Genesis 9:21-24

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 9:18-23

Here is, I. Noah's family and employment. The names of his sons are again mentioned (Gen. 9:18, 19) as those from whom the whole earth was overspread, by which it appears that Noah, after the flood, had no more children: all the world came from these three. Note, God, when he pleases, can make a little one to become a thousand, and greatly increase the latter end of those whose beginning was small. Such are the power and efficacy of a divine blessing. The business Noah applied himself to was... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 9:24-27

II. The spirit of prophecy comes upon him, and, like dying Jacob, he tells his sons what shall befal them, Gen. 49:1. 1. He pronounces a curse on Canaan the son of Ham (Gen. 9:25), in whom Ham is himself cursed, either because this son of his was now more guilty than the rest, or because the posterity of this son was afterwards to be rooted out of their land, to make room for Israel. And Moses here records it for the animating of Israel in the wars of Canaan; though the Canaanites were a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 9:21

And he drank of the wine, and was drunken ,.... Either not being acquainted with the strength of it, as is thought by many; or having been used to weaker liquor, as water; or through the infirmity of his age; however, he was overtaken with it, and which is recorded, not to disgrace him, but to caution men against the evil of intemperance, as well as to encourage repenting sinners to expect pardon: and this shows that the best of men are not exempted from sin, nor secure from falling; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 9:22

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: Berosus F9 Antiqu. l. 3. fol. 25. 1. makes him a magician, and to be the same with Zoroast or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 9:23

And Shem and Japheth took a garment ,.... Who were the two brothers Ham told what he had seen, and who, no doubt, reproved him for his ill behaviour, and then took a garment, a coat of their own, very probably, some large garment fit for the purpose: and laid it upon both their shoulders ; one part of it on the right shoulder of the one, and the other on the left shoulder of the other: and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father ; going backward when they came into... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 9:24

And Noah awoke from his wine ,.... From his sleep, which his wine brought on him; when the force and strength of that was gone, and when not only he awaked, but came to himself, and was sober: and knew what his younger son had done to him ; either by revelation, as some, or prophecy, as Ben Gersom, or by the relation of his two sons, whom, when finding himself covered with another's garment, he might question how it came about, and they told him the whole affair: some, as Aben Ezra, Ben... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:21

He drank of the wine, etc. - It is very probable that this was the first time the wine was cultivated; and it is as probable that the strength or intoxicating power of the expressed juice was never before known. Noah, therefore, might have drunk it at this time without the least blame, as he knew not till this trial the effects it would produce. I once knew a case which I believe to be perfectly parallel. A person who had scarcely ever heard of cider, and whose beverage through his whole... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:22-24

And Ham, the father of Canaan, etc. - There is no occasion to enter into any detail here; the sacred text is circumstantial enough. Ham, and very probably his son Canaan, had treated their father on this occasion with contempt or reprehensible levity. Had Noah not been innocent, as my exposition supposes him, God would not have endued him with the spirit of prophecy on this occasion, and testified such marked disapprobation of their conduct. The conduct of Shem and Japheth was such as became... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:22

Verse 22 22.And Ham, the father of Canaan. This circumstance is added to augment the sorrow of Noah, that he is mocked by his own son. For we must ever keep in memory, that this punishment was divinely inflicted upon him; partly, because his fault was not a light one; partly that God in his person might present a lesson of temperance to all ages. Drunkenness in itself deserves as its reward, that they who deface the image of their heavenly Father in themselves, should become a laughingstock to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 9:23

Verse 23 23.And Shem and Japheth took a garment. Here the piety, as well as the modesty, of the two brothers is commended; who, in order that the dignity of their father might not be lowered in their esteem, but that they might always cherish and keep entire the reverence which they owed him, turned away their eyes from the sight of his disgrace. And thus they gave proof of the regard they paid to their father’s honor, in supposing that their own eyes would be polluted, if they voluntarily... read more

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