OET interlinear GEN 9:25

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-quotations

וַ⁠יֹּ֖אמֶר

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said cursing Kənaˊan servant_of servants will_belong of,brothers_of,his )

Alternate translation: [So he exclaimed about Ham]

אָר֣וּר

cursing

Alternate translation: [I hereby ask God to curse] or [May God curse]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

כְּנָ֑עַן

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said cursing Kənaˊan servant_of servants will_belong of,brothers_of,his )

In verses 25–27, Canaan probably represents Ham and all of Ham’s descendants (the Canaanites), who will serve Shem and Japheth and all their descendants. You could put that information in a footnote.

יִֽהְיֶ֥ה

will_belong

Alternate translation: [I proclaim that he will be]

עֶ֥בֶד עֲבָדִ֖ים

servant_of servants

The Hebrew word here can mean either slave or “servant.” Slaves in the Old Testament were usually treated well and were not much different than servants, sometimes even becoming like members of their owner’s family. But they were of lower status than their masters, which is part of how Ham’s family is being cursed. Alternate translation: [the lowest slave]

Note 3 topic: translate-kinship

לְ⁠אֶחָֽי⁠ו

of,brothers_of,his

Verses 26 and 27 show that his brothers probably refers here to Shem and Japheth (who were Canaan’s uncles) and their descendants.