Genesis 9:26
New International Version
He also said, “Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.

New Living Translation
Then Noah said, “May the LORD, the God of Shem, be blessed, and may Canaan be his servant!

English Standard Version
He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.

Berean Standard Bible
He also declared: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the servant of Shem.

King James Bible
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

New King James Version
And he said: “Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem, And may Canaan be his servant.

New American Standard Bible
He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem; And may Canaan be his servant.

NASB 1995
He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.

NASB 1977
He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said, “Blessed be Yahweh, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.

Amplified Bible
He also said, “Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.

Christian Standard Bible
He also said: Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; Let Canaan be Shem’s slave.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He also said: Praise the LORD, the God of Shem; Canaan will be his slave.

American Standard Version
And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.

Contemporary English Version
I ask the LORD my God to bless Shem and make Canaan his slave.

English Revised Version
And he said, Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Praise the LORD, the God of Shem! Canaan will be his slave.

Good News Translation
Give praise to the LORD, the God of Shem! Canaan will be the slave of Shem.

International Standard Version
He also said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave.

Majority Standard Bible
He also declared: ?Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the servant of Shem.

NET Bible
He also said, "Worthy of praise is the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem!

New Heart English Bible
He said, "Blessed be the God of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

World English Bible
He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he says: “Blessed of my God YHWH [is] Shem, "" And Canaan is servant to him.

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith: 'Blessed of Jehovah my God is Shem, And Canaan is servant to him.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say, Praised Jehovah, God of Shem; Canaan shall be servant to him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Blessed be the Lord God of Sem, be Chanaan his servant.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said: “Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, let Canaan be his servant.

New American Bible
He also said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! Let Canaan be his slave.

New Revised Standard Version
He also said, “Blessed by the LORD my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he said, “LORD JEHOVAH the God of Sheem is blessed and Canaan will be a Servant to them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said: Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; And let Canaan be their servant.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Sem, and Chanaan shall be his bond-servant.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Shem's Blessing and Noah's Death
26He also declared: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the servant of Shem. 27May God expand the territory of Japheth; may he dwell in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant.”…

Cross References
Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

Galatians 3:8
The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”

Romans 9:4-5
the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. / Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.

Acts 3:25
And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’

Isaiah 54:1-3
“Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD. / “Enlarge the site of your tent, stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not hold back. Lengthen your ropes and drive your stakes in deep. / For you will spread out to the right and left; your descendants will dispossess the nations and inhabit the desolate cities.

Psalm 72:17
May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.

Luke 1:54-55
He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful, / as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

Hebrews 11:9
By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

Matthew 1:1-2
This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: / Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

Romans 4:13
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

Genesis 22:18
And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Genesis 28:14
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

Acts 13:32-33
And now we proclaim to you the good news: What God promised our fathers / He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.’

Galatians 3:16
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.

Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.


Treasury of Scripture

And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

Blessed.

Deuteronomy 33:26
There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.

Psalm 144:15
Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.

Romans 9:5
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

the Lord.

Genesis 10:10-26
And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar…

Genesis 12:1-3
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: …

Luke 3:23-36
And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, …

Sem.

Hebrews 11:16
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

his servant.

Genesis 27:37,40
And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? …

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Genesis 9
1. God blesses Noah and his sons, and grants them flesh for food.
4. Blood and murder are forbidden.
8. God's covenant, of which the rainbow was constituted a pledge.
18. Noah's family replenishes the world.
20. Noah plants a vineyard,
21. Is drunken, and mocked by his son;
25. Curses Canaan;
26. Blesses Shem;
27. Prays for Japheth, and dies.














He also declared:
This phrase indicates a continuation of Noah's pronouncement following the incident involving his sons. It suggests a formal declaration or prophecy, emphasizing the importance and authority of the words that follow. This is part of Noah's response to the actions of his sons, particularly Ham's disrespect.

Blessed be the LORD,
The use of "LORD" in all capitals signifies the covenant name of God, Yahweh. This blessing acknowledges God's sovereignty and faithfulness. It reflects a recognition of God's role in the unfolding plan of salvation and His relationship with humanity, particularly through the line of Shem.

the God of Shem!
Shem is identified as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples, including the Israelites. This phrase highlights the special relationship between God and Shem's descendants, foreshadowing the eventual calling of Abraham and the establishment of Israel. It underscores the idea that Shem's line is chosen for a unique purpose in God's redemptive plan.

