Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

HAM

(Heb. ḥām)

(PERSON)

A son of Noah. Ham is usually listed as the middle son (Gen. 5:32; 10:1; 1 Chr. 1:4), but in Gen. 9:24 he is called the “youngest.” The exact etymology of the name is uncertain. Some scholars derive it from terms connoting divinity, but a (semi-)divine status for Ham is unlikely.

Ham escaped the Flood in the ark, presumably because of Noah’s righteousness (Gen. 6:8-9), and received God’s blessing (9:1). Later, when Noah lay drunk in his tent, Ham “the father of Canaan” (Gen. 9:18, 22) saw the “nakedness of his father,” which may refer to a sexual act (cf. Lev. 18:7-19; 20:11-21). Upon waking, Noah unexpectedly cursed Ham’s son Canaan (Gen. 9:25-27). The present form of the story is thus somewhat convoluted. Even so, it was not until the Middle Ages that Canaan’s curse was misattributed to Ham and used for racist purposes.

Ham is also the progenitor of Cush, Egypt (cf. Ps. 78:51; 105:23, 27; 106:22), and Put (Gen. 10:6-20; 1 Chr. 1:8-16). These descendants occupy portions of Africa, Arabia, Syria-Palestine, and Mesopotamia.

Bibliography. K. van der Toorn, “Ham,” DDD, 383-84.

Brent A. Strawn

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

HAM

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)