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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Genesis 9:18–23. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here is, I. Noah's family and employment. The names of his sons are again mentioned (Gen 9:18, Gen 9:19) as those from whom the whole earth was overspread, by which it appears that Noah, after the flood, had no more children: all the world came from these three. Note, God, when he pleases, can make a little one to become a thousand, and greatly increase the latter end of those whose beginning was small. Such are the power and efficacy of a divine blessing. The business Noah applied himself to was that of a husbandman, Heb. a man of the earth, that is, a man dealing in the earth, that kept ground in his hand, and occupied it. We are all naturally men of the earth, made of it, living on it, and hastening to it: many are sinfully so, addicted to earthly things. Noah was by his calling led to trade in the fruits of the earth. He began to be a husbandman, that is, some time after his departure out of the ark, he returned to his old employment, from which he had been diverted by the building of the ark first, and probably afterwards by the building of a house on dry land for himself and family. For this good while he had been a carpenter, but now he began again to be a husbandman. Observe, Though Noah was a great man and a good man, an old man and a rich man, a man greatly favoured by heaven and honoured on earth, yet he would not live an idle life, nor think the husbandman's calling below him. Note, Though God by his providence may take us off from our callings for a time, yet when the occasion is over we ought with humility and industry to apply ourselves to them again, and, in the calling wherein we are called, faithfully to abide with God, Co1 7:24.
II.Noah's sin and shame:
He planted a vineyard; and, when he had gathered his vintage, probably he appointed a day of mirth and feasting in his family, and had his sons and their children with him, to rejoice with him in the increase of his house as well as in the increase of his vineyard; and we may suppose he prefaced his feast with a sacrifice to the honour of God. If this was omitted, it was just with God to leave him to himself, that he who did not begin with God might end with the beasts; but we charitably hope that it was not: and perhaps he appointed this feast with a design, at the close of it, to bless his sons, as Isaac, Gen 27:3, Gen 27:4, That I may eat, and that my soul may bless thee. At this feast he drank of the wine; for who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit of it? But he drank too liberally, more than his head at this age would bear, for he was drunk. We have reason to think he was never drunk before nor after; observe how he came now to be overtaken in this fault. It was his sin, and a great sin, so much the worse for its being so soon after a great deliverance; but God left him to himself, as he did Hezekiah (Ch2 32:31), and has left this miscarriage of his upon record, to teach us,
1.That the fairest copy that ever mere man wrote since the fall had its blots and false strokes. It was said of Noah that he was perfect in his generations (Gen 6:9), but this shows that it is meant of sincerity, not a sinless perfection.
2.That sometimes those who, with watchfulness and resolution, have, by the grace of God, kept their integrity in the midst of temptation, have, through security, and carelessness, and neglect of the grace of God, been surprised into sin, when the hour of temptation has been over. Noah, who had kept sober in drunken company, is now drunk in sober company. Let him that thinks he stands take heed.
3.That we have need to be very careful, when we use God's good creatures plentifully, lest we use them to excess. Christ's disciples must take heed lest at any time their hearts be overcharged, Luk 21:34. Now the consequence of Noah's sin was shame. He was uncovered within his tent, made naked to his shame, as Adam when he had eaten forbidden fruit. Yet Adam sought concealment; Noah is so destitute of thought and reason that he seeks no covering. This was a fruit of the vine that Noah did not think of. Observe here the great evil of the sin of drunkenness.
(1.)It discovers men. What infirmities they have, they betray when they are drunk, and what secrets they are entrusted with are then easily got out of them. Drunken porters keep open gates.
(2.)It disgraces men, and exposes them to contempt. As it shows them, so it shames them. Men say and do that when drunk which when they are sober they would blush at the thoughts of, Hab 2:15, Hab 2:16.
III.Ham's impudence and impiety:
He saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren, Gen 9:22. To see it accidentally and involuntarily would not have been a crime; but,
1.He pleased himself with the sight, as the Edomites looked upon the day of their brother (Oba 1:12), pleased, and insulting. Perhaps Ham had sometimes been himself drunk, and reproved for it by his good father, whom he was therefore pleased to see thus overcome. Note, It is common for those who walk in false ways themselves to rejoice at the false steps which they sometimes see others make. But charity rejoices not in iniquity, nor can true penitents that are sorry for their own sins rejoice in the sins of others.
