Music, Instrumental @ 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 Psalms:8; 8; 84. (5.) 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." (6.) 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, (1.) The 'ugab Genesis:4:21; Job:21:12Job:30:31), probably the so-called Pan's pipes or syrinx. (2.) The qeren or "horn" Joshua:6:5; 1Chronicles:25:5). (3.) 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; 1Samuel:13:3). (4.) 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. (5.) The halil, i.e, "bored through," a flute or pipe ( 1Samuel:10:5; kjvKings:1:40; Isaiah:5:12; Jeremiah:48:36) which is still used in Palestine. (6.) The sumponyah, rendered "dulcimer" Daniel:3:5), probably a sort of bagpipe. (7.) The maskrokith'a Daniel: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" Exodus:15:20; Job:21:12; Psalms:68:25); also "tabret" Genesis:31:27; Isaiah:24:8; 1Samuel:10:5). (2.) The paamon, the "bells" on the robe of the high priest Exodus:28:33Exodus:39:25). (3.) The tseltselim, "cymbals" ( 2Samuel: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" ( 1Chronicles:13:8; Ezra:3:10, etc.). These words are all derived from the same root, tsalal, meaning "to tinkle." (4.) The menaan'im, used only in 2Samuel:6:5, rendered "cornets" (R.V., "castanets"); in the Vulgate, "sistra," an instrument of agitation. (5.) The shalishim, mentioned only in 1Samuel:18:6, rendered "instruments of music" (marg. of R.V., "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."
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