CANAAN
“low, flat.”
Son of Ham, grandson of Noah (Gen. 9:18-27).
Of Canaan Noah said: “Cursed be Canaan; “a servant of servants he will be to his brothers,” and then it is added that he will be a servant to Shem and Japheth.
It may seem strange at first glance that Noah did not curse Ham personally, since it was he who had disrespected his father; but the curse and dishonor on the son also fell on his father.
Add to this that God had already blessed Ham along with Noah, and had made a covenant with Him. How could He lead Noah to curse Him directly? (cp. Gen. 9:1, 8).
Furthermore, not all of Ham’s sons became servants of Shem; It was only upon Canaan that the curse fell. Nimrod, son of Ham, was the founder of the great kingdoms of the East, and we do not read that he was ever tributary to Israel as Canaan was.
God, in his wise rule, led Noah to pronounce the curse on Canaan (“Cursed be Canaan…”: Gen. 9:25), in stark contrast to Jehovah’s blessing on Shem, which was fulfilled. In Israel.