S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

How long did it take Noah to build the ark? The Bible does not specifically say how long it took Noah to build the ark. When Noah is first mentioned in Genesis 5:32, he is 500 years old. When Noah ...

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Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

How long did it take Noah to build the ark? How long was Noah on the ark?

Scripture does not give a precise number of years for the construction.

The Bible records only the command to build, then moves directly to completion.

Two time markers are often noted:

Genesis 5:32 — Noah was 500 years old when he fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 7:6 — Noah was 600 years old when the Flood came.

This shows 100 years passed between these verses, but Scripture never says the ark required all 100 years, nor does it assign any specific duration to the building process.

Biblical conclusion:

The length of construction is not stated anywhere in Scripture.

How long was Noah on the ark?

Here, the Bible does give clear time details.

Flood begins

Genesis 7:11 — The Flood started on the 17th day of the 2nd month of Noah's 600th year.

Flood waters prevail

Genesis 7:24 — Waters dominated the earth for 150 days.

Ark rests

Genesis 8:4 — The ark rested on Ararat on the 17th day of the 7th month.

Waters continue to recede.

Genesis 8:5 — Tops of mountains seen in the 10th month.

Earth dries

Genesis 8:13 — By the 1st day of the 1st month of Noah's 601st year, the surface was dry.

Genesis 8:14 — By the 27th day of the 2nd month, the earth was fully dry.

Total time on the ark

From the 2nd month, 17th day (year 600)
to the 2nd month, 27th day (year 601)

Total: 1 year and 10 days

(Approximately 370 days)

Scriptural Summary

Time to build the ark: Not stated in Scripture.

Time Noah was inside the ark: From Genesis 7:11 to Genesis 8:14 — one year and ten days.

The following scriptures show how old Noah was when God told him what he was going to do.

The Bible says Jehovah issued a decree in heaven. According to Genesis 6:3, he said: "And Jehovah said, My spirit shall not strive with man for ever, for that he also is flesh: yet shall his days be a hundred and twenty years."

Genesis 5:32: "And Noah was five hundred years old: And Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth."

Genesis 7:6 "And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth."

Genesis 8: 13-15 "And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dried. 14 And in the second month, on the seventh and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dry. 15 And God spake unto Noah, saying, 16 Go forth from the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee."

It is suggested that at that time, Noah was 480 years old. (Gen. 7:6) Some 20 years later, in the year 2470 B.C.E., Noah's sons began to be born. (Gen. 5:32) About one hundred years remained before the Flood was to begin.

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