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Genesis 9:25 — Word Study

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WLCוַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָר֣וּר כְּנָ֑עַן עֶ֥בֶד עֲבָדִ֖ים יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לְאֶחָֽיו׃

BSAhe saidʼâmar [to declare or speak] Cursed beʼârar [to execrate or wish harm upon] CanaanKᵉnaʻan [son of Ham, the ancestor of the Canaanites] A servantʻebed [slave or bondservant] of servantsʻebed [those in bondage or subjection] shall he behâyâh [exist or come into being] to his brothersʼâch [relatives, kin, or fellow descendants]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 9
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 25 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (le.'e.Chav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 9:25quick helps
In a sentenceNoah declares a curse upon Canaan, stating he will be a servant to his brothers.
Who is speakingNoah, after awakening from drunkenness.
Where we areThe aftermath of Noah's drunkenness, where he addresses the actions of his son.
The hard wordאָר֣וּר
Take awayCanaan is destined for servitude.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectכְּנַעַן verbאָמַר The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Genesis 9:25

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Curse of Canaangenerated

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; may he dwell in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant.”

Genesis 9:25 describes Noah's reaction to his son's actions after he awoke from drunkenness. In this moment, Noah pronounces a curse on his grandson Canaan, indicating that he will be a servant to his brothers. This curse reflects the consequences of sin and the dynamics of family relationships in the biblical narrative, echoing themes of judgment and servitude found throughout Scripture.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 9:22And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.
2Genesis 3:14So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life.
3Genesis 4:11Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
4Genesis 49:7Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
5Deuteronomy 27:16‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

The Key Word אָר֣וּר, 'a.Rurgenerated

The Hebrew word אָרַר (arar) means to curse or execrate, carrying a weighty connotation of wishing harm upon someone. This participial form indicates a state of being cursed, highlighting the seriousness of Noah's declaration.

Cursing in this context is not merely a statement but an invocation of divine judgment. The implications of this curse extend beyond Canaan himself, affecting his descendants and shaping the narrative of the Canaanites in biblical history.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

Two finite verbs govern the verse: יֹּ֖אמֶר (he said) and יִֽהְיֶ֥ה (he will be). The first verb introduces the curse, while the second verb expresses the future state of Canaan.

The structure emphasizes the declaration of the curse and its implications for Canaan's future, with the noun phrases detailing who is affected and the nature of the servitude.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אָר֣וּר as ἐπικατάρατος (G1944), which carries a similar meaning of being cursed or condemned. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the term's weight in both Hebrew and Greek contexts.

The translation of Canaan as ξανααν (G5477) indicates a direct correspondence, maintaining the identity of the figure being cursed.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 9:25 recounts Noah's words after he learns of his son's actions. He curses Canaan, declaring that he will serve his brothers. This moment highlights the consequences of sin and the dynamics within Noah's family.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Noah's curse on Canaan signify?

Noah's curse indicates a divine judgment on Canaan, establishing a future of servitude that affects his descendants.

Why does Noah specifically curse Canaan?

Canaan is the son of Ham, who acted disrespectfully towards Noah, prompting this curse as a response to the actions of his father.

What are the implications of being a servant of servants?

This phrase suggests a lowly status, indicating that Canaan will be subordinate not just to his brothers but to all others, emphasizing his position in the family hierarchy.

How does this curse relate to later biblical narratives?

The curse on Canaan sets the stage for the future interactions between the Israelites and the Canaanites, as seen in later books of the Bible.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What lessons can we learn about the consequences of our actions from Noah's curse?
  2. How do family dynamics influence our relationships and responsibilities?
  3. In what ways can we ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of past generations?
  4. How does understanding the curse of Canaan help us interpret later biblical events?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

The early church fathers reference this verse to discuss themes of judgment and servitude, illustrating its lasting impact on theological discussions.

