The Curse of Canaan

9:18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Now Ham was the father of Canaan.)44 9:19 These were the sons of Noah, and from them the whole earth was populated.45

9:20 Noah, a man of the soil,46 began to plant a vineyard.47 9:21 When he drank some of the wine, he got drunk and uncovered himself48 inside his tent. 9:22 Ham, the father of Canaan,49 saw his father’s nakedness50 and told his two brothers who were outside. 9:23 Shem and Japheth took the garment51 and placed it on their shoulders. Then they walked in backwards and covered up their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned52 the other way so they did not see their father’s nakedness.

9:24 When Noah awoke from his drunken stupor53 he learned54 what his youngest son had done55 to him. 9:25 So he said,

“Cursed56 be Canaan!57

The lowest of slaves58

he will be to his brothers.”

9:26 He also said,

“Worthy of praise is59 the Lord, the God of Shem!

May Canaan be the slave of Shem!60

9:27 May God enlarge Japheth’s territory and numbers!61

May he live62 in the tents of Shem

and may Canaan be his slave!”

9:28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 9:29 The entire lifetime of Noah was 950 years, and then he died.