covenanted the more sure to mutual satisfaction. The seal of this covenant was the rainbow, which,
it is likely, was seen in the clouds before, but was never a seal of the covenant till now it was made
so. The rainbow appears when we have most reason to fear the rain prevailing; God then shows
this seal of the promise, that it shall not prevail. The thicker the cloud, the brighter the bow in the
cloud. Thus, as threatening afflictions abound, encouraging consolations much more abound. The
rainbow is the reflection of the beams of the sun shining upon or through the drops of rain: all the
glory of the seals of the covenant are derived from Christ, the Sun of righteousness. And he will
shed a glory on the tears of his saints. A bow speaks terror, but this has neither string nor arrow;
and a bow alone will do little hurt. It is a bow, but it is directed upward, not toward the earth; for
the seals of the covenant were intended to comfort, not to terrify. As God looks upon the bow, that
he may remember the covenant, so should we, that we may be mindful of the covenant with faith
and thankfulness. Without revelation this gracious assurance could not be known; and without faith
it can be of no use to us; and thus it is as to the still greater dangers to which all are exposed, and
as to the new covenant with its blessings.
Verses 18–23
The drunkenness of Noah is recorded in the Bible, with that fairness which is found only in the
Scripture, as a case and proof of human weakness and imperfection, even though he may have been
surprised into the sin; and to show that the best of men cannot stand upright, unless they depend
upon Divine grace, and are upheld thereby. Ham appears to have been a bad man, and probably
rejoiced to find his father in an unbecoming situation. It was said of Noah, that he was perfect in
his generations, ch. 6:9; but this is meant of sincerity, not of a sinless perfection. Noah, who had
kept sober in drunken company, is now drunk in sober company. Let him that thinks he stands,
take heed lest he fall. We have need to be very careful when we use God's good creatures plentifully,
lest we use them to excess, Lu 21:34. The consequence of Noah's sin was shame. Observe here the
great evil of the sin of drunkenness. It discovers men; what infirmities they have, they betray when
they are drunk; and secrets are then easily got out of them. Drunken porters keep open gates. It
disgraces men, and exposes them to contempt. As it shows them, so it shames them. Men say and
do that when drunken, which, when sober, they would blush to think of. Notice the care of Shem
and Japheth to cover their father's shame. There is a mantle of love to be thrown over the faults of
all, 1Pe 4:8. Beside that, there is a robe of reverence to be thrown over the faults of parents and
other superiors. The blessing of God attends on those who honour their parents, and his curse lights
especially on those who dishonour them.
Verses 24–29
Noah declares a curse on Canaan, the son of Ham; perhaps this grandson of his was more guilty
than the rest. A servant of servants, that is, The meanest and most despicable servant, shall he be,
even to his brethren. This certainly points at the victories in after-times obtained by Israel over the
Canaanites, by which they were put to the sword, or brought to pay tribute. The whole continent
of Africa was peopled mostly by the descendants of Ham; and for how many ages have the better
parts of that country lain under the dominion of the Romans, then of the Saracens, and now of the
Turks! In what wickedness, ignorance, barbarity, slavery, and misery most of the inhabitants live!