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Book of Genesis - Chapter 9 - Verse 25

9:25
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

Meaning

This verse from the book of Genesis is a part of Noah's curse on his grandson Canaan. The curse is thought to have originated from Canaan's father Ham's disrespectful act towards Noah. The curse signifies the idea of servitude and subjugation, as Canaan is proclaimed to be a servant of his brothers. Some interpretations suggest that the curse was specifically directed at Canaan's descendants, who were believed to have been the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. This verse has been used throughout history to justify the enslavement and mistreatment of certain groups of people, particularly African Americans, as well as to establish dominance and hierarchy within societies. Despite this, many scholars argue that the curse was more about the consequences of disrespecting authority and breaking familial bonds, rather than a statement on the inherent worth or nature of a particular group of people.

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