For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Kunle Kunle
My own contribution is this, I think the curse Noah pronounced on Canaan was spiritual, it was the spirit of God that spoke through Noah because Canaan must be posses by the children of Israel, that curse weakened Canaan, for Israel to possess it, Philistine was not curse, that was why they were strong, and God didn't lead the children if Israel through the way of philistine (exodus 13:17) because they were strong, that's my understanding, thanks
Sam Parker
Noah could not course Ham because God blessed Ham in Genesis 9:1. I find no evidence in the Bible to show that God, nor any man, has ever reversed God's blessing (see Rom. 11:29). Accordingly, I submit that Noah was aware that Ham was blessed of God, and therefore he chose the option to curse his son.
Jack Gutknecht
I don't think it was a "curse" b/c what Noah said is more like a father's prophecy about his children and grandchildren.
Bobby Daniel
Canaan was the the grandson or younger-son.
Son = Son.
Younger Son = Grandson.
Genesis 9:24 - And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
Canaan his younger son uncovered Noah.
Grandson - The Younger of Sons.
Job 42:16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, four generations.
Danny Hickman
Mr Daniel, your explanation doesn't work. Ham is called BY NAME as being the person who laughed at Noah for being naked and drunk, and then telling his brothers.
Danny Hickman
I have 8 grandchildren; one is a great granddaughter. Her name is Rhylee. If my daughter Shawnte does something that I decide is evil enough for which I will speak a prophetic curse on her life, and speak it by naming her granddaughter Rhylee, by name, as the focus of the matter, that, in my opinion, is a greater cause of consternation for Shawnte than if I only said it about her life. (I'd never do such a thing to my family. I can say that because I'd never say such a thing about anyone's children). It was an evil thing for Noah to do. Righteous people are capable of doing very wrong things. Noah got drunk, shamed himself, cursed his children (Canaan was a tribe of Noah's descendants, his children. The tag "Canaan" is much more than just the name of Noah's grandson), and we're still, over 4,000 years later, trying to make sense of it.
Let's be clear: Noah only prophesied that Ham's children (tribe) would serve and not lead. He didn't say they would be born with 2 heads or a tail. They would, at least for a time, serve the other 2 tribes. "A servant of servants" was who he said they would be (Gen 9:25). That says EVERYBODY are servants...
Remember this: Egypt descended from Ham. Egypt enslaved Israel, who descended from Shem. It was only for a time. It was only for a time that Ham's descendants would serve his brothers descendants.
Abraham had a son by one of Ham's descendants. So did Moses. And many other Semites.
Who's serving whom?.. no way to know..
tom TOm
1. Ham entered Noah's tent, not Sarah's tent:
The tent used in the original Hebrew text is אָהֳלֹֽה
Some argued that ה is feminine and therefore Ham actually entered into tent of Noah's wife.
Most feminine nouns end in either the letter ת or the letter ה. This part shows it is Noah’s tent. In Genesis 24:67 when Isaac brought Rebekah into Sarah’s tent, its clearly written with the ה at the end of the tent. This clearly shows the author put it plainly that in Genesis 9:21, Ham entered Noah’s tent.
2. Noah was likely drunk with his wife
So its likely Ham entered Noah’s tent, saw his mother naked, he raped her in Noah's presence, but he was not aware.
Then went out to tell his brothers. In ancient days, this is a way to usurp power. Ham, being the 2nd brother, wanted to usurp power of Noah. But Ham probably did not tell his brothers he raped the mother. Else the brothers would have fought with him. He probably just told them his parents were naked. So the brothers went to cover up their nakedness.
But Noah's wife later became pregnant. That probably triggered Noah to question how could his wife be pregnant when he is already more than 601 years old, and he may not have had any sex with his wife then. It is impossible she be pregnant.
It is probably then that Noah realized it was Ham's doing since he was the one who discovered them naked.
And when Noah realized his wife is bearing a child, but that child was not by him but his son Ham, he cursed the new born baby, Canaan.
That probably explain why the writer kept emphasizing Canaan is Ham's son in Genesis 9:22 and Genesis 9:25.
The record in Genesis 9 seemed to many readers happen in the same day - that Noah got drunk, awoken to learn what Ham had done to him, cursed Ham's youngest son. All these seem to happen in a day.
I think the author was recording such events over a period of time. When the reader wrote this, all these events had already happened.
So it is possible Noah cursed Canaan AFTER Canaan was born or knew his wife is pregnant and learnt that Canaan was not from him but from Ham.
That was why the author of Genesis wanted us to know that although Canaan was given given birth by Noah's wife, and Canaan is the youngest son of Ham, not Noah. The father was Ham and not Noah.
Imagine telling your friends that your youngest brother, born by your mother, is the son of your 2nd brother? How would you do that? You will keep emphasizing that this youngest brother is the son of your 2nd brother, instead of saying he is your youngest brother alone. In a sense he is your brother - because of your mother. But he is not from your father. So you can't call him your youngest brother.
And further to this, it was common way of writing that when one uncovered Noah's nakedness, this term is meant that he has sex with Noah's wife.
Leviticus 18:7 and 20:11 explained this. But i will rather not use these to explain for how the author of Genesis wrote because they may not be from the same author. I prefer to only study the text by the same author within the same book. But this may further support though.