TRV
Translation
King James Version
And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
Complete Jewish Bible
He drank so much of the wine that he got drunk and lay uncovered in his tent.
Berean Standard Bible
But when he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and uncovered himself inside his tent.
American Standard Version
and he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
World English Bible Messianic
He drank of the wine and got drunk. He was uncovered within his tent.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And he drunke of ye wine and was drunken, and was vncouered in the middes of his tent.
Young's Literal Translation
and drinketh of the wine, and is drunken, and uncovereth himself in the midst of the tent.
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In the KJVVerse 227 of 31,102
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Commentary on Genesis 9 verses 18–23
18 ¶ And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
19 These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.
20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
23 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.
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.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 18–23. Public domain.
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IrenaeusAD 202
The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching, Sections 19-20
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.
Clement of AlexandriaAD 215
The Instructor Book 2
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.
Clement of AlexandriaAD 215
The Instructor Book 2
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.”
CyprianAD 258
Epistle LXII.2-3
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.
Ephrem the SyrianAD 373
COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 7.1.1
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.
John ChrysostomAD 407
HOMILIES ON GENESIS 29.10
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.
JeromeAD 420
HOMILIES 13
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.
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
QUESTIONS ON GENESIS 56
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.
Leander of SevilleAD 601
THE TRAINING OF NUNS 19.9
“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.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron)
And drinking the wine, he became drunk, and he was naked in his tent. The Lord drank wine when he received the cup of his passion. He was made drunk by drinking when by suffering for us he reached the utmost extremity of death. He was naked in his tent, when among the Jewish people, whom he had made his own, and in which he had long been accustomed to dwell as in his tent, enduring reproaches and mockeries, he ultimately underwent the sentence of the cross, making manifest to all most openly the truth of the mortal substance which he had deigned to assume.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 9:21 presents a stark and sobering account of Noah, the patriarch through whom humanity was preserved from the Great Flood, succumbing to the effects of wine. This pivotal incident, occurring in the nascent stages of a new world, profoundly illustrates the enduring reality of human fallibility and the pervasive nature of sin, even within a righteous individual. It sets the stage for a dramatic familial crisis and prophetic declarations that would shape the destiny of nations.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse immediately follows the monumental event of the Great Flood and Noah's emergence from the ark. Having received God's blessing and the establishment of the Noahic Covenant, which promised never again to destroy all life by flood, Noah transitions from maritime preservation to agricultural endeavor. He becomes a "man of the soil" (ish ha'adamah) and plants a vineyard, marking the first biblical mention of viticulture. This seemingly innocuous act tragically precipitates his moral lapse, as his consumption of wine leads to intoxication and public exposure. The events of Genesis 9:21 are the direct prelude to the critical narrative in Genesis 9:22-27, which details the contrasting reactions of his sons—Ham, Shem, and Japheth—and the subsequent pronouncements of curse and blessing that profoundly impact their descendants and the trajectory of human history.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, wine was a common beverage, often associated with joy and celebration, as seen in various biblical texts (e.g., Psalm 104:15). However, drunkenness was consistently viewed negatively, leading to impaired judgment, moral degradation, and public shame. For a patriarch like Noah, who held a position of immense authority and respect as the head of the post-diluvian human family, his nakedness was a profound disgrace. Nakedness, particularly of an elder or parent, carried deep cultural connotations of vulnerability, dishonor, and even a symbolic loss of power or dignity. It was a state to be concealed, not exposed, and its revelation, especially if intentional or disrespectful, constituted a severe transgression against familial and societal norms, setting the stage for the dramatic and consequential reactions of his sons.
Key Themes: Genesis 9:21 contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Genesis and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the persistence of human sin and fallibility even after a divine judgment and a new beginning; the Flood cleansed the earth but did not eradicate the sinful propensity within the human heart, as demonstrated by Noah, a man previously described as "righteous" and one who "walked with God" (Genesis 6:9). Secondly, it highlights the dangers of intemperance and the misuse of God's gifts, showing how something intended for good (wine) can lead to shame and negative consequences when abused. Thirdly, the incident introduces the critical theme of honor and shame within family dynamics, setting up the stark contrast between Ham's disrespectful "seeing" and the reverent "covering" by Shem and Japheth, which has lasting implications for the unfolding narrative of nations and their moral standing before God.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Genesis 9:21 succinctly narrates Noah's actions and their immediate outcome: "And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent." This verse marks a pivotal moment, revealing the immediate consequences of his intemperance, leading to a state of vulnerability and profound dishonor. The text does not condemn the act of drinking wine itself, but rather the excess that results in intoxication and the subsequent exposure.
