Genesis 4:21

21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes.

Genesis 4:21 in Other Translations

21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.

21 His brother’s name was Jubal, the first of all who play the harp and flute.

21 His brother's name was Jubal, the ancestor of all who play the lyre and flute.

21 His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute.

Genesis 4:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 4:21

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

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 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" ^F19; and the Arabic writers
F20 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.

F18 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 1. p. 35.
F19 Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. p. 9.
F20 Elmacinus, p. 8. apud Hottinger. Smegma, p. 232.

Genesis 4:21 In-Context

19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.

20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock.

21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes.

22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 31:27; Exodus 15:20; 1 Samuel 16:16; 1 Chronicles 25:3; Psalms 33:2; Psalms 43:4; Isaiah 16:11; Daniel 3:5
• 2. Job 21:12; Job 30:31; Psalms 150:4