2007-05-26 06:26:37 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Far larger than the largest aircraft carrier. A complete impossibility with wood of any kind. And impossible to ventillate with only one tiny window. Not to mention impossible for a handful of people to be able to take care of so many animals.
Or any of a hundred other impossibilities.
2007-05-26 06:30:16 · answer #1 · answered by Scott M 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The ark measured 300x50x30 cubits (Gen. 6:15) which is about 137x23x13.7 meters or 450x75x45 feet, so its volume was 43,200 m3 (cubic meters) or 1.52 million cubic feet. To put this in perspective, this is the equivalent volume of 522 standard railroad stock cars, each of which can hold 240 sheep.
If the animals were kept in cages with an average size (some would be much bigger, others smaller) of 50x50x30 centimeters (20x20x12 inches), that is 75,000 cm3 (cubic centimeters) or 4,800 cubic inches, the 16,000 animals would only occupy 1,200 m3 (42,000 cubic feet) or 14.4 stock cars. Even if a million insect species had to be on board as well, it would not be a problem, because they require little space. If each pair was kept in cages of 10 cm (four inches) per side, or 1,000 cm3, all the insect species would occupy a total volume of only 1,000 m3, or another 12 cars. This would leave room for five trains of 99 cars each for food, Noah’s family and ‘range’ for the animals, and air space. However, insects are not included in the meaning of behemah or remes, so Noah probably did not have to take them on board as passengers anyway.
Tabulating the total volume is fair enough, since this shows that there would be plenty of room on the Ark for the animals with ample left over for food, space to move, etc. It would be possible to stack cages, with food on top or nearby (to minimize the amount of food carrying the humans had to do), to fill up more of the Ark space, while still allowing plenty of gaps for air circulation. We are discussing an emergency situation, not necessarily luxury accommodation.
2007-05-26 13:53:35 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Genesis 6:14-16 describes how God commanded Noah to build the ark. He tells him to build it 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits tall. It can be assumed that Noah built the ark according to God's instructions.
In 800 B.C.E., a cubit measured about 17.5 inches.
17.5 inches / 12 inches/feet = 1.458 feet/cubit
300 cubits x 1.458 feet/cubit = 437.5 feet ( a little more than 1 1/3 football fields)
50 cubits x 1.458 feet/cubit = 72.9 feet
30 cubits x 1.458 feet/cubit = 43.74 (height of a four-story building)
Therefore, God's instruction were for the ark to be 437 feet long, 72.9 feet wide, and 43.7 feet tall.
This may seem unreasonable, but there's a lot about Noah's story we don't actually know. How many different species were on the earth at that time? How many type of animals did God mean when he commanded Noah to bring two of every "sort"? Did God inspire Noah with plans for an amazingly strong boat, surpassing modern designs in strength and buoyancy? All of these questions are left unanswered by the simple account given in the Bible.
2007-05-26 13:52:29 · answer #3 · answered by Rufus Rutendo 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In the world now or in the world during Noah's time? There could have been a lot fewer types of animals back then.
Plus, are you talking about all animals or just the types that Noah was told to load in the boat. God only told Noah to load the "behemah" and the "remes", not all animals.
2007-05-26 13:35:35 · answer #4 · answered by Deof Movestofca 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The dimensions are listed in the Bible and it is the same scale that is used for our oil tankers today.
It was 2 of every unclean animal and 7 of every clean animal. And they were probably the young version of each animal which takes less space, etc. so was a floating nursery of sorts.
2007-05-26 13:39:14 · answer #5 · answered by coffee_pot12 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Parable up to Abraham? Noah represents the Ancient Church. Adam and Eve represents the Most Ancient Church.
2007-05-26 13:29:54 · answer #6 · answered by WhyNotAskDonnieandMarie 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Genesis tells you the size of the ark.
2007-05-26 13:29:25 · answer #7 · answered by singwritelaugh 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It was big enough to hold a couple of each kind of animals.
I think it doesn't make a sense to give XXXXsquare meters.
It all about an idea not about a mathmatical matters.
Peace
2007-05-26 15:02:22 · answer #8 · answered by Eve 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
So big it would have collapsed under its own weight, never mind the weight of all the animals loaded onto it.
2007-05-26 13:30:00 · answer #9 · answered by Resident Heretic 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Really Big
2007-05-26 13:33:06 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