Ham was cursed. That's why there are blacks and they were slaves

Yes. Some people actually believe those that are black came from a curse.

When I was a kid, I heard this same story as well. "You know why they are black, don't you? It's because they were cursed."

Although, these same relatives and friends of relatives, couldn't quite point this out, it was simply what they were taught as well.

This inaccurate teaching is derived from Genesis chapter nine verse 25. Let's first look at the whole story and then view what is actually being said. Yes, again, it's all in the context.

We read the story leading up to the curse in Genesis 9:18-24;

In verse 18 and 19 the individuals are identified.

Now the sons of Noah who went out fo teh ark were Shem, Ham, and Japeth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.

In verse 20 through 24 we see Ham's sin. Two things I need to point out in these verses. First, this again was before the laws were given to the people by God. So I do not see any law against 'seeing one naked'. Second, some scholars view this act of 'saw the nakedness' and 'Noah knew what his younger son had done to him' as Ham performing some physical act on his own father.

And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japeth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father's nakedness. So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger sone had done to him.

Now the curse.

Then he said: "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethern." And he said: Blessed be the Lord, The God of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japeth, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem; and may Canaan be his servant."

So let's look at the curse in question. I do not see anything what-so-ever regarding someone turning from one color to another. Rather, I see one son's descendants becoming a servant of servants to his brethren. Further on in the bible, you read the 'curse' or 'prophesy' of Noah to his son's unfold.

In Genesis chapter ten verse 6 through 14 you see the descendants of Ham. Note his descendents are the Philistines. Also in Genesis chapter ten verse 15 through 19 you see Canaan's descendents. You see part of his descendents are those in Sodom and Gomorrah.

So the curse wasn't really about a skin color or slavery. Rather, the curse was his descendents being away from God.

A couple of other things to note. It appears, the inaccurate reading of this 'curse of Ham' seems to be told in other forms of religion as well.

Note these references;

In 1958, from the writings of the Mormon church:

We know the circumstances under which the posterity of Cain (and later of Ham) were cursed with what we call Negroid racial characteristics.1

In 1929, a Jehovah’s Witnesses publication stated:

The curse which Noah pronounced upon Canaan was the origin of the black race.2



In closing, I would like to make this statement. When you hear anyone teaching about people being of a different 'race' or this curse was the cause of his/her skin color. Please understand, that is not a biblical teaching. Rather it is a evolutionary teaching. In Evolution, there are classifications of one evolving. This sets different standards between people. Biblically, we all descend from Adam and Eve. Thus, we are all equal to the eyes of God.

If you have any questions you would like me to research, please contact me.