In the Genesis account, how many sons did Noah have?

In the Genesis account, Noah had three sons.

Genesis 5:32 names Noah’s sons as Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They appear again in the flood narrative as members of Noah’s household who enter the Ark with their wives. Genesis 7:13 lists Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives among those who enter before the flood.

The three sons are important to the story after the flood as well. Genesis 9 discusses their different responses after Noah becomes drunk, and Genesis 10 presents a genealogy of nations associated with Shem, Ham, and Japheth. This makes the sons central to the narrative’s account of post-flood human descent.

The number three should not be confused with the number of Noah’s family members aboard the Ark. Noah and his wife, his three sons, and their three wives make eight people in total. The question asks specifically for the sons, not everyone in Noah’s household.