Augustine of HippoAGAINST JULIAN 6.25.82 354–430
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 9 →
Augustine of HippoCity of God 19.15 354–430
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
Early Church Fathers on Genesis 9 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 9:25 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he said,.... Not in a drunken fit, as some profane persons would suggest, for he was awaked from his wine; nor in the heat of passion, but by inspiration, under a spirit of prophecy: cursed [be]

Read John Gill on Genesis 9 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said - apparently upon awaking and learning what had happened.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 9 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And he said, not from the passion of revenge, but by Divine inspiration, and the Spirit of prophecy, Cursed be Canaan; hateful to God, abhorred by men, miserable in his person and posterity. Quest. Seeing Ham committed the crime, why is the curse inflicted upon his son Canaan? Answ. 1. When Canaan is mentioned, Ham is not exempted from the curse, but rather more deeply plunged into it, whilst he is pronounced accursed, not only in his person, (which is manifestly supposed by his commission of that sin for which the curse was inflicted), but also in his posterity, which doubtless was a great aggravation of his grief; as on the contrary Joseph is said to be blessed when his children are…

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 9 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 9:25 And he said, Cursed [be] Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.Ver. 25. And he said, Cursed be Canaan.] Because an imitator, and abettor of his father’ s sin. Neither good egg, nor good bird, as they say. God himself hath cursed such captives with a curse. "The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother; the ravens of the valley shall pick it out; and the young eagles shall eat it." Now they are cursed with a witness, whom the Holy Ghost thus curseth, in such emphatical manner, with such exquisite terms. Their parents also, through their unnaturalness, are compelled to curse them, as Noah here: as Oedipus of old; and our Henry II.…

Read John Trapp on Genesis 9 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) Cursed be Canaan.—The prophecy of Noah takes the form of a poem, like Lamech’s boast in Genesis 4. In it Ham is passed over in silence, as though his unfilial conduct, recorded in Genesis 9:22, made him unworthy of a blessing, while it was not so wicked as to bring on him a curse. The whole weight of Noah’s displeasure falls on Canaan, whose degraded position among the nations is thrice insisted upon. A servant of servants. That is, the most abject of slaves. This was fulfilled in the conquest of Canaau by Joshua, but the race had nevertheless a great future before it. The Hittites were one of the foremost nations of antiquity, and the Sido-nians, Tyrians, and Phœnicians were such…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 9 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 25. Cursed be Canaan] See on the preceding verses. In the 25th, 26th, and 27th verses, instead of Canaan simply, the Arabic version has Ham the father of Canaan; but this is acknowledged by none of the other versions, and seems to be merely a gloss.

Read AdamClarke on Genesis 9 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

18–27. Noah, as the Vine-dresser, and his three Sons. (J.) In this section the narrative, which begins at Genesis 9:20, is introduced by the two connecting Genesis 9:18-19, which either conclude J’s account of the Flood, or are an editorial insertion by the compiler. (a) 18, 19 Noah and his family leave the ark: (b) 20–24 Noah plants a vineyard, drinks wine, becomes intoxicated, is observed and ridiculed by Ham, but Shem and Japheth shew respect: (c) 25–27 the curse of Noah on Canaan, the blessing on Shem and Japheth.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 9 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

25. And he said — Render the whole prophecy thus:Cursed be Canaan, A servant of servants let him be unto his brethren.And he said:Blessed be Jehovah, God of Shem; And let Canaan be a servant unto

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 9 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

He said, “Canaan is cursed. He will be a servant of servants to his brothers.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

So he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves he will be to his brothers.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And he said, Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be to his brethren.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And said, Cursed be Canaan: a seruant of seruants shall he be vnto his brethren.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And he said, Cursed be Canaan; Let him be a bondman of bondmen to his brethren.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and saith: 'Cursed [is] Canaan, Servant of servants he is to his brethren.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and says: “Cursed [is] Canaan, || Servant of servants he is to his brothers.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

So he said, “Cursed be Canaan. May he be a servant to his brothers' servants.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

