Genesis 9:25
23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment and placed it across their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away so that they did not see their father’s nakedness.
24 When Noah awoke from his drunkenness and learned what his youngest son had done to him,
he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
26 He also declared: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the servant of Shem.
27 May God expand the territory of Japheth; may he dwell in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant.”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
- KJV
- And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
- WEB
- He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be a servant of servants to his brothers.”
- ASV
- And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
- DARBY
- And he said, Cursed be Canaan; Let him be a bondman of bondmen to his brethren.
- BLB
- And he said, “Cursed [be] Canaan! A servant of servants he shall be to his brothers.”
- ÅB
- Da sa han: Forbannet være Kana'an! Han skal være slave for sine brødres slaver.
- OTB
- sa han: "Forbannet være Kanaan! Den laveste av slaver skal han være for sine brødre."
- B1930
- Da sa han: Forbannet være Kana'an! trælers træl skal han være for sine brødre.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Deuteronomy 27:16
‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
Read in contextJoshua 9:23
Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
Read in contextJudges 1:28–30
When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor, but they never drove them out completely.
Read in context1 Kings 9:20–21
As for all the people who remained of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (the people who were not Israelites)—
Read in contextJoshua 9:27
On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.
Read in contextJohn 8:34
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
Read in context2 Chronicles 8:7–8
As for all the people who remained of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (the people who were not Israelites)—
Read in contextGenesis 9:22
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.
Read in context