Christian Standard Bible
Genesis 4:20
20Adah bore Jabal; he was the first of the nomadic herdsmen.
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
18Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. Adah bore Jabal; he was the first of the nomadic herdsmen. 21His brother was named Jubal; he was the first of all who play the lyre and the flute. 22Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.
Read all of Genesis 4Genesis 4:20 word by word
וַתֵּ֥לֶד עָדָ֖ה אֶת־יָבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י יֹשֵׁ֥ב אֹ֖הֶל וּמִקְנֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 4:20
- Genesis 4:21His brother was named Jubal; he was the first of all who play the lyre and the flute.
- 1 Chronicles 2:50These were Caleb’s descendants. The sons of Hur, Ephrathah’s firstborn: Shobal fathered Kiriath-jearim;
- 1 Chronicles 4:4Penuel fathered Gedor, and Ezer fathered Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, Ephrathah’s firstborn and the father of Bethlehem:
- John 8:44You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, 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 still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also.
- 1 Samuel 10:12Then a man who was from there asked, “And who is their father?” As a result, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” became a popular saying.
- Genesis 4:2She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground.
- Genesis 25:27When the boys grew up, Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman, but Jacob was a quiet man who stayed at home.
- Jeremiah 35:9We also have not built houses to live in and do not have vineyard, field, or seed.
- Hebrews 11:9By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents as did Isaac and Jacob, coheirs 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
In the dictionaries
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
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