He said: Cursed be Chanaan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

and said, “May Canaan be cursed! He will be the lowest kind of slave and will serve his brothers!”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Cursed be Canaan; let him be a servant of servants to his brothers.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיֹּ֖אמֶרhe.saidclauseverbאָר֣וּר[be].cursedsubjectכְּנָ֑עַןCanaanclausenoun phrase · objectעֶ֥בֶדa.slaveעֲבָדִ֖יםof.slavesverbיִֽהְיֶ֥הhe.will.beprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְofnoun phraseאֶחָֽיbrothersוhis

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text states, 'וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָר֣וּר כְּנָ֑עַן עֶ֥בֶד עֲבָדִ֖ים יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לְאֶחָֽיו׃', which translates to 'he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”' The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, as all seven words correspond, although the word order and articles differ due to its own syntax. The Samaritan Pentateuch also aligns perfectly with the Masoretic Text, presenting the same phrase word for word: 'ויאמר ארור כנען עבד עבדים יהיה לאחיו'. Therefore, both the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch confirm the Masoretic Text in this instance.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָר֣וּר כְּנָ֑עַן עֶ֥בֶד עֲבָדִ֖ים יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לְאֶחָֽיו׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיֹּ֖אמֶרεἶπενאָר֣וּרἐπικατάρατοςכְּנָ֑עַןξαναανעֶ֥בֶדπαῖςעֲבָדִ֖יםοἰκέτηςיִֽהְיֶ֥הἔσταιלְאֶחָֽיו׃αὐτοῦ

7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ויאמר ארור כנען עבד עבדים יהיה לאחיו

Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Genesis 9:25אָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַראָרַר[be] cursed[be] cursedאָרַרכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןעֶ֫בֶדa slave ofa slave ofעֶ֫בֶדעֶ֫בֶדslavesslavesעֶ֫בֶדהָיָהhe will behe will beהָיָהאָחof brothersof brothers hisאָחעָבַדto serveto serveעָבַדכָּנַעbe humblebe humbleכָּנַעהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאאָבfatherfatherאָבאָמָהmaidservanmaidservantאָמָהשִׁפְחָהmaidservanmaidservantשִׁפְחָהכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/GodיהוהמַרbitterbitterמַריָבִיןJabinJabinיָבִיןשִׁלוֹShilohShilohשִׁלוֹעֵשָׂו(Mount) Es(Mount) EsauעֵשָׂויוֹסֵףJosephJosephיוֹסֵף
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Genesis 9:25

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he said [be] cursed Canaan a slave of slaves he will be of brothers his
וַיֹּ֖אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Amplified meaning
to declare or speak
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he said [be] cursed Canaan a slave of slaves he will be of brothers his
אָר֣וּר'a.Rur [be] cursed H779 Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singular
63× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To curse someone or something, like God cursing the serpent in Genesis 3. It means to execrate or wish harm upon someone, often used in the context of punishment or judgment. This word appears in various biblical accounts.
Amplified meaning
to execrate or wish harm upon
Tyndale gloss
to curse
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָרַר (arar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to curse. It encompasses various forms, including the act of cursing (Qal), being cursed (Niphal), and putting a curse on someone (Piel). The entries indicate that it can also imply being made a curse (Hophal). There is a consistent focus on the concept of cursing throughout the definitions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[אָרַר] vb. curse

Qal curse

Niph. cursed

Pi. curse, lay under a curse

Hoph. be cursed

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H779 אָרַר curse .curse

. cursed

. curse, lay under a curse

. be cursed

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

779 'arar aw-rar'

a primitive root; to execrate:--X bitterly curse.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָרַר (a.rar) — to curse.

1) to curse

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to curse

1a2) cursed be he (participle used as in curses)

1b) (Niphal) to be cursed, cursed

1c)(Piel) to curse, lay under a curse, put a curse on

1d) (Hophal) to be made a curse, be cursed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Inf-c — Verb · Qal · participle (passive) masculine singular
HVqsmsa
and he said [be] cursed Canaan a slave of slaves he will be of brothers his
כְּנָ֑עַןke.Na.'an Canaan H3667 Noun proper masculine
94× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Canaan was a son of Ham and the name of the country where he lived, which is now modern-day Israel. The Canaanites were known for being merchants and traders, as seen in Genesis and other books.
Amplified meaning
son of Ham, the ancestor of the Canaanites
Tyndale gloss
Canaan
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כְּנַ֫עַן (ke.na.an) refers to both Canaan, the son of Ham, and the land west of the Jordan River where the Israelites settled, as well as the term for merchant or trader. The word is associated with lowland and trade, particularly linked to the Canaanites and Phoenicians. There is a distinction made between its use as a proper noun and as a common noun for merchants.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כְּנַ֫עַן 90 n.pr.m. et terr. Canaan

as n. pr. m., son of Ham

land, W. of Jordan, into wh. Hebrews came, and where they settled, subduing the inhabitants

the coast, esp. Phoenicia

base

כְּנַ֫עַן n.[m.] merchant(s) (because Canaanites, esp. Phoenicians, were traders)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3667a כְּנַ֫עַן Canaan . as n. pr. m., son of Ham

. . land, W. of Jordan, into wh. Hebrews came, and where they settled, subduing the inhabitants

. the coast, esp. Phoenicia

H3667b כְּנַ֫עַן merchant(s)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3667 Kna`an ken-ah'-an

from 3665; humiliated; Kenaan, a son a Ham; also the country

inhabited by him:--Canaan, merchant, traffick.

see HEBREW for 03665

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כְּנַ֫עַן (ke.na.an) — Canaan.

§ Canaan = "lowland"

the land west of the Jordan peopled by the descendants of Canaan and subsequently conquered by the Israelites under Joshua

כְּנַ֫עַן (ke.na.an) — merchant.

merchant, trader

Also means: ke.na.a.ni (כְּנַעֲנִי "merchant" H3669B)

כְּנַ֫עַן (ke.na.an) — Canaan.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.9.18;

son of: Ham (H2526);

brother of: Cush (H3568), Egypt (H4714) and Put (H6316);

father of: Sidon (H6721), Heth (H2845), Jebusite (H2983), Amorite (H0567), Girgashite (H1622), Hivite (H2340), Arkite (H6208), Sinite (H5513), Arvadite (H0721), Zemarite (H6786) and Hamathite (H2577)

§ merchant, trader

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Canaan

(1.) The fourth son of Ham (Gen. 10:6). His descendants were under a curse in consequence of the transgression of his father (9:22-27). His eldest son, Zidon, was the father of the Sidonians and Phoenicians. He had eleven sons, who were the founders of as many tribes (10:15-18).

(2.) The country which derived its name from the preceding. The name as first used by the Phoenicians denoted only the maritime plain on which Sidon was built. But in the time of Moses and Joshua it denoted the whole country to the west of the Jordan and the Dead Sea (Deut. 11:30). In Josh. 5:12 the LXX. read, “land of the Phoenicians,” instead of “land of Canaan.”

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Ca’nan) (low, flat). The fourth son of Ham, (Genesis 10:6; 1 Chronicles 1:8) the progenitor of the Phoenicians [ZIDON, OR SIDON], and of the various nations who before the Israelite conquest people the seacoast of Palestine, and generally the while of the country westward of the Jordan. (Genesis 10:13; 1 Chronicles 1:13) (B.C. 2347.) The name "Canaan" is sometimes employed for the country itself.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The son of Ham, and grandson of Noah, Ge 9:18. His numerous posterity seem to have occupied Zidon first, and thence spread into Syria and Canaan, Ge 10:15-19 1Ch 1:13-16. The Jews believe that he was implicated with his father in the dishonor done to Noah, Ge 9:20-27, which was the occasion of the curse under which he and his posterity suffered, Jos 9:23,27 2Ch 8:7,8 2. The land peopled by Canaan and his posterity, and afterwards given to the Hebrews. This country has at different periods been called by various names, either from its inhabitants or some…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues

