What is the Ark? Myths and Reality in the History of the Flood. Noah's ark

What is Noah's Ark? According to the biblical story, this is a large ship built by the patriarch Noah on orders from above. The prehistory tells how God became angry with humanity for the extreme degree of corruption and wickedness. As a punishment, the Almighty determined to destroy all life on Earth and start history anew. For this, He commissioned the only righteous man, Noah, to build a ship in a special way. At the same time, God provided his chosen one with all the necessary instructions and directions. On this ship, the hero of the story with his family survived the flood, as well as all kinds of animals attracted there by God in the amount of one or seven pairs.

When the water of the flood disappeared and the land appeared, greened with new vegetation, the inhabitants of the ark, after many months of imprisonment, came to earth, laying the foundation for a new civilization. The final stop, and, accordingly, the place of the alleged search for the ark, is localized by the Bible on the mountain slopes of Ararat.

Theology of the term "ark"

The very meaning of the word "ark" is a box that serves as a container for something. The synonymous series of this term includes such concepts as a chest, a wardrobe, etc. This name means not just a ship, but a sacred vessel, a temple designed to preserve the seed of new life - Noah, his family and all types of flora and fauna.

The origin of the flood legend

The legend itself is of pre-biblical origin, and was adopted with preliminary adaptation from the pagan world. Its primary source is the Eastern myth of the flood, also preserved in the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh, the Akkadian legend of Atrahasis, and a number of other legends. In addition, more or less similar legends about a grandiose flood in prehistoric times are present among the peoples of all continents without exception.

The religious significance of Noah's ark

What is an ark for a faithful Jew or Christian - adherents of the biblical tradition? First, it is a historical monument that testifies to the truth and historicity of the power and glory of the Creator. Secondly, in order to understand what the ark is, one must turn to allegory. Then it will become clear that he is an important symbol of the hope for God's salvation. According to the Bible, after the flood, God placed a rainbow in the sky - as a sign that henceforth the total destruction of all living things will never happen. Therefore, the ark for the Judeo-Christian tradition is an important shrine, not only possessing archaeological and historical value, but also endowed with sacred significance and meaning.

The issue of vessel capacity

Many skeptics wondered how one ship, even if not small, could accommodate representatives of all types of life on Earth, in order to ensure their reproduction and settlement later. After all, a population of even a few dozen individuals is considered unviable, and after the flood, the earth should have been filled with just one pair of each species. Another problem is how could they be placed inside the ship to leave enough room for food? Who and how would be able to daily monitor the cleaning of the vessel, clean the stalls and cages of all animals, and also feed them? While scholars ask questions and doubt, believers come up with various theories. For example, according to one of them, the space inside the ark mystically expanded, and there was enough space for everyone in abundance. And Noah himself and his sons watched over the harvest and feed.

Theories about the date and time frame of the flood

The estimated date of the flood helps to answer the question of what the ark is. Jewish legends, based on the data of the Torah, give 2104 BC. e. as the year of the beginning of the flood and 2103 BC. e. as its graduation year. However, a number of scientific studies provide different results. However, scientific hypotheses are very different from each other, since they are based on different ideas about the nature of the flood. For example, the Black Sea theory, suggesting the flooding of the Black Sea and a rise in the water level in it by several tens of meters, attributes the flood to a period of about 5500. Other scientists, inclined to the version, suggest that the fact of the planetary flooding was about 8-10 thousand years ago.

Research

It is not surprising that many expeditions and enthusiastic explorers went in search of the ark. Many of them failed, some were not at all lucky to return. However, there were also those who claimed to be successful and discovered the location of Noah's ship. Some even provided some wood particles as material proof of their success.

Search for the ark

Many have tried to understand what the ark is and where to look for it. Two Chinese Protestants, Andrew Yuan and Boaz Li, recently announced the success of their mission. They are preceded by a whole galaxy of secular and religious researchers. For example, claims to know the location of the ark were made back in 1893 by a Nestorian cleric named Nurri. The ark was searched for by climbers and aviators. The latter even took a number of interesting photographs, in which, with a certain amount of optimism, one can identify something resembling a ship in outline.

