How many people does Genesis say were aboard Noah’s Ark?

Genesis says eight people were aboard Noah’s Ark. The group consists of Noah, his wife, his three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—and the three wives of those sons.

The number is stated most explicitly in 1 Peter 3:20, which refers to “eight souls” being saved through water. The Genesis narrative identifies the family members entering the Ark but does not present the count in one standalone sentence in the same way. Adding the names and four marriages produces the traditional total of eight.

This figure is sometimes confused with the number of animals, which Genesis describes using separate instructions for different categories. It is also distinct from later artistic scenes that show many more passengers. The biblical account’s human survivors are one nuclear family of eight, while the animals are included to preserve living creatures during the catastrophe.