Question
In Genesis, the story of Noah said that one of his sons was cursed, and I believe this was HAM. Is there any proof as to who, what country, or race of people are from HAM?
Answer
This event is recorded in Genesis 9:18-26. The statement by Abraham in verse 25 is not that of resentment or of ill will toward Ham and his son Canaan, but one of prophecy. Ham was NOT THE ONE CURSED. It was Canaan, his fourth son (Genesis 10:6). Ham was not the youngest son of Noah (verse 24), Japheth was. Canaan was the youngest son of Ham and in Hebrew son is sometimes used to refer to grandsons (Gen. 29:5; 31:55) so Canaan might be described as Noah’s “youngest son”. (This phrase is used to describe Benjamin in Genesis 42:34; 43:39 and David 1 Samuel 16:11.) Origin quotes a tradition that it was Canaan that first saw Noah and went and told his father, Ham. Could it be that Canaan actually uncovered his grandfather and then went and told his father who added to the sin in looking and telling his brothers, Shem and Japeth? It was Canaan that was cursed, a statement of prophecy of what would happen to the Canaanites because of the behavior and attitude toward God.
Many derive the word “Ham” from a Hebrew word signifying hot, sunburst, and say these are the black race. And they connect Japeth with a word signifying to be fair and say these are the white race. And they say the Shemites were olive-colored and are the Jewish race. But Canaan represented only one-fourth of the Hamitic race and their descendants dwelt in Phoenicia and in the so-called land of Canaan or Palestine. (Genesis 10:15-20) “And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.”
It would take four generations for their iniquity to become full (Genesis 15:16). In the meantime we can see how corrupt they were before then, when God brought judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah. By the time the Israelites came into Canaan under Joshua, the Canaanites, collectively called the Amorites, were ripe for judgment.
The curse of Genesis 9 looked forward to Genesis 12:1-3 “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Those that would accept the God of Abraham would be blessed through the promised seed, Christ, and those that would reject the God of Abraham would be cursed or condemned. And one would not be cursed because of the color of their sin, but because of sin which pointed back to Genesis 3:15-16. The problem in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is that of sin, not the color of one’s skin, or where one lives, etc. God has never been a respecter of persons, but has been concerned about the salvation of all races from the very beginning.
Read Leviticus 18 and 20 and you will see that not only was Canaan “cursed” but anyone that practiced the same things would also face the wrath of God. Read also Deut. 12:28-31
By Danny Stanford
