Noah is a key figure in the stories of Abrahamic religions. His name means ‘rest’ or ‘consolation’ in Hebrew. You can find Noah’s story in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Genesis, as well as in the Quran and some other texts.
The story of the flood is one of the most well-known in the Bible. In this story, God regrets creating humanity because people have filled the world with wrongdoing. In response, God tells Noah to build an Ark to save his family and different land animals from the Flood. After the Flood, God makes a promise with Noah, saying He will never destroy the earth with water again. Noah is also shown as a farmer and is the first to grow grapes. After the Flood, God tells Noah and his sons to have children and repopulate the earth.
The flood story in the Bible is similar to one from the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh, written around 1800 BC. In that tale, a hero builds an ark to survive a flood sent by the gods. Scholars believe the biblical story was influenced by earlier Mesopotamian stories, noting many similarities. There are also comparisons between Noah and the Greek hero Deucalion, who, like Noah, is warned about a flood, builds an ark, and sends a bird to find out what happens after the flood.
