How the ark was made.

[OldWiseGuy]

I just noticed something interesting. The ark was to built in three 'stories'. The Hebrew definition carries the idea of 'steps'. An interesting comparison with todays construction of houses can be made. Today's multi-story homes are subject to building codes, most notably that of 'platform' construction. This method requires that each floor, or story, be completed with flooring 'capping' the structure before the next story can be added. This gives great strength and is like placing a box atop another box. This method replaces the weaker 'balloon' construction which hung the floors from full height walls. Wooden ships used this type of construction as they needed to save weight...........The ark probably used 'platform' construction; one complete 'building' atop another, and yet a third. This would give great strength to the structure..........Also the designated dimensions may have concerned the lower story, which constituted the 'footprint' of the ark. Second and third stories may have been slightly smaller, and would have given the ark a pyramid look.

 

[LifeToTheFullest!]

Ok. Cool.
Could you sketch it out for us?

 

[Mike Elphick]

The ark probably used 'platform' construction; one complete 'building' atop another, and yet a third.

What happened to your 'honeycomb' structure? Here is the only description of the construction of Noah's Ark:-

Genesis 6:14-16 (JPS)
Make thee an ark of gopher wood; with rooms shalt thou make the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And 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. A light shalt thou make to the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it upward; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.

Note how 'stories' are mentioned last. How can you state from this that 'platform construction' was PROBABLY used? I think you're just inventing stuff on the hoof, projecting your own interpretation onto the scriptures as you go.

 

[AV1611VET]

I just noticed something interesting. The ark was to built in three 'stories'. The Hebrew definition carries the idea of 'steps'. An interesting comparison with todays construction of houses can be made. Today's multi-story homes are subject to building codes, most notably that of 'platform' construction. This method requires that each floor, or story, be completed with flooring 'capping' the structure before the next story can be added. This gives great strength and is like placing a box atop another box. This method replaces the weaker 'balloon' construction which hung the floors from full height walls. Wooden ships used this type of construction as they needed to save weight...........The ark probably used 'platform' construction; one complete 'building' atop another, and yet a third. This would give great strength to the structure..........Also the designated dimensions may have concerned the lower story, which constituted the 'footprint' of the ark. Second and third stories may have been slightly smaller, and would have given the ark a pyramid look.

No argument here --

 

[AV1611VET]

Ok. Cool.
Could you sketch it out for us?

This is one of my favorite pictures:

 

[keith99]

What happened to your 'honeycomb' structure? Here is the only description of the construction of Noah's Ark:-



Note how 'stories' are mentioned last. How can you state from this that 'platform construction' was PROBABLY used? I think you're just inventing stuff on the hoof, projecting your own interpretation onto the scriptures as you go.

Doesn't much matter. As has been documented in other threads no one has managed to build a ship that size out of wood (including at least one with steel reinforcing beams) that would hold up even in calm ocean waters.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

What happened to your 'honeycomb' structure?


Note how 'stories' are mentioned last. How can you state from this that 'platform construction' was PROBABLY used? I think you're just inventing stuff on the hoof, projecting your own interpretation onto the scriptures as you go.

Only the briefest instruction is recorded. Many more features could have been incorporated, perhaps including opaque panels that would allow light in, as well as ventilation and other necessary mechanical systems. Note that the 'covering' that Noah removed at the end of the event is only mentioned once. What this covering was is not known. Regards the honeycomb structure, that would be the 'rooms' that would have been framed into the superstructure in such a way to give great strength. This is not an 'interpretation' but merely speculation about the likelyhood of what I've presented. If I were Noah I would certainly have built alot of stuff into the ark that wasn't in the instructions. Notice that there are no prohibitions given to Noah regarding the construction, only the briefest instruction regarding the overall size, materials, etc. I would guess he had a lot of leeway. He may even have written 'Ararat or Bust' on the side.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Doesn't much matter. As has been documented in other threads no one has managed to build a ship that size out of wood (including at least one with steel reinforcing beams) that would hold up even in calm ocean waters.

That's because they built a 'ship', not an 'ark'.

 

[AV1611VET]

Only the briefest instruction is recorded.

We see basically the same thing with the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, except for the added part that the Holy Spirit was involved as well.

Exodus 31:1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

I'm sure the Holy Spirit was present and rendering assistance.

In addition, I'm sure that Jesus Himself was on the Ark.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

This is one of my favorite pictures:

I'm always torn between my desire for the ark to have had a beautiful clear resin 'pitch' finish over redwood planking, and the probability of a huge ominous looking coffin covered with black bitumen tar pitch. Either would have been quite imposing.

 

[AV1611VET]

That's because they built a 'ship', not an 'ark'.

I have a feeling that, left to himself, Noah would have built a ship; but was 'let hitherto' by the Spirit to build a containment vessel instead.

