Genesis 4:19-22

jerickson314 · Post by **jerickson314** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 7:23 pm

Genesis 4:19-22 (WEB) wrote:Lamech took two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle. His brother’s name was Jubal, who was the father of all who handle the harp and pipe. Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron. Tubal Cain’s sister was Naamah.

In this passage, we have some of the earliest humans who can use brass and iron, and who use musical instruments. However, doesn't history record these innovations coming much later and farther from each other by centuries? How can this be reconciled? Were Jubal and Tubal Cain just the fathers of the lines that created these things, or is the historical record wrong, or what?

Mastermind · Post by **Mastermind** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 4:56 am

Or it could simply be referring to the first jews to make those things.

jerickson314 · Post by **jerickson314** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 2:00 pm

Mastermind wrote:Or it could simply be referring to the first jews to make those things.

No. If you read the context, these people were only seven generations from Adam. Even with gaps, it seems unlikely these people lived thousands of years after Adam as history records. They also seem to be direct brothers and thus contemporaries. Plus, if it referred to the first Jews, Abraham seems to be a glaring omission.

If you read all of chapter 4 your interpretation doesn't seem plausible.

August · Post by **August** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 2:09 pm

Jerickson,

I am unsure which source you are comparing with the Bible here. What historical record are you referring to?

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 2:10 pm

It says they are the fathers of those who specialized in those crafts. It doesn't say the pioneered the craft or anything like that.

jerickson314 · Post by **jerickson314** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 2:20 pm

August wrote:Jerickson,

I am unsure which source you are comparing with the Bible here. What historical record are you referring to?

Not a particular source. I just know that people have referred to "the bronze age", "the iron age", etc. And as far as I can remember, only stone tools are acknowledged to have existed in prehistory.

Dan, your explanation is what I suspected. This seems like the most reasonable explanation. However, some translations portray them more as the fathers and others as the inventors themselves. But nonetheless, the explanation that they were the fathers of the lines makes the most sense.