NOAH GETS DRUNK - IITB 04.02

 

Chapter 4. 2

Noah gets Drunk

What happened to Noah

when he got drunk in the

privacy of his own tent?

 

 

First Word

     Noah knew about agriculture, wine and its potency; he had always maintained himself against wickedness and godlessness, so his getting drunk is inexcusable.  Even though he was a seasoned man of God, he was still brought low through the excess of wine; a reminder that we too can stumble.  Noah’s over indulgence occurred many years after the flood as his children had children and he was now a grandfather. We should not presuppose that Noah was the first to plant a vineyard or the first to ever get drunk.

     Noah imbibed of the fruit of his orchard and took off his clothes and became NAKED; similarly Adam ate of the fruit in his garden and discovered he was NAKED.  Both Noah and Adam sinned and the consequences were passed down through the generations.  The lesson; our sins affect others around us.

 

Setting the stage: 

     According to the story:  In earlier years, Noah had planted a vineyard and during a harvest time, had fermented some wine, drank it and got drunk.  He was in the privacy of his own tent and took off his clothes; at least he was not out in public…. Well, actually I guess there was really not that much public at that time.  The Bible does not say if anyone else was in the tent with him or if anyone else was drunk, but hold that thought.

Genesis 9:20-24 – The Story

20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

22 And Ham, the father of CANAAN,

SAW THE NAKEDNESS OF HIS FATHER, and told his two brethren without.

23 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. KJV

24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his YOUNGER son had done unto him. KJV
24 When Noah woke up from his stupor, he learned what Ham, his
YOUNGEST son, had done. NLT

 

     Note, some versions of the Bible say that Ham was the younger child while others say the youngest child.  Scripture list names in the order of their birth and Ham’s name is listed second, and calls special attention right away about Ham being the father of CANAAN.  (Canaan was Ham’s youngest son)

     I believe scriptures supports that Ham was younger than Shem, but older than Japheth; he was not the youngest.  Noah was about 600 years old at the flood and lived to be about 950.   Living 350 more years, Noah would have had many other children besides these three.

 

Genesis 9:18 – Ham is listed as the middle son

18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. KJV

The Story

     At this point we know that Ham, Noah’s younger son entered the tent and something “dark” happened. Since Noah said something was “done unto him”, the first conclusion is; that a HOMOSEXUAL ACT took place between Ham and his Father and Ham wanted his brothers to join in, but they would not disrespect their father.  If in fact this was so, then this would be the first record of Homosexuality after the flood.  Most commentaries just say that something “dark” or humbling occurred in the tent and MAY have included Noah’s grandson Canaan.

     The brothers without looking, walked in backward with a garment and covered up their father’s nakedness.  This is important… They did not see the nakedness of their father.  It should be pointed out here that the brothers were not teenagers still living in their fathers tent, but were married, had children and tents of their own;  they were grown.

     If you don’t read this account in the KJV of the Bible, you will miss what actually happened.  To get more insight we need to look at the Key Phrases mentioned … To cover or uncover the nakedness of their father.  

     NOTE: Disrespect was a big deal to the Israelites.  We are certainly familiar with the Laws of the Ten Commandments, which of course Noah’s family did not have.  But there were similar ordinances that were passed down and instilled into Noah’s family.  These judgments and ordinances were later verbalized in scripture.  Let’s take a look.

 

Leviticus 18:4 - Ordinances

4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ORDINANCES, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. KJV

 

     I want to look at this from another angle using Noah’s statement that “he knew what had been done to him”. CONSIDER THIS: I could say; “Do you know what my neighbor did to me?” He borrowed my rotor tiller and returned it to me broken.   Now, actually the destruction was done to my rotor tiller and not to me, but I owned the rotor tiller, therefore the offence WAS DONE TO ME. 

     What if this offence happened to Ms. Noah, it certainly would have been an offence to Noah also.  Let’s look at their scripture ordnance; the wording tells my BS what probably took place.

Leviticus 18:6-8 – Ordinance; Sexual relations with relatives

6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

8 THE NAKEDNESS OF THY FATHER'S WIFE shalt thou not uncover:  IT IS THY FATHER'S NAKEDNESS. KJV

 

     The father’s nakedness was uncovering the nakedness of the FATHER’S WIFE.  Did you see it?  The nakedness of Noah’s wife belonged to Noah alone and it was uncovered by someone.  There it is; very plain to me… Read all of Leviticus 18, it gets very specific and graphic.  Uncovering Nakedness” was their respectful way of saying, “Having Sex”.   

     So here we are; in my BS, my Belief System; Ham’s mother was probably also in the tent naked, and Ham saw her and seemly had sex with his own mother.  Ham told his brothers and they, knowing the Ordinances of God, walked backward respectably and covered up both their parents, and did not look.

     The nakedness of Noah’s wife belonged to Noah alone, and Ham had wronged him.  When someone wrongs your wife; they have wronged you.  When Noah woke up from his stupor, his wife told him that her nakedness had been uncovered.  Then Noah “knew” what Ham “had done unto him” and placed a curse on CANAAN.  The term KNEW is also a polite metaphor for having sex and can be observed in scripture when Adam knew his wife and she conceived.[1]  The question arises why was the Curse put on Canaan?  He was just one of Noah’s four grandchildren.

     Some commentaries indicate a possible wildness or disrespect on the part of “Canaan” not mentioned in the story.  Other commentaries simply indicate that this was actually “prophecy” of Canaan’s place in history to be slaves and servants to his brothers.  Some students of the Word believe that it was Mrs. Noah’s grandson Canaan that was the one that had sex with her.  The Book goes out of its way to inform us that Canaan was the son of Ham, but does not mention the mother.  Hold that thought,

     What I am about to say is really going to mess with your Belief System, your worldview.   In my BS, I believe that what is NOT SAID here is that Mrs. Noah got pregnant by her own son HAM and had a son named CANAAN and that is why Noah cursed him and not Ham.  

Leviticus 18:29 Ordinance; an Abomination shall be cursed

29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off (Shall be Cursed) from among their people. KJV

Genesis 9:25 – Canaan is the son of Ham
25
THEN HE CURSED CANAAN, THE SON OF HAM: “May Canaan be cursed! May he be the lowest of servants to his relatives.” (NLT)

Genesis 9:25 – The Curse was place on Canaan, not Ham

25 And he (Noah) said, CURSED BE CANAAN (Ham and his mama’s son); a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. KJV

 

The Take Away

     The tribes of Ham’s sonCanaan” would come to be a “thorn in the flesh” to Israel and have frequent conflicts with them, but they would be defeated.  Ham’s son “Cush” had a descendent that was Nimrod who built the TOWER OF BABEL and the city of Babylon where the abominations of all the other Gods had their birth.   

     Noah blessed his other two sons, but it was his first born of Shem’s line of descendants that brought us the Godly line of Abraham, the Father of Israel. 

     As I ponder the scriptures and climb into the story and look around, I see Noah’s started the ball rolling with his sin of drunkenness.  It occurs to me that probably many of Noah’s extended family had also indulged in the Kick-a-poo Joy Juice, not just Noah.  Just saying.

     I see “Ham” probably intoxicated, enters into his father’s tent and finds his mother incapacitated by strong drink and had sex with her and went out and told his brothers.  A year later she conceives and CANAAN is born and is cursed by Noah.  Sick as this seems; this is what the scriptures indicate to me.  You read the account for yourself and tell me what your BS embraces.

 



[1] Genesis 4:1 – Adam knew Eve his wife and she conceived

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