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1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Notice the words "a preparing".

“A” is placed before a participle, or participial noun; and is considered as a contraction of “at” (or “on”), when it is put before a word denoting some action not yet finished. Thus, “a dying” (Luke 8:42), “a fishing” (John 21:3) and “an hungred” (Matt. 4:2).

Related to this must be the use at 2 Chronicles 2:18, “to set the people a work.”

Also, “a readiness”, as at 2 Corinthians 10:6.