Gopher Wood

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 6:14. Perhaps cypress, Kupar resembling gopher; suitable for shipbuilding; abounding in Babylonia and Adiabene, the region which may have been that of Noah's building. It was here Alexander obtained timber for building his fleet.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Gopher Wood (  Genesis 6:14 ), of which the ark was constructed, was by tradition cypress wood, and this, or else the cedar, may be inferred as probable.

E. W. G. Masterman.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The wood with which Noah built the Ark. For so large a vessel it must have been a strong wood, but 'gopher' is the Hebrew word and it is not known to what it refers.  Genesis 6:14 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Genesis 6:14Ark

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Gopher Wood is mentioned only once in Scripture, as the material of which Noah was directed to build the ark , 'Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch' (probably 'bitumen'). In endeavoring to ascertain the particular kind of wood which is mentioned in the above passage, we can get assistance only from the name, the country where the wood was supposed to have been procured, or the traditional opinions respecting it. That nothing very satisfactory has been ascertained is evident from the various interpretations that have been given of this word, so that some have preferred, as in our Authorized Version, to retain the original Hebrew. The greatest number of writers have been of opinion that by the gopher wood we are to understand the cypress. Besides an argument attempted to be drawn from the similarity of the name, it is argued that the wood of the cypress, being almost incorruptible, was likely to be preferred; that it was frequently employed in later ages in the construction of temples, bridges, and even ships; and that it was very abundant in the countries where, according to these authors, the ark is supposed to have been built, that is, in Assyria, where other woods are scarce. But wherever the ark was built, there would be no deficiency of timber if there was a certain degree of moisture with warmth of climate; and we know not what change of climate may have taken place at the Deluge. The pine tribe, including the cypress, appears as likely as any other to have been employed, usually growing as they do in extensive forests, and yielding straight and easily worked timber, calculated, from its resinous nature, effectually to resist moisture, especially if covered with pitch and tar, which might easily have been prepared from the refuse branches and timber, and used as well as the natural bitumen. But the whole of these suggestions amount only to conjectures, and there seems no possibility of arriving at a satisfactory conclusion.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gō´fẽr wood ( עצי גפר , ‛ăcē ghōpher ): The wood from which Noah's ark was made (  Genesis 6:14 ). Gopher is a word unknown elsewhere in Hebrew or allied languages. Lagarde considered that it was connected with גּפרית , gophrı̄th , meaning "brimstone," or "pitch," while others connect it with כּפר , kōphēr , also meaning "pitch"; hence, along both lines, we reach the probability of some resinous wood, and pine, cedar, and cypress have all had their supporters. A more probable explanation is that which connects gōpher with the modern Arabic kufa , a name given to the boats made of interwoven willow branches and palm leaves with a coating of bitumen outside, used today on the rivers and canals of Mesopotamia. In the Gilgames story of the flood it is specially mentioned that Noah daubed his ark both inside and out with a kind of bitumen. See Deluge Of Noah .