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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Genesis 9:25 he said, "Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers."</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/genesis/9-25.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/17/01_Gen_09_25.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Genesis 9:25 - Noah's Shame and Canaan's Curse" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="he said, Cursed be Canaan! 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The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.&#8221<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/genesis/9.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />Then he cursed Canaan, the son of Ham: “May Canaan be cursed! May he be the lowest of servants to his relatives.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/genesis/9.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />he said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/genesis/9.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/genesis/9.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And he said, Cursed <i>be</i> Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/genesis/9.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />Then he said: “Cursed <i>be</i> Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/genesis/9.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />So he said, “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/genesis/9.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />So he said, &#8220Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.&#8221<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/genesis/9.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />So he said, “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.” <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/genesis/9.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />So he said, “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/genesis/9.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />So he said, “Cursed be Canaan [the son of Ham]; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/genesis/9.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />he said: Canaan is cursed. He will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/genesis/9.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />he said: Canaan will be cursed. He will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/genesis/9.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/genesis/9.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />he said, "I now put a curse on Canaan! He will be the lowest slave of his brothers. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/genesis/9.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/genesis/9.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />So he said, "Canaan is cursed! He will be the lowest slave to his brothers.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/genesis/9.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />he said, "A curse on Canaan! He will be a slave to his brothers. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/genesis/9.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />he said, "Canaan is cursed! He will be the lowest of slaves to his relatives."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/genesis/9.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />he said, ?Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/genesis/9.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />So he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves he will be to his brothers." <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/genesis/9.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />He said, "Canaan is cursed. He will be servant of servants to his brothers."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/genesis/9.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And he said, Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be to his brethren.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/genesis/9.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be a servant of servants to his brothers.” <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/genesis/9.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />and says: “Cursed [is] Canaan, "" Servant of servants he is to his brothers.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/genesis/9.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> and saith: 'Cursed is Canaan, Servant of servants he is to his brethren.'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/genesis/9.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And he will say, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brethren.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/genesis/9.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />He said: Cursed be Chaanan, a servant of servants, shall he be unto his brethren. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/genesis/9.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />he said, “Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants will he be to his brothers.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/genesis/9.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />he said: “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.” <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/genesis/9.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />he said, “Cursed be Canaan; lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.”<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/genesis/9.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />He said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/genesis/9.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And he said, “Canaan is cursed, he shall be a Servant of Servants to his brothers.”<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/genesis/9.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />And he said: Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/genesis/9.