THE CURSE OF CANAAN (2)

   

  …Not so much about Noah,  or Ham, but about Canaan

We might compare Genesis with Leviticus 20:11, "The man who lies with his father's wife has uncovered his father's nakedness..." With Leviticus 20:11 in mind, some suggest that Ham had sex with Noah's wife, and that was what brought the curse from Noah. However, this figurative understanding of "uncovering nakedness" fails to account for the fact that Shem and Japheth walked into the room backward and covered Noah with a garment. This does not make any sense if "uncovering nakedness" means "having sex with Noah's wife." It seems that Noah was lying naked—his nakedness uncovered.

Take note: Canaan is not stated as having done anything? The Bible does not specifically answer this question. Ham was most likely Noah’s middle son, since Ham is always listed second when the sons are named. However, Canaan was probably Ham’s youngest son (Genesis 10:6). The "youngest child" mentioned in Genesis 9:24 seems to be a reference to Ham, but another option is that Noah refers to Canaan (youngest grandson) as his "son." Calling a grandson, a "son" is not uncommon in Scripture. This would mean that Canaan was somehow involved in the sordid incident, and that is why Noah specifically mentions him in the curse. Ham saw his father’s condition and did nothing about it, except to tell his brothers.

Reading between the lines, we assume that Ham’s son did more than see but participated somehow in his grandfather’s disgrace…. or, many commentators believe that the curse of Ham was not pronounced immediately after the event but at the end of Noah's life. However, the natural reading of the text has the curse occurring directly after Noah realized what had happened. The act of Ham could not go unpunished. In the curse of Noah upon Canaan, he was not punishing him personally for something his father Ham had done. 

The words of Noah refer not to Canaan himself, but to the nation that would come from him. Ham had caused a breach between himself and his father that called for some type of judgment. The judgment would occur on his descendants. Ham's descendants foreshadowed the deeds of his descendants. The contrast between the reactions is the basis of the following blessings and curses on their descendants. It speaks of two groups of mankind. Shem covered nakedness and hid shame, while Ham exposed Noah's nakedness.

                                                                   ….to be cont’d

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

info@biblestoriestheatre.org