Home/Biblical Encyclopedia/C/Canaan and the Canaanites

Canaan and the Canaanites

Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia

—(1) (Gen. 9:18, 25; 10:15–19) Canaan was a son of Ham and grandson of Noah. The curse pronounced in Genesis 9 belongs to the narrative concerning Canaan and must not be used to justify racial hierarchy or slavery. (2) (Gen. 12:6; Exod. 3:8; Josh. 3:10, and elsewhere) “Canaanites” can designate the inhabitants of Canaan generally, but it can also name one people among the Amorites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Girgashites, and others.

Scripture cited

Genesis 9:18 Genesis 12:6 Exodus 3:8 Joshua 3:10

Related entries

Blood of animals (Gen 9:4; Lev 17:11, 14; Deut 12:23) - when God permitted Noah and his descendants to eat animal flesh, He…
Capital and other punishments among the Hebrews - before the Mosaic legislation, God declared death for murder: 'Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his…
Ham (Gen. 5:32; 6:10)—one of Noah’s three sons and a survivor of the Flood. Genesis recounts Ham’s disrespect…
Japheth (may he spread abroad) (Gen 10:1-2; 1 Chr 1:5) - one of Noah's three sons. Like his brothers, he was married…
Meat of animals (Gen. 1:29, 2:16). In the first period after the creation of the world, it was not permitted to man to eat…
Rainbow (the bow in the cloud) (Gen. 9:13–17; Rev. 4:3)—a majestic natural phenomenon produced by the refraction of…
Slave; Slavery . Slavery existed among humankind from ancient times and was known before the Flood (Gen. 9:25). The ancient…
The fall and redemption. Through the fall humanity lost its original perfection and blessed dwelling, and the faculties of the soul…
The Tower of Babel (confusion) (Gen. 11:4–9) — was built by the descendants of Noah in the valley of Shinar. The tribe of Ham,…
Abram (exalted father), Abraham (father of a multitude) (Gen. 11:27), son of Terah, was born in the Chaldean city…

Search the whole Encyclopedia All 4,575 entries, searchable, with every entry linked to the verses it explains.