When I was young, my father, who is a pastor, used to read me Bible stories. One of the stories
I found quite intriguing was Noah building the ark. I remember wondering how one man could
build a vessel capable of carrying a pair of all the animal species in the world. I also asked him,
“how long did it take Noah to build the ark?” Now that I have years of experience in extensive
religious studies, I understand this topic better.
Join me as we will look into the facts and figures of the biblical events that transpired during
Noah’s life up until now, including when the floods started. This article will also help you
discover how long it took Noah to build the ark.
Does the Bible say how long it took Noah to build the ark?
The story of the ark is well documented in the book of Genesis, but there is no mention of how long Noah took to build the ark. According to Genesis, God was furious with how humans behaved and their ways and wanted to end them. The Bible states that God had given human beings a hundred and twenty years before he destroyed them all. Genesis 6:3 states, my spirit shall not abide in man forever for he is flesh; his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.
However, Noah didn’t start making the ark immediately. According to biblical references, Noah was six hundred years old when the floods came, which means that he was four hundred and eighty years old when God said that he would end the world.
The Bible also says that Noah had his firstborn child, Japheth, at five hundred years, which means twenty years had already elapsed. Noah had his second child at five hundred and two years, which we know since the scripture says that Shem had his first child two years after the flood at one hundred years. This means that he was ninety-eight years when the floods came. The age of Ham, Noah’s last-born child, has not been documented in the Bible. But if we were to assume that he was born a year or two after Shem and give him time to come of age and have a wife before construction of the ark started because according to the Bible, God gave Noah instruction to build the ark when all his sons had wives already. Genesis 6:18 says, you will enter the ark together with your wife, sons, and their wives.
Considering all these facts and figures, it is likely that the ark was constructed over seventy to fifty years since the Bible offers no conclusive evidence on how long it took to construct.

Is there any historical evidence of how long it took Noah to build the ark?
There is no historical evidence of how long Noah had to build the ark. The story of Noah’s ark can be found in both the Bible and the Quran. The only documentation showing such a vessel being constructed is in religious books.
Many explorers and archeologists have searched for the ark in many regions of the earth, including Mount Ararat, where it is believed to have rested after the flood waters dried up.
Since it also does not show any evidence of an event of mass flooding in the world. Scientists believe that it is impossible. Also, given the Bible’s measurements, it is impossible to fit a pair of all animal species in the world into the ark.
There have been expeditions and explorations around the world to find the ark’s final resting place. But none has yielded concrete proof of the ark ever existing. Hence no historical evidence has ever been found on how long it took to construct the ark.
Did Noah build the ark alone?
According to the book of Genesis, God gave Noah the instructions to build the ark himself. We can assume that he had assistance from his sons, who were capable members of society by the time the construction was starting. From Genesis 6: 14 so, make yourself an ark of cypress wood, make quarters in it, and line it with pith on the inside and outside.
It is unclear whether Noah got help from other residents where he lived. Since none of them believed in what Noah was talking about at the time. Many mocked Noah and his sons, calling them madmen for building a boat nowhere close to any water body. However, the Bible does not give historical records of the entire building process. But it is safe to assume that Noah’s sons would lend a helping hand to their father during the construction process.
What was the ark like?
Even by today’s standards, the ark is of epic proportions; the sheer size would dwarf many of the vessels in our oceans. However, the exact shape and profile of the ark haven’t been given, and there is no biblical record of the design; we cannot know what the ark looked like.
However, God gives Noah the dimensions to build the ark in the book of Genesis. When converted to today’s measurements would be 24 m wide, 136 m long, and 14 meters high. The ark would also be divided into three decks. Each deck had its function, which we can learn more about in the sixth chapter of the book of Genesis.

As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.