the father of Canaan: See study note on 9:18.
Ham’s behavior was shameful. He looked at his father’s nakedness and did not cover him. Instead, he told his brothers and took away his father’s honor (see Exodus 21:15, 17; Lamentations 4:21; Habakkuk 2:15).
An ancient Near Eastern story says that a son is expected to come to his father’s aid when he is drunk (Tale of Aqhat; compare Isaiah 51:17–18). Ham did not do his duty to his family. Because of this, Noah blessed Shem and Japheth but cursed Ham (Genesis 9:24–27).