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Bible Dictionaries
Music, Instrumental

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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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 Psalm 8; 8; 84 .
  • Minnim (Psalm 150:4 ), rendered "stringed instruments;" in Psalm 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 Psalm 53,88; 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; 1 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; 1 Samuel 13:3 ).
  • The hatsotserah, or straight trumpet (Psalm 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 (1 Samuel 10:5; 1 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; Psalm 68:25 ); also "tabret" (Genesis 31:27; Isaiah 24:8; 1 Samuel 10:5 ).
  • The paamon, the "bells" on the robe of the high priest (Exodus 28:33; 39:25 ).
  • The tseltselim, "cymbals" (2 Samuel 6:5; Psalm 150:5 ), which are struck together and produce a loud, clanging sound. Metsilloth, "bells" on horses and camels for ornament, and metsiltayim, "cymbals" (1 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 2 Samuel 6:5 , rendered "cornets" (RSV, "castanets"); in the Vulgate, "sistra," an instrument of agitation.
  • The shalishim, mentioned only in 1 Samuel 18:6 , rendered "instruments of music" (marg. of RSV, "triangles or three-stringed instruments").

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

    Bibliography Information
    Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Music, Instrumental'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​ebd/​m/music-instrumental.html. 1897.
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