The curse of Canaan and the blessing (Genesis 9:25–27)

Says Noah said, אָרוּר כְּנָעַן, cursed be Canaan, עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו, a servant of servants he shall be to his brothers: a superlative (9:25). In 9:26 בָּרוּךְ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי שֵׁם, blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem: the Lord is blessed, not Shem directly. Canaan is to be עֶבֶד לָמוֹ, servant to them. In 9:27 יַפְתְּ אֱלֹהִים לְיֶפֶת, may God enlarge Japheth, a play on the name, וְיִשְׁכֹּן בְּאָהֳלֵי־שֵׁם, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem. Swete's household servant, the pronouns for לָמוֹ, and houses for tents are Greek-note facts. After the flood Noah lived 350 years; all his days were 950, and he died (9:28–29). Swete agrees. The ages are read with the Genesis 5 and 7 notes on the ages and on persons and history, and are not reopened here.

Implies The Lord, the God of Shem points ahead to Shem’s line (11:10–26), which leads to Abram. See the Hebrew note and the language note on the three sons at 5:32.

Uncertain Why Canaan, not Ham, is open: a word about Canaan’s descendants (cf. Lev 18:3, 24–28); Canaan’s own part; Ham punished through his youngest son; or Canaan as the child of one reading of 9:22. Noah speaks, not God. In 9:27 he may be God or Japheth, and לָמוֹ singular or plural. No lean is taken. The question of two accounts is pointed to once in the historical note and is not re-argued here.