Genesis Chapter 9: You Are Not Cursed

This next chapter introduces a concept and a story that has been used to justify and support enslavement of human beings and it is just wrong.

The Bible indicates that, from the sons of Noah, “was the whole earth overspread,” after the flood.  The sons of Noah are listed as: Shem, Ham and Japheth.  The sons of Ham were Ethiopia (Cush), Egypt, Phut and Canaan.

Noah began to plant and till the soil and he planted a vineyard.  Noah got drunk and laid down, naked, in his tent.  The story goes on to say that Ham went into the tent and saw his father’s nakedness.  He came out and told his two brothers, Japheth and Shem.  Japheth and Shem walk into their father’s tent, backwards, making sure not to see his nakedness and cover their father with a garment.  When Noah arose, he realized what Ham did and cursed Canaan, Ham’s son.

Genesis 9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

God does not curse Egypt.  God does not curse Phut (which is also in ancient Africa).  God does not curse Ethiopia.  If fact, God does not curse anybody here, Noah does.

The idea that somebody being cursed thousands of years ago would translate into people being enslaved in these more modern times, is ridiculous.

Yet, this story has been used and believed as a reason for enslavement for a period of hundreds of years and has affected the treatment of people (and their descendants) in our time.

The most important lesson in the Bible is that you are a divine creation of God, you must not let any elaborate stories or vain rationalizations convince you otherwise.

What are your takeaways from Genesis chapter 9?