Musical+Instruments+of+the+Old+Testament

= ** History and Background ** = toc

Genesis 4:21 mentions Jubal as the first musician: he is the “father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.” Though it may seem music is mentioned rarely in the Old Testament, when it is mentioned it is a natural part of human cultures, inseparable from the rest of life. Music was used in work, worship, merrymaking, and military activities (Gen. 31:27, Exod. 32:17-18, Num. 27:17, Judg. 11:34-35, Isa. 16:10, Jer. 48:33). Music was a part of the royal court (II Sam. 19:35, Eccl. 2:8) and festivals (Isa. 5:12, 24:8-9). God incorporated music when he destroyed Jericho’s walls for the Israelites (Josh. 6:4-20). Although some instruments dating back to Biblical times have survived today, albeit in changed forms or roles, some have not. [|[i]]

** Aerophones **
The shofar is probably the most well-known aerophone of the Old Testament. Shaped from an animal horn, its curved shape and relatively wide bore are distinctive. The shofar is only capable of producing two or three pitches. [|[ii]] The shofar was used for giving signals in war, and announcements like the year of Jubilee, the appearance of the new moon and full moon. [|[iii]] Because its piercing sound could be heard at great distances, and its range was severely limited, its use in celebratory processions, such as in II Samuel 6:15, was more dramatic than melodic. [|[iv]] The trumpet was another common aerophone. Rather than organic material like the shofar, the trumpet was made of metal and of a straight, narrow bore. This dramatically changed the tone quality of the trumpet from the shofar; however, it was also only capable of producing a limited number of pitches. [|[v]] The trumpet was traditionally used in pairs, as in Moses’ two silver trumpets (Num. 10:12). [|[vi]] ‘Flute’ is the name commonly translated for any of the instruments of wood which were blown. The pipe was the simplest form of flute, being simply a reed punctured at strategic places and blown across at one end. The pipe was mentioned as being in Nebuchadnezzar’s band (Dan. 3:5,7,10, 15). [|[vii]] The Levites used only flutes of wood and reed in the Tabernacle and Temple; this is probably a sign of their conservatism and adherence to the original text. The flute was also used in weddings, funerals, feast-days, and other large gatherings.

** Chordophones **
The proto-instruments of sorts for all stringed instruments was the common hunting bow. The tension of the string is such that when plucked or struck it will emit a pitch. Eventually more strings were added to the bow, and a hollow resonator to increase the sound; the complete harp was born. Egyptian harps usually placed the resonator at the bottom of the harp, whereas Assyrian placed it at the top. [|[viii]] As the harp-strings were tightened, however, the greater the tendency of the two ends of the bow-shaped frame to spring apart. Thus a bar was eventually tied across the ends to secure them; this forms the general shape and structure of the lyre. In the lyre, however, the strings ran from the cross-bar down to the frame. Because the strings were at right angles with the curve, tightening them would not put additional strain on the bow. This made the lyre more consistent in tone and pitch than the harp. [|[ix]] In the harp the (usually) seven strings were of sheep-gut and were parallel to a line connecting the ends of the bow-shaped frame. [|[x]] It could be played either with a plectrum (similar to a modern-day guitar pick) or plucked with the fingers.

** Membranophones **
The most prominent membranophone is the //top//, which the KJV translates ‘timbrel’ and ‘tabret.’ Since women often used it in dance, as in Exod. 15:20, it was likely a small hand-beaten drum or tambourine. [|[xi]] The diameter was about the length of a forearm. [|[xii]] Cymbals are seen on Assyrian reliefs and are listed first in the list of instruments David used to accompany the bringing up of the ark (II Sam. 6:5, Psalm 150:4). [|[xiii]] They were large and usually made of brass. [|[xiv]] Another common instrument were the ‘shakers’ or rattles. One variety was a handle attached to a metal hoop, from which several wires hung and made a jingling sound. Another was a hollow pottery rattle, averaging about four inches in height, with small pellets inside to produce noise when shaken. [|[xv]]

= ** Works Cited ** =

I. Finesinger, Sol Baruch. 1926. “Musical Instruments in the Old Testament.” Cincinnati, OH: //Hebrew Union College Annual//, 1926 (January 1). II. Tenney, Merrill C., editor. 1975. //The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible//. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. III. Unger, Merrill F. //Unger’s Bible Dictionary//. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1957. IV. Walton, John H, editor. 2009. //Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Volume 2//. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. V. Wright, David P. 2002. “Music and Dance in II Samuel 6.” Atlanta, GA: //Journal of Biblical Literature// 121, no. 2 (June 1).

[|[i]] Merrill F. Unger, Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1957), 768.

[|[ii]] Merrill C. Tenney, The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975), 320.

[|[iii]] Merrill F. Unger, Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1957), 768.

[|[iv]] John H. Walton, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Volume 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2009), 441.

[|[v]] Merrill C. Tenney, The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975), 320.

[|[vi]] Merrill F. Unger, Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1957), 768.

[|[vii]] Ibid.

[|[viii]] Sol Baruch Finesinger, “Musical Instruments in the Old Testament,” //Hebrew Union College Annual// 35, no. 1 (January 1926): 4.

[|[ix]] Ibid.

[|[x]] Ibid.

[|[xi]] Merrill C. Tenney, The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975), 319.

[|[xii]] David P. Wright, “Music and Dance in II Samuel 6,” //Journal of Biblical Literature// 121, no. 2 (June 2002): 3.

[|[xiii]] Merrill F. Unger, Unger’s Bible Dictionary (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1957), 767.

[|[xiv]] Sol Baruch Finesinger, “Musical Instruments in the Old Testament,” //Hebrew Union College Annual// 35, no. 1 (January 1926): 8.

[|[xv]] John H. Walton, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Volume 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2009), 439.

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