Ship or building.

OldWiseGuy · Nov 30, 2019

Based on the biblical language describing the ark, was the structure a ship, or a building?

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

15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.

16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it."

inquiring mind · Nov 30, 2019

Great question. I have often wondered why some want to limit God’s work to the simplest form and meaning of the ‘wording’ used in the Bible, which is written in an understandable context, regardless of when you have lived or your education level. This is an example, and please correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think Genesis once specifies the ark (a place of refuge) as a ship or boat. No trip-ups in the NT either… Jesus also refers to it as the ark, and not a ship or boat. So, maybe it was some form of Tardis booth style structure after all.

Phil W · Nov 30, 2019

OldWiseGuy said:
Based on the biblical language describing the ark, was the structure a ship, or a building?

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

15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.

16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it."

It floated, so it was a ship.

OldWiseGuy · Nov 30, 2019

inquiring mind said:
Great question. I have often wondered why some want to limit God’s work to the simplest form and meaning of the ‘wording’ used in the Bible, which is written in an understandable context, regardless of when you have lived or your education level. This is an example, and please correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think Genesis once specifies the ark (a place of refuge) as a ship or boat. No trip-ups in the NT either… Jesus also refers to it as the ark, and not a ship or boat. So, maybe it was some form of Tardis booth style structure after all.

Many atheists, and some Christians, argue that a 'ship' that size would not be seaworthy, and I agree. However a structure as described would have been quite able to survive the flood, as described.

OldWiseGuy · Nov 30, 2019

Phil W said:
It floated, so it was a ship.

A 'ship' has to be able to navigate. The ark was a floating warehouse with no such means. It also requires a means of propulsion, either sails or engine. The ark was simply adrift on the flood.

Phil W · Nov 30, 2019

OldWiseGuy said:
A 'ship' has to be able to navigate. The ark was a floating warehouse with no such means.

Navigate to where?
As the ark was built with trust in God, (without a means to navigate), why can't it's final stop also be in trust to God?

OldWiseGuy · Nov 30, 2019

Phil W said:
Navigate to where?
As the ark was built with trust in God, (without a means to navigate), why can't it's final stop also be in trust to God?

That was the point.

usexpat97 · Nov 30, 2019

People call cruise ships floating cities. But they are still ships.

inquiring mind · Nov 30, 2019

I'm just wondering why it wasn't referred to as a 'ship' or 'boat' somewhere in the Bible? Was it?

OldWiseGuy · Nov 30, 2019

usexpat97 said:
People call cruise ships floating cities. But they are still ships.

Aircraft carriers too.

OldWiseGuy · Nov 30, 2019

inquiring mind said:
I'm just wondering why it wasn't referred to as a 'ship' or 'boat' somewhere in the Bible? Was it?

The term "ship" only appears once in the bible.

Acts 27:30
"And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,"

Jesus didn't refer to the ark as a "ship", therefore there is a distinction.

TreWalker · Nov 30, 2019

The Hebrew word used in the text here for ark is teva. There is only one other place in the Torah were this word is used, as the description for the box Moses was placed in.

Neither are a ship because they don't have a rudder. All ships have rudders for the captain to steer them. But the ark is moved solely by God. Those in the ark can not direct its path.

inquiring mind · Nov 30, 2019

OldWiseGuy said:
The term "ship" only appears once in the bible.

Acts 27:30
"And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,"

Jesus didn't refer to the ark as a "ship", therefore there is a distinction.

Yes, and it comes as no surprise that God’s Word is right whether it’s a ship, a three-story building or structure of some type, or was a Tardis booth with multiple worm holes to other locations when you entered it… an ark (place of refuge) fits the definition for anyone of them. All it would’ve taken would have been one biblical author to have called it ‘ship’ instead of an ‘ark’ and any other possibility would have been omitted, giving more weight to the non-believer's fairy tale accusations.

AV1611VET · May 9, 2022

Building.

jacks · May 9, 2022

A floating building, kind of like a big house boat.

AV1611VET · May 9, 2022

jacks said:
A floating building, kind of like a big house boat.

Ship or building.

Was the ark a ship or a building.

ship

building

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