In the Genesis flood narrative, Noah builds Noah’s Ark. Genesis presents Noah as a righteous man chosen to survive a divinely sent flood with his family and representatives of the animal world.
The account says God gives Noah detailed instructions for constructing the vessel, including its dimensions, compartments, a roof, and a window. Noah’s three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—are also named in the story, and his wife and the sons’ wives enter the ark with him.
Noah’s Ark belongs to the broader flood tradition found in Genesis 6–9. The biblical narrative focuses on judgment, survival, and a covenant rather than describing the vessel as a ship designed for ordinary navigation.
The story is often compared with earlier Mesopotamian flood accounts, especially the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Atrahasis tradition. Those works also feature a chosen survivor, a large boat, animals, and a flood, but they use different names and details.