5: A Misplaced Curse

BEMA Episode Link: 5: A Misplaced Curse
Episode Length: 36:59
Published Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2016 01:00:00 -0700
Session 1
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings are joined by Reed Dent to talk about Noah’s departure from the ark and the tragedy that ensues.

Campus Christian Fellowship, Truman State University

BEMA 231: Introducing the Team — Deconstruction w/ Reed Dent

Study Tools

Legacy Episode Content

Episode updated 3 February 2025
Original audio from 20 October 2016
Transcript for BEMA 5 of 20 October 2016

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 5 Study Notes: A Misplaced Curse

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 5: A Misplaced Curse (E5v24)
Hosts: Marty Solomon, Brent Billings, Reed Dent Scripture Focus: Genesis 9:18-29

This episode examines the often-overlooked aftermath of Noah’s flood - the story of Noah’s vineyard, his drunkenness, and the troubling curse that follows. The discussion explores ancient Jewish commentary (Midrash) to understand deeper meanings about vengeance, family dynamics, and the cyclical nature of human failure even after divine redemption.

Key Takeaways

The story of Noah after the flood parallels the Garden of Eden narrative in multiple ways
Ancient Jewish commentary (Midrash) provides alternative interpretations that focus on vengeance rather than sexual impropriety
Noah’s curse of Canaan instead of Ham demonstrates the destructive nature of vengeance
The narrative serves as self-criticism within Hebrew Scripture, showing how even righteous figures fail
Biblical numbers and patterns (three sons vs. four rivers) carry symbolic significance
The principle of “first mention” applies to the vineyard as the first reference to this agricultural practice
Vengeance has generational consequences that extend beyond the original offense

Main Concepts & Theories

The Principle of First Mention

When Scripture introduces a new concept, word, or image for the first time, that initial context often frames how that element should be understood throughout the rest of the biblical narrative. The vineyard in Noah’s story becomes the archetypal vineyard reference, potentially informing later vineyard imagery in Scripture.

Midrash as Eastern Commentary

Midrash represents an ancient Jewish form of commentary that differs significantly from Western biblical interpretation:

Uses storytelling to facilitate discovery rather than direct explanation
Often appears ludicrous or arbitrary to Western minds
Employs the method of “taking you around the block to go next door”
Designed to help readers discover truths through wrestling with the text
Not necessarily intended as literal history but as interpretive tool

Garden of Eden Parallels

The episode identifies striking parallels between Noah’s post-flood experience and the Garden of Eden story:

Garden/Vineyard: Both feature cultivated spaces with significant fruit
Fruit consumption: Both involve partaking of fruit that leads to problems
Nakedness: Both stories feature nakedness as a central issue
Covering: Both include attempts to address the nakedness problem
Curse: Both narratives conclude with divine or quasi-divine cursing

Hebrew Idioms and “Seeing Nakedness”

The phrase “seeing nakedness” in Hebrew can represent multiple concepts:

Sexual union in appropriate contexts
Sexual abuse or molestation
Taking or possessing something beyond mere observation
According to some Midrashic interpretation: castration

The Castration Interpretation

Jewish Midrash suggests Ham castrated Noah rather than committing sexual impropriety:

Explains why Noah curses Canaan (Ham’s descendant) rather than Ham himself
Connects to the symbolic significance of four rivers vs. three sons
Makes the story about vengeance rather than sexual disobedience
Aligns with the theme of stopping destructive cycles

Vengeance vs. Justice

The episode distinguishes between divine justice and human vengeance:

God’s approach in Eden: Cursed the ground and serpent, not the humans directly
Noah’s approach: Directly cursed a person (and the wrong person)
Consequence: Vengeance spreads beyond its intended target and perpetuates cycles of harm

Numbers and Symbolism

Three sons of Noah: Representing the populated earth
Four rivers in Eden: Potentially representing complete global coverage
The missing fourth: Suggests incompleteness due to Ham’s action preventing Noah from having another son
350 years of inactivity: Noah’s remaining life characterized by bitterness and stagnation

Examples & Applications

Contemporary Middle East Conflicts

The hosts reference ongoing Israeli-Palestinian tensions as a modern example of how ancient vengeance cycles continue to affect generations, demonstrating the enduring relevance of this ancient narrative’s warning about the dangers of retaliatory justice.

