“If we fancy Noah riding the sunny seas high, dry, and snug in the ark, we have not read the record—”
“the long, hopeless struggle against entrenched mass resistance to his preaching, the deepening gloom and desperation of the years leading up to the final debacle, then the unleashed forces of nature with the family absolutely terrified, weeping and praying ‘because they were at the gates of death’, as the ark was thrown about with the greatest violence by terrible winds and titanic seas” (Abraham in Egypt, Nibley, pg. 164)
The meaning of the word, “ark”
- the ark of the covenant which was a box or oblong chest for keeping the covenant (ten commandments), pot of mana, and Aaron’s rod. The Lord gave the Israelites the precise dimensions for making the ark, and told them to place it in the Holy of Holies in the Temple or the Tabernacle. The ark was most holy, and on the Day of Atonement, God would appear above the mercy seat of the ark to the High Priest.
- the ark that God commands Noah to build, with precise dimensions — which is how Noah and and his family will be saved from the flood.
The Ark of the Covenant
Noah’s Ark
tê·ḇaṯ —
hat·tê·ḇāh — Genesis 6:14
HEB: תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֶת־ הַתֵּבָ֑ה וְכָֽפַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛הּ
NAS: you shall make the ark with rooms,
KJV: in the ark, and shalt pitch
INT: shall make in the ark and shall cover withinGenesis 9:18
HEB: הַיֹּֽצְאִים֙ מִן־ הַתֵּבָ֔ה שֵׁ֖ם וְחָ֣ם
NAS: who came out of the ark were Shem
KJV: that went forth of the ark, were Shem,
INT: came out of the ark were Shem and HamExodus 2:5
HEB: וַתֵּ֤רֶא אֶת־ הַתֵּבָה֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַסּ֔וּף
NAS: and she saw the basket among
KJV: and when she saw the ark among
INT: the Nile saw the basket among the reedslat·tê·ḇāh — Genesis 6:16
HEB:צֹ֣הַר ׀ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לַתֵּבָ֗ה וְאֶל־ אַמָּה֙
NAS: a window for the ark, and finish
KJV: shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit
INT: A window shall make the ark to A cubitbat·tê·ḇāh —Genesis 7:23
HEB: וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בַּתֵּבָֽה׃
NAS: was left, together with those that were with him in the ark.
KJV: [alive], and they that [were] with him in the ark.
INT: after for the arkGenesis 8:1
HEB: אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בַּתֵּבָ֑ה וַיַּעֲבֵ֨ר אֱלֹהִ֥ים
NAS: the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God
KJV: and all the cattle that [was] with him in the ark: and God
INT: after in the ark to pass and God
Hi Deila, I’m not sure if this site is intended to be for Mormons only, but because you’ve taken the time to discuss Noah’s Ark and the flood and I happen to be somewhat of an expert on Noah’s Ark in particular I hope you’ll consider my perspective.
I hate to disappoint you because you did say you found the most interesting definition “the preservation of life” referring to Tebah, but you should be aware that this is NOT the definition of tbh. It’s true both Moses vessel and Noah’s vessel preserved life, they have that in common descriptively, however that is not what Hebrew lexicons or even the average Bible dictionary defines Tebah to mean. Sadly this confusion comes because you’ve been getting your info from easily accessible sources being the two above listed sites. Answers In Genesis and World Wide Flood. The “scholar” who is responsible for the website World Wide Flood is also the same gentleman (Tim Lovett) who has sold his uneducated rubbish (sadly) to Answers In Genesis who I happen to support them in most other areas. This gentleman Tim Lovett has sadly twisted the text and meanings of the words. The primary issue for most Christians is that we do not believe the Bible contains errors or contradictions. It’s simple. The New Testament is God’s word. If the New Testament uses the word Kibotos (wood chest) referring to Noah’s Ark, then Noah’s Ark is a wood chest! The Hebrew word Tebah is not in conflict with this definition as it is also used for Noah’s Ark. Tebah is not a material specific word, it is a shape specific word meaning “chest”. Kibotos is more specific meaning “wood chest”. Tim Lovett decieves and distracts his readers by getting them focused on baskets and the shape of baskets!? Tebah does not mean basket but chest. A chest is a shape specific word but a basket can be different shapes. That’s why he wanted to switch the word from chest to basket. With basket he can show you an oblong or oval basket and then have a basis to propose his boat or ship-like design! A chest is never oval or rounded on the ends. He did not like the rectangular Biblical barge and in “expertise” as a Mechanical Engineer decided a ship would work better thus he devised and schemed up his twisted logic! Lol 😀 Feel free to email or ask me questions through email. I prefer if this post was private to you or deleted at least until we (my colleagues and myself) finish publications we are working on relating to this topic.
It’s an intriguing topic to discuss. I like to bring it up and say the good news is that the Lord promised to never again destroy the earth by flood. Wait for the sigh, then say
…next time it will be by fire : )
Yea, I’m afraid there’ill be a lot of chaos before the fire too. I keep telling my husband, don’t worry about the country, it may all fulfill prophecy (as I sit looking at the beaufitul sky).