May Canaan be the servant of Shem.
Canaan, the son of Ham, is here prophesied to be subservient to Shem. This reflects the consequences of Ham's actions and the resulting curse on Canaan. Historically, the Canaanites were often in conflict with the Israelites, descendants of Shem, and were eventually subjugated by them. This phrase also serves as a reminder of the moral and spiritual order established by God, where disobedience leads to servitude and blessing follows faithfulness.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Noah
The patriarch who survived the Flood and made a covenant with God. He is the one pronouncing the blessing in this verse.

2. Shem
One of Noah's three sons, who is blessed in this passage. Shem is considered the ancestor of the Semitic peoples, including the Israelites.

3. Canaan
The son of Ham and grandson of Noah. Canaan is cursed to be a servant to Shem, which has implications for the future of the Canaanite people.

4. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenantal name of God, who is acknowledged as the God of Shem in this blessing.

5. The Event of the Blessing
This occurs after the Flood, when Noah is pronouncing blessings and curses upon his sons and their descendants.
Teaching Points
The Sovereignty of God in Blessing and Cursing
This passage highlights God's sovereign choice in blessing Shem and cursing Canaan. It reminds us that God's plans and purposes are beyond human understanding and control.

The Importance of Lineage and Covenant
Shem's blessing is significant because it sets the stage for the Abrahamic covenant and the eventual coming of the Messiah. Understanding our spiritual heritage in Christ is crucial for our identity and mission.

The Role of Obedience and Faithfulness
While Shem is blessed, the broader account of Scripture shows that blessings are often tied to obedience and faithfulness to God. We are called to live in a way that honors our covenant relationship with God.

The Consequences of Sin
The curse on Canaan serves as a reminder of the long-term consequences of sin. It challenges us to consider how our actions today can impact future generations.

God's Faithfulness to His Promises
The fulfillment of the blessings and curses pronounced by Noah demonstrates God's faithfulness to His word. We can trust that God will fulfill His promises to us as well.(26) Blessed be Jehovah.--The greatness of Shem's blessing is shown by its taking the form of a hymn of praise to Jehovah, the personal God; and the patriarch's fervent outburst of thanksgiving was a presage of the hallelujahs that were to arise unto God from all mankind for the birth of that son of Shem in whom all nations were to be blessed. The following words should be translated, And let Canaan be their servant, the servant both of Shem and Japheth. (See margin.)

Verse 26. - And he said - not "Blessed of Jehovah, my God, be Shem" (Jamieson), as might have been anticipated (this, equally with the omission of Ham's name, lifts the entire patriarchal utterance out of the region of mere personal feeling), but - Blessed - בָּרוּך when applied to God signifies an ascription of praise (cf. Psalm 144:15; Ephesians 1:3); when applied to man, an invocation of good (cf. Genesis 14:19, 20; Psalm 128:1; Hebrews 7:6) - be the Lord God - literally, Jehovah, Elohim of Shem (cf. Genesis 24:27); Jehovah being the proper personal name of God, of whom it is predicated that he is the Elohim of Shem; equivalent to a statement not simply that Shem should enjoy "a rare and transcendent," "Divine or heavenly," blessing (Calvin), or "a most abundant blessing, reaching its highest point in the promised Seed" (Luther); but that Jehovah, the one living and true God, should be his God, and that the knowledge and practice of the true religion should continue among his descendants, with, perhaps, a hint that the promised Seed should spring from his loins (OEeolampadius, Willet, Murphy, Keil, etc.) - of Shem. In the name Shem (name, renown) there may lie an allusion to the spiritual exaltation and advancement of the Semitic nations (vide Genesis 5:32). And Canaan shall be his servant. לָמו = לָהֶס (Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic), i.e. the two brothers (Delitzsch), their descendants (Knobel, Keil), Shem and Jehovah (Bush); or more probably - לו, as a collective singular (cf. Gesenius, § 103, 2), i.e. Shem, including his descendants (LXX., αὐτοῦ; Kalisch, Lange, Murphy).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He also declared:
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Blessed
בָּר֥וּךְ (bā·rūḵ)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 1288: To kneel, to bless God, man, to curse

[be] the LORD,
יְהֹוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

the God
אֱלֹ֣הֵי (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of Shem!
שֵׁ֑ם (šêm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8035: Shem -- 'name', oldest son of Noah

May Canaan
כְנַ֖עַן (ḵə·na·‘an)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3667: Canaan -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their land West of the Jordan

be
וִיהִ֥י (wî·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

the servant
עֶ֥בֶד (‘e·ḇeḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

of [Shem].
לָֽמוֹ׃ (lā·mōw)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3926: To or foreign


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OT Law: Genesis 9:26 He said Blessed be Yahweh the God (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 9:25
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