Nevertheless, there is still no direct, clear and flawless evidence of the discovery and existence of an ark on Ararat, although hypothetically it is quite possible - scientists have established that in the distant past this area was subjected to a very serious flood, and possibly even a number of such cataclysms ...

Conclusion

The lost ark is still waiting for its official discoverer, although there is a prophecy according to which God will hide the ark from the sight of people, and it will not be found.

Noah's ark - 1) according to the biblical legend: the ship in which the righteous man Noah during the global flood took in pairs of people and animals, plant seeds to continue life on Earth; 2) a heterogeneous group of people, animals who find themselves in close proximity (book). (Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language (1992), N. Yu. Shvedova, "Kovcheg")

The ark - A dilapidated or strange-looking ship, a ship, as well as an old carriage, sobbed. (Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language (1992), N. Yu. Shvedova)

The story of Noah's ark is told in, (chapters 6 - 8). God was angry at the sinful behavior of people and decided to send a worldwide flood to the earth to destroy them. The only person on earth led a righteous life - Noah. God warned Noah about the coming Flood and told him to build an ark (ship). To preserve life on earth, God commanded to take on board Noah's relatives, animal seeds of plants.

The righteous life of Noah and Noah's ark is said in:

8. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
9. This is the life of Noah: Noah was a righteous and blameless man in his kind; Noah walked with God.
10. Noah gave birth to three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11. But the earth was corrupted before the face of God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it is corrupted, for all flesh has perverted its way on earth.
13. And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence by them; and behold, I will destroy them from the earth.
14. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make compartments in the ark, and pitch it inside and out with pitch.
15. And you shall make it thus: the length of the ark is three hundred cubits; its breadth is fifty cubits, and its height is thirty cubits.
16. And make a hole in the ark, and bring it down at the top of the cubit, and make the door to the ark on its side; arrange in it the lower, second and third dwellings.
17. And behold, I am going to bring a flood of water on the earth to destroy all flesh, in which is the spirit of life, under heaven; everything on earth will lose its life.
18. But with you I will establish My covenant, and you will enter the ark, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons' wives with you.
19. Bring also into the ark of all animals, and of all flesh, in pairs, so that they may remain alive with you; male and female, let them be.
20. Of birds after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, and of all that creep on the earth after their kind, of all of them, a couple of them will come in to you to stay alive.
21. You take for yourself all the food that they eat, and gather it to you; and it will be food for you and for them.

And Noah's journey on Noah's ark is described in chapters 7 and 8

Noah's Ark Iron. Crowded room. - Well, so these rooms are hired, and they have one room in each, they live in one and two and three. Don't ask the order - Noah's ark! (Dostoevsky. Poor people). Opening the door, Andrei heard a noise in the kitchen: several voices at once, interrupting each other, were arguing, and something else gurgled, hissed and squirmed - life in Noah's ark went on as usual ... (A. Motylkova. Early snow). - According to the biblical myth, the ark is a ship in which the righteous Noah with his family and a couple "from all flesh" was saved from the flood.

Phraseological dictionary of the Russian literary language. - M .: Astrel, AST... A.I. Fedorov. 2008.

See what "Noah's Ark" is in other dictionaries:

NOAH'S ARK - A genus of shells in the Mediterranean. An explanation of the 25,000 foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language, with the meaning of their roots. Mikhelson AD, 1865. NOAH'S ARK A genus of shells in the Mediterranean. Dictionary of foreign words included in ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Noah's Ark - according to the Bible, the shelter built by the righteous Noah for the salvation of the human race and animals during the flood. In the book of Genesis (6:13 16) Yahweh himself indicates to Noah in detail the material ("gopher tree"), size, device. Noah's Ark is not ... ... Political science. Dictionary.

