God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
God will give Japheth more territory and prosperity, and he will live peacefully with Shem's descendants; and Canaan will serve them both.
This verse is Noah's prophecy that God will bless Japheth with expansion and that he'll have a good relationship with Shem, while Canaan will serve them.
📚 Historical Context
This is part of Noah's prophecy after the flood when he blessed his sons Shem and Japheth but cursed Canaan (Ham's son) because Ham had dishonored him. Ancient peoples believed such patriarchal blessings and curses carried divine authority and would shape the destinies of entire nations. Many scholars see this as explaining the later relationships between the peoples descended from these three sons.
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