His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
Parallel translations
- WEB His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe.
- KJV And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
- BSB And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.
- NKJV His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute.
- NASB His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and flute.
- NLT His brother’s name was Jubal, the first of all who play the harp and flute.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jubal becomes the ancestor of those who play the harp and pipe. It records the origin of music among humanity.
Overview
Jubal is credited as the father of musicians who handle stringed and wind instruments, marking the beginnings of music and the arts. This shows the breadth of human culture emerging early in history. Music, a good gift reflecting God's creativity, arises here, though within a line living apart from God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Rom 4:11–12He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them.
- Job 21:12They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
- Gen 31:27Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn’t tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp;
- Amos 6:5who strum on the strings of a harp; who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;
- Isa 5:12The harp, lyre, tambourine, and flute, with wine, are at their feasts; but they don’t respect the work of Yahweh, neither have they considered the operation of his hands.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 4:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.