Noah's ark - From the Bible. The Old Testament (Genesis, ch. 7, v. 2-4) tells how on the eve of the Flood God ordered Noah to build an ark (ship) on which he could save himself and save the animals that had inhabited the earth by that time (see . Any ... ... Dictionary of winged words and expressions

NOAH'S ARK - NOAH'S ARK, see the article The Flood ... Modern encyclopedia

NOAH'S ARK - see Art. Global flood … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

NOAH'S ARK - "NOAH'S ARK", Russia, USA, 1992, col. Comedy. A funny story about a sea voyage in emigration. Cast: Rimma Markova (see Rimma Vasilievna MARKOVA), Galina Petrova (see Galina Leonidovna PETROVA), Efraim Sevela (see Efraim SEVELA), Eugene ... Encyclopedia of Cinema

Noah's ark - This term has other meanings, see Noah's ark (meaning). Edward Hicks. "Noah's Ark" Noah's Ark (in the Bible Hebrew תֵּבַת נֹח, Tevat Hóax; ... Wikipedia

Noah's Ark - Edward Hicks. "Noah's Ark" Noah's Ark (in the Bible Hebrew תֵּבַת נֹח, Tevat Hóax; Hebrew ת теה, teva box, chest) in the Bible, a ship built by Noah at the behest of God to save his family and one (or more) pairs every animal species from ... ... Wikipedia

NOAH'S ARK - that overcrowded, overcrowded premises; a place in which there are many different people (animals) at the same time. It is understood that the situation, state of affairs, circumstances (sometimes emergency) put people incompatible in ... Phraseological dictionary of the Russian language

noah's ark - (insignia) a room inhabited by all sorts of rabble indiscriminately (a hint at the biblical. Noah's ark, inhabited by different animals) Cf. Soon, my uncle's house looked like Noah's ark. Dostoevsky. Village Stepanchikovo. 1. Introduction. Wed The house is big: you never know people ... ... Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary

Noah's ark - see the Flood. * * * NOAH'S ARK NOAH'S ARK, according to the Bible (see BIBLE), a refuge built by the righteous Noah (see NOAH) for the salvation of the human race and animals during the Flood (see WORLD FLOOD). In Genesis (6:13 16) ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Books

• Noah's Ark, Andrey Platonov. Andrei Platonov, a prose writer, author of the novels CHEVENGUR and KOTLOVAN, went down in the history of not only Russian, but also world literature. Platonov as a playwright is practically unknown. And no wonder: his plays ...

Noah's Ark

see Art. Global flood.

Political Science: Reference Dictionary

Noah's Ark

according to the Bible, the shelter built by the righteous Noah for the salvation of the human race and animals during the flood. In the book of Genesis (6: 13-16) Yahweh himself indicates to Noah in detail the material ("gopher tree"), size, structure. Noah's ark does not look like a ship (and this is its difference from the arks from the myths of other peoples about the flood), its structure (three tiers) corresponds to the triple division of the universe. In the Hebrew text, the ark is denoted by the same word as the basket in which Moses was saved, but the ark of the covenant is denoted by a different word.

Encyclopedia of Judaism

Noah's Ark

(Tevat Hoax)

The Torah provides a detailed description of N.K. Agada * added to the story about N.K. new details: "One hundred and twenty years the Lord required the Generation of the Flood to repent and reform; since they did not correct, He said to Noah (Noah):" Make yourself an ark of gopher wood "(Gen. VI, 14). He planted cedar trees with Hoax. They asked him: “Why do you need these cedars?” He said to them: “The Lord wants to send a flood to earth and ordered me to make K. so that I and my house might be saved in it.” People laughed at Noach and his speeches. his cedars, and they grew. And they asked him: "What are you doing?" And he answered them: So, they say, and so he exhorted them. Since they did not repent and did not reform, the Lord sent a flood against them. "