And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid [it] upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces [were] backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.
23. a garment ] Heb. simlah, LXX , Lat. pallium: the large upper garment which was also used as a covering by night, as appears from Exo 22:26; Deu 24:13. The conduct of Shem and Japheth, in its regard for their father’s honour, is contrasted with the levity and want of delicacy displayed by their brother.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 23. See Clarke on Ge 9:22
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And Shem and Japheth took a garment,…. Who were the two brothers Ham told what he had seen, and who, no doubt, reproved him for his ill behaviour, and then took a garment, a coat of their own, very probably, some large garment fit for the purpose;
and laid it upon both their shoulders; one part of it on the right shoulder of the one, and the other on the left shoulder of the other:
and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; going backward when they came into the tent, and to the place where their father lay, they threw the garment off from their shoulders over him, and so covered him:
and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness: which they purposely shunned, for which reason they went backwards, and their faces were backwards to their father; which showed their modesty, and their filial piety and duty, and thus by their actions reproved Ham, as well as doubtless they did by words.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
23. And Shem and Japheth took a garment. Here the piety, as well as the modesty, of the two brothers is commended; who, in order that the dignity of their father might not be lowered in their esteem, but that they might always cherish and keep entire the reverence which they owed him, turned away their eyes from the sight of his disgrace. And thus they gave proof of the regard they paid to their father’s honor, in supposing that their own eyes would be polluted, if they voluntarily looked upon the nakedness by which he was disgraced. At the same time they also consulted their own modesty. For (as it was said in Gen 3:1) there is something so unaccountably shameful in the nakedness of man, that scarcely any one dares to look upon himself, even when no witness is present. They also censure the impious rashness of their brother, who had not spared his father. Hence, then, we may learn how acceptable to God is that piety, of which the example here recorded receives a signal encomium of the Spirit. But if piety towards an earthly father was a virtue so excellent, and so worthy of praise; with how much greater devotedness of piety ought the sacred majesty of God to be worshipped? The Papists make themselves ridiculous by desiring to cover the filthiness of their idol, yea, the abominations of their whole impure clergy, with the cloak of Shem and Japheth. I omit to state how great is the difference between the disgrace of Noah and the execrable vileness of so many crimes which contaminate heaven and earth. But it is necessary that Antichrist and his horned bishops, with all that rabble, should prove themselves to be fathers, (296) if they with that any honor should be paid them.
(296) That is, legitimate fathers.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
23. Took a garment Hebrews, the garment; that is, the loose mantle with which he would naturally have covered himself on going to sleep . The Mosaic law was specially stringent in enjoining filial reverence, and in prohibiting such moral uncleanness as seems to have given pleasure to Ham . Compare Lev 18:7, etc . Sensuality, with its attendant abominations, were the great sins which brought such terrible judgment upon the Canaanites, so that the land “vomited them out . ” Comp . Lev 18:24-28.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Shem and Japheth took a robe (shimlah – which acted as a blanket at night and a robe during the day – see Exo 22:26) and laid it over their shoulders, and went in backwards and covered their father’s nakedness, and their faces were backwards and they did not look on their father’s nakedness.’
In contrast to Ham, Shem and Japheth act with consideration towards their drunken father and preserve his dignity, thus also avoiding any unpleasant thoughts that might arise. This is a good example of the importance of taking steps to avoid temptation.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid [it] upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces [were] backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.
Ver. 23. And Shem and Japhet took a garment. ] Ham had no hand in this good work; which shows what a good one he was, and how far from being of that good emperor’s mind, a who said, that if he should find a bishop committing adultery, he would rather cover that unclean act with his imperial cloak, than suffer it to come abroad to the scandal of the weak, and the scorn of the wicked.
a Constant. Mag. Theodoret. , lib. i. – Eccles. Hist. , cap. xi.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 20:12, Lev 19:32, Rom 13:7, Gal 6:1, 1Ti 5:1, 1Ti 5:17, 1Ti 5:19, 1Pe 2:17, 1Pe 4:8
Reciprocal: Gen 9:18 – Shem
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 9:23. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, &c. They not only would not see it themselves, but provided that no one else might see it; herein setting an example of charity with reference to other mens sin and shame.