2.He told his two brethren without (in the street, as the word is), in a scornful deriding manner, that his father might seem vile unto them. It is very wrong,
(1.)To make a jest of sin (Pro 14:9), and to be puffed up with that for which we should rather mourn, Co1 5:2. And,
(2.)To publish the faults of any, especially of parents, whom it is our duty to honour. Noah was not only a good man, but had been a good father to him; and this was a most base disingenuous requital to him for his tenderness. Ham is here called the father of Canaan, which intimates that he who was himself a father should have been more respectful to him that was his father.
IV.The pious care of Shem and Japheth to cover their poor father's shame, Gen 9:23.
They not only would not see it themselves, but provided that no one else might see it, herein setting us an example of charity with reference to other men's sin and shame; we must not only not say, A confederacy, with those that proclaim it, but we must be careful to conceal it, or at least to make the best of it, be doing as we would be done by.
1.There is a mantle of love to be thrown over the faults of all, Pe1 4:8.
2.Besides this, there is a robe of reverence to be thrown over the faults of parents and other superiors.
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
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Now the three sons of Noah were Shem, Ham and Japheth, from whom again the race was multiplied: for these were the beginning of mankind after the flood. Now of these one fell under a curse, and the two (others) inherited a blessing by reason of their works. For the younger of them, who was called Ham, having mocked his father, and having been condemned of the sin of impiety because of his outrage and unrighteousness against his father, received a curse; and all the posterity that came of him he involved in the curse; whence it came about that his whole race after him were accursed, and in sins they increased and multiplied. But Shem and Japheth, his brothers, because of their piety towards their father obtained a blessing. Now the curse of Ham, wherewith his father Noah cursed him, is this: Cursed be Ham the child; a servant shall he be unto his brethren. This having come upon his race, he begat many descendants upon the earth, (even) for fourteen generations, growing up in a wild condition; and then his race was cut off by God, being delivered up to judgment. For the Canaanites and Hittites and Peresites and Hivites and Amorites and Jebusites and Gergasites and Sodomites, the Arabians also and the dwellers in Phœnicia, all the Egyptians and the Libyans, are of the posterity of Ham, who have fallen under the curse; for the curse is of long duration over the ungodly.
The chaste son could not endure looking upon the immodest nakedness of a good man; chastity covered over what drunkenness had exposed in a transgression committed in ignorance but manifest to all.
That is why the drunkenness of Noah also has been described, so that we may guard against drunkenness as much as possible, with the picture of such a fall clearly described before our eyes in Scripture. That is why, too, the Lord blessed those who covered the shame of his drunkenness. Scripture, summing everything up in one succinct verse, has said, “Wine is sufficient for a man well taught, and upon his bed, he shall rest.”
When Christ says, “I am the true vine,” the blood of Christ is assuredly not water but wine. We are redeemed and made alive by his blood. But in the cup it is not wine as such that redeems but his blood. This is declared by the sacrament and testimony of all the Scriptures. For we find this even in Genesis also, in respect of the sacrament prefigured in Noah. That he drank wine was to them a precursor and figure of the Lord’s passion. Noah was made drunk by this wine, was made naked in his household, was lying down with his thighs naked and exposed, and the nakedness of the father was observed by his second son and was told abroad but was covered by two, the eldest and the youngest, and other matters which it is not necessary to follow out. It is enough for us simply to embrace the understanding that Noah set forth a type of the future truth. Noah did not drink water but wine and thus expressed in advance the figure of the passion of the Lord.
Noah’s drunkenness was not from an excess of wine but because it had been a long time since he had drunk any wine. In the ark he had drunk no wine. Although all flesh was going to perish, Noah was not permitted to bring any wine onto the ark. During the year after the flood Noah did not drink any wine. In that first year after he left the ark, he did not plant a vineyard, for he came out of the ark on the twenty-seventh of Iyor, the time when the fruit should be starting to mature and not the time for planting a vineyard. Therefore, seeing that it was in the third year that he planted the vineyard from the grape stones that he brought with him on the ark and that it was three or even four years before they would have become a productive vineyard, there were then at least six years during which the just one had not tasted any wine.
