This is a story from the
Pentateuch about a flood covering the entire world.
Antecedents to the flood story have been found in several
ancient civilizations. In this version,
Noah and his family are given warning by the Lord of the flood sent to destroy
sinful humanity, so they build an ark and survive to start civilization anew.
Some Christians believe this story to be symbolic. Others believe the world referred to to be the world of the bible, the area where the events of Genesis took place. Biblical literalists including Scientific Creationists have actually attempted to answer such questions as where the water for the flood could have come from and where the floodwaters went after the flood was over, and why there was no rainbow before the flood (see where the water for the flood could have come from.