Music Instrumental (Easton)

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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."

Source

• part_of source-manifest/easton — Easton's Bible Dictionary (PD)