Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Genesis 9:24/אבן עזרא על בראשית ט׳:כ״ד
אוייקץ נח., הכתוב לא גילה מה נעשה. והעושה היה כנען וכן היה כי חם ראה ולא כסהו כאשר עשו אחיו רק גלה הדבר ושמע כנען ולא נדע מה עשה,
1AND NOAH AWOKE. Scripture does not reveal what was done to Noah. Be that as it may, Canaan was the culprit. The sequence of events was as follows: Ham saw his father’s nakedness and unlike his brothers did not cover him. On the contrary, he revealed what he saw. Canaan heard that Noah was lying naked in his tent and did something to Noah. However, the Bible does not tell us what he did to him.38. 70a.
בוטעם בנו הקטן לעד כי כן, הוא אומר "ובני חם כוש ומצרים ופוט וכנען" (בראשית יו"ד ו) גם וי"ו בנו שב אל הם הנזכר על כן קלל כנען והאומר שקלל נח את בן בנו בעבור שבירך אלהים את בניו זה דרך דרש:
2The meaning of the verse and (Noah) knew what his youngest son had done unto him is proof39 cannot refer to him. Canaan was a youngest son and the verse can thus apply to him. that Canaan was the culprit, for we read, And the sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim, and Put, and Canaan (Gen. 10:6).40 Furthermore, the his in his youngest son refers to Ham, who is previously mentioned.41 That is why Noah cursed Canaan. The one who says that Ham was the culprit, and that Canaan was cursed because Noah did not want to curse his son (Ham) because God had blessed Noah’s sons, is indulging in Midrash.42 31:11.