In the Genesis account of Noah's Ark, Noah builds the ark before the great flood.
Genesis presents Noah as a righteous man chosen by God to preserve his family and representatives of the world's land animals. The ark is constructed according to detailed divine instructions, allowing Noah, his family, and the animals to survive the flood.
Noah is also the central figure in related flood traditions in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, although the details differ among scriptures. In the Quran, Noah is called Nuh, and the vessel is likewise associated with a divinely commanded flood.
A common mix-up is confusing Noah with the flood hero of the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh, where the survivor is Utnapishtim. The stories share major themes, but they use different names and cultural settings.