Gen_9:18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
Seems a bit odd that we are told here that Ham is the father of Canaan. IMO this tells me something important about Canaan is going to be revealed.
Gen 9:19 These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.
Gen 9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
Gen 9:21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
Gen 9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
Again, we are told that Ham is the father of Canaan. Someone uncovered Noah in verse 21, then someone, Ham, saw it. He told his brothers.
Gen 9:23 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.
The brothers walked backwards so they would not see what Ham saw. Why didn't Ham do this? I believe he was traumatized by what he saw and his brothers were so afraid of seeing it as well that they walked backwards to cover this nakedness.
Keep in mind what uncovering a man's nakedness actually means:
Lev 18:5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.
Lev 18:6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
Lev 18:7 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.
Lev 18:8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
K&D commentary on the OT
"The laws against incest are introduced in Lev_18:6 with the general prohibition, descriptive of the nature of this sin, “None of you shall approach to any flesh of his flesh, to uncover nakedness.” The difference between flesh, and flesh, is involved in obscurity, as both words are used in connection with edible flesh (see the Lexicons). “Flesh of his flesh” is a flesh that is of his own flesh, belongs to the same flesh as himself (Gen_2:24), and is applied to a blood-relation, blood-relationship being called (or flesh-kindred) in Hebrew (Lev_18:17). Sexual intercourse is called uncovering the nakedness of another (Eze_16:36; Eze_23:18). The prohibition relates to both married and unmarried intercourse, though the reference is chiefly to the former (see Lev_18:18; Lev_20:14, Lev_20:17, Lev_20:21). Intercourse is forbidden (1) with a mother, (2) with a step-mother, (3) with a sister or half-sister, (4) with a granddaughter, the daughter of either son or daughter, (5) with the daughter of a step-mother, (6) with an aunt, the sister of either father or mother, (7) with the wife of an uncle on the father's side, (8) with a daughter-in-law, (9) with a sister-in-law, or brother's wife, (10) with a woman and her daughter, or a woman and her granddaughter, and (11) with two sisters at the same time."
Gen 9:24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
In the Hebrew this can also mean "younger grandson" who would be Canaan.
Gen 9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
For committing this evil act, Canaan is rightly cursed. Ham is one of the victims here, not a guilty party. Ham is the father of the evil-doer, Canaan.
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