Noah's Nakedness
Gen 9:20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness.
24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,
"Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers."
26 He also said, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
Question: Why would Noah curse his grandson because his son saw him naked?
We take it at face value that Ham simply saw his father naked. Western theology does not take into consideration Hebrew Idioms. Nakedness represents sin. To “uncover the nakedness” of another is expose sin.
It was not that Ham saw his father naked and verbally belittled him. That would be no reason for Noah to curse his grandson. It is alluded that Ham had sexual relations with his mother, his father’s wife. She bore him Canaan. That is why Canaan was cursed.
The story of Noah is a ‘type’ or ‘shadow’ pointing to God’s plan of salvation. This is a shadow pointing to the sin of Israel/Jerusalem who was set apart as Holy to the Lord, intermingled with Pagan nations, bringing on the destruction of the Temple.
The key is in Leviticus. The Messiah is the bridegroom and Israel (The church) is the wife.
This would explain the name of Canaan, meaning "Humiliated".
Lev 18:6 'None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the Lord. 7 The nakedness of your father or the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness. 8 The nakedness of your father's wife you shall not uncover; it is your father's nakedness. NKJV
Lev 18:6 "'No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord.
7 "'Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her. 8 "'Do not have sexual relations with your father's wife; that would dishonor your father. NIV
Uncover: OT:1540 galah (gaw-law'); a primitive root; to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal:
Canaan: OT:3667 Kena`an (ken-ah'-an); from OT:3665; humiliated;
OT:3665 kana` (kaw-nah'); properly, to bend the knee; hence, to humiliate, vanquish:
Lam 1:8 Jerusalem has sinned greatly and so has become unclean.
All who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness;
she herself groans and turns away.
Isa 47:2 Take millstones and grind flour; take off your veil.
Lift up your skirts, bare your legs, and wade through the streams.
3 Your nakedness will be exposed and your shame uncovered.
Jer 13:25 This is your lot, the portion I have decreed for you," declares the Lord,
"because you have forgotten me and trusted in false gods.
26 I will pull up your skirts over your face that your shame may be seen —
27 your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution!