And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights Ham's intent in seeing his father's nakedness. It wasn't a fleeting, accidental glance, but a conscious act of taking pleasure in Noah's vulnerability. This deliberate gaze, coupled with his subsequent act of spreading the news with mockery, reveals a deeper disrespect and malice, not just a casual observation.
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After the great flood, God renews His covenant with Noah and his sons, promising never again to destroy the earth with water. Noah, now a farmer, plants a vineyard and, after drinking wine, becomes drunk and lies uncovered in his tent. His son Ham discovers Noah's state and, rather than showing respect or concern, mocks his father and tells his brothers.
Was Ham's sin simply seeing his father naked, or was there more to it? Discover the deeper implications of his actions.
The Bible doesn't explicitly detail what Ham did, but the context and the subsequent curse tell us it was more than an accidental glance.
More Than Just Seeing
How did Noah's other sons react, and what does their response reveal about true honor?
The stark contrast between Ham's reaction and that of his brothers, Shem and Japheth, highlights the profound importance of filial piety.
Honor and Disgrace
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Understand the original words
ervah · Hebrew Noun
An idiom in Scripture often referring to sexual indecency, immorality, or the exposure of one's private shame; it implies a violation of relational boundaries.
This event, occurring shortly after the flood and God's covenant, highlights the immediate re-emergence of human sin and its profound consequences within Noah's own family, setting the stage for future generational conflict and the eventual judgment on the Canaanites.
c. 2348 BC
The Great Flood Recedes
Following the global flood, Noah and his family are the sole human survivors, tasked by God to repopulate the Earth.
c. 2348 BC
Noah Plants a Vineyard
Noah, a righteous man, begins agricultural pursuits after the flood, cultivating a vineyard.
c. 2348 BC
Noah Becomes Drunk
Noah drinks wine from his vineyard and becomes intoxicated, lying uncovered within his tent.
c. 2348 BC— this verse
Ham Sees Noah's Nakedness
Ham, Noah's son, sees his father's state of undress and disrespectfully tells his brothers outside the tent.
c. 2348 BC
Shem and Japheth Cover Noah
Shem and Japheth act with filial piety, covering their father without looking at his nakedness.
c. 2348 BC
Noah Curses Canaan
Upon learning what Ham did, Noah, in prophetic utterance, curses Ham's son Canaan, foretelling servitude.
c. 2348 BC
Noah Blesses Shem and Japheth
Noah pronounces blessings upon Shem and Japheth for their respect and piety.
This passage details prohibitions against various sexual sins, including looking upon a relative's nakedness. Ham's action, as described in Genesis, is understood as a violation of this principle of sexual modesty and familial respect, which Leviticus elaborates on.
Proverbs 3:9-10This proverb speaks about honoring God with our wealth and the blessings that follow. While not directly about dishonor, it highlights the principle of giving honor and respect to God and, by extension, to those in authority or familial roles, a principle Ham violated.
Proverbs 14:21This verse states that despising one's neighbor, or acting with contempt, is sinful. Ham's action of publicly revealing his father's shame and likely mocking him exemplifies this contempt for a father figure.
Proverbs 20:11This verse suggests that even a young person is known by their actions, whether pure or upright. Ham's actions here reveal a deep-seated impurity and lack of uprightness, despite his advanced age and position as Noah's son.
Colossians 3:20-21This passage exhorts children to obey their parents and warns fathers not to provoke their children. Ham's disrespect towards his father, Noah, stands in stark contrast to the expected obedience and reverence children owe their parents.
gillGenesis 9:22: "And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without."
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father,.... Which, had it been through surprise, and at an unawares, would not have been thought criminal; but be went into his father's tent, where he ought not to have entered; he looked with pleasure and delight on his father's nakedness: Ham is represented by many writers as a very wicked, immodest, and profligate creature…
calvinGenesis 9:1-29: "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth."
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Et timor vester et pavor vester erit super omnem bestiam terrae, et super omne volatile coeli, cum omnibus quae gradiuntur in terra, et omnibus pi…
The verse highlights Ham's intent in seeing his father's nakedness. It wasn't a fleeting, accidental glance, but a conscious act of taking pleasure in Noah's vulnerability. This deliberate gaze, coupled with his subsequent act of spreading the news with mockery, reveals a deeper disrespect and malice, not just a casual observation.
After the great flood, God renews His covenant with Noah and his sons, promising never again to destroy the earth with water. Noah, now a farmer, plants a vineyard and, after drinking wine, becomes drunk and lies uncovered in his tent. His son Ham discovers Noah's state and, rather than showing respect or concern, mocks his father and tells his brothers.
After the great flood, God renews His covenant with Noah and his sons, promising never again to destroy the earth with water. Noah, now a farmer, plants a vineyard and, after drinking wine, becomes drunk and lies uncovered in his tent. His son Ham discovers Noah's state and, rather than showing respect or concern, mocks his father and tells his brothers.
"And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside." — The verse highlights Ham's intent in seeing his father's nakedness. It wasn't a fleeting, accidental glance, but a conscious act of taking pleasure in Noah's vulnerability. This deliberate gaze,…
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Last reviewed October 2026