Self-Criticism in Hebrew Scripture

The episode highlights how Hebrew Scripture differs from typical ancient literature by portraying even heroes as flawed:

David: Described with significant moral failings despite being Israel’s greatest king
Noah: Shows failure immediately after being chosen as the righteous remnant
Abraham: Will later demonstrate a different response to potential destruction

Richard Rohr’s Observation

The episode cites Rohr’s insight that “any nation that loses the capacity for self-criticism will become idolatrous,” connecting ancient narratives to contemporary national and personal introspection.

Agricultural Timeline Reality

The episode addresses the practical impossibility of the compressed timeline (planting vineyard to getting drunk) emphasizing that the narrative prioritizes theological meaning over chronological precision. Real vineyards require 4-5 years to produce viable grapes.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Advanced Midrashic Studies

Deeper exploration of specific Midrashic texts and their interpretive methods
Understanding the relationship between literal and metaphorical interpretation in Jewish thought
Comparative analysis of Christian and Jewish commentary traditions

Ancient Near Eastern Context

Comparison with other flood narratives and their aftermath stories
Understanding honor/shame cultures and their approach to family dynamics
Archaeological insights into ancient viticulture and social structures

Theological Implications

The nature of human righteousness and divine grace
The role of generational consequences in biblical theology
Understanding curse and blessing in ancient covenant contexts

Literary Analysis

Detailed study of parallel structures between Genesis narratives
Examination of chiastic patterns and other Hebrew literary devices
Analysis of genealogical patterns and their theological significance

Contemporary Applications

Modern conflict resolution and restorative justice principles
Breaking cycles of family dysfunction and generational trauma
National reconciliation and the role of historical acknowledgment

Comprehension Questions

Interpretive Framework: How does the Jewish Midrashic approach to biblical interpretation differ from typical Western commentary methods, and what are the advantages and challenges of each approach?
Parallel Analysis: In what specific ways does Noah’s post-flood experience mirror the Garden of Eden story, and what theological significance do these parallels suggest about human nature and divine redemption?
Symbolic Numbers: Why might the contrast between the four rivers mentioned in the Garden of Eden story and Noah’s three sons be significant, and how does this relate to the Midrashic interpretation of Ham’s actions?
Vengeance vs. Justice: What is the fundamental difference between God’s response to human failure in the Garden of Eden and Noah’s response to Ham’s offense, and what does this teach about appropriate responses to wrongdoing?
Contemporary Relevance: How do the themes of generational consequences and vengeance cycles in Noah’s story apply to modern conflicts and personal relationships, and what practical steps might break such cycles?

Personal Summary

This episode reveals how even after experiencing God’s salvation through the flood, Noah immediately fails the test of whether he can “stop destroying.” The story serves as a sobering reminder that human nature remains fundamentally flawed even after divine intervention. The ancient Jewish interpretation shifts focus from sexual misconduct to the deeper issue of vengeance, showing how retaliation inevitably spreads beyond its intended target and affects innocent parties - in this case, Canaan and his descendants.

The parallel with Eden emphasizes that each generation faces the same fundamental choice: will we trust God’s way of justice and redemption, or will we take matters into our own hands? Noah’s 350 years of apparent inactivity after his vengeful curse suggests the spiritual deadness that results from choosing the path of retaliation over restoration.

Perhaps most importantly, the episode demonstrates the Hebrew Scriptures’ remarkable capacity for self-criticism, acknowledging that even their heroes fail spectacularly. This honest assessment invites readers to examine their own tendencies toward vengeance and consider whether they, like Noah, might be perpetuating destructive cycles rather than breaking them. The story ultimately points toward the need for a better way - one that will later be embodied in figures like Abraham who intercede rather than retaliate.

BEMA Episode 5: A Misplaced Curse - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 5: A Misplaced Curse (E5v16) Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Topic: Analysis of Noah’s post-flood experience, focusing on the tragic curse placed on Canaan and the parallel structure to the Garden of Eden narrative. The episode explores themes of vengeance, forgiveness, and the human struggle to “know when to say enough.”

Key Takeaways

The story of Noah after the flood directly parallels the Garden of Eden narrative in structure and themes
Ham’s transgression against Noah likely involved castration rather than mere voyeurism, based on Hebrew idioms and Midrashic interpretation
Noah’s curse falls on Canaan (his grandson) rather than Ham (his son) as an act of vengeful reciprocity - “you robbed me of future sons, so I’ll rob you of yours”
This represents a failure to trust God and “say enough” to destructive desires, continuing the cycle of violence
The curse has eternal consequences, creating ongoing conflict between Canaan’s descendants and God’s people
Forgiveness is presented as the ultimate act of trust in God’s sovereignty and the key to breaking cycles of vengeance

Main Concepts & Theories

Parallel Structure: Flood Story as New Creation

The Noah narrative mirrors the Genesis creation account:

Garden/Vineyard: Noah plants a vineyard (first mention of vineyard in Scripture) parallel to Eden
Fruit: Both involve partaking of garden produce with tragic consequences
Nakedness: Central theme in both stories involving shame and covering
Curse: Both narratives conclude with divine judgment and expulsion/separation

The Four Rivers Theory

Based on the parallel structure principle:

Genesis 2-3 mentions four rivers, representing family lines/tributaries
Noah has only three sons initially
God’s command to “be fruitful and multiply” suggests a fourth son was planned
Ham’s castration of Noah prevents this fourth lineage, explaining the severity of Noah’s response

Hebrew Idiom: “Looking Upon Nakedness”

The phrase carries deeper meaning than simple voyeurism:

Hebrew concept of “perceive” rather than merely “see”
Culturally indicates either molestation or castration
Midrashic interpretation suggests castration based on textual clues and parallel structure
Explains why Noah immediately knows what happened upon waking

Midrash as Teaching Method

Introduction to Eastern interpretive approach:

Western exegesis: Deductive, straightforward commentary on past events
Eastern midrash: Inductive storytelling that leads readers to discovery
Stories within stories that function as “treasure maps” guiding interpretation
Raises questions rather than providing direct answers

The Misplaced Curse

Noah’s response reveals several theological problems:

Wrong target: Curses Canaan instead of Ham, the actual perpetrator
Divine prerogative: Uses a curse formula reserved for God alone in Scripture
Perpetual consequences: Creates generational conflict between peoples
Failure of trust: Represents taking justice into his own hands rather than trusting God

Examples & Applications

Historical Context: The Principle of First Mention

When studying Scripture, the first occurrence of significant words or concepts often establishes their interpretive foundation. The vineyard’s first mention in Noah’s story shapes how later vineyard references (including Jesus’s parables) should be understood - often involving judgment, excess, or moral failure.

Psychological Dynamics of Shame and Revenge

Noah’s reaction demonstrates how shame can drive destructive behavior:

Personal failure: Unable to fulfill God’s command for multiplication
Public humiliation: Loss of dignity through Ham’s actions
Projected anger: Displacing revenge onto the innocent (Canaan) rather than addressing the actual wrongdoer

Patterns of Generational Sin

The curse creates a cycle where:

Ham’s violation of his father leads to Noah’s violation of justice
Noah’s misplaced curse creates ongoing tribal conflict
Future generations inherit the consequences of their ancestors’ failures to forgive

Contrast with Divine Character

The flood narrative shows God “knowing when to stop destroying,” but Noah fails to learn this lesson:

God’s restraint: Limits destruction and provides covenant promises
Noah’s excess: Extends punishment beyond the guilty party to innocent descendants
Divine vs. human justice: God’s patience versus human vengeance

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Genealogical Studies

Investigation of the birth order inconsistencies between Shem, Ham, and Japheth across different biblical passages
Analysis of the “Table of Nations” in Genesis 10 and its relationship to this curse
Tracing the historical conflicts between Canaanite peoples and Israel through biblical narrative

Comparative Ancient Near Eastern Literature

Examination of similar flood narratives and post-flood stories in Mesopotamian literature
Cultural practices regarding family honor, nakedness, and curses in ancient contexts
Understanding castration and sexual violence in ancient legal and social frameworks

Theological Implications of Human vs. Divine Judgment

Biblical passages where humans inappropriately assume divine prerogatives
The relationship between human justice and divine patience throughout Scripture
New Testament teachings on forgiveness as they relate to Old Testament patterns

Literary and Structural Analysis

Further exploration of chiastic structures in Genesis narratives
The role of parallel stories as interpretive keys in Hebrew literature
Midrashic interpretive methods and their application to modern biblical study

Psychology and Theology of Forgiveness

Biblical examples of breaking generational cycles through forgiveness
The story of Samson (referenced in the episode) as a contrast or continuation of these themes
Practical applications of “knowing when to say enough” in contemporary contexts

Comprehension Questions

Structural Analysis: How does the post-flood Noah narrative parallel the Garden of Eden story, and what interpretive significance does this parallel structure hold for understanding both accounts?
Cultural Interpretation: Based on the Hebrew idiom “looking upon nakedness” and Midrashic interpretation, what likely happened between Ham and Noah, and how does this interpretation change our understanding of Noah’s response?
Ethical Evaluation: Why does Noah curse Canaan instead of Ham, and what does this reveal about Noah’s spiritual and emotional state following Ham’s transgression?
Theological Implications: How does Noah’s use of a curse “reserved for God alone” demonstrate a failure to trust divine justice, and what are the long-term consequences of this action in biblical narrative?
Application and Reflection: What does it mean to “know when to say enough” in the context of this story, and how does forgiveness function as an act of trust in God’s sovereignty over human relationships and justice?

Personal Summary

The story of Noah’s post-flood experience serves as a sobering reminder that even the righteous can fail when faced with personal violation and shame. Rather than simply being about ancient family drama, this narrative reveals profound truths about human nature, divine justice, and the devastating consequences of choosing revenge over trust in God’s ultimate authority.

The parallel structure with the Garden of Eden suggests that humanity’s tendency toward destructive choices persists even after divine judgment and new beginnings. Noah’s failure to “say enough” - to limit his response to appropriate boundaries - creates generational conflict that echoes throughout biblical history.

Most significantly, this episode introduces forgiveness as the antidote to cycles of vengeance. True forgiveness requires tremendous trust - believing that God will handle justice appropriately even when we feel compelled to take matters into our own hands. The tragic irony is that Noah, who experienced God’s salvation through the flood, fails to extend that same patient trust when he faces personal offense.

This ancient story speaks directly to contemporary struggles with forgiveness, family dysfunction, and the human tendency to perpetuate harm when we’ve been harmed. The invitation remains constant: trust God’s character and timing rather than allowing shame, fear, and desire for revenge to drive our responses to those who wrong us.

Original Notes

There are problems in this story.
- The order of the sons are not listed consistently. Oldest is typically listed first.
- Vinyard (principle of first mention) is mentioned and Noah has already learned how to make win.
- What is the big deal with Noah being naked in his own tent?
- There aren’t a lot of people around, how does Noah figure out who does what when he comes out of the tent?
Genesis 9:18-28.
- It’s odd that it mentions Ham being the father of Canaan.
- Why does Ham tell his brothers when he sees his father’s nakedness?
- Why would Shem and Jepheth be so hesitant to see his father naked.
- Why curse his grandchild Canaan when Ham sees his father naken?
  - Ham isn’t even mentioned. Ham did something wrong, not Canaan.
- How does Ham know that he has done something wrong?
If the creation story continues, a garden with fruit should be next.
- Noah plants a vinyard and tastes its fruit.
- Then we have this weirdness about nakedness.
- Then we have a covering of the nakedness.
- Then we have a curse.
- We continue to have these parallels to the creation story with Adam and Eve in the garden.
Midrash is an ancient Jewish form of commentary on a particular passage in the Text.
- Westerners will exegete the passage, be deductive and straight forward.
- Easterners will lead you on a process of discovery. It will be an inductive process of discovery.
  - They will tell a story within the story that will help you find the same journey and discover the same thing the teacher has discovered from the passage.
Midrash for this passage:
- To see means to perceives or to completely understand it. To grok.
  - In this eastern world, this would have been perceived as castration or molestation. Some even teach that this means “to sleep with your mother.” This is found in Dueteronomy. The auther connects the idea of looking upon your father’s nakedness with sleeping with your mother. Ultimately what the author is doing is saying “to sleep with your mother is to molest your father.”
- We have to determine was it molestation or castration?
  - The midrash tells us that it was castration. It leaves us wondering why castration and not molestation. There must be something in the test to lead us to that understanding.
  - In Gen 2 and 3, the four rivers have an interest set of details.
  - Lineage is also imagined with a river. There were four rivers in Gen 2 and 3.
  - In the story of Noah, he has three sons and Noah is told to be fruitful and multiply.
    - Noah is expected to have a fourth son.
  - Why does Noah curse Canaan? Marty is convicted from teachings of Rabbi Fohrman that Noah is bent on revenge. Ham has robbed Noah of something, a fourth son, and now Noah is bent on robbing Ham of something from him.
- In the first creation story, G-d knows when to say enough with his creative power. Adam and Eve also have to learn this lesson.
  - In this new creation story, G-d is learning when to say enough with his destructive power.
  - Noah now has to learn this same lesson.
    - Noah’s invitation is to trust G-d and not let his vengence get the best of him.
      - Don’t pass on Ham’s mistake to his children and his children’s children.
      - This word for curse is use only by G-d and one person in the text, Noah.
      - This curse is reserved for G-d alone.
      - Noah is stepping into the role of G-d. He takes this curse and throws it NOT on the one who deserves it but on the one who doesn’t deserve it.
      - This decision will have eternal repercussions.
      - Brent notices that it’s G-d who asks the question, “What have you done?” in Gen. 3. It’s not directly in the text but it’s a seemingly natural question we would expect Noah to ask as he comes out of the tent. This is more assumption though. However, an interesting parallel.
      - This is one of the places we are first introduced to forgiveness.
- What we keep learning here is how to be like G-d.
  - When to stop creating.
  - When to stop destroying.
  - How to trust the story.
  - Who G-d is.
  - What man is afraid of.
  - The plea over and over again is to just trust the story.
  - Don’t lash out in our insecurity and our shame.
    - This story is all pent up in Noah’s shame.
    - Will Noah take it out on the next guy or is he going to know when to say enough and let the world continue down a redemptive path.
      - Unfortuneately, Noah makes the wrong decision and this story ends in yet another tragedy.

Slack conversation with Josh Bossé

Chad
Any Midrash on the bad blood between Noah and Ham prior to the tent incident? > #session1

AC
Check out sefaria.org. Highlighting any verse shows all related midrash, > Mishnah, Talmud, etc. associated with that verse. Incredibly useful.

AC
Gen 9:1 for instance Image from iOS Image from iOS

Chad
Thanks @AC :ok_hand:

Chris Jackson :man_dancing: :skin-tone-4:
@AC I use safaria and I didn’t even see this WOWEE thanks!!!

Josh Bossé
Not necessarily bad blood, but there are some juicy midrash that outline > pretty clearly how the stage was set for what happens later. Before I dive into the midrashic stuff, Ham’s name means ‘hot’, which would > imply that he has a temper, but less obvious is that it also implies he is > incredibly virile! We see this association most explicitly in the text in 1 > Kings 1, where David’s inability to stay warm (literally the same word as Ham) > is solved by bringing a beautiful young woman to his bedroom. There was a lot > of significance in a King’s virility in ancient times, and whether their > motives were superstitious or more PR-related, the name Ham would have evoked > a sense of someone who is sexually voracious, but with the connotation of > health rather than depravity, much like our modern expression of someone being > ‘red-blooded’. And the big precursor to the castration from the midrash I’ve come across is > entirely about sex. So the Rabbis point out that the order they enter and exit > the ark changes, in 7:7 they enter with the couples ‘split up’, the men enter > first, then the women. In 8:16 & 18, they exit with the couples reunited, and > from this the Rabbis conclude there was a prohibition against sex for the > entire time they were on the ark. This would have also conformed to ancient > cultural norms which would have seen creating life in the midst of such > immense death as totally inappropriate and in violation of natural order. Then > in 9:18, when Noah’s genealogy is given, it emphasizes that Ham was the father > of Canaan. Now, this genealogy is very short, and we might wonder why have a > genealogy at all if it’s only two generations long, but the logic would be > that this is the new creation, a new humanity, the world is starting over, > which means this genealogy should be taken as something immediate to the end > of the flood, not something that isn’t recorded until years later. So there’s > a strong implication that Ham was the father of Canaan while they were exiting > the ark, meaning he broke the prohibition, impregnating his wife on the ark. > Thus we see his virility, which might otherwise be seen as a positive trait, > reframed in this moment as something which Ham uses to violate the fundamental > order of nature. It’s important to emphasize that, because this isn’t just > about Ham lacking self-control, it’s not just an individual choice with > individual consequences. In this tiny communal context, him rushing to sire an > heir implies he is trying to gain an advantage over his brothers, and that > he’s willing to sink to any depth to repopulate & remake the earth in his > image. So to me, it’s not so much about a personal resentment of Noah, but a > breathtaking willingness to commit brutal atrocities for his personal gain. > And particularly as this ‘new humanity’, Ham becomes the clear parallel to > Cain, whose violence also was not born out a personal resentment, but out of a > total lack of regard for Abel’s well-being. In this way they are early > archetypes of proto-Empire in the Biblical narrative. :exploding_head: 4 :heart: 1 :+1: 1

Chris Jackson :man_dancing::skin-tone-4:
@Josh Bossé doesn’t it also talk about Ham’s sons pretty much immediately > taking to worshipping pagan gods in the book of Jubilees? If I recall, they’re > basically responsible for the occult coming back to life.

Josh Bossé
I’m not very familiar with the pseudepigrapha, but I wouldn’t be surprised at > all. I’ve seen in some lexicons that Ham’s name is linked with Egypt and of > course Canaan’s name comes up again in the text. Especially given the wildly > sexual culture of Egypt, so it makes a lot of sense that these characters were > also ways of talking about the roots of their modern pagan neighbors.

Melissa K
Wow, so much juicy midrash! I had thought that Ham’s act of castrating Noah > meant that he wanted Canaan to become the fourth son that Noah was trying to > sire (thinking of the weird mention of the rivers and how it parallels to here)> . Seeing now in the midrash you described how Ham was willing to advance his > empire at any cost (plus also the 4 significance - ALL the earth), it just > seems to go together even more! Ham wanted to dominate, replacing his father’s > line with his own. And was so brazen about it that he ridiculed his father by > speaking about it to his brothers! Wow. :+1: 1

Chris Jackson:man_dancing::skin-tone-4:
@Josh Bossé Jubilees is super interesting in the way it tries to give a > spiritual narrative for what’s going on. Or Assiyah Ruchni. There’s a whole > portion that addresses the issue of: well it’s just Noah and fam on the earth > and ALLL of the demons so Noah basically convinces God to do something so it’s > fair. I couldn’t make it through Enoch until now. I had to get a better grasp on the > idea of how they saw the afterlife. Reading Lancasters elementary principles > made the 4 mountains idea make WAY more sense. But I digress.

Josh Bossé
@Melissa K I would think those two ideas go together well, and in fact the > aspect you’re bringing up shows us another kindof violation of the natural > order in his attempt to replace his father. @Chris Jackson I was readin up on it on wikipedia and it sounds very > interesting! Especially because we’re about to enter a jubilee year! :heart: 1

Chad
@Josh Bossé @Melissa K so If I follow, this theory is that Ham castrates Noah as the next big step in world domination in the the new world order. Step 1 was making sure he would have the first male of the next generation, and step 2 was “removing” the competition? What a Ham! (edited)

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