Genesis 6 · Verse 16

Genesis 6:16

A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
Genesis 6:16, King James Version

Genesis 6:16 in other translations

BSBYou are to make a roof for the ark, finish its walls a cubit from the top, place a door in the side of the ark, and build lower, middle, and upper decks.
WEBYou shall make a roof in the ship, and you shall finish it to a cubit upward. You shall set the door of the ship in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third levels.
ASVA light shalt thou make to the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it upward; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
YLTa window dost thou make for the ark, and unto a cubit thou dost restrain it from above; and the opening of the ark thou dost put in its side, --lower, second, and third stories dost thou make it.
DARBYA light shalt thou make to the ark; and to a cubit high shalt thou finish it above. And the door of the ark shalt thou set in its side: with a lower, second, and third story shalt thou make it.
BBEYou are to put a window in the ark, a cubit from the roof, and a door in the side of it, and you are to make it with a lower and second and third floors.
WebsterA window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in its side: with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.

What does Genesis 6:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. A window--probably a skylight, formed of some transparent substance unknown. in a cubit shalt thou finish it above--a direction to raise the roof in the middle, seemingly to form a gentle slope for letting the water run off.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 A window shalt thou make - What this was cannot be absolutely ascertained. The original word צהר tsohar signifies clear or bright; the Septuagint translate it by επωυναγων, "collecting, thou shalt make the ark," which plainly shows they did not understand the word as signifying any kind of window or light. Symmacbus translates it διαφανες, a transparency; and Aquila, μεσημβρινον, the noon. Jonathan ben Uzziel supposes that it was a precious luminous stone which Noah, by Divine command, brought from the river Pison. It is probably a word which should be taken in a collective sense, signifying apertures for air and light. In a cubit shalt thou finish it above - Probably meaning that the roof should be left a cubit broad at the apex or top, and that it should not terminate in a sharp ridge. But this place is variously understood.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 6:12-21

God told Noah his purpose to destroy the wicked world by water. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Psa 25:14. It is with all believers, enabling them to understand and apply the declarations and warnings of the written word. God chose to do it by a flood of waters, which should drown the world. As he chooses the rod with which he corrects his children, so he chooses the sword with which he cuts off…

Read the full comment on Genesis 6:12-21 →

Genesis 6:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

צֹ֣הַר\׀Tzo.hara roofH6672
תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣הta.'a.Sehyou will makeH6213
לַתֵּבָ֗הla.te.Vahfor the arkH8392
וְאֶל\־ve.'el-and toH413
אַמָּה֙'a.Maha cubitH520
תְּכַלֶ֣נָּהte.kha.Le.nahyou will finish itH3615
מִלְמַ֔עְלָהmil.Ma'.lahfrom to above <towards>H4605
וּפֶ֥תַחu.Fe.tachand [the] entrance ofH6607
הַתֵּבָ֖הha.te.Vahthe arkH8392
בְּצִדָּ֣הּbe.tzi.Dahin side itsH6654
תָּשִׂ֑יםta.Simyou will putH7760
תַּחְתִּיִּ֛םtach.ti.Yimlower [decks]H8482
שְׁנִיִּ֥םshe.ni.Yimsecond [decks]H8145
וּשְׁלִשִׁ֖יםu.she.li.Shimand third [decks]H7992
תַּֽעֲשֶֽׂהָ\׃Ta.'a.Se.hayou will make itH6213

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 6:16

  • Genesis 7:16

    And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in.

  • Genesis 8:6

    And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:

  • Ezekiel 41:16

    The door posts, and the narrow windows, and the galleries round about on their three stories, over against the door, cieled with wood round about, and from the ground up to the windows, and the windows were covered;

  • 2 Kings 9:30

    And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

  • Ezekiel 42:3

    Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court, and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was gallery against gallery in three stories.

  • Luke 13:25

    When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

  • 2 Samuel 6:16

    And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
window.
8:6; 2Sa 6:16; 2Ki 9:30
the door.
7:16; Lu 13:25
with.
Eze 41:16; 42:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 6:15

    And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.

  • Genesis 6:16

    A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.

  • Genesis 6:17

    And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

Read all of Genesis 6

Genesis 6:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Una ventana harás al arca, y la acabarás á un codo de elevación por la parte de arriba: y pondrás la puerta del arca á su lado; y le harás piso bajo, segundo y tercero.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Tu feras un jour à l’arche, et tu l’achèveras en lui donnant une coudée d’en haut; et tu placeras la porte de l’arche sur son côté; tu y feras un étage inférieur, un second, et un troisième.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Eine Lichtöffnung sollst du der Arche machen, und bis zu einer Elle sollst du sie fertigen von oben her; und die Tür der Arche sollst du in ihre Seite setzen; mit einem unteren, zweiten und dritten Stockwerk sollst du sie machen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fenestram in arca facies, et in cubito consummabis summitatem ejus: ostium autem arcæ pones ex latere; deorsum, cœnacula et tristega facies in ea.