Devine Scripture

Genesis 6:14

What does Genesis 6:14 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 6:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 6:14 means

God's first instruction to Noah is to build an ark, a large vessel, out of \"gopher wood.\" Noah is commanded to create \"rooms\" within it, indicating a multi-chambered structure, and to \"pitch it within and without with pitch.\" This pitch, likely bitumen, would seal the wood, making the ark watertight and buoyant, emphasizing God's meticulous care in providing for the safety of those within. This detailed command initiates the practical steps of salvation.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood with rooms in it, and make it safe from the water inside and out.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`Make for thyself an ark of gopher-wood; rooms dost thou make with the ark, and thou hast covered it within and without with cypress;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Make thee an ark of timber planks: thou shalt make little rooms in the ark, and thou shalt pitch it within and without.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Make thyself an ark of gopher wood: [with] cells shalt thou make the ark; and pitch it inside and outside with pitch.

Context

This verse follows God's declaration of His destructive judgment upon all flesh (verse 13). It immediately moves from the reason for judgment to the specific means of preservation, giving Noah the first practical instruction for building the ark. This command is crucial as it outlines the initial design and material requirements for the vessel of salvation.

v.13And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

v.14This passage

v.15And this is how thou shalt make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Matthew 24:38

    For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,

  • Luke 17:27

    They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

  • Exodus 2:3

    And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.

  • 1 Peter 3:20

    that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water:

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