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The meaning of Music, Instrumental in the Bible
(From Easton's Bible Dictionary)

Among instruments of music used by the Hebrews a principal place is given to stringed instruments. These were,

  • The kinnor, the "harp."
  • The nebel, "a skin bottle," rendered "psaltery."
  • The sabbeka, or "sackbut," a lute or lyre.
  • The gittith, occurring in the title of Psalms 8; 8; 84.
  • Minnim (Psalms 150:4), rendered "stringed instruments;" in Psalms 45:8, in the form minni , probably the apocopated (i.e., shortened) plural, rendered, Authorized Version, "whereby," and in the Revised Version "stringed instruments."
  • Machalath, in the titles of Psalms 53 and 88; supposed to be a kind of lute or guitar.

    Of wind instruments mention is made of,

  • The 'ugab (Genesis 4:21; Job 21:12; 30:31), probably the so-called Pan's pipes or syrinx.
  • The qeren or "horn" (Joshua 6:5; I Chronicles 25:5).
  • The shophar, rendered "trumpet" (Joshua 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 (Exodus 19:13; Numbers 10:10; Judges 7:16,18; I Samuel 13:3).
  • The hatsotserah, or straight trumpet (Psalms 98:6; Numbers 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.
  • The halil, i.e, "bored through," a flute or pipe (I Samuel 10:5; I Kings 1:40; Isaiah 5:12; Jeremiah 48:36) which is still used in Palestine.
  • The sumponyah, rendered "dulcimer" (Daniel 3:5), probably a sort of bagpipe.
  • The maskrokith'a (Daniel 3:5), rendered "flute," but its precise nature is unknown.

    Of instruments of percussion mention is made of,

  • The toph, an instrument of the drum kind, rendered "timbrel" (Exodus 15:20; Job 21:12; Psalms 68:25); also "tabret" (Genesis 31:27; Isaiah 24:8; I Samuel 10:5).
  • The paamon, the "bells" on the robe of the high priest (Exodus 28:33; 39:25).
  • The tseltselim, "cymbals" (II Samuel 6:5; Psalms 150:5), which are struck together and produce a loud, clanging sound. Metsilloth, "bells" on horses and camels for ornament, and metsiltayim, "cymbals" (I Chronicles 13:8; Ezra 3:10, etc.). These words are all derived from the same root, tsalal, meaning "to tinkle."
  • The menaan'im, used only in II Samuel 6:5, rendered "cornets" (RSV, "castanets"); in the Vulgate, "sistra," an instrument of agitation.
  • The shalishim, mentioned only in I Samuel 18:6, rendered "instruments of music" (marg. of RSV, "triangles or three-stringed instruments").

    The words in Eccl 2:8, "musical instruments, and that of all sorts," Authorized Version, are in the Revised Version "concubines very many."


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