Perhaps, on the other hand, someone might say, “Why was vine dressing, source of such terrible wickedness, introduced into life?” Do not idly blurt out what comes into your head, O man: vine dressing is not wicked nor is wine evil—rather, it is use of them in excess. You see, dreadful sins arise not from wine as such but from intemperate attitudes of human depravity that undermine the benefit that should naturally come from it. The reason that now after the deluge he shows you the use of wine is that you may learn that before using wine the human race had to come to grief from it. Before wine had even appeared, human history gave evidence of the extremity of sinfulness and unbridled licentiousness. This was intended to teach you that when you see the way wine is used, you will not attribute it all to wine as such but to depraved human intention bent on evil. Consider especially where wine has proved useful, and tremble, O man. For wine is used in good things by which our salvation is made real. Those who have an insight into spiritual realities understand this saying.
After the deluge Noah drank and became drunk in his own house, and his thighs were uncovered and he was exposed in his nakedness. The elder brother came along and laughed; the younger, however, covered him up. All this is said in type of the Savior, for on the cross he had drunk of the passion: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me.” He drank and was inebriated, and his thighs were laid bare—the dishonor of the cross. The older brothers, the Jews, came along and laughed; the younger, the Gentiles, covered up his ignominy.
Why was Noah not blamed for falling into drunkenness? His falling was not due to intemperance but inexperience. For he was the first man to press the fruit of the vine and was ignorant not only of the power of the drink but also of the kind of change it had undergone. Because it ought to be mixed first before being drunk, he suffered drowsiness. There was nothing new about the fact that he was naked. For even now some people sleep naked, sleep having taken away their consciousness. The drunkenness, added to sleep, makes easier a defense of his nakedness.
“Woe to you that demand strong drink as soon as they rise in the morning, and linger into the night while wine inflames them!” Noah drank wine and fell into a drunken stupor and became naked in the more shameful part of his body so that you may know that the mind of man is so confounded by wine and the reason of the human mind is made so dull that it does not have concern even for itself, much less for God.… When Lot was soused with wine, he committed incest with his daughters and did not know his mistake; from that passionate union came the Moabites and the Ammonites.
Noah, a man of the earth, began to cultivate the ground and planted a vineyard, etc. It is often pleasing to repeat the word of the Lord, which he said to the Jews: "If you believed Moses, you would perhaps believe me as well, for he wrote about me" (John 5:46). For even in this reading where Moses, weaving history, writes of Noah and his sons, he figuratively announces the passion of the Lord and the devotion of the peoples believing in him, as well as the infidelity of those contradicting the faith. Indeed, Noah cultivating the ground planted a vineyard, because the Lord, caring for the human race, established the Synagogue among the Jewish people; of which vineyard the Psalmist also remembers saying: "You transplanted a vine from Egypt" (Psalm 80:8); and the Lord, speaking in the Gospel to the Jews, says: "A man planted a vineyard and surrounded it with a fence" (Luke 20:9), and the rest to the end of the parable, where he says: "What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to those tenants? They said: He will put those wretches to a miserable death and lease the vineyard to other tenants."
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Summary
Genesis 9:20 marks Noah's post-Flood re-engagement with mundane life, specifically agriculture, following God's profound covenant. This seemingly ordinary act of planting a vineyard by the patriarch of the new world underscores humanity's return to labor and the initial steps in rebuilding civilization. However, it subtly foreshadows the subsequent narrative of human frailty and the immediate consequences of sin, even among the righteous, setting the stage for the family conflict that profoundly impacts the nascent post-diluvian society.
