Where did that name come from?

Every time someone asks me my son's name and I tell them "Jubal", they immediately have a very confused look on their face.  Everyone always wonders where the name came from.  Well, it is an evidently little known Biblical name.

Jubal is first mentioned in the book of Genesis, chapter 4 verse 21.

   
Jubal was a descendant of Cain.  I would prefer him to have been a descendant of Abel, but...

The family of Cain

¹⁶ Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. ¹⁷ And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch. ¹⁸ To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech.
¹⁹ Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. ²⁰ And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. ²¹ His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. ²² And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

  **Most commentators see here a reference to Jubal as being the first musician but the text does not specifically say so. It records for us only that 'he was the father...', a phrase which could mean that the anointing that was upon Jubal is the same that rests upon all those who followed after him and who took up a like profession/hobby. In this case, he wouldn't so much be the inventor of music but the one who brought something to bear either positively or negatively upon the way music was developing that so changed its course in some unique way that he can be considered as the father of all that has developed down through history.
However, it seems quite right to accept Jubal as the pioneer who succeeded in defining 'music' by reference to musical instruments (for it seems hardly appropriate to state that not so much as one person hummed before Jubal came onto the scene! Neither is it reasonable to suppose that not one bird sang nor dog howled - the Creation today contains musical sound however 'primitive' and unrefined we might consider it) and who was also a musician - the first musician of all.**

Jubal may not have been the FIRST musician, but he was a musician.

Larson & I both LOVE music. 

Whether or not our Jubal becomes a musician, I always hope that he is creative & imaginative.

So that, my friends, is where Jubal's name came from.  I love it because it is different.  I want Jubal to grow up to be a leader, not a follower, and I think with a good, strong name, he will stand out & be able to be a good leader.  I pray for this anyway...

10/18/10