stovebolts
Member
I've always thought that Noah was pretty harsh on his son Canaan for joking at his father being drunk and passed out naked in his tent. But I recently read something different on this matter and wanted to share it with you all to get your take on it.
Genesis 9:22-25 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father. And their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
I believe that Moses recorded Genesis, and when he did so, he used the language of Exodus. Or maybe a better way to say it, he used the lingo common to the people of that era. I want to look at Noah's nakedness through the words of Moses as we find in Leviticus 18:7.
Leviticus 18:7 The nakedness of thy father, even the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
Leviticus 18:8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
18:8 is clear that if one uncovers the fathers wifes nakedness, one has uncovered the father's nakedness.
With this understanding, can we go back to "Noah's nakedness" and view it as his wife's nakedness? After all, Leviticus 18:8 states that if one uncovers the fathers wife nakedness, they have uncovered their "fathers nakedness". This is the same language used in Genesis 9:22 in regard to Noah.
I think it could go either way, and found this very interesting. But it still always kind of bothered me that Canaan would be treated so harsh for making fun of his Father, and even perhaps his own Mother for getting drunk and passing out naked in their tent. But is that what really happened? I understand the culture, and I've even taught that the priests were to use stairs to go up the altar because God didn't want their nakedness exposed (Exodus 20:26) But "their" nakedness is not the same language used in Genesis 9:22 or Leviticus 18:7-8.
What I find very interesting about Leviticus 18:7-8 is this though. The Jews understood these verses regarding "uncovering" the Fathers Nakedness carried a sexual overtone. In other words, it wasn't just seeing your mother or father naked, it was engaging in sexual activity with them.
With this type of an interpretation, it makes more sense to me now why Canaan was cursed so harshly.
The question remains though, did Canaan have sexual favors with Noah, or with his own Mother? I don't have any idea but lean more toward Noah.
Something to think about anyway. I'd appreciate any thoughts on the matter.
Genesis 9:22-25 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father. And their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
I believe that Moses recorded Genesis, and when he did so, he used the language of Exodus. Or maybe a better way to say it, he used the lingo common to the people of that era. I want to look at Noah's nakedness through the words of Moses as we find in Leviticus 18:7.
Leviticus 18:7 The nakedness of thy father, even the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
Leviticus 18:8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
18:8 is clear that if one uncovers the fathers wifes nakedness, one has uncovered the father's nakedness.
With this understanding, can we go back to "Noah's nakedness" and view it as his wife's nakedness? After all, Leviticus 18:8 states that if one uncovers the fathers wife nakedness, they have uncovered their "fathers nakedness". This is the same language used in Genesis 9:22 in regard to Noah.
I think it could go either way, and found this very interesting. But it still always kind of bothered me that Canaan would be treated so harsh for making fun of his Father, and even perhaps his own Mother for getting drunk and passing out naked in their tent. But is that what really happened? I understand the culture, and I've even taught that the priests were to use stairs to go up the altar because God didn't want their nakedness exposed (Exodus 20:26) But "their" nakedness is not the same language used in Genesis 9:22 or Leviticus 18:7-8.
What I find very interesting about Leviticus 18:7-8 is this though. The Jews understood these verses regarding "uncovering" the Fathers Nakedness carried a sexual overtone. In other words, it wasn't just seeing your mother or father naked, it was engaging in sexual activity with them.
With this type of an interpretation, it makes more sense to me now why Canaan was cursed so harshly.
The question remains though, did Canaan have sexual favors with Noah, or with his own Mother? I don't have any idea but lean more toward Noah.
Something to think about anyway. I'd appreciate any thoughts on the matter.
Last edited by a moderator: