In Genesis 6, God provided Noah with the dimensions for building an ark of approximately 1.5 million cubic feet. This was at a time when flooding was an unprecedented event. The specified dimensions were 300 cubits in length, 50 cubits in breadth, and 30 cubits in height. The length of a cubit varied among ancient cultures, ranging from about 17 to 22 inches.
The precise length of the cubit used by Noah isn’t as crucial as the ratio of the dimensions: 30:5:3. Interestingly, in the 1600s in Hoorn, Holland, a ship was constructed using this same template (30:5:3) as the Ark. This design revolutionized shipbuilding, and this scale became the standard for ocean-going vessels for the next 300 years. By 1900, most large ships on the high seas adhered to these proportions.
A world-class ship research center, the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering (KRISO), conducted studies analyzing the biblical ark. [1] Their research concluded that an Ark with the proportions of 30:5:3 was optimal for:
KRISO also determined that a vessel with dimensions of 450 feet by 75 feet by 45 feet (30:5:3) could withstand sustained wave activity of around 90 feet, making it nearly impossible to capsize. This is significant considering Noah didn’t have access to modern engineering expertise.
Even for those who doubt the occurrence of the flood, the Genesis account provides a documented template of 30:5:3. This template suggests a design that could only have been divinely inspired, as the first ship was built from gopher wood. This divine inspiration could be seen as a blueprint for future shipbuilding endeavors.
-Jim
[1] http://www.iala-aism.org/about/membership/organisation/05310996/kriso—korea-research-institute-of-ships-and-ocean-engineering.html – accessed June 24, 2016