Genesis 4:20

Genesis 4:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
• New International Version (NIV)Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.

Context of Genesis 4:20

18Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methusael, and Methusael was the father of Lamech. 19And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock. 21And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. 22And Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, a forger of every implement of bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

Genesis 4:20 word by word

וַתֵּ֥לֶד עָדָ֖ה אֶת־יָבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י יֹשֵׁ֥ב אֹ֖הֶל וּמִקְנֶֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Adahעָדָה‛âdâh · AdahH5711
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• gave birth toיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• Jabalיָבָלyâbâl · JabalH2989
• heהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• wasהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• the fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• of those who dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in tentsאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• and raise livestockמִקְנֶהmiqneh · livestockH4735

Cross-references for Genesis 4:20

• Genesis 4:21And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.
• 1 Chronicles 2:50These were the descendants of Caleb. The sons of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah:
• 1 Chronicles 4:4Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer was the father of Hushah. These were the descendants of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah and the father of Bethlehem.
• John 8:44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
• Romans 4:11And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
• 1 Samuel 10:12Then a man who lived there replied, “And who is their father?” So the saying became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
• Genesis 4:2Later she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil.
• Genesis 25:27When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.
• Jeremiah 35:9Nor have we built houses in which to live, and we have not owned any vineyards or fields or crops.
• Hebrews 11:9By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

Commentaries on Genesis 4:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Jabal - was the father - The inventor or teacher, for so the word is understood, 1 Samuel 10:12. He was the first who invented tent-making, and the breeding and managing of cattle; or he was, in these respects, the most eminent in that time. Though Abel was a shepherd, it is not likely he was such on an extensive scale.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17-24Verses 17-24 - XIX. The Line of Cain 17. חניך chenôk Chanok, “initiation, instruction.” 18. עירד ‛ı̂yrād Irad, “fleet as the wild ass, citizen.” מחוּיאל mechûya'el Mechujael, “smitten of El, or life of El.” מתוּשׁאל metûshā'ēl Methushael, “man of El, or man asked.” למך lāmek Lemek, “man of prayer, youth.” 19. עדה 'ādâh Adah, “beauty.” צלה tsı̂lâh Tsillah, “shade or tinkling.” 20. יבל yābāl Jabal, “stream, leader of cattle, produce, the walker or…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-24Verses 19-24 One of Cain's wicked race is the first recorded, as having broken the law of marriage. Hitherto, one man had but one wife at a time; but Lamech took two. Wordly things, are the only things that carnal, wicked people set their hearts upon, and are most clever and industrious about. So it was with this race of Cain. Here was a father of shepherds, and a father of musicians, but not a father of the faithful. Here is one to teach about brass and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-22New tools and skills can hide a growing desire for people to rely on themselves instead of God. They can also show that people are moving farther away from God (see study note on 4:17–5:32).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2217-22. builded a city--It has been in cities that the human race has ever made the greatest social progress; and several of Cain's descendants distinguished themselves by their inventive genius in the arts.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 4:20

• Adah
• Antediluvians
• Art
• Genealogy
• Jabal
• Lamech
• Tent

In the dictionaries

• Adah
• Adam
• Blood
• Cain
• Call
• Cursed
• Fall
• Fat
• Father
• Hurt

Commentaries on Genesis 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings