Jabal
יָבָל/JAY-bal/
“A stream or flowing”
Summary
A descendant of Cain who was the first to adopt a nomadic pastoral lifestyle, dwelling in tents with livestock.
☩The Father of Nomadic Life
Jabal was the son of Lamech and Adah, and brother of Jubal the musician. He is described as 'the father of such as dwell in tents, and have cattle,' meaning he was the inventor or pioneer of the nomadic pastoral way of life. While Abel had been a keeper of sheep before him, Jabal introduced portable tent dwellings made of skins that enabled pastoral people to migrate with their flocks to new pastures. His herds likely included larger animals beyond sheep, and his life represented a step in civilization from settled agriculture to migratory herding.
Key verses:Genesis 4:20
Related Verses1 mention
Genesis· 1 verse
References
- 1.George Morrish, "Jabal," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Jabal," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.John McClintock and James Strong, "Jabal," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Jabal," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).