Topical Bible: Curse: Denounced: Against Canaan, Noah's Son

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The curse against Canaan, the son of Ham and grandson of Noah, is a significant event recorded in the Book of Genesis. This curse is pronounced by Noah following an incident involving his son Ham. The narrative is found in Genesis 9:20-27, where Noah, after the flood, becomes a man of the soil and plants a vineyard. Upon drinking wine from his vineyard, Noah becomes drunk and lies uncovered inside his tent.

Ham, the father of Canaan, sees his father's nakedness and informs his two brothers, Shem and Japheth, who then cover their father without looking at him. When Noah awakens and learns of what Ham had done, he declares a curse, not directly upon Ham, but upon Ham's son, Canaan. The Berean Standard Bible records Noah's words in Genesis 9:25-27:

“Cursed be Canaan!
A servant of servants
shall he be to his brothers.”

He also said:
“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the servant of Shem.
May God enlarge Japheth,
and may he dwell in the tents of Shem,
and may Canaan be his servant.”

This curse has been the subject of much theological discussion and interpretation. From a conservative Christian perspective, the curse is seen as a prophetic declaration that foreshadows the future subjugation of the Canaanites, who would later inhabit the land of Canaan, a region that would become central to the history of Israel. The Canaanites, known for their idolatrous practices, would eventually be conquered by the descendants of Shem, the Israelites, fulfilling Noah's pronouncement.

The curse of Canaan is often understood within the broader context of divine justice and the consequences of sin. Ham's disrespect towards his father is seen as a serious breach of familial and societal norms, warranting a severe response. The focus on Canaan, rather than Ham, has been interpreted as emphasizing the generational impact of sin and the unfolding of God's sovereign plan through history.

In the biblical narrative, the curse serves as a backdrop to the unfolding account of the Israelites and their conquest of Canaan under Joshua. It highlights the themes of blessing and curse, obedience and disobedience, which are recurrent throughout the Scriptures. The curse against Canaan is a reminder of the importance of honoring God's established order and the consequences of failing to do so.

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Genesis 9:24-27
And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him.
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A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to ...
... of sins, and so be delivered from the curse of God ... else how could they say when the
prophets so bitterly denounced God's judgments against them, 'Because ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a holy life the beauty.htm

An Essay on the Scriptural Doctrine of Immortality.
... and by so doing both sinned alike against their Maker ... of the faith and obedience
of which Noah gave evidence ... when God promised that the land of Canaan should be ...
/.../an essay on the scriptural.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... printing the text of Genesis 7:7 Noah's three sons ... as Peter saith, Fleshly lusts,
they war against the soul ... there was nothing but thriftiness till the curse came ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm