Reference: Music, Instrumental
Easton
Among instruments of music used by the Hebrews a principal place is given to stringed instruments. These were, (1.) The kinnor, the "harp." (2.) The nebel, "a skin bottle," rendered "psaltery." (3.) The sabbeka, or "sackbut," a lute or lyre. (4.) The gittith, occurring in the title of 8/type/emb'>PS 8; 8; 84. (5.) Minnim (Ps 150:4), rendered "stringed instruments;" in Ps 45:8, in the form minni, probably the apocopated (i.e., shortened) plural, rendered, Authorized Version, "whereby," and in the Revised Version "stringed instruments." (6.) Machalath, in the titles of PS 53 and 88; supposed to be a kind of lute or guitar.
Of wind instruments mention is made of, (1.) The 'ugab (Ge 4:21; Job 21:12; 30:31), probably the so-called Pan's pipes or syrinx. (2.) The qeren or "horn" (Jos 6:5; 1Ch 25:5). (3.) The shophar, rendered "trumpet" (6/4/type/emb'>Jos 6:4,6,8). The word means "bright," and may have been so called from the clear, shrill sound it emitted. It was often used (Ex 19:13; Nu 10:10; Jg 7:16,18; 1Sa 13:3). (4.) The hatsotserah, or straight trumpet (Ps 98:6; Nu 10:1-10). This name is supposed by some to be an onomatopoetic word, intended to imitate the pulse-like sound of the trumpet, like the Latin taratantara. Some have identified it with the modern trombone. (5.) The halil, i.e, "bored through," a flute or pipe (1Sa 10:5; 1Ki 1:40; Isa 5:12; Jer 48:36) which is still used in Palestine. (6.) The sumponyah, rendered "dulcimer" (Da 3:5), probably a sort of bagpipe. (7.) The maskrokith'a (Da 3:5), rendered "flute," but its precise nature is unknown.
Of instruments of percussion mention is made of, (1.) The toph, an instrument of the drum kind, rendered "timbrel" (Ex 15:20; Job 21:12; Ps 68:25); also "tabret" (Ge 31:27; Isa 24:8; 1Sa 10:5). (2.) The paamon, the "bells" on the robe of the high priest (Ex 28:33; 39:25). (3.) The tseltselim, "cymbals" (2Sa 6:5; Ps 150:5), which are struck together and produce a loud, clanging sound. Metsilloth, "bells" on horses and camels for ornament, and metsiltayim, "cymbals" (1Ch 13:8; Ezr 3:10, etc.). These words are all derived from the same root, tsalal, meaning "to tinkle." (4.) The menaan'im, used only in 2Sa 6:5, rendered "cornets" (R.V., "castanets"); in the Vulgate, "sistra," an instrument of agitation. (5.) The shalishim, mentioned only in 1Sa 18:6, rendered "instruments of music" (marg. of R.V., "triangles or three-stringed instruments").
The words in Ec 2:8, "musical instruments, and that of all sorts," Authorized Version, are in the Revised Version "concubines very many."
Illustration: Ancient Musical Instruments
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and, the name of his brother, was Jubal, - he, was father of everyone handling lyre and flute,
Wherefore didst thou secretly flee, and rob me, - and didst not tell me, that I might send thee away with rejoicing and with songs, with timbrel and with lyre;
Then took Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron the timbrel in her hand, - and all the women came forth after her with timbrels and dances,
No hand shall touch it but he shall be, surely stoned, or be, surely shot, whether beast or man, he shall not live, - When the rams horn soundeth, they themselves, shall come up within the mount,
And thou shalt make upon the skirts thereof pomegranates of blue and purple and crimson, upon the skirts thereof round about - and bells of gold in the midst of them round about:
And they made bells of pure gold, and placed the bells in the midst of the pomegranates upon the skirts of the robe, roundabout, in the midst of the pomegranates:
Make thee two trumpets of silver, of beaten work, shalt thou make them, - and they shall be unto thee for calling the assembly, and for setting forward the camps. As soon as they blow therewith, so soon hall all the assembly assemble themselves unto thee, unto the entrance of the tent of meeting. read more. And, if, only once, they blow, then shall the princes, the heads of the thousands of Israel, gather themselves unto thee. But when ye blow an alarm, then shall set forward the camps that are encamped eastwards; and when ye blow a second alarm, then shall set forward the camps that are encamped southwards, - an alarm, shall they blow for setting them forward, But in calling together the convocation, ye shall blow but shall not sound an alarm. And, the sons of Aaron the priests, shall blow with the trumpets, - and it shall be unto you for a statute age-abiding, unto your generations. And when ye go into war in your land against thee assailant that assaileth you, then shall ye blow an alarm with the trumpets, - and bring yourselves to mind before Yahweh your God, and be saved, from your enemies, And in your day of rejoicing and in your appointed seasons and in the beginnings of your months, then shall ye blow with the trumpets, over your ascending-sacrifices, and over your peace-offerings, - so shall they be unto you for a memorial before your God. I - Yahweh, am your God.
