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/leb'>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/leb'>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 the father of all who play stringed instruments and wind instruments.
Why did you hide [your intention] to flee and {trick me}, and did not tell me so that I would have sent you away with joy and song and tambourine and lyre?
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took her tambourine in her hand, and all of the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.
Not a hand will touch it, because he will certainly be stoned or certainly be shot; whether an animal or a man, he will not live.' At the blowing of the ram's horn they may go up to the mountain."
And you will make on its hem pomegranates of blue and purple and crimson [yarns] on its hem all around and bells of gold in the midst of them all around,
And they made pure gold bells and put the bells in the midst of the pomegranates on the hem of the robe all around in the midst of the pomegranates,
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Make yourself two silver trumpets; make them [of] hammered-work. {You will use them} for calling the community and for breaking the camp. read more. You will blow them, and all the community will assemble to the doorway of the tent of assembly. But if they blow only one, the leaders, the heads of the thousands of Israel, will assemble to you. [When] you will blow a blast, the camps that are camping on the east will set out; [when] you blow a second blast, the camps that are camping on the south will set out; they will blow a blast for their journeys. But when summoning the assembly, you will blow, but you will not signal with a loud noise. The sons of Aaron, the priests, will blow on the trumpets; this will be an eternal decree for your generations. If you go [to] war in your land against the enemy who attacks you, you will signal with a loud noise on the trumpets. You will be remembered {before} Yahweh your God, and you will be rescued from your enemies. "And on the day of your joy and in your appointed times, at the beginning of your months, you will blow on the trumpets in addition to your burnt offerings and in addition to the sacrifices of your fellowship offerings. And they will be as a memorial for you {before} your God; I [am] Yahweh your God."
"And on the day of your joy and in your appointed times, at the beginning of your months, you will blow on the trumpets in addition to your burnt offerings and in addition to the sacrifices of your fellowship offerings. And they will be as a memorial for you {before} your God; I [am] Yahweh your God."
And seven priests will bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you will march around the city seven times, and the priests will blow on the trumpets. And when they blow long on the horn of the ram, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people will shout [with] a great war cry, and the wall of the city will fall flat, and {the people will charge, each one straight ahead}." read more. So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry the trumpets of the rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh."
{And when Joshua spoke} to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the presence of Yahweh went forward and they blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh followed behind them.
He divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put trumpets and empty jars in everyone's hand, with torches inside the jars.
When I and all who [are] with me blow on the trumpet, you must also blow on the trumpets and surround the camp, and you must say, 'To Yahweh and to Gideon!'"
After this, you will come to the Gibeah of God, where there are sentries of [the] Philistines. {Just as you enter} the town there, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place, with harp, tambourine, flute, and zither before them, and they will be prophesying.
{When they were coming back} after David had returned from striking down the Philistine, the women went out from all the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with three-stringed instruments.
Now David and all the house of Israel [were] dancing before Yahweh, with all kinds of [musical instruments made from] ash trees, and with zithers, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.
Now David and all the house of Israel [were] dancing before Yahweh, with all kinds of [musical instruments made from] ash trees, and with zithers, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.
Now David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all [their] strength, and with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
And the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, and the priests [in their] apparel with the trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with the cymbals, were positioned to praise Yahweh, {as described by} King David of Israel.
They {sing} to [the] tambourine and lyre, and they rejoice to [the] sound of [the] long flute.
They {sing} to [the] tambourine and lyre, and they rejoice to [the] sound of [the] long flute.
So my lyre came to be [used] for mourning, and my flute [for the] voice of [those who] weep.
All your robes [are scented with] myrrh and aloes [and] cassia. From palaces of ivory stringed instruments gladden you.
Singers went up front, those playing stringed instruments last, between [them] young women [playing] tambourines.
With trumpets and sound of horn, shout joyfully before the king, Yahweh.
Praise him with tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flute. Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with clashing cymbals.
I also gathered to myself silver and gold--the royal and provincial treasuries. I acquired for myself male and female singers, as well as the delight of {men}, {voluptuous concubines}.
And [there] will be lyre and harp, tambourine and flute, and wine [at] their feasts, but they do not look at the deeds of Yahweh, and they do not see the work of his hands.
[the] joy of [the] tambourine has stopped. The noise of [the] jubilant has ceased; [the] joy of [the] lyre has stopped.
{Therefore} my heart moans for Moab like the flute. It moans for the people of Kir-heres like the flute. {Therefore} [the] wealth they gained has perished.
[that] at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, [the] lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp, [the] drum and all kinds of music, you must fall down and you must worship the statue of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king [has] set up.
[that] at the time that you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, [the] lyre, [the] trigon, [the] harp, [the] drum and all kinds of music, you must fall down and you must worship the statue of gold that Nebuchadnezzar the king [has] set up.