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/mstc'>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/mstc'>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; of him came all that exercise themselves on the harp and on the organs.
Wherefore wentest thou away secretly, unknown to me, and didst not tell me, that I might have brought thee on the way with mirth, singing, timbrels and harps,
And Miriam, a prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women came out after her with timbrels in a dance.
There shall not a hand touch it, but that he shall either be stoned or else shot through: whether it be beast or man, it shall not live.' When the horn bloweth, then let them come up in to the mountain."
And beneath upon the hem, thou shalt make pomegranates of Jacincth, of scarlet, and of purple round about the hem,
And they made little bells of pure gold, and put them among the pomegranates round about upon the edge of the tunicle, a bell and a pomegranate,
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, "Make thee two trumpets of hard silver, that thou mayest use them to call the congregation together, and when the host shall journey. read more. When they blow with them, all the multitude shall resort to thee, unto the door of the tabernacle of witness. If but one trumpet blow only, then the princes which are heads over the thousands of Israel shall come unto thee. And when ye trump the first time, the hosts that lie on the east parts shall go forward. And when ye trump the second time, then the hosts that lie on the south side shall take their journey: for they shall trump when they take their journeys. And in gathering the congregation together, ye shall blow and not trump. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets and shall have them and it shall be a law unto you forever and among your children after you. "And when ye shall go to war in your land against your enemies that vex you, ye shall trump with the trumpets and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God and saved from your enemies. Also, when ye be merry in your feast days and in the first days of your months, ye shall blow the trumpets over your burnt sacrifices and peaceofferings, that it may be a remembrance of you before your God. I am the LORD your God."
Also, when ye be merry in your feast days and in the first days of your months, ye shall blow the trumpets over your burnt sacrifices and peaceofferings, that it may be a remembrance of you before your God. I am the LORD your God."
And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. And the seventh day, ye shall compass the city seven times and the priests shall blow with their trumpets. And when there is a long blast blown with the ram's horn, as soon as ye hear the sound of the horn, let all the people shout a mighty shout. And then shall the walls of the city fall down, and the people shall ascend up, every man straight before him." read more. And Joshua the son of Nun called unto 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 when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the seven priests that bare the seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark of the LORD went forth and blew with the horns, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed after them.
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and gave every man a trumpet in his hand, with an empty pitcher and lamps therein,
And when I blow with a trumpet, and all that are with me, blow ye with trumpets also on every side the host and say, 'Here be the LORD and Gideon.'"
After that, thou shalt come to the hill of God, where the Philistines keep their watch. And when thou art come thither to the city thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the hill, with a psaltery, a timbrel, a pipe, and a harp before them; and they prophesying.
And it happened as they went, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that women came out of all cities of Israel singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with fiddles.
And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD with all manner instruments of fir wood - with harps, psalteries, timbrels, fiddles and cymbals.
And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD with all manner instruments of fir wood - with harps, psalteries, timbrels, fiddles and cymbals.
And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, with singing, harps, psalteries, timbrels and trumpets.
And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests stood in their array, with trumpets, and the Levites, the children of Asaph, with cymbals; to praise the LORD, after the manner of David, king of Israel.
They bear with them tabrets and harps, and have instruments of music at their pleasure.
They bear with them tabrets and harps, and have instruments of music at their pleasure.
my harp is turned to sorrow, and my pipe to weeping.
All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes and cassia, when thou comest out of thine ivory palaces in thy beautiful glory.
The singers go before, the minstrels follow after; in the midst are the damsels playing with the timbrels.
With trumpets also and shophars: O show yourselves joyful before the LORD the King.
Praise him in the cymbals and dances; praise him upon the strings and pipe. Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals; praise him upon the loud cymbals.
I gathered silver and gold together, even a treasure of kings and lands. I provided me singers and women which could play of instruments, to make man mirth and pastime. I gat me drinking cups also and glasses.
In those companies are harps and lutes, tabrets and pipes, and wine. But they regard not the work of the LORD, and consider not the operation of his hands.
The mirth of tabrets shall be laid down, the cheer of the joyful shall cease, and the pleasure of lutes shall have an end:
Wherefore my heart mourneth for Moab, like a crowd playing a heavy song: and for the men's sake of the brick wall my heart mourneth also, even as a pipe that pipeth a doleful song. For they shall be very few, and destroyed.
that when ye hear the noise of the trumpets, which shall be blown, with harps, shawmes, Psalteries, Symphonies and all manner of Music: ye fall down and worship the golden Image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up.
that when ye hear the noise of the trumpets, which shall be blown, with harps, shawmes, Psalteries, Symphonies and all manner of Music: ye fall down and worship the golden Image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up.