and he said [be] cursed Canaan a slave of slaves he will be of brothers his
עֶ֥בֶד'E.ved a slave of H5650 Noun common · masculine singular construct
801× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a servant or slave, often in the context of serving God or a human master. It can also describe a prophet or Levite. The KJV translates it as bondage, bondman, or servant.
Amplified meaning
slave or bondservant
Tyndale gloss
servant/slave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant

slave, servant of household

Subjects, of chief

Servants, worshippers of God

Servant of י׳, in a special sense

Israel as a people is servant of י׳

In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household

. Subjects, of chief

. Servants, worshippers of God

. Servant of י׳, in a special sense

. Israel as a people is servant of י׳

. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5650 `ebed eh'-bed

from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,

(man-)servant.

see HEBREW for 05647

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.

1) slave, servant

1a) slave, servant, man-servant

1b) subjects

1c) servants, worshippers (of God)

1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)

1e) servant (of Israel)

1f) servant (as form of address between equals)

Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he said [be] cursed Canaan a slave of slaves he will be of brothers his
עֲבָדִ֖ים'a.va.Dim slaves H5650 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
801× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a servant or slave, often in the context of serving God or a human master. It can also describe a prophet or Levite. The KJV translates it as bondage, bondman, or servant.
Amplified meaning
those in bondage or subjection
Tyndale gloss
servant/slave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant

slave, servant of household

Subjects, of chief

Servants, worshippers of God

Servant of י׳, in a special sense

Israel as a people is servant of י׳

In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household

. Subjects, of chief

. Servants, worshippers of God

. Servant of י׳, in a special sense

. Israel as a people is servant of י׳

. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5650 `ebed eh'-bed

from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,

(man-)servant.

see HEBREW for 05647

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.

1) slave, servant

1a) slave, servant, man-servant

1b) subjects

1c) servants, worshippers (of God)

1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)

1e) servant (of Israel)

1f) servant (as form of address between equals)

Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and he said [be] cursed Canaan a slave of slaves he will be of brothers his
יִֽהְיֶ֥הyih.Yeh he will be H1961 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Amplified meaning
exist or come into being
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See TESTAMENT.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ THE MENTAL FACULTY

Freedom of, recognized by God Ge 4:6-10; De 5:29; 1Ki 20:42; Isa 1:18-20; 43:26; Jer 36:3,7; Joh 7:17

See BLESSINGS, CONTINGENT UPON OBEDIENCE

See CHOICE

See CONTINGENCY

→ OF GOD, THE SUPREME RULE OF DUTY Mt 6:10; 12:50; 26:39,42; Mr 3:35; 14:36; Lu 11:2; 22:42; Joh 4:34; 5:30; 6:38-40; Ac…

and he said [be] cursed Canaan a slave of slaves he will be of brothers his
לְאֶחָֽיו׃le.'e.Chav of brothers his H251 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
630× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a brother or male sibling, but it can also refer to a close relative, friend, or someone with a similar relationship. It is used to describe the bond between brothers, like the relationship between Cain and Abel in Genesis.
Amplified meaning
relatives, kin, or fellow descendants
Tyndale gloss
brother: male-sibling
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָח (ach) means 'brother' and encompasses a broad range of relationships, including literal siblings, half-brothers, and metaphorical kinship. It can refer to any male relative or compatriot, and it may also imply resemblance or reciprocal relationships. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, highlighting both familial and figurative connections.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָח 630 n.m. brother

brother, born of same mother (& father)

indef. = relative

fig. of resemblance

in phr. one … another

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H251 אָח brother

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

251 'ach awkh

a primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of

literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance

(like 1)):--another, brother(-ly); kindred, like, other.

Compare also the proper names beginning with "Ah-" or "Ahi-".

see HEBREW for 01

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָח (ach) — brother: male-sibling.

: male-sibling

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: male-relative.

: male-relative

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

אָח (ach) — brother: compatriot.

: compatriot

1) brother

1a) brother of same parents

1b) half-brother (same father)

1c) relative, kinship, same tribe

1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship)

1e) (fig.) of resemblance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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