Although the story can be taken literally, in more recent times, some scholars have suggested that Ham may have had intercourse with his father's wife.For example, Frederick W. Bassett, "Noah's nakedness and the curse of Canaan: A case of incest?" VT 21 [1971] pp. 232–237. Under this interpretation, Canaan is cursed as the "product of Ham's illicit union."John S. Bergsma and Scott Hahn, "Noah's nakedness and the curse on Canaan (Genesis 9:20–27)," JBL 124 [2005] p. 39.
