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Noah’s wife

in the ark with Noah

Who was Noah’s wife?

Noah’s wife, an artistic recreation

What the Bible says

Genesis 7:7

And Noe went in and his sons, his wife and the wives of his sons with him into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

Genesis 6:18

And I will establish my covenant with thee, and thou shalt enter into the ark, thou and thy sons, and thy wife, and the wives of thy sons with thee.

Genesis 7:13; 1 Peter 3:20

In the selfsame day Noe, and Sem, and Cham, and Japheth his sons: his wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, went into the ark:

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.

The path of Noah’s wife

  1. Before Jesus. She was the wife of Noah, a righteous man who walked with God. Genesis 6:9, 18
  2. Before Jesus. God told Noah about the flood. He told him to go into the ark with his wife, his sons and his sons’ wives. Genesis 6:17-18
  3. Before Jesus. The Letter to the Hebrews says that, by faith, Noah built the ark to save his family. Hebrews 11:7
  4. With Jesus. She went into the ark with Noah, with Noah’s three sons and with their wives. Genesis 7:7, 13
  5. With Jesus. When they had all gone in, the Lord shut the ark behind Noah. Genesis 7:16
  6. With Jesus. The waters covered the earth for 150 days. Genesis 7:24
  7. Afterward. When the earth was dry, God told Noah to come out of the ark with his wife and his family. Genesis 8:14-16
  8. Afterward. She came out of the ark with Noah, with Noah’s sons and with their wives. Genesis 8:18
  9. Afterward. When they came out, Noah built an altar to the Lord and offered him sacrifices. Genesis 8:20
  10. Afterward. Saint Peter recalls that eight persons were saved in the ark through water. 1 Peter 3:20
  11. Afterward. Jesus recalled the days of Noah. People were eating, drinking and marrying, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. Matthew 24:37-39

Words of Noah’s wife

The Bible records no words of hers.

What people ask

What was the name of Noah’s wife?

The Bible does not say. It always calls her Noah’s wife. Genesis 6:18; Genesis 7:7

Was she the mother of Shem, Ham and Japheth?

The Bible does not say so in those words. It always names her together with Noah and his three sons. Genesis 7:13

How many people were in the ark?

Eight: Noah, his wife, his three sons and their wives. Genesis 7:13; 1 Peter 3:20

How long were they in the ark?

Going by the dates Genesis gives, a little over a year. Genesis 7:11; Genesis 8:14

Why was Noah’s family saved?

God told Noah to go into the ark with all his household, because he had found him righteous. Genesis 7:1

Did she ever have grandchildren?

Genesis says that sons were born to Noah’s sons after the flood. It does not say whether she knew them. Genesis 10:1

Little known Genesis mentions her five times, always together with Noah and his sons. Genesis 6:18; Genesis 7:7, 13; Genesis 8:16, 18 Going by the dates in Genesis, the family…

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