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The narrative of Genesis 9:21 employs several potent literary devices. There is a strong sense of Irony, as Noah, the one chosen to preserve humanity through the Flood, falls prey to a moral failing in the new world, demonstrating that divine judgment does not eradicate the human propensity for sin. The scene also utilizes Foreshadowing, as Noah's nakedness and subsequent curse on Canaan prefigure later biblical themes of shame, exposure, and the consequences of moral transgression, particularly in relation to the land and its inhabitants. The stark Contrast between Noah's initial righteousness and his drunken state underscores the fragility of human virtue. Furthermore, the "tent" serves as powerful Symbolism, representing a place of privacy and familial sanctity, which is tragically violated by Noah's actions and Ham's subsequent disrespect, setting a precedent for the importance of respecting boundaries and authority within the family unit.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Noah's fall in Genesis 9:21 serves as a profound theological statement on the enduring nature of human sinfulness even after a cataclysmic divine judgment and a new beginning. Despite being a righteous man chosen by God, Noah's vulnerability to intemperance underscores that the Flood did not cleanse humanity of its fallen nature; sin remains deeply ingrained in the human heart. This incident highlights the critical importance of self-control and vigilance against temptation, even for those who have experienced significant spiritual deliverances. It also introduces the theme of honor and shame, demonstrating how personal failings can have far-reaching consequences, not only for the individual but for their descendants, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human actions and their ripple effects through generations.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 9:21 offers timeless lessons for believers today, emphasizing the critical importance of self-control and vigilance against temptation, even after significant spiritual milestones or deliverances. Noah's vulnerability underscores that no one is immune to sin's pull, encouraging a continuous reliance on God's grace and humility in our daily lives. This passage reminds us that righteousness is a gift and a pursuit, not an inherent state of sinlessness. Furthermore, the subsequent narrative (e.g., Genesis 9:23) provides a powerful model for how to respond with grace, discretion, and honor when others, especially those in authority or within our families, stumble, contrasting Ham's disrespectful actions with the reverent covering provided by Shem and Japheth. It calls us to cultivate a spirit of humility, recognizing our own capacity for sin, and to extend compassion and discretion when faced with the failings of others, seeking to cover rather than expose.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Noah, a righteous man, depicted as falling into sin?
Answer: Noah's fall serves as a powerful reminder of the pervasive nature of sin and human fallibility. Even individuals described as righteous, like Noah (Genesis 6:9), are not perfect and remain susceptible to temptation and moral failure. This highlights that righteousness is a gift from God and a pursuit, not an inherent state of sinlessness, underscoring humanity's constant need for divine grace and redemption. It teaches that even great faith does not negate the reality of indwelling sin.
What is the significance of Noah being "uncovered"?
Answer: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, nakedness, especially of an elder or patriarch, was deeply shameful and dishonorable. It signified a loss of dignity, vulnerability, and often implied a state of judgment or humiliation. Noah's "uncovered" state, a result of his drunkenness, makes him vulnerable to public disgrace and sets the stage for the contrasting responses of his sons, which have profound implications for the subsequent narrative and the future of their descendants. It symbolizes a loss of control and the stripping away of his patriarchal authority and honor.
Does this verse condemn the consumption of wine?
Answer: This verse does not explicitly condemn the consumption of wine itself, but rather the excess that leads to drunkenness. The problem lies in Noah's intoxication and the resulting loss of control and dignity. The Bible generally presents wine as a gift from God (e.g., Psalm 104:15) but consistently warns against its misuse and the dangers of drunkenness (e.g., Proverbs 20:1, Ephesians 5:18). The narrative serves as a cautionary tale against intemperance and its destructive consequences.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Noah's fall in Genesis 9:21 underscores humanity's persistent need for a perfect deliverer, a role ultimately and perfectly fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Noah, despite his righteousness and God's covenant with him, demonstrates that even the best of humanity cannot escape sin's stain or perfectly uphold God's standards. This highlights the insufficiency of human effort and the absolute necessity of a divine solution for sin. Christ, the true "righteous one" (1 John 2:1), perfectly resisted temptation, lived a sinless life, and ultimately offered himself as the perfect sacrifice on the cross, enduring the ultimate shame and exposure (Hebrews 12:2) to cover the shame and nakedness of humanity's sin. He provides a spiritual covering and redemption that no human act, like Shem and Japheth's physical covering of Noah, could ever achieve. Through His atoning work, believers are clothed with His righteousness (Isaiah 61:10) and offered true and lasting restoration where all human efforts and covenants ultimately fall short.