Noah and His Sons

The sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was peopled. Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he lay uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backwards and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan; lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.’  He also said, ‘Blessed by the Lord my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave. May God make space for Japheth, and let him live in the tents of Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.’  After the flood Noah lived for three hundred and fifty years. (Genesis 9:18-28, NRSV)

How did Noah know that it was Ham?

It doesn’t sound like Shem and Japheth woke him up when they covered him so how did he know it was Ham who saw him naked?

And shouldn’t he be more upset about the state he would have or could have been found in and be glad that his son did something about it? And why is only Shem blessed, while Japheth has space for him in Shem’s tents?

Sometimes we look at things from the wrong angle and do not let the mercy that God has given us flow freely.

How do we show God’s love to others?