the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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New American Standard Bible
Genesis 4:21
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His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe.
Jabal's brother was Jubal, the first person to play the harp and flute.
The name of his brother was Jubal; he was the first of all who play the harp and the flute.
And his brother's name [was] Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
His brother's name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe.
His brother's name was Jubal; he became the father of all those [musicians] who play the lyre and flute.
and the name of his brother was Tubal, he was the fadir of syngeris in harpe and orgun.
and the name of his brother [is] Jubal, he hath been father of every one handling harp and organ.
And his brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.
His brother's name was Yuval; and he was the ancestor of all who play lyre and flute.
And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe.
And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all players on instruments of music.
His brothers name was Iubal, which was the father of such as handle Harpe and Organ.
And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of those who handle the harp and pipe.
Jabal was Jubal's brother. Jubal was the father of people who play the harp and flute.
And his brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe.
And his brothers name was Iubal: hee was the father of all such as handle the harpe and organ.
And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and the horn.
His brother's name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
and, the name of his brother, was Jubal, - he, was father of everyone handling lyre and flute,
And his brothers name was Iubal, who was the father of all that play on the harpe and organes.
And his brothers name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the guitar and harp.
His brother was Jubal, the ancestor of all musicians who play the harp and the flute.
And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of them that play upon the harp and the organs.
His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
And the name of his brother was Jubal; he it was who invented the psaltery and harp.
And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe.
His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute.
His brother's name was Yuval, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe.
And the name of his brother was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and wind instruments.
And the name of his brother was Jubal; he was the father of all those playing the harp and the organ.
And his brothers name was Iuball: Of him came they that occupied harpes & pypes.
His brother's name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute.
His brother's name was Jubal, the first of all who play the harp and flute.
His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
And his brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
am cir, 500, bc cir, 3504
father: Romans 4:11, Romans 4:12
the harp: Genesis 31:27, Job 21:12, Isaiah 5:12, Amos 6:5
Reciprocal: Genesis 4:20 - the
Cross-References
"Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
"When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a wanderer and a drifter on the earth."
"Why did you flee secretly and deceive me, and did not tell me, so that I might have sent you away with joy and with songs, with tambourine and with lyre;
"They sing with the tambourine and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, Nor do they consider the work of His hands.
Who improvise to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed songs for themselves,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And his brother's name was Jubal,.... This was another son of Lamech by Adah, and his name differs only in one letter from his brother's;
he was the father of all such that handle the harp and organ: he was the inventor of instrumental music, both of stringed instruments, such as were touched by the fingers, or struck with a quill, as the "harp"; and of wind instruments, such as were blown, as the "organ", which seems not to be the same we call so, being a late invention; but however a pleasant instrument, as its name signifies. Jubal is thought by some to be the same with Apollo, to whom with the Greeks the invention of the harp is ascribed; and some have been of opinion, that the jubilee trumpet was so called from Jubal, Leviticus 25:9. Sanchoniatho r makes Chrysor or Vulcan, the same with Tubalcain, the brother of Jubal, to exercise himself in eloquence, songs and divination, confounding or mistaking the employment of the two brothers. The Arabs have such a notion of the Cainites being the inventors of music, that they commonly call a singing girl "Cainah" s; and the Arabic writers t make Jubal to be the first inventor of music, and that the beasts and birds gathered together to hear him; the same that is said of Orpheus.
r Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 1. p. 35. s Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. p. 9. t Elmacinus, p. 8. apud Hottinger. Smegma, p. 232.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- XIX. The Line of Cain
17. ×× ×× chenoÌk, Chanok, âinitiation, instruction.â
18. ×¢××¨× âıÌyraÌd, âIrad, âfleet as the wild ass, citizen.â ×××Ö¼××× mechuÌya'el, Mechujael, âsmitten of âEl, or life of âEl.â ×ת×ּש××× metuÌshaÌ'eÌl, Methushael, âman of âEl, or man asked.â ××× laÌmek, Lemek, âman of prayer, youth.â
19. ×¢×× 'aÌdaÌh, âAdah, âbeauty.â צ×× tsıÌlaÌh, Tsillah, âshade or tinkling.â
20. ××× yaÌbaÌl, Jabal, âstream, leader of cattle, produce, the walker or wanderer.â ××× 'ohel plural: ××××× 'ohaÌlıÌym for ××××× 'aÌhaÌlıÌym âtent, awning, coveringâ of goatsâ hair over the poles or timbers which constituted the original booth,â ס×× suÌkaÌh.
21. ××Ö¼×× yuÌbaÌl, Jubal, âplayer on an instrument?â
22. ת×Ö¼××־ק×× tuÌbal-qayıÌn, Tubal-qain, âbrass-smith?â The scion or son of the lance. <× ×¢×× naâaÌmaÌh, Naâamah, âpleasant, lovely.â
Mankind is now formally divided into two branches - those who still abide in the presence of God, and those who have fled to a distance from him. Distinguishing names will soon be given to these according to their outward profession and practice Genesis 6:1. The awful distinction according to the inward state of the feelings has been already given in the terms, the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.
Genesis 4:17
Cain is not unaccompanied in his banishment. A wife, at least, is the partner of his exile. And soon a son is born to him. He was building a city at the time of this birth. The city is a keep or fort, enclosed with a wall for the defense of all who dwell within. The building of the city is the erection of this wall or barricade. Here we find the motive of fear and self-defense still ruling Cain. His hand has been imbrued in a brotherâs blood, and he expects every manâs hand will be against him.
