Genesis 6:14
Make thee an ark of timber planks: thou shalt make little rooms in the ark, and thou shalt pitch it within and without.
Open Genesis 6:14 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Fac tibi arcam de lignis lævigatis ; mansiunculas in arca facies, et bitumine linies intrinsecus et extrinsecus.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ποίησον οὖν σεαυτῷ κιβωτὸν ἐκ ξύλων τετραγώνων· νοσσιὰς ποιήσεις τὴν κιβωτόν, καὶ ἀσφαλτώσεις αὐτὴν ἔσωθεν καὶ ἔξωθεν τῇ ἀσφάλτῳ.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ תֵּבַ֣ת עֲצֵי גֹ֔פֶר קִנִּ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֶת הַתֵּבָ֑ה וְכָֽפַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛הּ מִבַּ֥יִת וּמִח֖וּץ בַּכֹּֽפֶר
Haydock's commentary
Timber planks. Hebrew, "gopher wood," which is no where else mentioned in Scripture. It was probably a sort of wood full of rosin, and being besmeared with something like our pitch, was capable of resisting the fury of the ensuing tremendous storm, for a length of time. (Calmet; Haydock)
Rooms to separate the birds, various animals, provisions, &c.
Pitch, literally: "besmear it with bitumen," which has a very strong smell, able to counteract the disagreeable odours arising from beasts confined. (Menochius)
It might be mixed with some other ingredients, naphtha, pitch, &c. (Calmet)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXXXVII
3. …But that ye may know that Christ is at once the earliest and the highest foundation, the Apostle saith, “Other foundation can no man lay than is laid, which is Christ Jesus.” How, then, are the Prophets and Apostles foundations, and yet Christ so, than whom nothing can be higher? How, think you, save that as He is openly styled, Saint of saints, so figuratively Foundation of foundations? Thus if thou art thinking of mysteries, Christ is the Saint of saints: if of a subject flock, the Shepherd of shepherds: if of a structure, the Pillar of pillars. …
St Ambrose On the Duties of the Clergy, Chapter XXV. A reason is given why this book did not open with a discussion of the above-mentioned virtues. It is also concisely pointed out that the same virtues existed in the ancient fathers
121. How wise also was Noah, who built the whole of the ark! How just again! For he alone, preserved of all to be the father of the human race, was made a survivor of past generations, and the author of one to come; he was born, too, rather for the world and the universe than for himself. How brave he was to overcome the flood! how temperate to endure it! When he had entered the ark, with what moderation he passed the time! When he sent forth the raven and the dove, when he received them on their return, when he took the opportunity of leaving the ark, with what moderation did he make use of these occasions!