Another matter, “when you will come to the land of Canaan.” They are seven nations, and you say “the land of Canaan”? The Rabbis say: It alluded to the fact that just as Ḥam castrated him and Canaan was punished; here, too, Israel sins and the land is cursed.20The Sages understood Ḥam to have castrated his father Noah (see Sanhedrin 70a, based on Genesis 9:22–24). In response, Noah cursed Ḥam’s son, Canaan (Genesis 9:25).
Similarly, the verse refers here to the Land of Canaan to indicate that when the land is struck, it is due to sin, in this case the sins of Israel. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov and the Rabbis, Rabbi Eliezer says: It is because Canaan was the progenitor of them all.21The other six nations that inhabited the land were descendants of Canaan, and therefore the land is called the Land of Canaan. That is what is written: “Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Ḥet” (Genesis 10:15).22The subsequent verses (Genesis 10:16–18) list various other sons of Canaan, some of whom were the progenitors of the nations that inhabited the Land of Canaan.
The Rabbis say: It is because they were all merchants, just as it says: “Whose merchants are princes; whose peddlers23The term for “its peddlers [kinaneha]” is grammatically related to the name Canaan. are the eminent of the land” (Isaiah 23:8). Rabbi Yosei ben Dosa said: Eliezer is Canaan.24Eliezer, the servant of Abraham (see Genesis 15:2), was a Canaanite. But because he served that righteous one, he emerged from the category of cursed and came into the category of blessed.
That is what is written: “He said: Cursed is Canaan” (Genesis 9:25), and it is written: “Come, blessed of the Lord” (Genesis 24:31).25This was stated by Lavan to the servant of Abraham, identified by the Sages as Eliezer. Rabbi Yaakov in the name of Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Rabbi Natan of Beit Guvrin employed this in requesting to take his leave.26When taking leave of his host or an important individual, he would mention this comment.
If Eliezer emerged from the category of cursed and came into the category of blessed because he served that righteous one; our brethren, Israel, who honor their prominent leaders, all the more so. Therefore, Moses cautions Israel: “When you will come to the land of Canaan.”