Sharper Iron — In the Beginning – Genesis 9:18-28: Covering the Shame of Others

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After the LORD calls Noah and those with him off the ark, the narrative turns to focus more on the sons of Noah. Noah trusts the LORD’s promises in planting a vineyard. However, because sin still infects the world even after the flood, Noah overindulges on God’s gift of wine and becomes drunk. Ham sinfully exposes his father’s shame, while Shem and Japheth rightly cover him. This provides a picture of the way Christians are to forgive the sins against them as the LORD has first forgiven us.

Rev. Sean Kilgo, pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lawrence, KS, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Genesis 9:18-28.

To learn more about Redeemer Lutheran, visit Redeemer-Lawrence.org.

“In the Beginning” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies Genesis. The first book of Moses sets the stage for God’s entire story of salvation. As we learn the beginning of the story, God prepares us to receive the fulfillment of the story: Jesus Christ, the Offspring of the woman who has crushed our enemy’s head.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund. Together in faith, LCEF helps to start, sustain and strengthen LCMS ministries through financial and strategic partnerships. Visit lcef.org.

Genesis 9:18-28

Noah’s Descendants

18 The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the people of the whole earth were dispersed.[a]

20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard.[b] 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 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. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan;
a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem;
and let Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth,[c]
and let him dwell in the tents of Shem,
and let Canaan be his servant.”

28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years.

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Footnotes

Genesis 9:19 Or from these the whole earth was populated

Genesis 9:20 Or Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard

Genesis 9:27 Japheth sounds like the Hebrew for enlarge