Genesis 4:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.

NIV: His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes.

NASB: His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and flute.

CSB: His brother was named Jubal; he was the first of all who play the lyre and the flute.

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

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

NKJV: His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute.

The previous verse told of the life and work of Jabal, Lamech's son with his wife Adah. This verse tells us of his brother Jubal. Jubal became a musician and fathered a line of musicians. Specifically, Jubal and his offspring played the lyre, which is a stringed instrument, and the pipe.

It's fascinating to note that just eight generations from Adam, a creative culture is blossoming. Human beings, made in the image of a Creator God, are beginning to express their creativity in one of the areas central to the culture of heaven: music. Unfortunately, this passage also shows that Cain's descendants are continuing his hateful, arrogant rejection of God. Soon, Jabal and Jubal's father will brag about his murder of a younger man. And, he will have the nerve to claim an even greater immunity than Cain was given by God (Genesis 4:23–24).

Genesis 4:17–26 describes Cain's family line after his murder of Abel. While the details are limited, Scripture does mention a few points of concern. Lamech, Cain's great-great-great-grandson not only took two wives, he also bragged about murdering a younger man. This attitude of blatant defiance sets the stage for God's judgment of a depraved earth in the story of the flood in Genesis chapter 6. This passage also describes Adam and Eve's son Seth, born after Cain, who becomes the ancestor of Noah.

The consequences of sin become apparent in chapter 4: envy, arrogance, rebellion, murder, punishment, separation from family, and separation from God. Adam and Eve's firstborn son, Cain, jealously murders his brother Abel and loses everything. Adam and Eve lose them both. Cain's descendants amplify his sinfulness. Still, God provides help for Eve in childbirth and even provides protection for Cain in his wandering. Eve remains a woman of faith, even in her loss. And the sons of Seth, born after the murder of Abel, become a people who proclaim the name of the Lord.

The first three chapters of Genesis explain the creation and loss of paradise, as Adam and Eve are separated from God both physically and spiritually. Their relationship with Him does not end, however. Eve recognizes His help in bearing her son Cain and later Seth. Cain and Abel both worship God until Cain kills Abel. God provides protection for Cain, whose descendants become innovative, artful, arrogant, and violent. The descendants of Seth, however, begin to call on the Lord's name. This chapter bridges the story of Genesis from our ultimate origins to the story of Noah, introduced in the next chapter.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 4/28/2024 1:31:47 AM