Tubal תּוּבַל
Son of Japheth, grandson of Noah
Who is Tubal in the Bible?
Tubal was a son of Japheth and grandson of Noah, listed among the descendants who populated the earth after the flood (Genesis 10:2, 1 Chronicles 1:5). He appears in the Table of Nations, a genealogical record that traces the spread of humanity through Noah's three sons, with Japheth's line generally associated with peoples of Europe and Asia Minor. While ancient historians and Jewish traditions have speculated that Tubal may correspond to historical regions such as the Tabali or Iberians, these identifications remain uncertain. Tubal is also mentioned in later biblical prophecies, particularly in Ezekiel, where he and Meshech appear as ancient peoples known for warfare and trade (Ezekiel 27:13, 38:2). His inclusion in the genealogy underscores the biblical emphasis on the diversity of nations and peoples that emerged from Noah's sons after the Great Flood.
Biography
Tubal is mentioned in Gen.10.2 and 1Ch.1.5 as one of the sons of Japheth and grandsons of Noah. He is listed in the Table of Nations, which records the descendants of Noah's sons after the flood. The descendants of Japheth are generally associated with the peoples of Europe and Asia Minor. Some ancient historians and Jewish traditions have attempted to identify Tubal with various regions or ethnic groups, such as the Tabali or the Iberians, but these connections remain speculative. The mention of Tubal in the genealogy serves to emphasize the diversity and spread of the nations descended from Noah.
Family
Siblings
- Gomer Early PatriarchSon of JaphethSon of Japheth; father of Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.View full profile →
- Magog Early PatriarchSon of JaphethSon of Japheth; progenitor of a people groupView full profile →
- Madai Early PatriarchSon of JaphethSon of Japheth; progenitor of the MedesView full profile →
- Javan Early PatriarchSon of JaphethSon of Japheth; ancestor of Greek peopleView full profile →
- Meshech Early PatriarchSon of JaphethSon of Japheth and grandson of Noah.View full profile →
- Tiras Early PatriarchSon of JaphethSon of Japheth, grandson of NoahView full profile →
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study contentGenesis 1 verse
- Genesis 10:2
"The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras."
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1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 1:5
"The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | תּוּבַל | Tubal , a postdiluvian patriarch and his posterity |
Tubal
">Isa 66:19 (Massoretic Text) and Ps 120:5. In the former passage Tubal is yoked with Javan; in the latter Meshech occurs in 120:5 and Kedar in 120:6. In Ge 10:2 parallel, they are sons of Japheth. In Ezekiel (27:13) the two are mentioned as exporters of slaves and copper, as a warlike people of antiquity (32:26), in the army of Gog (38:2 ff; 39:1). Josephus identifies them with the Iberians and Cappadocians respectively; but they are most probably the Tibarenoi, and Moschoi, first mentioned in Herodotus iii.94 as belonging to the 19th satrapy of Darius, and again (vii.78) as furnishing a contingent to the host of Xerxes. Equally obvious is their identity with the Tabali and Muski of the Assyrian monuments, where the latter is mentioned as early as Tiglath-pileser I, and the former under Shalmaneser II; both are described as powerful military states. They appear together in Sargon's inscriptions; and during this entire period their territory must have extended much farther South and West than in Greek-Roman times. They are held (Winckler and Jeremias) to have been remnants of the old Hittite population which were gradually driven (probably by the Cimmerian invasion) to the mountainous district Southeast of the Black Sea.
Horace J. Wolf
tu'-bal-kan (tubhal qayin): One of the sons of Lamech (Ge 4:22). He is a brother of Jabal and Jubal, who appear to have been the founders of several industries and articles The t