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />And he said, Cursed be the servant Chanaan, a slave shall he be to his brethren.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/genesis/9-25.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7ehevn8iSgc?start=2056" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/genesis/9.htm">Noah's Shame and Canaan's Curse</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">24</span>When Noah awoke from his drunkenness and learned what his youngest son had done to him, <span class="reftext">25</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: way·yō·mer (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say.">he said,</a> <a href="/hebrew/779.htm" title="779: ’ā·rūr (V-Qal-QalPassPrtcpl-ms) -- To curse. A primitive root; to execrate.">“Cursed be</a> <a href="/hebrew/3667.htm" title="3667: kə·nā·‘an (N-proper-ms) -- From kana'; humiliated; Kenaan, a son a Ham; also the country inhabited by him.">Canaan!</a> <a href="/hebrew/5650.htm" title="5650: ‘e·ḇeḏ (N-msc) -- Slave, servant. From abad; a servant.">A servant</a> <a href="/hebrew/5650.htm" title="5650: ‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm (N-mp) -- Slave, servant. From abad; a servant.">of servants</a> <a href="/hebrew/1961.htm" title="1961: yih·yeh (V-Qal-Imperf-3ms) -- To fall out, come to pass, become, be. A primitive root; to exist, i.e. Be or become, come to pass.">shall he be</a> <a href="/hebrew/251.htm" title="251: lə·’e·ḥāw (Prep-l:: N-mpc:: 3ms) -- A brother. A primitive word; a brother (like 'ab).">to his brothers.”</a> </span><div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/27-16.htm">Deuteronomy 27:16</a></span><br />‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/joshua/9-23.htm">Joshua 9:23</a></span><br />Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/18-25.htm">Leviticus 18:25</a></span><br />Even the land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/20-12.htm">Exodus 20:12</a></span><br />Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_samuel/2-30.htm">1 Samuel 2:30</a></span><br />Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/30-17.htm">Proverbs 30:17</a></span><br />As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/45-9.htm">Isaiah 45:9</a></span><br />Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/18-6.htm">Jeremiah 18:6</a></span><br />“O house of Israel, declares the LORD, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay? Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/22-7.htm">Ezekiel 22:7</a></span><br />Father and mother are treated with contempt. Within your walls the foreign resident is exploited, the fatherless and the widow are oppressed.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/zechariah/14-21.htm">Zechariah 14:21</a></span><br />Indeed, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD of Hosts, and all who sacrifice will come and take some pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of Hosts.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/1-30.htm">Romans 1:30</a></span><br />slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ephesians/6-2.htm">Ephesians 6:2-3</a></span><br />“Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), / “that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/colossians/3-20.htm">Colossians 3:20</a></span><br />Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_timothy/3-2.htm">2 Timothy 3:2</a></span><br />For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/15-4.htm">Matthew 15:4</a></span><br />For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.</p><p class="hdg">Cursed.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/9-22.htm">Genesis 9:22</a></b></br> And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/3-14.htm">Genesis 3:14</a></b></br> And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou <i>art</i> cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/genesis/4-11.htm">Genesis 4:11</a></b></br> And now <i>art</i> thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;</p><p class="hdg">a servant.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/joshua/9-23.htm">Joshua 9:23,27</a></b></br> Now therefore ye <i>are</i> cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/judges/1-28.htm">Judges 1:28-30</a></b></br> And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/1_kings/9-20.htm">1 Kings 9:20,21</a></b></br> <i>And</i> all the people <i>that were</i> left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which <i>were</i> not of the children of Israel, … </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/revelation/6-15.htm">Bondman</a> <a href="/revelation/19-5.htm">Bondmen</a> <a href="/genesis/9-22.htm">Canaan</a> <a href="/genesis/5-29.htm">Cursed</a> <a href="/philippians/2-8.htm">Lowest</a> <a href="/genesis/4-2.htm">Servant</a> <a href="/revelation/22-6.htm">Servants</a> <a href="/revelation/19-18.htm">Slave</a> <a href="/revelation/19-18.htm">Slaves</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/genesis/9-26.htm">Bondman</a> <a href="/genesis/12-16.htm">Bondmen</a> <a href="/genesis/9-26.htm">Canaan</a> <a href="/genesis/27-29.htm">Cursed</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/32-22.htm">Lowest</a> <a href="/genesis/9-26.htm">Servant</a> <a href="/genesis/12-16.htm">Servants</a> <a href="/genesis/9-26.htm">Slave</a> <a href="/genesis/15-13.htm">Slaves</a><div class="vheading2">Genesis 9</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/9-1.htm">God blesses Noah and his sons, and grants them flesh for food.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">4. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/9-4.htm">Blood and murder are forbidden.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">8. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/9-8.htm">God's covenant, of which the rainbow was constituted a pledge.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">18. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/9-18.htm">Noah's family replenishes the world.