挪亚喝醉了酒，便在园里赤身躺着。他的儿子含看见父亲赤着身子，没有想到要替父亲遮盖，却到外边去，告诉他的两个弟兄。闪和雅弗听见这事，他们的态度却和含完全不同。闪和雅弗拿了一件衣服，搭在肩膀上，倒退着进葡萄园去，给他们的父亲盖上。他们背着脸，就看不见父亲的赤身。挪亚醒了酒，知道小儿子向他所作的事，就说，“迦南﹝含的儿子﹞当受咒诅，必给他弟兄作奴仆的奴仆。”
这件事按行为说是挪亚错了，他不该醉酒。可是含没有看见权柄的严肃，当他看见父亲失态时，毫无羞耻伤恸的感觉，也不知遮盖。他又出去告诉他的兄弟们，指出父亲的丑事，就有了毁谤的行为。结果他不仅失去神的祝福，更受到咒诅。挪亚的失败成为闪、含、雅弗的试验，显明谁是顺服的，谁是背叛的。
圣经强有力地说，藐视或不尊敬他父母的必受咒诅（申二七16），因为这涉及神的行政。神是一位有次序、有行政的神，在神宇宙的行政中，父母之于儿女是神的权柄。儿女不尊重他们的父母，就是反叛神的行政。他们是对神在地上的代表权柄不尊重。他们这样作，就要受到咒诅。今天许多青少年，藐视且不尊敬他们的父母，结果失去神命定给人的祝福。圣经清楚地告诉我们，尊敬父母的必然得福，在世长寿（弗六2-3）。年轻人若尊敬父母，必得长寿的福，生活正常。你也会知道怎样作智慧人，怎样行事为人。
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Ham Cursed for Exposing His Father’s Failure – Gen. 9:22, 24-25
Noah became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. His son Ham saw his father naked and, instead of covering him, went outside and told his two brothers. But Shem and Japheth responded entirely differently. They took a garment, placed it on their shoulders, walked backward into the vineyard, and covered their father. They turned their faces away so they would not see his nakedness. When Noah awoke and learned what his youngest son had done, he said, “Canaan (Ham’s son) shall be cursed; he shall be the servant of servants to his brothers.”
In terms of behavior, it was Noah who was wrong — he should not have gotten drunk. But Ham did not see the seriousness of authority. When he saw his father’s failure, he felt no shame or sorrow and did not cover him. Instead, he went out and told his brothers, pointing out his father’s shame — an act of slander. As a result, he not only lost God’s blessing but came under a curse. Noah’s failure became a test for Shem, Ham and Japheth, revealing who was obedient and who was rebellious.
The Bible strongly says that anyone who despises or dishonors his parents is cursed (Deut. 27:16), because this concerns God’s government. God is a God of order and administration, and in His universal government, parents are the authority over their children. Children who dishonor their parents rebel against God’s government and His delegated authority on earth. Such behavior brings a curse. Today many young people despise and dishonor their parents, thus losing the blessing God ordained for mankind. The Bible clearly states that those who honor their parents will surely be blessed and live long on the earth (Eph. 6:2–3). Young people who honor their parents will receive the blessing of longevity and proper living, and will know how to be wise and how to conduct themselves.