Illustration created for this project.
Ham
A son of Noah and ancestor of the peoples of Canaan, Egypt and Cush.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Ancient writers — non-biblical testimony · 1
Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 1
Family & lineage
Scan by NYPL — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Ancient writersThe Jewish historian Josephus retells the account of Noah's son Ham and traces the 'Hamite' nations (including the peoples of Egypt, Cush, Put, and Canaan) descended from him, expanding the Genesis genealogy for a first-century audience.
Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 1.130-139 (Whiston 1.6.2), trans. H. St. J. Thackeray, Loeb Classical Library (1930); an expansion of the Genesis 10 Table of Nations for a first-century audience.
Name & titles
ScholarlyThe Hebrew name Ham (Cham) has an uncertain etymology, sometimes connected to a root for 'hot' or 'dark'; notably, Hebrew poetry uses 'the land of Ham' as a designation for Egypt, reflecting Ham's place at the head of the African/Egyptian branch of the Table of Nations.
Onomastic/textual point; cf. Psalm 105:23 and Psalm 78:51 ('land of Ham' = Egypt)
Where in scripture
Genesis1 Chronicles
Genesis 5:32Genesis 6:10Genesis 7:13Genesis 9:18Genesis 9:22Genesis 10:1Genesis 10:6Genesis 10:201 Chronicles 1:41 Chronicles 1:8