Genesis

Genesis 9:23–27

²³Then Shem and Japheth took a garment and placed it across their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away so that they did not see their father’s nakedness.

²⁴When Noah awoke from his drunkenness and learned what his youngest son had done to him, ²⁵he said,

“Cursed be Canaan!

A servant of servants

shall he be to his brothers.”

²⁶He also declared:

“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem!

May Canaan be the servant of Shem.

²⁷May God expand the territory of Japheth;^b

may he dwell in the tents of Shem,

and may Canaan be his servant.”

Footnotes

b 9:27 Japheth sounds like the Hebrew for expand.

Read all of Genesis 9

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 9:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then Shem	שֵׁ֨ם	šêm	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8035 Shem
and Japheth	וָיֶ֜פֶת	wā·ye·p̄eṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3315 Jepheth
took	וַיִּקַּח֩	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
a garment	הַשִּׂמְלָ֗ה	haś·śim·lāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H8071 wrapper, mantle
and placed	וַיָּשִׂ֙ימוּ֙	way·yā·śî·mū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7760 put, place, set
it across	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
their shoulders	שְׁכֶ֣ם	šə·ḵem	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7926 shoulder
and walking	וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙	way·yê·lə·ḵū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1980 go, come, walk
backward	אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית	’ă·ḥō·ran·nîṯ	Adverb	H322 backwards
they covered	וַיְכַסּ֕וּ	way·ḵas·sū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3680 cover
their father’s	אֲבִיהֶ֑ם	’ă·ḇî·hem	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H1 father
nakedness	עֶרְוַ֣ת	‘er·waṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H6172 nakedness, pudenda
Their faces	וּפְנֵיהֶם֙	ū·p̄ə·nê·hem	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H6440 face, before
were turned away	אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית	’ă·ḥō·ran·nîṯ	Adverb	H322 backwards
so that they did not	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
see	רָאֽוּ׃	rā·’ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7200 see
their father’s	אֲבִיהֶ֖ם	’ă·ḇî·hem	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H1 father
nakedness	וְעֶרְוַ֥ת	wə·‘er·waṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H6172 nakedness, pudenda

Genesis 9:24

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When Noah	נֹ֖חַ	nō·aḥ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5146 Noah
awoke	וַיִּ֥יקֶץ	way·yî·qeṣ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3364 awake
from his drunkenness	מִיֵּינ֑וֹ	mî·yê·nōw	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3196 wine
and learned	וַיֵּ֕דַע	way·yê·ḏa‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3045 know
what	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
his youngest	הַקָּטָֽן׃	haq·qā·ṭān	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H6996 small, young, unimportant
son	בְּנ֥וֹ	bə·nōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1121 son
had done	עָ֥שָׂה־	‘ā·śāh-	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
to him	ל֖וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular

Genesis 9:25

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
he said	וַיֹּ֖אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Cursed be	אָר֣וּר	’ā·rūr	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H779 curse
Canaan	כְּנָ֑עַן	kə·nā·‘an	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3667 Canaan
A servant	עֶ֥בֶד	‘e·ḇeḏ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H5650 slave, servant
of servants	עֲבָדִ֖ים	‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm	Noun - masculine plural	H5650 slave, servant
shall he be	יִֽהְיֶ֥ה	yih·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
to his brothers	לְאֶחָֽיו׃	lə·’e·ḥāw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother

Genesis 9:26

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He also declared	וַיֹּ֕אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Blessed	בָּר֥וּךְ	bā·rūḵ	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H1288 kneel, bless
the LORD	יְהֹוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
the God	אֱלֹ֣הֵי	’ĕ·lō·hê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H430 God
of Shem	שֵׁ֑ם	šêm	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8035 Shem
May Canaan	כְנַ֖עַן	ḵə·na·‘an	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3667 Canaan
be	וִיהִ֥י	wî·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the servant	עֶ֥בֶד	‘e·ḇeḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant
of	לָֽמוֹ׃	lā·mōw	Preposition; third person masculine plural

Genesis 9:27

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
God	אֱלֹהִים֙	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
expand the territory	יַ֤פְתְּ	yap̄t	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H6601 be spacious, wide, open
of Japheth	לְיֶ֔פֶת	lə·ye·p̄eṯ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3315 Jepheth
may he dwell	וְיִשְׁכֹּ֖ן	wə·yiš·kōn	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7931 settle down, abide, dwell
in the tents	בְּאָֽהֳלֵי־	bə·’ā·ho·lê-	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H168 tent
of Shem	שֵׁ֑ם	šêm	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H8035 Shem
and may Canaan	כְנַ֖עַן	ḵə·na·‘an	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3667 Canaan
be	וִיהִ֥י	wî·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
his servant	עֶ֥בֶד	‘e·ḇeḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H5650 slave, servant