And in your day of rejoicing and in your appointed seasons and in the beginnings of your months, then shall ye blow with the trumpets, over your ascending-sacrifices, and over your peace-offerings, - so shall they be unto you for a memorial before your God. I - Yahweh, am your God.
And, seven priests, shall bear the seven rams' horns before the ark, and, on the seventh day, shall ye compass the city seven times, - and, the priests, shall blow with the horns. And it shall come to pass, when the ram's horn soundeth, when ye hear the sound of the horn, that all the people shall shout with a great shout, - and then shall the wall of the city fall down under it, and the people shall go up, every man straight before him. read more. Then called Joshua son of Nun unto the priests, and said unto them, Bear ye the ark of the covenant, - and let, seven priest, bear seven rams horns, before the ark of Yahweh.
And it was so, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that, the seven priests who were bearing the seven rams' horns before Yahweh, passed on and blew with the horns, - the ark of the covenant of Yahweh also coming after them.
And he divided the three hundred men, into three companies, - and put horns into the hands of them all, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers.
When I shall blow with the horn, I and all who are with me, then shall, ye also, round about all the camp, blow with your horns, and shall say, For Yahweh and for Gideon!
After that, shalt thou come unto the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines, - and it shall be, as thou comest in thither into the city, thou shalt light upon a band of prophets, coming down from the high place, and, before them, a harp, and a timbrel, and a flute, and a lyre, they having been moved to prophesy.
But so it was, when they came in on the return of David from the smiting of the Philistine, that the women went forth out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet Saul the king, - with timbrels, with rejoicing, and with instruments of three strings.
And, David and all the house of Israel, were dancing for joy before Yahweh, with all boldness and with songs, - and with lyres, and with harps, and with timbrels, and with sistrums, and with cymbals.
And, David and all the house of Israel, were dancing for joy before Yahweh, with all boldness and with songs, - and with lyres, and with harps, and with timbrels, and with sistrums, and with cymbals.
And, David and all Israel, were dancing for joy before God, with all boldness, and with songs and with lyres, and with harps and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.
And, when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, then the priests, enrobed, took their stand with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to offer praise unto Yahweh, after the instructions of David king of Israel.
They rejoice aloud as with timbrel and lyre, and make merry to the sound of the pipe;
They rejoice aloud as with timbrel and lyre, and make merry to the sound of the pipe;
Thus is attuned to mourning - my lyre, and my flute, to the noise of them who weep.
Myrrh and aloes, cassias, all thy garments, - Out of the palaces of ivory, the tones of strings, have rejoiced thee.
In front are the singers, Behind are the harpers, In the midst of damsels playing on timbrels:
Praise him, with timbrel and dance, - Praise him, with stringed instrument and flute, Praise him, with cymbals of clear tone, - Praise him, with cymbals of loud clang:
I heaped me up, both silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings, and provinces, - I provided me singing-men and singing-women, and the delights of the sons of men, a wife and wives.
And it cometh to pass - that lyre and harp, timbrel and flute and wine are in their banquets, - But, the doing of Yahweh, they do not discern, And the work of his hands, have they not seen.
Ceased hath the mirth of timbrels, Ended is the noise of the uproarious, - Ceased hath the mirth of the lyre:
For this cause, my heart, for Moab, like flutes, shall make plaintive sounds, Yea my heart for the men of Kir-heres! like flutes, shall make plaintive sounds, Because, the abundance he hath gotten is lost!
At what time ye shall hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the lyre, the harp, the psaltery, the bagpipes, and all kinds of instruments of music, ye shall fall down and adore the image of gold, which Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up;
At what time ye shall hear the sound of the horn, the pipe, the lyre, the harp, the psaltery, the bagpipes, and all kinds of instruments of music, ye shall fall down and adore the image of gold, which Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up;