Genesis 9:18-23

18 Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and 1Ham was the father of Canaan.
19 These three were the sons of Noah, and 2from these the whole earth was populated.
20 Then Noah began farming * and planted a vineyard.
21 He drank of the wine and 3became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.
22 Ham, the father of Canaan, 4saw 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.

Genesis 9:18-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 9

In this chapter we have an account of God's blessing Noah and his sons, being just come out of the ark, with a renewal of the blessing of propagating their species, and replenishing the earth, the dominion over the creatures, and a freedom from the fear of them; with liberty to eat flesh, only it must not be eaten with blood; with a providential care and preservation of their lives from men and beasts, by making a law that that man or beast should die that shed man's blood, Ge 9:1-6 and after repeating the blessing of procreation, Ge 9:7 mention is made of a covenant God made with Noah, his sons, and all the creatures, that he would drown the world no more, the token of which should be the rainbow in the cloud, Ge 9:8-17 the names of the sons of Noah are observed, by whom the earth was repeopled, Ge 9:18,19 and seem to be observed for the sake of an event after recorded; Noah having planted a vineyard, and drank too freely of the wine of it, lay down uncovered in his tent, which Ham seeing, told his two brothers of it, who in a very modest manner covered him, Ge 9:20-23 of all which Noah being sensible when he awoke, cursed Canaan the son of Ham, and blessed Shem and Japheth, Ge 9:24-27 and the chapter is concluded with the age and death of Noah, Ge 9:28,29.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Genesis 9:25-27; Genesis 10:6
  • 2. Genesis 9:1, 7; Genesis 10:32; 1 Chronicles 1:4
  • 3. Proverbs 20:1
  • 4. Habakkuk 2:15

Footnotes 3

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