</a></span><br><span class="reftext">20. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/9-20.htm">Noah plants a vineyard,</a></span><br><span class="reftext">21. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/9-21.htm">Is drunken, and mocked by his son;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">25. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/9-25.htm">Curses Canaan;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">26. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/9-26.htm">Blesses Shem;</a></span><br><span class="reftext">27. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/genesis/9-27.htm">Prays for Japheth, and dies.</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; 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Noah's pronouncement is significant as it reflects the patriarchal authority and the weight of spoken blessings and curses in ancient times. In biblical narratives, the words of patriarchs often carried prophetic significance.<p><b>“Cursed be Canaan!</b><br>Canaan is the son of Ham, and this curse is directed at him rather than Ham himself. This reflects the biblical theme of generational consequences for sin. The curse on Canaan is significant as it foreshadows the future subjugation of the Canaanite people by the Israelites. The Canaanites occupied the land that God later promised to Abraham and his descendants, making this curse a precursor to the conquest narratives in the book of Joshua.<p><b>A servant of servants</b><br>This phrase indicates a position of extreme subjugation and servitude. In the cultural context of the ancient Near East, being a "servant of servants" implies the lowest possible status. This reflects the social hierarchies of the time, where servitude was a common fate for conquered peoples. The phrase also emphasizes the severity of the curse placed upon Canaan.<p><b>shall he be to his brothers.”</b><br>The "brothers" here refer to the descendants of Shem and Japheth, Noah's other sons. This prophecy indicates that the Canaanites would be subjugated by the descendants of Shem (the Semites, including the Israelites) and Japheth. Historically, this was fulfilled as the Israelites conquered Canaan and other nations subdued the Canaanites. This phrase also highlights the theme of divine justice and the fulfillment of God's promises through the unfolding of history.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/n/noah.htm">Noah</a></b><br>The patriarch who survived the Flood with his family. After the Flood, he became a farmer and planted a vineyard.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/h/ham.htm">Ham</a></b><br>One of Noah's three sons. He is the father of Canaan and is involved in the incident leading to the curse.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/c/canaan.htm">Canaan</a></b><br>The son of Ham, who is specifically cursed by Noah. His descendants would later inhabit the land of Canaan.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/s/shem_and_japheth.htm">Shem and Japheth</a></b><br>Noah's other sons, who are blessed in contrast to Canaan's curse.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_flood.htm">The Flood</a></b><br>A significant event preceding this passage, where God judged the earth but saved Noah and his family.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/u/understanding_the_nature_of_sin_and_consequences.htm">Understanding the Nature of Sin and Consequences</a></b><br>The curse on Canaan highlights the generational impact of sin. It serves as a reminder of the seriousness of sin and its potential to affect others beyond the immediate offender.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_importance_of_honor_and_respect.htm">The Importance of Honor and Respect</a></b><br>Ham's disrespect towards his father Noah led to severe consequences for his descendants. This underscores the biblical principle of honoring one's parents and the blessings that come with it.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_sovereignty_and_justice.htm">God's Sovereignty and Justice</a></b><br>The passage demonstrates God's sovereign will and justice. Even in the midst of human failure, God's plans and purposes prevail, as seen in the eventual subjugation of the Canaanites.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_role_of_blessing_and_curse_in_scripture.htm">The Role of Blessing and Curse in Scripture</a></b><br>This passage invites reflection on the power of words and the biblical theme of blessings and curses. It encourages believers to speak life and blessings rather than curses.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_genesis_9.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Genesis 9</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/what_is_the_curse_of_ham.htm">What is the Curse of Ham?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/are_black_people_under_a_curse.htm">Are black people under a curse?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_were_canaanites_cursed_as_slaves.htm">Why were the Canaanites cursed with enslavement?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/who_was_ham_in_the_bible.htm">Who was Ham in the Bible?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/genesis/9.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(25) <span class= "bld">Cursed be Canaan.</span>--The prophecy of Noah takes the form of a poem, like Lamech's boast in Genesis 4. In it Ham is passed over in silence, as though his unfilial conduct, recorded in <a href="/genesis/9-22.htm" title="And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers without.">Genesis 9:22</a>, made him unworthy of a blessing, while it was not so wicked as to bring on him a curse. The whole weight of Noah's displeasure falls on Canaan, whose degraded position among the nations is thrice insisted upon.<p><span class= "bld">A servant of servants.