Tubal-cain

Tubal-cain was the son of Lamech and Zillah in the antediluvian genealogy of Cain (Genesis 4:22), described as "an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron" — making him the biblical ancestor of metalworking, both in bronze and iron. His half-sister was Naamah. The name combines Tubal (possibly related to the Assyrian Tabal, a metalworking region) with Cain, suggesting a continuation of the Cainite line's cultural innovations: his forefather Jubal introduced music, and Jabal pioneered pastoral life. Tubal-cain's role as the father of metallurgy is significant because the working of metals — particularly iron — was closely connected to the development of weapons in the ancient world, and his invention is sometimes read as part of the escalating violence that characterized the pre-flood civilization, culminating in Lamech's boastful song of vengeance (Genesis 4:23–24).