While Genesis 9 never says that Ham was black, he became associated with black skin, through folk etymology deriving his name from a similar, but actually unconnected, word meaning “dark” or “brown”.
Ham was the second son of Noah and the father of Cush, Mizraim, Phut and Canaan.
Ham’s descendants are interpreted by Flavius Josephus and others as having populated Africa and adjoining parts of Asia, Arabia, Syria-Palestine and Mesopotamia.
DESCENDANTS OF HAM
The Bible directly refers to Egypt as the Land of Ham. The word Ham is believed to come from the word Khawm which means “black, hot, and burnt” in Hebrew and chamam, also a Hebrew word for “to be hot”.
Ham is the youngest of Noah’s three sons along with Japheth and Shem. Ham himself has four sons, namely: Cush (Ethiopia), Mizraim (Egypt), Put (Libya), and lastly, Canaan (Canaanites are believed to be the first people in Israel). The Bible stated that Ham and his sons, and their soon-to-be descendants lived and became the forefathers of the African continent and the Middle East.
Known as distant travellers and explorers, Ham and his family had discovered and extended their horizon in various unfamiliar countries.
It has been said that whatsoever country the children of Ham happened to occupy, there began the ignorance of true godliness.
What does the Bible tell about Nations of Ham?
Genesis 5:32.
The name Ham was first mentioned in the Bible as one of Noah’s three sons.
Genesis 9:18.
Ham as the father of Canaan.
Psalms 105:23, 78:51, 1Ch 4:40.
Egypt referred to as the land of Ham.
Genesis 10:6.
The four sons of Ham.
Genesis 9:20-27.
The curse of Noah on Ham’s youngest son, Canaan after Ham “saw the nakedness of his father” and told his two brothers about it.
The Curse of Ham in Present Times
The Curse of Ham was used by some sectors to rationalize racism and slavery of Black African, who are believed to have descended from Ham.
They were branded as Hamites whose forefathers are believed to be Canaan or his older brothers.
This has changed in the 21st century.
Ham (“hot” or “Black” in Hebrew) was Noah’s second oldest son and part of the family of eight who survived the great flood.
Ham and his wife bore 4 sons who became the fathers of the nations of Africa.
Ham’s fourth son Canaan was prophetically cursed because he gazed at his fathers nakedness while he was drunk.
This curse would mean later that Canaan would lose his land to the Hebrews and would be subservient to the descendants of Shem.
The Hamites were known for their physical endurance.
The Four Nations of Ham:
1. Cush (The Ethiopians) settled in Ethiopia south of Egypt, also early in their history some of them migrated to an area north of the Persian Gulf (Gen. 10:8-10).
2. Mizraim (The Egyptians) the Bible name for Egypt, settled in northeastern Africa.
3. Phut (The Libyans) sometimes translated Libya, settled in northern Africa.
4. Canaan (The Canaanites) settled above Africa east of the Mediterranean (Later was given to the Hebrews).
Appreciate the information. How does curse of Ham affect Blacks in America?
Blacks in America are descendants of several Black tribes from Africa. Africa and her descendants will suffer that curse until the appointed time of liberation.