Context
Literary Context
Genesis 9:20 immediately follows God's establishment of the Noahic Covenant, a universal promise never again to destroy all life by flood, marked by the sign of the rainbow (Genesis 9:8-17). This covenant signifies a new beginning for humanity and creation. The verse then shifts abruptly from the cosmic, divine declaration to a very mundane, human activity. This transition is crucial, as it sets the stage for the next narrative sequence (Genesis 9:21-27), which reveals that despite a new world and a divine covenant, the human heart's propensity for sin remains. The ordinary act of planting a vineyard becomes the catalyst for an extraordinary family crisis, demonstrating the enduring presence of moral failure even in the most righteous figures.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, agriculture was the bedrock of civilization and sustenance. The transition from a hunter-gatherer existence to settled agricultural communities marked a significant societal development. Planting a vineyard (viticulture) was a sophisticated form of agriculture, requiring foresight, patience, and knowledge of the land. Wine, the product of vineyards, was a staple beverage, often used in celebrations, religious rituals, and also known for its intoxicating effects. Noah's act of becoming a "husbandman" and planting a vineyard reflects the universal human need to cultivate the earth for survival and prosperity, a direct continuation of the mandate given to Adam in Genesis 2:15. This act grounds the grand theological narrative of the Flood and Covenant in the practical realities of daily life in the ancient world.
Key Themes
This verse contributes to several key themes within Genesis and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the theme of new beginnings and continuity, showing humanity's re-establishment on earth after a cataclysmic judgment, yet retaining fundamental aspects of pre-Flood human activity, particularly labor. Secondly, it subtly introduces the theme of human frailty and the persistence of sin, even after divine cleansing and covenant. Noah, the righteous man chosen by God, quickly demonstrates the enduring fallen nature of humanity, echoing the immediate post-creation fall in Genesis 3. Thirdly, it touches upon the dignity and necessity of labor, portraying work as a fundamental aspect of human existence and the rebuilding of society, even in a post-Fall world. Finally, the specific act of planting a vineyard foreshadows the consequences of human choices, as the fruit of this labor will directly lead to a pivotal moral failing and its subsequent repercussions within Noah's family, a pattern seen throughout the book of Genesis.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb is a primitive root that primarily means "to bore" or "to wound," and by implication, "to dissolve" or "to profane." However, it also carries the sense of "to begin" or "to initiate," often with the nuance of "opening" or "breaking ground." In Genesis 9:20, it signifies Noah's initiation of a new activity. Yet, the secondary meaning of "profane" or "desecrate" subtly foreshadows the subsequent narrative where Noah's actions in the vineyard lead to a profanation of family honor and a moral failing, adding a layer of dramatic irony.
This phrase literally translates to "man of the ground" or "earth-man." The word ʼîysh (H376) denotes a man as an individual or male person, often used as an adjunct to a more definite term. The word ʼădâmâh (H127) refers to "soil" or "ground," often from its reddish color. Together, they describe Noah's occupation as one who works the land, deeply connecting him to the earth. This echoes Adam's original connection to the soil from which he was formed ('adamah) and which he was commanded to tend, highlighting a continuity of human vocation despite the Flood.
This noun refers to a "garden" or specifically a "vineyard." It signifies a cultivated plot of land dedicated to growing grapevines. The choice of planting a vineyard, as opposed to simply growing grains, is significant because the product (wine) has a known intoxicating effect, which becomes central to the narrative immediately following this verse. The vineyard, often a symbol of blessing and prosperity in biblical literature, here becomes the setting for a fall.
Verse Breakdown
"And Noah began [to be] an husbandman,"
This clause establishes Noah's immediate post-Flood activity. The verb "began" (châlal) indicates the initiation of a new phase of life, a return to the foundational human task of cultivating the earth. By becoming an "husbandman" ('ish 'adamah), Noah embraces his role as the patriarch responsible for re-establishing human society and its sustenance through agriculture, linking him directly to the earth and the pre-Fall mandate given to Adam. This signifies a return to normalcy and productive labor after the unprecedented global catastrophe.
