In Genesis, how many people were aboard Noah’s Ark, including Noah?

In Genesis, eight people were aboard Noah’s Ark, including Noah.

Genesis 7:13 lists Noah, his wife, his three sons, and the sons’ wives entering the Ark. Counting them gives eight people: Noah and his wife, Shem and his wife, Ham and his wife, and Japheth and his wife. Genesis 8:16 later tells Noah, his family, and the animals to leave the Ark.

The number is also reflected in 1 Peter 3:20, which refers to “eight souls” being saved through water. This New Testament reference helped preserve the number as a familiar detail in Christian interpretation of the Flood story.

A common mistake is to count only Noah’s immediate household without including the daughters-in-law, or to assume that more extended relatives entered the Ark. Genesis names the family group as eight people and does not include additional human passengers. The story’s emphasis is on the survival of Noah’s household while the wider human population perishes.