He calls his son Henok (Enoch), and his city after the name of his son. The same word is employed as a name in the lines of Seth Genesis 5:18, of Midian Genesis 25:4, and of Reuben Genesis 46:9. It signifies dedication or initiation, and, in the present case, seems to indicate a new beginning of social existence, or a consciousness of initiative or inventive power, which necessity and self-reliance called forth particularly in himself and his family. It appears, from the flocks kept by Habel, the fear of persons meeting and slaying the murderer, the marriage and family of Cain, and the beginning of a city, that a considerble time had elapsed since the fall. The wife of Cain was of necessity his sister, though this was forbidden in after times, for wise and holy reasons, when the necessity no longer existed.
Genesis 4:18
The names in this verse seem to denote, respectively, fleet as a wild ass, stricken by God, man of prayer, and youth. They indicate a mingling of thoughts and motives in menâs minds, in which the word ×× 'el âmightyâ as a name of God occurs. This name is a common noun, signifying hero or potentate, and also power or might, and is transferred to God as âthe Potentate,â or âAlmighty One.â It is distinguished from ××××× 'eÌlohıÌym âGod,â since they are put in apposition Joshua 22:22; and seems to be properly an epithet applied to God by way of pre-eminence. The denomination, âstricken of the Mighty,â is a recognition of the divine power. âThe man of prayer,â or âasking,â may also have reference to an act of worship. Among these higher thoughts we also find a value put upon youth and physical superiority, as the fleetness of the wild ass. This is all we can learn from these imperfectly understood names.
Genesis 4:19
This is the first record and probably the first instance of polygamy. The names of the two wives, Adah, âbeauty,â and Zillah, âshade or tinkling,â seem to refer to the charms which attracted Lamek. Superabundance of wealth and power perhaps led Lamek to multiply wives.
Genesis 4:20 is the first notice of the tent and of cattle. The tent was the thin shining and shading canvas of goatsâ hair, which was placed over the poles or timbers that constituted the original booth. In process of time it would supplant the branches and foliage of the booth as a covering from the sun or the wind. The cattle are designated by a word denoting property, as being chattels personal, and consisting chiefly of sheep and oxen. The idea of property had now been practically realized. The Cainites were now prosperous and numerous, and therefore released from that suspicious fear which originated the fortified keep of their progenitor. The sons of Jabal rove over the common with their tents and cattle, undismayed by imaginary terrors.
Genesis 4:21
Here is the invention of musical instruments in their two leading varieties, the harp and the pipe. This implies the previous taste for music and song. It seems not unlikely that Zillah, the mother of Jubal, was a daughter of song. The fine arts follow in the train of the useful. All this indicates the easy circumstances in which the Cainites now found themselves.
Genesis 4:22
The three names Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal are formed from root signifying to âflow, run, go forth,â perhaps âblow,â from which comes ×××× yoÌbeÌl the âblastâ or trumpet-note of joy and release. Accordingly, all sorts of going forth, that were suitable to the life of a nomad, seem to have distinguished this family. The addition of Cain to the name of Tubal may have been a memorial of his ancestor, or an indication of his pursuit. Tubal of the spear or lance may have been his familiar designation. The making of tents implies some skill in carpentry, and also in spinning and weaving. The working in brass and iron furnishes implements for war, hunting, or husbandry. The construction of musical instruments shows considerable refinement in carving and moulding wood. Naamah, the lovely, seems to be mentioned on account of her personal charms.
Genesis 4:23-24
In this fragment of ancient song, we have Lamek, under the strong excitement of having slain a man in self-defense, reciting to his wives the deed, and at the same time comforting them and himself with the assurance that if Cain the murderer would be avenegd sevenfold, he the manslayer in self-defense would be avenged seventy and seven-fold. This short ode has all the characteristics of the most perfect Hebrew poetry. Every pair of lines is a specimen of the Hebrew parallelism or rhythm of sentiment and style. They all belong to the synthetic, synonymous, or cognate parallel, the second member reiterating with emphasis the first. Here we observe that Lamek was a poet; one of his wives was probably a songstress, and the other had a taste for ornament. One daughter was the lovely, and three sons were the inventors of most of the arts which sustain and embellish life. This completes the picture of this remarkable family.
It has been noticed that the inventive powers were more largely developed in the line of Cain than in that of Sheth. And it has been suggested that the worldly character of the Cainites accounts for this. The Shethites contemplated the higher things of God, and therefore paid less attention to the practical arts of life. The Cainites, on the other hand, had not God in their thoughts, and therefore gave the more heed to the requisites and comforts of the present life.
But besides this the Cainites, penetrating into the unknown tracts of this vast common, were compelled by circumstances to turn their thoughts to the invention of the arts by which the hardships of their condition might be abated. And as soon as they had conquered the chief difficulties of their new situation, the habits of industry and mental activity which they had acquired were turned to the embellishments of life.
We have no grounds, however, for concluding that the descendants of Cain were as yet entirely and exclusively ungodly on the one hand, or on the other that the descendants of Sheth were altogether destitute of inventive genius or inattentive to its cultivation. With the exception of the assault that seemed to have provoked the homicidal act of Lamek, and the bigamy of Lamek himself, we find not much to condemn in the recorded conduct of the race of Cain; and in the names of some of them we discover the remembrance and recognition of God. Habel had a keeper of cattle before Jabal. The Cainites were also an older race than the Shethites. And when Noah was commissioned to build the ark, we have no reason to doubt that he was qualified in some measure by natural ability and previous training for such a task.
The line of Cain is traced no further than the seventh generation from Adam. We cannot tell whether there were any more in that line before the flood. The design of tracing it thus far, is to point out the origin of the arts of life, and the first instances of bigamy and homicide in self-defense.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Genesis 4:21. Jubal - the father — i.e. The inventor of musical instruments, such as the ×× ×ר kinnor, which we translate harp, and the ×¢××× ugab, which we render organ; it is very likely that both words are generic, the former including under it all stringed instruments, and the latter, all wind instruments.