"and he planted a vineyard:"
This second clause specifies the particular agricultural activity Noah undertook. The act of planting a vineyard is deliberate and forward-looking, requiring significant investment of time and effort before yielding fruit. While seemingly innocuous, this specific choice of crop is highly significant. Vineyards produce grapes, which are fermented into wine, a substance that can lead to intoxication. This detail directly sets the stage for the subsequent narrative of Noah's drunkenness and the ensuing family shame, making this seemingly simple act a crucial narrative pivot point.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Foreshadowing is prominent, as Noah's seemingly innocent act of planting a vineyard immediately precedes and directly leads to his drunkenness and the subsequent family shame described in the following verses. The seemingly neutral verb "began" (châlal) also carries a subtle double entendre or irony, as it can also mean "to profane" or "to desecrate." While primarily denoting initiation here, its alternative meaning subtly hints at the profanation that will occur within Noah's family due to the vineyard's produce. Furthermore, there is Symbolism at play: the vineyard, often a biblical symbol of blessing, prosperity, and even Israel itself, here becomes the setting for a moral failure, highlighting the pervasive nature of sin even in a "new" world and among a righteous individual.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Genesis 9:20 serves as a stark reminder that even after cataclysmic divine judgment and the establishment of a new covenant, the fundamental reality of human nature, specifically its fallenness, persists. Noah, the righteous man through whom humanity was preserved, immediately re-engages with the earth, fulfilling a pre-Fall mandate for labor, yet his subsequent actions demonstrate that a new physical environment does not equate to a new moral nature. This highlights the enduring need for vigilance and God's ongoing redemptive work.
Reflection and Application
Genesis 9:20 offers profound insights for contemporary life. It reminds us that even after significant spiritual milestones or profound divine interventions, life often returns to the mundane, requiring diligent and faithful engagement in our daily work. Noah's immediate return to agriculture underscores the dignity and necessity of honest labor as a God-given design for human flourishing and the rebuilding of society. However, this verse also serves as a crucial cautionary tale: even the most righteous among us are not immune to temptation, error, or the consequences of poor choices. Noah, who walked with God and was saved from the Flood, demonstrates that our fallen nature persists. This calls us to a posture of humility and vigilance, recognizing that seemingly ordinary actions can have far-reaching spiritual and relational consequences. It encourages us to be diligent in our vocations while remaining acutely aware of our inherent human vulnerability and our ongoing need for God's grace and guidance in every aspect of life.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Noah's return to farming significant after the Flood?
Noah's return to farming signifies humanity's re-engagement with the foundational task of cultivating the earth, a mandate given by God in Genesis 1:28 and Genesis 2:15. It represents a crucial step in the rebuilding of civilization and a return to normalcy after the global catastrophe. This act underscores the dignity of labor and humanity's role as stewards of creation, while also subtly setting the stage for the subsequent narrative of human frailty that emerges from this very activity.
Does the word "began" in this verse have a negative connotation?
The Hebrew word chalal (H2490) primarily means "to begin" or "to initiate," indicating a new start for Noah. However, it can also carry a secondary, more negative connotation of "to profane" or "to desecrate." While its primary meaning here is neutral, the subtle linguistic nuance adds a layer of dramatic irony, foreshadowing the profanation of honor and the moral lapse that immediately follows Noah's act of planting the vineyard in Genesis 9:21-27. This dual meaning enriches the narrative's depth.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Genesis 9:20 depicts humanity's post-Flood new beginning through Noah's labor, it also immediately highlights the persistent reality of human sin and frailty. Even after divine judgment and the establishment of a new covenant, the human heart remains fallen, leading to moral failure. This underscores the inadequacy of mere new physical beginnings or even divine covenants to fully redeem humanity from its deep-seated sin nature. The true and ultimate "new beginning" and "new creation" are found not in a renewed earth or human effort, but in Jesus Christ. He is the perfect "man of the ground," the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-49), who perfectly fulfilled God's mandate for humanity. Unlike Noah, whose work in the vineyard led to a fall, Christ's work on the cross brings true restoration and a perfect, unblemished new humanity (2 Corinthians 5:17). He is the true vine (John 15:1) who brings forth fruit unto eternal life, offering a new covenant (Hebrews 8:6) that transforms the heart and overcomes the sin that continued to plague humanity even after the Flood.