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Genesis 9:20–27

20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. 24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25 And he said,

rCursed be Canaan;

sA servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

26  And he said,

Blessed be tthe Lord God of Shem;

And Canaan shall be ||his servant.

27  God shall ||enlarge Japheth,

And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem;

And Canaan shall be his servant.

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Genesis 9:20–27 — The New International Version (NIV)

20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.

24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan!

The lowest of slaves

will he be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem!

May Canaan be the slave of Shem.

27 May God extend Japheth’s territory;

may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,

and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”

Genesis 9:20–27 — English Standard Version (ESV)

20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan;

a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem;

and let Canaan be his servant.

27 May God enlarge Japheth,

and let him dwell in the tents of Shem,

and let Canaan be his servant.”

Genesis 9:20–27 — New Living Translation (NLT)

20 After the flood, Noah began to cultivate the ground, and he planted a vineyard. 21 One day he drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and went outside and told his brothers. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a robe, held it over their shoulders, and backed into the tent to cover their father. As they did this, they looked the other way so they would not see him naked.

24 When Noah woke up from his stupor, he learned what Ham, his youngest son, had done. 25 Then he cursed Canaan, the son of Ham:

“May Canaan be cursed!

May he be the lowest of servants to his relatives.”

26 Then Noah said,

“May the Lord, the God of Shem, be blessed,

and may Canaan be his servant!

27 May God expand the territory of Japheth!

May Japheth share the prosperity of Shem,

and may Canaan be his servant.”

Genesis 9:20–27 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. 21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.

24 So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. 25 Then he said:

“Cursed be Canaan;

A servant of servants

He shall be to his brethren.”

26 And he said:

“Blessed be the Lord,

The God of Shem,

And may Canaan be his servant.

27 May God enlarge Japheth,

And may he dwell in the tents of Shem;

And may Canaan be his servant.”

Genesis 9:20–27 — New Century Version (NCV)

20 Noah became a farmer and planted a vineyard. 21 When he drank wine made from his grapes, he became drunk and lay naked in his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, looked at his naked father and told his brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth got a coat and, carrying it on both their shoulders, they walked backwards into the tent and covered their father. They turned their faces away so that they did not see their father’s nakedness.

24 Noah was sleeping because of the wine. When he woke up and learned what his youngest son, Ham, had done to him, 25 he said,

“May there be a curse on Canaan!

May he be the lowest slave to his brothers.”

26 Noah also said,

“May the Lord, the God of Shem, be praised!

May Canaan be Shem’s slave.

27 May God give more land to Japheth.

May Japheth live in Shem’s tents,

and may Canaan be their slave.”

Genesis 9:20–27 — American Standard Version (ASV)

20 And Noah began to be a husbandman, and planted a vineyard: 21 and he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. 24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him. 25 And he said,

Cursed be Canaan;

A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

26 And he said,

Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem;

And let Canaan be his servant.

27 God enlarge Japheth,

And let him dwell in the tents of Shem;

And let Canaan be his servant.

Genesis 9:20–27 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

20 And Noah began to be a husbandman, and planted a vineyard. 21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken, and he uncovered himself in his tent. 22 And Ham the father of Canaan saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren outside. 23 And Shem and Japheth took the upper garment and both laid it upon their shoulders, and went backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father. And their faces were turned away, that they saw not their father’s nakedness.

24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and learned what his youngest son had done to him. 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; Let him be a bondman of bondmen to his brethren. 26 And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem, And let Canaan be his bondman. 27 Let God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, And let Canaan be his bondman.

Genesis 9:20–27 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

20 Noah, a farmer, was the first person to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank some wine, got drunk, and lay naked inside his tent. 22 Ham, father of Canaan, saw his father naked. So he went outside and told his two brothers. 

23 Shem and Japheth took a blanket and laid it over their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered their father’s naked body. They turned their faces away so that they didn’t see their father naked. 

24 When Noah sobered up, he found out what his youngest son had done to him. 25 So he said, 

“Canaan is cursed! 

He will be the lowest slave to his brothers. 

26 Praise the Lord, the God of Shem! 

Canaan will be his slave. 

27 May God expand the territory of Japheth.

May he live in the tents of Shem. 

Canaan will be his slave.” 

Genesis 9:20–27 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

20 Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank some of the wine, became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a cloak and placed it over both their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father naked.

24 When Noah awoke from his drinking and learned what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said:

Canaan will be cursed.

He will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers.

26 He also said:

Praise the Lord, the God of Shem;

Canaan will be his slave.

27 God will extend Japheth;

he will dwell in the tents of Shem;

Canaan will be his slave.

Genesis 9:20–27 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

20 Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan;

lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

“Blessed by the Lord my God be Shem;

and let Canaan be his slave.

27 May God make space for Japheth,

and let him live in the tents of Shem;

and let Canaan be his slave.”

Genesis 9:20–27 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

20 And Noah began to be a man of the ground, and he planted a vineyard. 21 And he drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he exposed himself in the midst of his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and he told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, and the two of them put it on their shoulders and, walking backward, they covered the nakedness of their father. And their faces were turned backward, so that they did not see the nakedness of their father. 24 Then Noah awoke from his drunkenness, and he knew what his youngest son had done to him. 25 And he said,

“Cursed be Canaan,

a slave of slaves he shall be to his brothers.”

26 Then he said,

“Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem,

and let Canaan be a slave to them.

27 May God make space for Japheth,

and let him dwell in the tents of Shem,

and let Canaan be a slave for him.”

Genesis 9:20–27 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

20 Noah was a man who worked the ground. He decided to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank some of its wine. It made him drunk. Then he lay down inside his tent without any clothes on. 22 Ham saw his father’s naked body. Ham was the father of Canaan. Ham went outside and told his two brothers.

23 But Shem and Japheth took a piece of clothing. They laid it across their shoulders. Then they walked backward into the tent. They covered their father’s body. They turned their faces away. They didn’t want to see their father’s naked body.

24 Then Noah woke up from his sleep that was caused by the wine. He found out what his youngest son had done to him. 25 He said,

“May a curse be put on Canaan.

He will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers.”

26 Noah also said,

“May the Lord, the God of Shem, be blessed.

May Canaan be the slave of Shem.

27 May God add land to Japheth’s territory.

May Japheth live in the tents of Shem.

And may Canaan be their slave.”

Genesis 9:20–27 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

20 Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard.

21 He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.

22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.

23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father’s nakedness.

24 When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.

25 So he said,

Cursed be Canaan;

A servant of servants

He shall be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

Blessed be the Lord,

The God of Shem;

And let Canaan be his servant.

27 “May God enlarge Japheth,

And let him dwell in the tents of Shem;

And let Canaan be his servant.”


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