Noah's Descendants

18 The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were (A)Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and (B)from these the people of the whole earth were dispersed.[a]

20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard.[b] 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine (C)and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

(D)“Cursed be Canaan;
    (E)a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem;
    and let Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth,[c]
    and let him dwell in the tents of Shem,
    and let Canaan be his servant.”

28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 9:19 Or from these the whole earth was populated
  2. Genesis 9:20 Or Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard
  3. Genesis 9:27 Japheth sounds like the Hebrew for enlarge

Noah and His Family

18 Noah’s sons who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham later fathered Canaan.) 19 These three were Noah’s sons, and from these men the whole earth was repopulated.

20 Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant and farm a vineyard. 21 He drank some of the wine, got drunk, and lay down naked[a] right in the middle of his tent. 22 Ham, who fathered Canaan, saw his father’s genitals and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took their father’s[b] cloak, laid it across both their shoulders, and walking backwards, they both covered their father’s genitals. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s genitals. 24 When Noah sobered up and learned what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Canaan is cursed!
    He will be the lowest of slaves to his relatives.”

26 He also said,

“Blessed be the Lord God of Shem,
    and may Canaan be his slave.
27 May God make room for[c] Japheth;
    may God[d] live in Shem’s tents,
        and may Canaan serve him.”

28 Noah lived 350 years after the flood. 29 After Noah had lived a total of 950 years, he died.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 9:21 Or and exposed himself
  2. Genesis 9:23 Lit. took the
  3. Genesis 9:27 Or God extend; the Heb. verb sounds like the name Japheth
  4. Genesis 9:27 Lit. he