 

[dawiyd]

This is all speculation right?

 

[AV1611VET]

This is all speculation right?

Yes -- based upon how God handled other similar situations, and employing line-upon-line, precept-upon-precept hermeneutics.

 

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Only the briefest instruction is recorded. Many more features could have been incorporated, perhaps including opaque panels that would allow light in, as well as ventilation and other necessary mechanical systems. Note that the 'covering' that Noah removed at the end of the event is only mentioned once. What this covering was is not known. Regards the honeycomb structure, that would be the 'rooms' that would have been framed into the superstructure in such a way to give great strength. This is not an 'interpretation' but merely speculation about the likelyhood of what I've presented. If I were Noah I would certainly have built alot of stuff into the ark that wasn't in the instructions. Notice that there are no prohibitions given to Noah regarding the construction, only the briefest instruction regarding the overall size, materials, etc. I would guess he had a lot of leeway. He may even have written 'Ararat or Bust' on the side.

There is no naturalistic explanation that possibly works. The entire scenario is absurd in the extreme. Suppose by some miracle this honeycomb structure didn't leak like a sieve as it flexed in the waves. You now have thousands of animals to take care of on a three level, "honeycomb structure" with one window. I assume you think all these animals are on cages in the honeycomb. How will 8 people take care of all these thousands of animals? Have you ever worked on a boat? I have. It adds many complications. Have you ever cared for horses, cows, goats, pigs or chickens. I have and under fairly primative conditions (no electricity or running water for instance) but not under anything like the conditions on the ark. Do have any idea how much waste these thousands of animals will generate and all of it dispersed through your honeycomb?
A single elephant can produce 300 lbs of feces per day. How much do you think the pair of indricotherium produced.
Indricotherium: Largest Land Mammal Ever - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com

How about the Brontotheriidea?
Brontotheriidae - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not to mention all the other large land mammals and the dinosaurs and large permian reptiles like dimetrodon
Dimetrodon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Or do you think all these animals were extinct at the time of the flood story? Even with only modern animals it just won't work.

The story requires the presence of a lot of birds. Do you know that you can die from trying to clean out a poorly ventillated chickhouse? Think of doing it on this big boat sealed with pitch during 40 days and night of global rain.

Then you have to have specialized diets for a lot of these animals and you have only 8 people to take care of all of them. This giant leaking, flexing, supposedly floating zoo would be a death trap for all on board even if it didn't sink the first time it encountered a wave.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I have a feeling that, left to himself, Noah would have built a ship; but was 'let hitherto' by the Spirit to build a containment vessel instead.

I would guess that Noah had no previous experience with either ark's or ships.

 

[Delphiki]

How do I think the ark was made?

 

[AV1611VET]

There is no naturalistic explanation that possibly works.

Then seek an unnaturalistic explanation.

And if you're going to insist on explaining this scientifically, then why not assume these animals were placed into suspended animation?

 

[AV1611VET]

I would guess that Noah had no previous experience with either ark's or ships.

That could very-well be --

 

[AV1611VET]

How do I think the ark was made?

The shadows don't match.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

There is no naturalistic explanation that possibly works. The entire scenario is absurd in the extreme. Suppose by some miracle this honeycomb structure didn't leak like a sieve as it flexed in the waves. You now have thousands of animals to take care of on a three level, "honeycomb structure" with one window. I assume you think all these animals are on cages in the honeycomb. How will 8 people take care of all these thousands of animals? Have you ever worked on a boat? I have. It adds many complications. Have you ever cared for horses, cows, goats, pigs or chickens. I have and under fairly primative conditions (no electricity or running water for instance) but not under anything like the conditions on the ark. Do have any idea how much waste these thousands of animals will generate and all of it dispersed through your honeycomb?
A single elephant can produce 300 lbs of feces per day. How much do you think the pair of indricotherium produced.
Indricotherium: Largest Land Mammal Ever - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com

How about the Brontotheriidea?
Brontotheriidae - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not to mention all the other large land mammals and the dinosaurs and large permian reptiles like dimetrodon
Dimetrodon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Or do you think all these animals were extinct at the time of the flood story? Even with only modern animals it just won't work.

The story requires the presence of a lot of birds. Do you know that you can die from trying to clean out a poorly ventillated chickhouse? Think of doing it on this big boat sealed with pitch during 40 days and night of global rain.

Then you have to have specialized diets for a lot of these animals and you have only 8 people to take care of all of them. This giant leaking, flexing, supposedly floating zoo would be a death trap for all on board even if it didn't sink the first time it encountered a wave.

Your assumptions trump even my speculations. Pick your favorite and I'll try to address it (you've tossed too much stuff at me in one post, a common debate tactic intended to overwhelm and confuse the opponent).