֶםGenesis 32:1;Exodus 18:20;Numbers 21:3;Ezekiel 34:

Possible Meanings:
  • sign (semantic_range)
H1004 בּיִת
Definition:

12house(Phoenicianבת, MIבת, suffixביתה, Arabic, Aramaicבַּיְתָא,Assyrianbîtu, COTGloss, Sabeanבית,בת,fortressDHMZMG 1883, 387;templeHal257DHMZMG 1876, 697, EthiopicPalmyrene inבת עלמא,בת מקברתאsepulch 12house(Phoenicianבת, MIבת, suffixביתה, Arabic, Aramaicבַּיְתָא,Assyrianbîtu, COTGloss, Sabeanבית,בת,fortressDHMZMG 1883, 387;templeHal257DHMZMG 1876, 697, EthiopicPalmyrene inבת עלמא,בת מקברתאsepulch

Possible Meanings:
  • lodge (semantic_range)
  • pass the night (semantic_range)
H2351 חוּץ
Definition:

3etc.; —1the outside, of a house, tent, city, camp, etc., often used, especially with prepositions, to express the adverb idea ofoutside, abroad(Aramaic synonym, except in sense2a, isבַּר,):a.as accus 3etc.; —1the outside, of a house, tent, city, camp, etc., often used, especially with prepositions, to express the adverb idea ofoutside, abroad(Aramaic synonym, except in sense2a, isבַּר,):a.as accus

Possible Meanings:
  • sew together (semantic_range)
  • bind, compress (semantic_range)
  • bandage (semantic_range)
  • encompass (semantic_range)
  • wall (semantic_range)
H3724 כֹּפֶר
Definition:

Fromkaphar; properly, a cover, i.e. (literally) a village (as covered in); (specifically) bitumen (as used for coating), and the henna plant (as used for dyeing); figuratively, a redemption-price -- b Fromkaphar; properly, a cover, i.e. (literally) a village (as covered in); (specifically) bitumen (as used for coating), and the henna plant (as used for dyeing); figuratively, a redemption-price -- b

Possible Meanings:
  • dig (semantic_range)
  • dig (semantic_range)
  • cave (semantic_range)
  • basket, measure (semantic_range)
  • cave, sepulchre (semantic_range)

Interlinear data not available for this verse yet.

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