Genesis 9:23
“And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.”
KJV
Read in Genesis 9Meaning
Shem and Japheth deliberately avoid looking at Noah while covering him with a garment.
Read carefully
The narrative emphasizes respectful covering; it should not be generalized into silence about abuse or used to conceal wrongdoing that requires intervention.
Reflection
Protecting dignity in this scene means refusing to exploit another person's humiliating vulnerability for attention or advantage.