</span> That is, the most abject of slaves. This was fulfilled in the conquest of Canaau by Joshua, but the race had nevertheless a great future before it. The Hittites were one of the foremost nations of antiquity, and the Sido-nians, Tyrians, and Ph?nicians were such famous traders, that Canaanite is in our version translated <span class= "ital">merchant, </span>without even a note in the margin (<span class= "ital">e.g., </span><a href="/proverbs/31-24.htm" title="She makes fine linen, and sells it; and delivers girdles to the merchant.">Proverbs 31:24</a>). But the whole race was enslaved by one of the most terrible and degrading forms of idolatry, and as Shem's blessing is religious, so possibly is Canaan's curse. Lenormant (Manual of Ancient History of the East, 2:219) says of their religion, "No other people ever rivalled them in the mixture of bloodshed and debauchery with which they thought to honour the Deity." He also quotes Creuzer, who says, "The Canaanite religion silenced all the best feelings of human nature, degraded men's minds by a superstition alternately cruel and profligate, and we may seek in vain for any influence for good it could have exercised on the nation."<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/genesis/9.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 25.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">And he said</span>. Not in personal resentment, since "the fall of Noah is not at all connected with his prophecy, except as serving to bring out the real character of his children, and to reconcile him to the different destinies which he was to announce as awaiting their respective races" (Candlish); but under the impulse of a prophetic spirit (Poole, Keil, Lange, Candlish, Murphy, and expositors generally), which, however, had its historical occasion in the foregoing incident. The structure of the prophecy is perfectly symmetrical, introducing, in three poetical verses, <p><span class="note_emph">(1)</span> the curse of Canaan, <p><span class="note_emph">(2)</span> the blessing of Shem, and <p><span class="note_emph">(3)</span> the enlargement of Japheth, and in all three giving prominence to the doom of servitude pronounced upon the son of Ham. <span class="cmt_word">Cursed</span>. The second curse pronounced upon a human being, the first having been on Cain (<a href="/genesis/4-11.htm">Genesis 4:11</a>). Colenso notices that all the curses belong to the Jehovistic writer; but <span class="accented">vide Genesis</span> 49:6, 7, which Tuch and Bleek ascribed to the Elohist, though, doubtless in consequence of the "curse," by Davidson and others it is now assigned to the Jehovist. That this curse was not an imprecation, but a prediction of the future subjection of the Canaanites, has been maintained (Theodoret, Venema, Willet), chiefly in consequence of its falling upon Canaan; but . . . <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/genesis/9-25.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">he said,</span><br /><span class="heb">וַיֹּ֖אמֶר</span> <span class="translit">(way·yō·mer)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_559.htm">Strong's 559: </a> </span><span class="str2">To utter, say</span><br /><br /><span class="word">“Cursed be</span><br /><span class="heb">אָר֣וּר</span> <span class="translit">(’ā·rūr)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_779.htm">Strong's 779: </a> </span><span class="str2">To execrate</span><br /><br /><span class="word">Canaan!</span><br /><span class="heb">כְּנָ֑עַן</span> <span class="translit">(kə·nā·‘an)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - proper - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3667.htm">Strong's 3667: </a> </span><span class="str2">Canaan -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their land West of the Jordan</span><br /><br /><span class="word">A servant</span><br /><span class="heb">עֶ֥בֶד</span> <span class="translit">(‘e·ḇeḏ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5650.htm">Strong's 5650: </a> </span><span class="str2">Slave, servant</span><br /><br /><span class="word">of servants</span><br /><span class="heb">עֲבָדִ֖ים</span> <span class="translit">(‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5650.htm">Strong's 5650: </a> </span><span class="str2">Slave, servant</span><br /><br /><span class="word">shall he be</span><br /><span class="heb">יִֽהְיֶ֥ה</span> <span class="translit">(yih·yeh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1961.htm">Strong's 1961: </a> </span><span class="str2">To fall out, come to pass, become, be</span><br /><br /><span class="word">to his brothers.”</span><br /><span class="heb">לְאֶחָֽיו׃</span> <span class="translit">(lə·’e·ḥāw)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_251.htm">Strong's 251: </a> </span><span class="str2">A brother, )</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/genesis/9-25.htm">Genesis 9:25 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/genesis/9-25.htm">Genesis 9:25 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/genesis/9-25.htm">Genesis 9:25 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/genesis/9-25.htm">Genesis 9:25 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/genesis/9-25.htm">Genesis 9:25 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/genesis/9-25.htm">Genesis 9:25 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/genesis/9-25.htm">Genesis 9:25 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/genesis/9-25.htm">Genesis 9:25 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/genesis/9-25.htm">Genesis 9:25 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/genesis/9-25.htm">Genesis 9:25 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/genesis/9-25.htm">OT Law: Genesis 9:25 He said Canaan is cursed (Gen. Ge Gn)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/genesis/9-24.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Genesis 9:24"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Genesis 9:24" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/genesis/9-26.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Genesis 9:26"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Genesis 9:26" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>