The Prologue and Epilogue
The prologue introduces the sinful and wicked state of man preceding the Flood and shows that
this moral state was the cause of the Flood. The epilogue concludes the Flood narrative with a
comment about the future of Noah and his sons; namely, their sinful moral state. Noah gets drunk
and Ham is cursed. The Bible specifically warns against drunkenness, because its effects could lead
to one’s nakedness and dishonor (Hab 2:15, Lam 4:21), which, before God, is indecent and unholy
(Ex 20:26, Deut 23:12-14). While it is difficult to understand what Ham did, the Hebrew verb for "saw"
in Gen 9:22 indicates that Ham looked upon his father with more than a harmless glance, and perhaps
to ridicule or mock his father. As for Canaan, the race that Ham is patriarch of, archeologists have
determined that this group was well known for their deviant sexual practices.
Genesis 6:1-8
1) Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were
born to them, 2) that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they
took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 3) Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not
strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and
twenty years." 4) The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the
sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men
who were of old, men of renown. 5) Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the
earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6) The LORD
was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7) The LORD said,
"I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping
things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them." 8) But Noah found favor
in the eyes of the LORD.
Genesis 9:20-27
20) Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. 21) He drank of the wine and became
drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22) Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness
of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23) But Shem and Japheth took a garment and
laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and
their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father's nakedness. 24) When Noah
awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him. 25) So he said, "Cursed be
Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brothers." 26) He also said, "Blessed be the
LORD, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. 27) "May God enlarge Japheth, and let him
dwell in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant."
Habakkuk 2:15 – Acquaintances who encourage drunkenness
15) "Woe to you who make your neighbors drink, who mix in your venom even to make them drunk
so as to look on their nakedness!
Lamentations 4:21 – The effect of drunkenness
21) Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz; but the cup will
come around to you as well, you will become drunk and make yourself naked.
Exodus 20:26 – The unholiness of nakedness before God
26) 'And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed
on it.'
Deuteronomy 23:12-14 – The indecency of nakedness before God
12) "You shall also have a place outside the camp and go out there, 13) and you shall
have a spade among your tools, and it shall be when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and shall
turn to cover up your excrement. 14) "Since the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp to
deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not
see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you.
References:
Cassuto U, A Commentary on the Book of Genesis, Jerusalem: Magnes (1961).
Kaiser WC, Davids PH, Bruce FF, Brauch MT, Hard Sayings of the Bible, Chicago,
IL: Inter-Varsity Press (1996).
Shea W, "The Structure of the Genesis Flood Narrative and Its Implications", Origins
6 (1979): 8-29.
Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible ®, Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963,
1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
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