In the Book of Genesis, Noah was instructed to build an ark before the Flood.
Genesis describes the ark as a large vessel made by Noah after God warned him of the coming flood. Noah, his family, and representatives of the world's animals were to enter it for protection. The word “ark” refers to the vessel itself, not to a particular modern ship design.
The story appears in Genesis chapters 6–9 and is also reflected in later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. In the Hebrew Bible, the ark is not described as a sailing ship intended to reach a destination; it is presented as a floating refuge during the flood.
Noah's Ark is often confused with the basket in which the infant Moses was placed, which uses a related Hebrew term but is a separate biblical object. Flood traditions from Mesopotamia also contain comparable vessels, including the boat of Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh.