Ham
malePre-FloodMeaning: “Hot; perhaps "dark"”
A son of Noah whose disrespect toward his father led to the cursing of his son Canaan; ancestor of peoples including Egypt, Cush, and Canaan.
Biography
Ham is a son of Noah, named among the eight who survived the flood. He is remembered chiefly for an act of disrespect and its consequences.
The sin against Noah
When Noah lay drunk and uncovered in his tent, Ham "saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without" (Genesis 9:22), failing to honor him. Shem and Japheth covered Noah respectfully. On waking, Noah pronounced a curse — not on Ham directly but on Ham's son Canaan (Genesis 9:25), foreshadowing Israel's later conflict with the Canaanites.
Father of nations
The Table of Nations lists Ham's descendants as Cush, Mizraim (Egypt), Put, and Canaan (Genesis 10:6), peoples of Africa and the Levant. Among them arose Nimrod, "a mighty one in the earth" (Genesis 10:8).
Life Timeline
Born to Noah; enters the ark
Dishonors Noah; his son Canaan is cursed
On the Bible timeline
Ham belongs to the Creation & the Early World era (Beginning – c. 2100 BC).
- c. 2400 BC (traditional)The Flood
- c. 2200 BCThe Tower of Babel
Family Tree
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Themes & lessons from Ham
Biblical themes that run through the passages where Ham appears.
People they appear with
Scripture Appearances
5 verses in 1 bookGenesis5 verses
Genesis 5:32
And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 9:22
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
Genesis 9:25
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
Genesis 10:6
And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.
Genesis 10:8
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
Frequently asked about Ham
Who was Ham in the Bible?
A son of Noah whose disrespect toward his father led to the cursing of his son Canaan; ancestor of peoples including Egypt, Cush, and Canaan.
What does the name Ham mean?
The name Ham means “Hot; perhaps "dark"”.
What did Ham do in the Bible?
Ham served as patriarch.
Who were Ham's parents?
Ham was the child of Noah.
Where does Ham appear in the Bible?
Ham is mentioned 5 times across 1 book: Genesis.
What can we learn from Ham?
The story of Ham touches on themes of cush, sciences, shem, assyria — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Ham's life.
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