Bruce found a sculpture of a harp resembling that usually put into the hands of David, or nearly in the form of a triangle, and under circumstances which led him to suppose that it was as old as the times of Sesostris. And the viol. 3 nêbhel. From this word is derived undoubtedly the Greek word vaßiov and the Latin nablium, and nabla. But it is not very easy to form a correct idea of this instrument. The derivation would lead us to suppose that it was something in the shape of a bottle, and it is probable that it had a form in the shape of a leathern bottle, such as is used in the East, or at least a vessel in which wine was preserved. 1 Sam. x. 3, xxv. 18, 2 Sam. xvi. 1. It was at first made of the win berōsh or fir, afterwards it was made of the Almug tree, and occasionally it seems to have been made of metal. 2 Sam. vi. 5, 1 Chron. xiii. 8. The external parts of the instrument were of wood, over which strings were drawn in various ways. Josephus says, it had twelve strings. Ant. B. viii. ch. 10. He says also that it was played with the fingers. Ibid. Hesychius and Pollux reckon it among stringed instruments. The resonance had its origin in the vessel or the bottom part of the instrument, upon which the strings were drawn. According to Ovid this instrument was played on with both hands. De Arle L. iii. According to Jerome, Isidorus and Cassiodorus it had the form of an inverted Greek Delta v. Pleiffer supposes that this instrument was probably the same as is found represented on ancient monuments. The belly of the instrument is a wooden bowl, having a small hole in the under part, and is covered over with a stretched skin which is higher in the middle than at the sides. Two posts which are fastened together at the top by a cross piece pass obliquely through this skin. Five strings pass over this skin, having a bridge for their support on the cross piece. The instrument has no pins or screws, but every string is fastened by means of some linen wound with it around this cross piece. The description of this instrument is furnished by Niebuhr (Th. 1. p. 179). It is played on in two ways, either by being struck with the finger, or by a piece of leather, or perhaps a quill hung at its side and drawn across the strings.-It cannot with certainty be determined when this instrument was invented, or when it came into use among the Hebrews. It is first mentioned in the time of Saul (1 Sam. x. 5), and from this time onward it is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. It was used particularly in the public worship of God. 2 Sam. vi. 5, 1 Kings x. 12, 2 Chron. xx. 28, xxix. 25, 1 Chron. xv. 16, xvi. 5. It was usually accompanied with other instruments, and was also used in festivals and entertainments. See Biblical Repository, Vol. vi. pp. 357, 365. The usual form of representing it is shown in the annexed cuts, and is the form in which the lyre appears on ancient monuments, in connexion with the statues of Apollo. Niebuhr has furnished us with an instrument from the East which is supposed to have a very near resemblance to that which is referred to by the word used by Isaiah. This instrument is represented in the following cut. The tabret. in toph. This was one of the instruments which were struck with the hands. It was the kettle drum of the ancients, and it is more easy to determine its form and use than it is most of the instruments used by the Hebrews. The LXX and other Greek translators render it by τύμπανον. This word, as well as the Latin tympanum are manifestly derived from this Hebrew word. The Arabic word duf applied to the same instrument is also derived from the same Hebrew word. It was an instrument of wood, hollowed out, and cov. ered over with leather and struck with the hands-a species of drum. This form of the drum is used by the Spaniards, and they have preserved it ever since the time of the Moors. It was early used. La ban wished to accompany Jacob with its sound. Gen. xxxi. 27. Miriam, the sister of Moses, and the females with her, accompanied the song of victory with this instrument. Ex. xv. 20. Job was acquainted with it (Job xvii. 6, xxi. 12), and David employed it in the festivities of religion. 2 Sam. vi. 5. The occasions on which it is mentioned as being used are joyful occasions, and for the most part those who play on it are females, and on this account they are called "drumbeating women" (Ps. lxviii. 26)-in our translation, "damsels playing with timbrels." In our translation it is rendered tabret. Isa. v. 12, 1 Sam. x. 5, Gen. xxxi. 26, Isa. xxiv. 8, xxxi. 32, 1 Sam. xviii, 6, Ezek. xxviii. 13, Jer. xxxi. 4, Job xvii. 6; tabring, Nah. ii. 7; and timbrel, Ps. lxxxi. 2, Ex. xv. 20, Job xxi. 12, Ps. cxlix. 3, cl. 4, Judges xi. 34, Ps. lxviii. 25. It is no where mentioned as employed in war or warlike transactions. It was sometimes made by merely stretching leather over a wooden hoop, and thus answered to the instrument known among us as the Tambourin. It was in the form of a sieve and is often found on ancient monuments, and particularly in the hands of Cybele. In the East there is now no instrument more common than this, and it is found among most nations, even the wildest. Niebuhr (Th. i. p. 181) has given the following description of it: "It is a broad hoop covered on one side with a stretched skin. In the rim there are usually thin round pullies or wheels of metal which make some noise, when this drum, held on high with one hand, is struck with the fingers of the other hand. No musical instrument perhaps is so much employed in Turkey as this. When the females in their harems dance or sing, the time is always beat on this instrument. is called doff." The following figures are representations of it. It The latter form also abounds, and when they are not too large they are hung obliquely over the body. See Bib. Repos. Vol. vi. 398-402. It may be added that it is commonly supposed that from the word Toph, Tophet is derived-a name given to the valley of Jehoshaphat near Jerusalein, because this instrument was used there to drown the cries of children when sacrificed to Moloch. ¶ And pipe. 33 hhâlil. This word is derived either from 3 hhâlal, to bore through, and thence conveys the idea of a flute bored through, and furnished with holes (Gesenius), or from hhâlal, to leap or dance; and thence it conveys the idea of an instrument that was played on at the dance. Pfeiffer. The Greek translators have always rendered it by aiλós. There are in all but four places where it occurs in the Old Testament, 1 Kings i. 40, Isa. v. 12, xxx. 29, Jer. xlviii. 36, and it is uniformly rendered pipe or pipes by our translators. The origin of the pipe is unknown. It was possessed by most ancient nations, though it differed much in form. It was made sometimes of wood, at others of reed, at others of the bones of animals, horns, &c. The box-wood has been the common inaterial out of which it was made. It was sometimes used for plaintive music (comp. Matt. ix. 23); but it was also employed in connexion with other instruments while journeying up to Jerusalem to attend the great feasts there. See Note on Isa. xxx. 29. Though employed on plaintive occasions-as the flute is with us yet it was also employed in times of joy and pleasure. Hence in the times of Judas Maccabeus, the Jews complained "that all joy had vanished from Jacob, and that the flute and cithera were silent." 1 Mac. iii. 45. See Bib. Repos. Vol. vi. 387-392. In the use of these instruments, in itself, there could be no impropriety. That which the prophet rebuked was, that they employed them not for good purposes-for praise, or even for innocent amusement-but that they introduced them to their feasts of revelry, and thus made them the occasion of forgetting God. This effect of music, accompanied with dancing, was well known in the time of Job, and is beautifully described by him: They send forth their little ones like a flock, And their children dance; They take the timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of the organ; They spend their days in mirth, And in a moment go down to the grave. THEREFORE they say unto God— "Depart from us ; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. |