Noah and Grandson Canaan
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That was a prophetic curse by Noah on the land of Canaan and the Canaanites (who had descended from Noah's grandson). There were several sub-groups among the Canaanites, and they all occupied the land of Palestine.
The Bible reveals that the Canaanites were idolatrous and wicked, and therefore the Israelites were told to exterminate them. At the same time, the land of Canaan was described as a land of "milk and honey", and God had promised to give this land to the Israelites. Under Joshua, the Israelites conquered this land, but since they did not completely destroy these people, their idolatrous religion ensnared many Israelites for a very long time. The Israelites were warned to not intermarry with the Canaanites but they failed to obey God in this also. Baal and Ashteroth were worshipped by the Canaanites, and this involved obscene rites as well as child sacrifice.
The Bible reveals that the Canaanites were idolatrous and wicked, and therefore the Israelites were told to exterminate them. At the same time, the land of Canaan was described as a land of "milk and honey", and God had promised to give this land to the Israelites. Under Joshua, the Israelites conquered this land, but since they did not completely destroy these people, their idolatrous religion ensnared many Israelites for a very long time. The Israelites were warned to not intermarry with the Canaanites but they failed to obey God in this also. Baal and Ashteroth were worshipped by the Canaanites, and this involved obscene rites as well as child sacrifice.
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Because Ham, Canaan's father, had looked upon and mocked the nakedness of his father, Noah. Noah's curse upon Ham is a fitting punishment to his crime which is twofold in looking at the nakedness of his father and furthermore delighting in shamefulness and bragging about it to his brothers like an uncivilized orc barbarian. While the Curse of Canaan gets a lot of talk and popularity as a subject, also don't forget that Japheth and Shem's entire races were blessed to be the civilized people because of their act, rather than laughing with Ham or looking at Noah's nakedness, they austerely put a garment on their shoulders and walked backwards together in to cover Noah. Therefore were Japheth and Shem's entire races, who were their children, blessed to be civilized, freeborn and noble, and prosper and have a degree of a civility and cooperation with eachother for honoring their father Noah.
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There is likely a little more going on here that is veiled by the somewhat prudish language of the passage. Credit for this interpretation goes to the late Dr. Michael Heiser.
In Genesis 9, "Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without."
Noah wakes up and curses... Ham? No, his son Canaan, who (if we go strictly by the available text) is completely innocent. That's why I reject Nehemiah6' explanation; it simply is not justified by the text, and looks suspiciously like a convenient anachronism that does nothing to address Ham's sin.
Here's another perspective:
In Leviticus 18, Moses relays God's instruction, "The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness."
Consider the two bolded phrases: why would God call "the nakedness of thy father's wife", "thy father's nakedness", or in different word order, "the nakedness of (his) father"? Why would the wording be so similar? Why is Canaan cursed instead of Ham?
Consider the possibility that Canaan was Ham's son by Noah's wife! In the culture of the day, Ham had attempted to usurp the rulership of the family by "going up on his father's bed" (as would Reuben in a later generation). Noah shuts down Ham's claim by making clear that the offspring of that attempt would be but a slave rather than a legitimate part of the family.
Dr. Heiser explains this far better than I have done, so any who are curious are encouraged to locate his version for further study.
In Genesis 9, "Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without."
Noah wakes up and curses... Ham? No, his son Canaan, who (if we go strictly by the available text) is completely innocent. That's why I reject Nehemiah6' explanation; it simply is not justified by the text, and looks suspiciously like a convenient anachronism that does nothing to address Ham's sin.
Here's another perspective:
In Leviticus 18, Moses relays God's instruction, "The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness."
Consider the two bolded phrases: why would God call "the nakedness of thy father's wife", "thy father's nakedness", or in different word order, "the nakedness of (his) father"? Why would the wording be so similar? Why is Canaan cursed instead of Ham?
Consider the possibility that Canaan was Ham's son by Noah's wife! In the culture of the day, Ham had attempted to usurp the rulership of the family by "going up on his father's bed" (as would Reuben in a later generation). Noah shuts down Ham's claim by making clear that the offspring of that attempt would be but a slave rather than a legitimate part of the family.
Dr. Heiser explains this far better than I have done, so any who are curious are encouraged to locate his version for further study.
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Because all three sons were there around the time of this incident when this event happened, and probably within a 15-30 years after the flood.
I believe a serious incident happened between Canaan and Noah, moreso than a laughing matter of Noah getting blitz and making fun of him.
Noah knew what was done to him when he awoke tells a story of a homosexual event. To add evidence from the grandson Canaan thru his generational line came the cities of plain such as Sodom and Gormorrah
I believe a serious incident happened between Canaan and Noah, moreso than a laughing matter of Noah getting blitz and making fun of him.
Noah knew what was done to him when he awoke tells a story of a homosexual event. To add evidence from the grandson Canaan thru his generational line came the cities of plain such as Sodom and Gormorrah
