In the Genesis account of Noah’s Ark, Noah builds the ark. Genesis presents Noah as a righteous man chosen to survive a divinely sent flood with his family and representatives of the animals.
The ark is described as a huge, sealed vessel made from gopher wood and coated with pitch. Noah receives detailed instructions about its construction, including its compartments, a roof, and an opening near the top. The story identifies his wife, his three sons, and his sons’ wives as the human survivors who enter the vessel.
Noah is also the central human figure in flood traditions outside Genesis. The Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh features Utnapishtim, while the Atrahasis Epic features Atrahasis; both stories include a chosen survivor and a large boat. These parallels are a common source of comparison, but they are different literary traditions with different names and details.
After the flood, Genesis describes Noah leaving the ark, building an altar, and receiving a covenant symbolized by the rainbow. The account therefore treats Noah as both ark builder and post-flood ancestor.