Christian Standard Bible
Genesis 9:23
23Then Shem and Japheth took a cloak and placed it over both their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father naked.
Genesis 9:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.
Context of Genesis 9:23
21He drank some of the wine, became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a cloak and placed it over both their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father naked. 24When Noah awoke from his drinking and learned what his youngest son had done to him, 25he said: Canaan is cursed. He will be the lowest of slaves to his brothers.
Read all of Genesis 9Genesis 9:23 word by word
וַיִּקַּח֩ שֵׁ֨ם וָיֶ֜פֶת אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֗ה וַיָּשִׂ֙ימוּ֙ עַל־שְׁכֶ֣ם שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וַיְכַסּ֕וּ אֵ֖ת עֶרְוַ֣ת אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וּפְנֵיהֶם֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וְעֶרְוַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Shemשֵׁםshêm · ShemH8035
- and Japhethיֶ֫פֶתyepheth · JaphethH3315
- tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- a garmentשִׂמְלָהώimlâh · mantleH8071
- and laidשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- upon bothשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- their shouldersשְׁכֶםshekem · shoulderH7926
- and wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- backwardאֲחֹרַנִּית'ăchôrannîyth · backwardsH322
- and coveredכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
- the nakednessעֶרְוָה‛ervâh · nakednessH6172
- of their fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- and their facesפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- and they sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
Cross-references for Genesis 9:23
- Exodus 20:12Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
- Leviticus 19:32“You are to rise in the presence of the elderly and honor the old. Fear your God; I am the Lord.
- Romans 13:7Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.
- Galatians 6:1Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.
- 1 Timothy 5:1Don’t rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,
- 1 Peter 2:17Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
- 1 Peter 4:8Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.
Commentaries on Genesis 9:23
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18-29Verses 18-29 - XXX. The Prophecy of Noah 18. כנען kena‛an “Kenaan, bowed down.” 19. נפץ nāpats “break, scatter, spread.” פוּץ pûts “break, scatter, flow.” 20. כרם kerem “orchard, vineyard.” 21. יין yayı̂n “wine; related: ferment.” After the blessing on the new heads of the human race has been pronounced, and the covenant with them renewed, we are prepared for a new development of human action. This appears, however, in the form of an event which is…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 The drunkenness of Noah is recorded in the Bible, with that fairness which is found only in the Scripture, as a case and proof of human weakness and imperfection, even though he may have been surprised into the sin; and to show that the best of men cannot stand upright, unless they depend upon Divine grace, and are upheld thereby. Ham appears to have been a bad man, and probably rejoiced to find his father in an unbecoming situation. It was…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-27The story of Noah begins with him walking in righteousness and obeying the Lord (6:9). It ends with him drunk and naked in his tent, cursing Canaan. Even after the great flood, people still showed sinful behaviors that led to the flood. The text emphasizes the cursed origin of the Canaanites, a corrupt and idol-worshiping group. Israel would later remove them from the promised land (see also 15:16 and study note; Leviticus 18:3; 20:23).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-2913. I do set my bow in the cloud--set, that is, constitute or appoint. This common and familiar phenomenon being made the pledge of peace, its appearance when showers began to fall would be welcomed with the liveliest feelings of joy.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 9:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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