Why does Noah curse his grandson Canaan?
Canaan did not violate Noah in any way. It was Ham––Canaan’s father––who violated Noah. Therefore, if you were Noah, wouldn’t it make more sense to curse Ham directly? How can we explain this?
To start let’s understand what happened. The story in Genesis 9 is quite embarrassing to Noah. Imagine your family’s dirtiest laundry being aired out for all of history to see. Yikes.
I will paraphrase what happened: The flood is over. Noah plants a vineyard and drinks its wine; he gets drunk and lays uncovered inside his tent. His youngest son (Ham) sees his father naked; Ham tells his two brothers outside . . . When Noah awakes from his drunken stupor, he discovers what Ham has done to him. And Noah says Cursed be Canaan!
What did Ham do to his father?
One writer has this to say: In Leviticus 18 & 20, this uncover nakedness language is used to denote sexual relations. Since Ham saw his father’s nakedness, this could mean he sodomized his father and then bragged about it. Or, since uncovering a man’s nakedness can refer to having sex with a man’s wife, then perhaps this means that Ham slept with his own mother while his father was passed out.
Okay, well, hmmm. If you ask me, I believe a better interpretation is available. At least, one that makes more sense to me. I heard it first from Rabbi David Fohrman. I will put it in my own words.
We have to get in Ham’s head. What is he thinking?
Context is helpful. Let’s understand their age difference. When this event happens in Genesis 9, Noah is over 600 years old. We know that Ham is at least 500 years younger than Noah. (Gen. 5:32, 7:6, 11:10 establish this.)
Next, let’s understand how much time has passed since the flood. When this event happens, enough time has passed that a vineyard planted by Noah has reached its maturity, enough to produce wine. Furthermore, Ham has by now had his fourth son, a child named Canaan. (Reference Genesis 10:6.) Suffice it to say, we are years away from the flood.
Now, Ham naturally expects to live as long as his father. So then, Ham thinks he has at least another 500 years ahead of him. That is a long time to accrue power, notoriety, wealth and respect. And already he sees himself as a powerful figurehead, a forefather above all subsequent generations by default. His two brothers, Shem and Japheth, are his equals so to speak, all three being Noah’s direct descendants. At this level Ham is one in three, and by golly a third of the earth sounds good to him.
But wait. Coming off the ark, God told Noah to be fruitful and multiply! And Ham knows his father will be faithful to God––just look at his track record. There is no doubt that Noah will multiply. Having received such a clear directive, Noah will have more sons! But then, where will that leave Ham?
With less and less share!
Eventually Ham may not be one in three. He may become one of ten, 15, perhaps 20! That sounds like war to a man who values power. Just the thought of it makes him feel cheated. After all, Ham endured the flood with his father; he helped his father build the ark and feed the animals; he gave up everything and trusted his father when no one else did. If Noah now adds new sons to the family, these young ones will never understand what he and his brothers had to go through. And yet, the new sons will become equal to them, despite their sacrifice.
No. Ham cannot have it. Ham makes a decision: he will act swiftly. He will strike at an opportune time. He will prevent his dad from having any more children.
The passage in Genesis is interesting, isn’t it? It says Ham saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside . . . When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him...
What did Ham do to Noah?!
This is what I think happened: Ham damaged his father’s male organ, an act so severe that it prevented Noah from having any more sons.
This interpretation resolves a few questions. Like, for one, why does Noah stop at three sons when God clearly tells him to be fruitful and multiply?
Secondly, we learn that Ham tells his brothers afterward. Ham doesn’t tell them beforehand because it is a shameful thing to do, yet he is not so ashamed to keep it a secret afterward because his brothers are also benefactors! His deed has cemented their place at the top of all subsequent generations. Notice, Ham doesn’t run away from his crime like Cain did; Ham openly tells his brothers what happened.
But neither brother reacts as Ham had expected. Shem and Japheth are mortified. They cover their father’s nakedness. They wonder what Noah will do when he awakens.
When Noah awakens, he curses not Ham but Ham’s son, Canaan. Follow me here:
Canaan is Ham’s fourth son (Genesis 10:6). Since Ham prevents Noah from having a fourth son, Noah prevents Ham’s fourth son from flourishing. The curse is one of humiliation. Every time Ham thinks of his fourth son, he remembers the fourth son that Noah was denied from having. Because Ham stunts the lineage of Noah at the fourth son, so Noah curses and subjugates the linage of Ham at the fourth son.
Now step back for a second and ask: why doesn’t Genesis provide these details in plain sight, leaving nothing to question?
Perhaps it’s because God is handling the matter with sensitivity. God is avoiding details on purpose, in a manner that’s respectful to his boy Noah. God Himself is covering the wound that Noah bears; He does so right alongside Shem and Japheth. And because the ugly details have been covered with such discretion, what exactly happened to Noah in his tent that day will remain a mystery.
