After the flood, Noah began a new life as a farmer, as Genesis 9:20 records:
“And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.”
Planting a vineyard was not sinful in itself. Agriculture was part of God’s original mandate for man to work the ground (Genesis 1:28; 2:15). However, what happened afterward is significant. Genesis 9:21 states:
“Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.”
This passage describes Noah becoming drunk, but Scripture does not present Noah as a habitual drunkard. Rather, this seems to have been a single lapse in judgment after an era of extreme responsibility and survival. Noah was a righteous man (Genesis 6:9), and nothing suggests this became a pattern of sin.
The greater issue in this account centers on Ham’s response. Genesis 9:22 says:
“And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.”
The phrase “saw the nakedness of his father” suggests more than a casual glance. In Scripture, similar language often implies a sexual act or deep violation (Leviticus 18:6–8). Many scholars believe this involved a serious immoral act or disrespect beyond mere looking. Ham dishonored his father in a grievous way, which explains why the curse fell on Canaan, Ham’s son, and not on Ham himself (Genesis 9:24–25).
In contrast, Shem and Japheth acted with honor by covering their father without looking upon him (Genesis 9:23). This shows a principle of respect and righteousness even when others fall into weakness.
This account teaches two truths: even the godly can fail, and sin in the heart is revealed by how we respond to others’ vulnerability. It also shows that judgment comes not from human weakness alone but from a heart of rebellion and dishonor, as seen in Ham’s actions.
