Genesis 9:21

21 He drank some wine, got drunk, and lay naked inside his tent.

Genesis 9:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 9:21

And he drank of the wine, and was drunken
Either not being acquainted with the strength of it, as is thought by many; or having been used to weaker liquor, as water; or through the infirmity of his age; however, he was overtaken with it, and which is recorded, not to disgrace him, but to caution men against the evil of intemperance, as well as to encourage repenting sinners to expect pardon: and this shows that the best of men are not exempted from sin, nor secure from falling; and that though Noah was a perfect man, yet not as to be without sin; and that whereas he was a righteous man, he was not so by the righteousness of works, but by the righteousness of faith:

and he was uncovered within his tent;
being in liquor when he laid down, he was either negligent of his long and loose garments, such as the eastern people wore without breeches, and did not take care to wrap them about him; or in his sleep, through the heat of the weather, or of the wine, or both, threw them off.

Genesis 9:21 In-Context

19 These were Noah's three sons. From them the whole earth was populated. Ham was the father of Canaan.

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.