Page "Noah" Paragraph 3

In his five hundredth year Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth.

In his six hundredth year God, saddened at the wickedness of mankind, sent a great deluge to destroy all life, but because Noah was " righteous in his generation " God instructed him to build an ark and save a remnant of life.

After the Flood Noah offered a sacrifice ( the word nihoah, describing the " pleasant " odour of the sacrifice, is yet another pun on Noah's name ) and entered into a covenant with God regulating the shedding of blood ( i. e., mankind's permission to kill under regulated circumstances ).

After this, Noah became an Husbandman, " the first tiller of the soil ", and he planted a vineyard: and he drank of the wine, and was drunken ; and was uncovered within his tent.

Noah's son Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his brethren without.

Noah cursed Ham's son Canaan.