Easton's Bible Dictionary A tree from the wood of which Noah was directed to build the ark (Genesis 6:14). It is mentioned only there. The LXX. render this word by "squared beams," and the Vulgate by "planed wood." Other versions have rendered it "pine" and "cedar;" but the weight of authority is in favour of understanding by it the cypress tree, which grows abundantly in Chaldea and Armenia. Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) One of several North American burrowing rodents of the genera Geomys and Thomomys, of the family Geomyidae; -- called also pocket gopher and pouched rat. See Tucan. 2. (n.) One of several western American species of the genus Spermophilus, of the family Sciuridae; as, the gray gopher (Spermophilus Franklini) and the striped gopher (S. tridecemlineatus); -- called also striped prairie squirrel, leopard marmot, and leopard spermophile. See Spermophile. 3. (n.) A large land tortoise (Testudo Carilina) of the Southern United States, which makes extensive burrows. 4. (n.) A large burrowing snake (Spilotes Couperi) of the Southern United States. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia GOPHER WOOD go'-fer wood (`atse ghopher): The wood from which Noah's ark was made (Genesis 6:14). Gopher is a word unknown elsewhere in Hebrew or allied languages. Lagarde considered that it was connected with gophrith, meaning "brimstone," or "pitch," while others connect it with kopher, also meaning "pitch"; hence, along both lines, we reach the probability of some resinous wood, and pine, cedar, and cypress have all had their supporters. A more probable explanation is that which connects gopher with the modern Arabic kufa, a name given to the boats made of interwoven willow branches and palm leaves with a coating of bitumen outside, used today on the rivers and canals of Mesopotamia. In the Gilgames story of the flood it is specially mentioned that Noah daubed his ark both inside and out with a kind of bitumen. See DELUGE OF NOAH. E. W. G. Masterman

Multi-Version Concordance Gopher (1 Occurrence) Genesis 6:14 Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)