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/kj2000'>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/kj2000'>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 his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe.
Why did you flee away secretly, and steal from me; and did not tell me, that I might have sent you away with mirth, and with songs, with tambourine, and with harp?
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
There shall not a hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mount.
And beneath upon the hem of it you shall make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem of it; and bells of gold between them round about:
And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates on the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates;
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Make you two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shall you make them: that you may use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. read more. And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the leaders, who are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto you. When you blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east side shall go forward. When you blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. But when the congregation is to be gathered together, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance forever throughout your generations. And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.
And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. read more. And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.
And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow you the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
After that you shall come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when you are come there to the city, that you shall meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a harp, and a tambourine, and a flute, and a lyre, before them; and they shall prophesy:
And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music.
And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on tambourines, and on castanets, and on cymbals.
And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on tambourines, and on castanets, and on cymbals.
And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with lyres, and with tambourines, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.
And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel.
They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the flute.
They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the flute.
My harp also is turned to mourning, and my flute into the voice of them that weep.
All your garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made you glad.
The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.
With trumpets and the sound of a horn make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and pipes. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the clashing cymbals.
I gathered for myself also silver and gold, and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces: I got men singers and women singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all sorts.
And the harp, and the lyre, the timbrel, and flute, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands.
The mirth of timbrels ceases, the noise of them that rejoice ends, the joy of the harp ceases.
Therefore my heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and my heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kir-heres: because the riches that he has gotten have perished.
That at what time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up:
That at what time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up: