Genesis 4 · Verse 20

Genesis 4:20

And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
Genesis 4:20, King James Version

Genesis 4:20 in other translations

BSBAdah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock.
WEBAdah gave birth to Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.
ASVAnd Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents and have cattle.
YLTAnd Adah beareth Jabal, he hath been father of those inhabiting tents and purchased possessions;
DARBYAnd Adah bore Jabal: he was the father of those who dwell in tents, and breed cattle.
BBEAnd Adah gave birth to Jabal: he was the father of such as are living in tents and keep cattle.
WebsterAnd Adah bore Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.

What does Genesis 4:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 4:17-22

17-22. 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 full comment on Genesis 4:17-22 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Jabal - was the father - The inventor or teacher, for so the word is understood, 1Sam 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 4:19-24

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…

Read the full comment on Genesis 4:19-24 →

Genesis 4:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתֵּ֥לֶדva.Te.ledand she boreH3205
עָדָ֖ה'a.DahAdahH5711
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יָבָ֑לya.ValJabalH2989
ה֣וּאhu'heH1931
הָיָ֔הha.Yahhe wasH1961
אֲבִ֕י'a.Vi[the] father ofH1
יֹשֵׁ֥בyo.Shevdweller[s] ofH3427
אֹ֖הֶל'O.heltentH168
וּמִקְנֶֽה\׃u.mik.Nehand livestockH4735

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 4:20

  • Genesis 25:27

    And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

  • Romans 4:11-12

    And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

  • John 8:44

    Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

  • Jeremiah 35:9-10

    Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed: But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

  • 1 Chronicles 2:50-52

    These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjath–jearim, Salma the father of Beth–lehem, Hareph the father of Beth–gader. And Shobal the father of Kirjath–jearim had sons; Haroeh, and half of the Manahethites.

  • Genesis 4:2

    And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

  • 1 Chronicles 4:4-5

    And Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, the father of Beth–lehem. And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

  • Hebrews 11:9

    By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

  • Genesis 4:21

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

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the.
21; 1Ch 2:50-52; 4:4,5; Joh 8:44; Ro 4:11,12
father.The inventor or teacher, 1 Sa 10:12.
dwell.
2; 25:27; Jer 35:9,10; Heb 11:9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 4:19

    And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

  • Genesis 4:20

    And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.

  • Genesis 4:21

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

Read all of Genesis 4

Genesis 4:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Ada parió á Jabal, el cual fué padre de los que habitan en tiendas, y crían ganados.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Ada enfanta Jabal: lui, fut père de ceux qui habitent sous des tentes et ont du bétail.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Ada gebar Jabal; dieser war der Vater der Zeltbewohner und Herdenbesitzer.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Genuitque Ada Jabel, qui fuit pater habitantium in tentoriis, atque pastorum.