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MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS IN ANCIENT ISRAEL

    D AVID'S LOVE OF THE LORD AND LOVE OF MUSIC might encourage some of us to reconsider any sour notes that mark the beginning of our day. Evidently he awoke with a song in his heart and an instrument in his hand.

        We may not be able to play the harp or the lyre, but we can give evidence of a song in our hearts.

        Today church instruments echo the legacy left by David and his musicians. Since the period of David and the united kingdom, instruments have added much to the worship experience. Although the lyre and pipe were part of man's earliest ventures (Gen. 4:21), these and other ancient instruments did not have a significant role in worship until David's time. Between Noah and David only two types of horns are mentioned in the Bible to call the people to religious festivals, to worship, and to holiness.

        Modern church instruments appear quite different from those of ancient times. The instruments have changed so much that we even have difficulty identifying them with a modern word. For example, there are four Hebrew words that name the musical instruments in Isaiah 5:12. When five different Bible translations were compared, no two of them agreed, and twelve different English words were used to translate the four Hebrew terms. This can be confusing when studying a passage with a friend or group unless more is known about the ancient instruments. Exploring the original words and their meanings will be helpful. We can simplify our study by examining three basic groups of instruments mentioned in the Old Testament: (1) stringed, (2) wind, and (3) percussion. Since the English words may differ for each instrument, we will use the Hebrew words to guide our survey of the subject.

        We begin with the stringed instruments. The kinnor [kin NOAR] is the first instrument recorded in the Bible. The kinnor was most likely a lyre, but is also called a harp in some versions of the Bible. These two hand-held instruments were quite similar. The strings of the lyre were strung tightly on a wooden frame and plucked with the fingers. Some scholars believe that a bow (used for hunting) led to the idea for the harp and the lyre. The pleasant notes of the kinnor were used for relaxation, recreation (playing and dancing), dinner music, and worship. Temple musicians used the lyre to emphasize rejoicing and praise, but the lyre was also used for revelry and by temple prostitutes (Isa. 23:16).

        Another stringed instrument was the nebel [NEH bell]. Scriptures refer to this instrument as a lyre, psaltery, or viol. The nebel was a larger lyre with a deeper tone. We might compare the difference between the kinnor and the nebel to the difference between today's violin and the viola. Of course the nebel also was plucked with the fingers as opposed to using a bow, such as one used with a violin or cello. Some scholars believe that the nebel was a cousin to the zither that has a sound box similar to a guitar only much smaller. Like the kinnor, the nebel was played at various events, some glorifying to God and some not.

        Five instruments comprise the wind section of the Old Testament. The first wind instrument mentioned in the Bible is the 'ugab [OO gawv], or the reed-pipe as some call it. The word 'ugab may also be found in English Bibles as "flute" or "organ." The reed-pipe, or simply pipe, probably is the most accurate term for the 'ugab. This name suggests a proper description of the instrument that was a long, narrow hollow stem, or reed, with holes to change the pitch to achieve a melody. Although the 'ugab was played as a spiritual instrument (Ps. 150:4), it was also known for awakening physical and emotional passions that were not desirable before the Lord.

        A similar instrument was the khalil [KAW leel] (Isa. 5:12). This flute or pipe may have had a high pitch, because the root meaning of the word is "piercing." Not much is known about the use of the khalil, but we do know from Isaiah's narrative that it was used for banquets-- or should we say--orgies.

        Two wind instruments, the shophar ]SHOW phaar] and the yobel [YO bale], may be different only in name. Both are described as a trumpet, horn, or ram's horn. They were, and are today, made from the horn of an animal. Shophar and yobel differ in the fact that the former was the Hebrew term for horn and the latter the Phoenician word. In either case they were used to call Israel to celebrations, to war, and to worship. The trumpets, inappropriately called cornets in some translations, also announced important events such as the arrival of a king, a new moon,or the year of Jubilee that came every 50 years (Lev. 25:10-15).

        The khatsotsra [ka TSOW tsraw] was another trumpet, but it was different from the two mentioned above. This trumpet was long and narrow as compared to the shorter and broader ram's horn. The kkatsotsra was also made of metal. The historian Josephus described it as "a little short of a cubit [about 18 inches], it is a narrow tube, slightly thicker than a flute." The high shrill of this horn told the people that the Levite priests were breaking camp (Num. 10:2-4), were calling for the presence of the Lord for sacrifices, or were about to anoint a king.

        Three percussion instruments found their place in the repertoire of the ancient choral arrangements of Israel. The toph [towpf], first mentioned in Genesis (Gen. 31:27), was probably an instrument similar to today's tambourine. The word toph suggests beating something like a small drum. The toph has a variety of English names, such as timbrel, tabret, and tambourine. The toph is most commonly found in the Bible in the hands of women, but not always.

        Another type of percussion instrument, usually classed with those that vibrate, was the tseltsel [TSELL tsell]. Today we would call such an instrument "cymbals.'' These cymbals varied in size but were usually made of bronze. They apparently had an important role in worship and at dedications (2 Chron. 5:11-14; 29:25-30).

        The size of the tseltsel determined its emphasis. Some made a sound of tinkling like that used to represent an angel, while the larger ones thundered the presence of the Almighty.

       One other small percussion instrument was the mena'ana [me NAa na]. Although the word implies a rattling sound, most scholars believe that this was a type of castanet. Possibly used with dancing, the mena'ana is mentioned only with the coming of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:5).

        Like many things the Lord has provided for us, instruments become what we make of them. In David's time instruments strengthened the worship experience (Ps. 150). But in Isaiah's lifetime the instruments had come to represent a lifestyle estranged from God (Isa. 5:12; 23:16). Today we see examples of both uses in our society.