Genesis 9:23

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

21And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 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. 24And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

Genesis 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

• 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 20:12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which Yhwh thy God giveth thee.
• Leviticus 19:32Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am Yhwh.
• Romans 13:7Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
• Galatians 6:1Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
• 1 Timothy 5:1Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
• 1 Peter 2:17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
• 1 Peter 4:8And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the 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

• Children
• Ham
• Japheth
• Noah
• Shem

In the dictionaries

• Japheth
• Shem
• Cloud
• Covenant
• Dwell
• Enlarge
• Meat
• Move
• Noah
• Set

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