Chapter XXVIII.
Having enumerated the three sons of Noah, he mentions the generation of Ham first so that his sin may be amplified, and also to demonstrate that the impious generation originated from him. This should be understood morally as the wicked source of a wicked passion.
However, how is it that when he counted the three sons of Noah above, Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Gen. IX, 18), he included here the generation of only one middle son? This is what he says: But Ham was the father of Canaan: these three were the sons of Noah (Ibid., 19). And especially since those two were righteous, while this middle one was unjust. Therefore, the generation of the unjust comes before that of the righteous. For we cannot deny what is written: but to heap up his guilt, his generation was added; because although he had a son and was a father, he alone did not acknowledge his father, whom he should have known better. And therefore the son deserved to be considered wicked, because he had been wicked to his father. It also signifies that from him the Canaanites arose, who after many generations were subdued by the righteous people and gave up their possession to them. Therefore, it is clear that Canaan was the originator of the Canaanites, and he was the son of this Ham, who was impious towards his father.
106. Moreover, a deeper meaning is signified by the interpretation of the names. For Cham is heat, Chanaan is their disturbance. For he who is hot is continuously moved and disturbed; and thus it is most clearly shown that he was not so much the father of men, but rather the generator of a wicked passion, which was foreign to the character of the father, that is, foreign to the practice of virtue.