The Bible describes a vessel about 437 feet long, with a length-to-height ratio of 10 to 1 and a length-to-width ratio of 6 to 1. (Genesis 6:15)—longer than a football field and as high as a three-story building. The ark was not a ship; it needed only to float.
Now, Noah was no shipbuilder. And remember, this was more than 4,000 years ago! Yet, the ark was built with proportions that were ideal for its function as a floating container. In fact, modern naval architects have found similar ratios suitable for structural integrity and stability on the open seas. Although the Bible does not specify the exact length of time Noah spent building the ark, the account allows for construction that took 50 or 60 years.
In Genesis 6 : 15 we read: - And this is how you will make it: three hundred cubits the length of the ark, fifty cubits its width, and thirty cubits its height. This would be about 437 ft long, with a ratio of 10:1 for height and 6:1 for width. You also have to remember that Noah was no shipbuilder, and this took place more than 4,000 years ago. However, the ark was built to function as a floating container. In fact, in a recent talk, I heard that modern naval architects have found that these ratios were suitable for structural and stability on the open sea. Although it is not known exactly how long Noah spent on building the ark, it is suggested 50 or 60 years.
And they spent one lunar year and 10 days in the ark.
Genesis 6 : 21 tells us - And as for you, take for yourself every sort of food that is eaten; and you must gather it to yourself, and it must serve as food for you and for them.”
As any good housewife would know, if you are expecting the shops to be closed for any length of time, you would ensure you have enough food in the house, and more, to last you for the expected period. This would be the same for Noah. So it would stand to reason that he would ensure his food stocks would be more than sufficient.
As to where the water came from - During the second "creative day,” when the earth’s atmospheric “expanse” was formed, there were waters “beneath the expanse” and waters “above the expanse.”
Genesis 1:6, - 8 reads - And God went on to say: “Let an expanse come to be in between the waters and let a dividing occur between the waters and the waters.” Then God proceeded to make the expanse and to make a division between the waters that should be beneath the expanse and the waters that should be above the expanse. And it came to be so. And God began to call the expanse Heaven. And there came to be evening and there came to be morning, a second day.
The waters “beneath” were those already on earth. The waters “above” were huge quantities of moisture suspended high above the earth, forming a “vast watery deep.” These waters fell upon the earth in Noah’s day.
What happened to the floodwaters after the Flood? They must have drained into the sea basins because scientists believe that the continents rest on huge plates. Movement of these plates can cause changes in the level of the earth’s surface.