EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Genesis 9:23
23Then Shem and Japheth took Noah's coat and they put it between their shoulders. They walked into Noah's tent with their backs to Noah. In this way they covered their father with the coat. They looked away from their father so that they did not see him. They did this because Noah was not wearing any clothes.
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 used the grapes to make wine. One day, he drank some of the wine and he became drunk. He lay inside his tent and he slept. He was not wearing any clothes. 22Canaan's father, Ham, saw that Noah was not wearing any clothes. He went out of the tent. He told his two brothers what he had seen. Then Shem and Japheth took Noah's coat and they put it between their shoulders. They walked into Noah's tent with their backs to Noah. In this way they covered their father with the coat. They looked away from their father so that they did not see him. They did this because Noah was not wearing any clothes. 24Later, when he was no longer drunk with the wine, Noah woke up. He found out what his youngest son, Ham, had done. 25He said, ‘I curse Canaan! He will become a slave that must serve 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 20:12Always respect your father and your mother. Then you will live for many years in the land that the Lord your God will give to you.
- Leviticus 19:32The people must stand up when they are with old people. They must respect the old people. They must give honour to their God. I am the Lord your God.
- Romans 13:7So you must give to each person what you ought to give them. Pay taxes to the people who receive taxes. Do that for every kind of tax. Respect those people that you should respect. Praise people that you should praise.
- Galatians 6:1My friends, if you see that someone among you is doing a wrong thing, you must warn that person. Those of you who have help from God's Spirit should tell that person how to live in a good way. But you must be patient and respect him. Be very careful yourselves, so that you do not also want to do wrong things.
- 1 Timothy 5:1Do not speak strongly to an older man and tell him what he must do. Instead, ask him in a kind way, as you would speak to your father. Speak to younger men as you would speak to your brothers.
- 1 Peter 2:17Respect all people. Love the believers as you would love your family. Obey God as your master. Respect the king.
- 1 Peter 4:8Continue to love each other very much. That is more important than anything else. If you love people, you will forgive them for any wrong things that they have done.
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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