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Ham

Noah’s youngest son

Who was Ham?

Ham, an artistic recreation

What the Bible says

Genesis 6:10; Genesis 7:13

And he begot three sons, Sem, Cham, and Japheth.

Genesis 10:6

And the sons of Cham: Chus, and Mesram, and Phuth, and Chanaan.

Genesis 9:19

These three are the sons of Noe: and from these was all mankind spread over the whole earth.

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.

The path of Ham

  1. Before Jesus. He was one of Noah’s three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Genesis 6:10
  2. Before Jesus. Noah was 500 years old when he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. Genesis 5:32
  3. With Jesus. He went into the ark with Noah, Noah’s wife, his brothers and the wives of all three. Genesis 7:13
  4. With Jesus. After the flood, he came out of the ark with the whole family. God blessed Noah and his sons. Genesis 8:18; Genesis 9:1
  5. With Jesus. As they come out of the ark, Genesis notes that Ham was the father of Canaan. Genesis 9:18
  6. Afterward. Noah planted a vineyard, drank wine, got drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Genesis 9:20-21
  7. Afterward. Ham saw his father naked and went and told his two brothers. Genesis 9:22
  8. Afterward. Shem and Japheth covered their father with a cloak, without looking at him. Genesis 9:23
  9. Afterward. When Noah woke up and learned what his youngest son had done, he cursed Canaan, Ham’s son. Genesis 9:24-25
  10. Afterward. Ham was the father of Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan. Genesis lists his descendants by peoples, languages and lands. Genesis 10:6, 20
  11. Afterward. From Mizraim, Ham’s son, Genesis traces several peoples. Among them are the Philistines. Genesis 10:13-14
  12. Afterward. The First Book of Chronicles names Ham and his four sons once again. 1 Chronicles 1:4, 8

Words of Ham

The Bible records no words of his.

Not to be confused with

What people ask

Did Noah curse Ham?

No. Genesis says that Noah cursed Canaan, Ham’s son. The note in the Bible of the U.S. bishops makes clear that this story does not justify enslaving the peoples of Africa. And the Church teaches that no one may reduce a person to slavery (Catechism 2414). Genesis 9:25

What did Ham do?

Genesis tells that he saw his father naked and told his brothers. Then it says that Noah learned what he had done, without giving more details. Genesis 9:22, 24

Was Ham Noah’s youngest son?

That is what Genesis calls him when Noah wakes up. But the list of the sons always names him in the middle: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Genesis 9:24; Genesis 6:10

Did peoples come from Ham?

Yes. Genesis names his sons, Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan, and lists their descendants by peoples, languages and lands. Genesis 10:6, 20

Did Ham go into the ark with his wife?

Yes. Genesis says that Noah, his three sons, his wife and his sons’ three wives went in. It does not say what the women were called. Genesis 7:13

Did God make a covenant with Ham too?

Yes. After the flood, God spoke to Noah and his sons. He promised that never again would a flood destroy the earth. Genesis 9:8-11

Little known The descendants of his son Canaan lived in the land that God later promised to Abraham. Genesis 10:15-19; Genesis 12:5-7 Nimrod, the son of his son Cush, was…

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Who Ham is connected to

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