Keraia
Genesis 9

Genesis 9:22

Noah’s Shame and Canaan’s Curse · Genesis 9:18–25
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Translations

Modern
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.
Traditional
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
Literal
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and he told his two brothers outside.
Latin
Quod cum vidisset Cham, pater Chanaan, verenda scilicet patris sui esse nudata, nuntiavit duobus fratribus suis foras.

Original

Hebrew
English
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.

Notes

Genesis 9:22

  • the father of Canaan: See study note on 9:18.

  • Ham’s behavior was shameful. He looked at his father’s nakedness and did not cover him. Instead, he told his brothers and took away his father’s honor (see Exodus 21:15, 17; Lamentations 4:21; Habakkuk 2:15).

    An ancient Near Eastern story says that a son is expected to come to his father’s aid when he is drunk (Tale of Aqhat; compare Isaiah 51:17–18). Ham did not do his duty to his family. Because of this, Noah blessed Shem and Japheth but cursed Ham (Genesis 9:24–27).

Genesis 9:20–27

The story of Noah begins with him walking in righteousness and obeying the Lord (6:9). It ends with him drunk and naked in his tent, cursing Canaan. Even after the great flood, people still showed sinful behaviors that led to the flood.

The text emphasizes the cursed origin of the Canaanites, a corrupt and idol-worshiping group. Israel would later remove them from the promised land (see also 15:16 and study note; Leviticus 18:3; 20:23).

Theme notes and profiles

Noah Symbolic Numbers

Events

People

Canaan: Son of Ham; father of Sidon and Heth Ham: One of Noah's three sons, father of Canaan

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Biblical Concept of Law Chronology of the Bible (Old Testament) Genesis, Book of Ham (Person) Japheth Land Mesopotamia Noah Patriarchs, Period of the Shem Shinar The Flood

Topics

Ham: Son of Noah: Provokes his Father's Wrath and is Cursed by Him Nakedness Noah: Son of Lamech: Intoxication of, and his Curse Upon Canaan