drums, nor with sistrums (or harps) nor with pipes crooked or straight, nor with cymbals; but they sung with a joyous mouth, and with a pure and perfect prayer, with innocence and integrity before the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel. The Arabic version is almost word for word with the above. As the Syriac version was made about the second century (some think in the Apostolic age), and probably by a Christian, we may see from the turn he gave to the original that instrumental music in that time was not esteemed in the church of GOD. Indeed it seems to have no good influence; and is only calculated to draw light, vain, and giddy persons together. Where poetry had attained such a high state of cultivation as the poetic compositions of the Hebrew Prophets sufficiently prove, instrumental music must have kept proportionable pace. According to the accounts of the Rabbins, the Hebrews had more instruments of music among them than any other people on the earth. They generally reckon about thirty-four different kinds. Calmet, who has examined this subject with great accuracy and critical acumen, Dissertation sur les Instrumens de Musique des Hebreux, prefixed to his commentary on the Psalms, reduces this number by taking away the following fourteen. υμνος 1. NEGINOTH, (m) translated by the LXX. uuvos a hymn, and by the Vulgate canticum, a song, signifies those who play on instruments, or the pieces themselves which are played. See Job xxx. 9. Psa. lxix. 12. and the titles of several Psalms. 9. NEHILOTH () signifies dances, or choirs of dancing women, from the verb chalal, to dance. It is found in the title of Psalm v. 3. SHEMINITH (yo): as this word literally signifies the eighth, and as we find this used for an eighth course of musicians, 1 Chron. xv. 21. it probably has the same meaning in Psa. vi. in the title of which it stands in connexion with Neginoth mentioned above. 4. SHIGGAION () signifies a song of consolation in distress, or a poetic composition similar to our elegy. It is found in the title of Psa. vii. and the plural Shigionoth, in Habakkuk iii. 1. 5. GITTITH (л) a person of Gath, or the wine pressing; probably an air or song sung at the time of vintage. It occurs in the titles of the Sth, 81st, and 84th Psalms. 6. MUTHLABBEN (125m by) al muthlaben concerning the death of the son. Title of Psalm ix. In 1 Chron. xvi. 20. alamoth (my) is used, which signifies damsels or virgins; and Calmet thinks that a band of female musicians is meant, and that Laben, i. e. to Ben, refers to Renaiah, who was set over the band. 7. MICHTAM (DD): this occurs in the titles of the 16th, 56th, 57th, 58th, 59th, and 60th, Psalms. It comes from the root katham, to inscribe, or engrave and as it is always accompanied with le david, to David, it probably signifies that those Psalms were particularly attributed to David. Those, says Calmet, who wish to make it signify an instrument of music only make use of this cloak to cover their idleness or ignorance. 8. AYELETH SHAHAR () Psal. xxii. i. translated by the Septuagint the reception, or succour, of the morning; and by others the hind of the morning; appears to signify a band of either male or female musicians, or a Psalm that was sung at break of day. 9. SHOSHANNIM (□) Psalm xliv. lx. lxix. lxxx. variously translated by the antients and moderns, seems to mean rejoicings: and as all the Psalms to which it is prefixed seem to be composed for festive occasions, particularly weddings, it is probable the word only points out the rejoicings used on such occasions. 10. MAHALATH () title of Psalm liii. signifies a dance, such as was used at some religious assemblies. See Exod. xv. 20. Judg. xxi. 21. 1 Sam. xvii. 6. 11. JONATH ELEM RECHOKIM (Opɔ ox n) the dumb dove in its banishment, probably the air or tune to which some particular psalm or ode was sung. 12. HIGAION (an) Psalm xcii. 4. from to murmur, growl, or coo, was either a deep hollow bass in the music, or a mournful tune sung on occasions of public or private calamity. But, from its connexion in the above passage with several musical instruments, it may probably signify some kind of harp, or some mournful accompaniment in the voice like our recitativo. 13. MASCIL, (b) occurs in the titles of Psalms 32d, 42d, 44th, 52d, 74th, 78th, and 142d. As it is evidently derived from the root to be wise, to behave wisely, or prudently, it signifies simply to give instruction. The psalms to which it is prefixed are to be considered as peculiarly calculated to give instruction and direction in the most important matters which respect the well-being of the body and soul. 14. AL TASCHITH, (b) This term literally means destroy not; and may signify either a deprecation of deserved punishment, or an exhortation to take care of and preserve in a particular manner those psalms to which it is prefixed. They are the four following:-57th, 58th, 59th, and 75th. I am of Calmet's opinion that none of these signifies any musical instrument, unless the higaion mentioned under No. 12. In the Pentateuch seven different kinds of musical instruments are mentioned, viz. the kinoor, or lyre, an instrument with three cords; the huggab, or mouth organ, composed of seven unequal pipes; the tuph, or tambour, the skin being extended only over one side of a broad hoop; the machalat, probably a sort of bagpipe; the chazazeroth, the long straight trumpets made by Moses in the wilderness; and the schophar, or trumpet. To these some add the jubal, or jobel, supposed to have been a sort of musical instrument made out of a ram's horn: but this is a mistake, for there is no proper evidence that there ever was such an instrument.c See the note at the end of Chap. XVI. In the books of Kings, Chronicles, and the prophets, mention is made of NABELIM, psalteries or harps; MEZILOTHAIM, cymbals; MENANAIM, different kinds of flutes; and ZALZELIM, cymbals, according to some, and sistrums according to others. SHALISHIM, sonorous trigons, or triangles, and MEZILOTHAIM, a species of small bells. In Daniel, chap. iii. 4. the following are mentioned-KARNA, the cornet or horn; MASHROKITA, the flageolet; KITHROS, the cithara, or harp; SABEKA, the sackbut, a species of cymbal; PESANTERIM, the psaltery, or a species of harp in form of an equilateral triangle, nearly the same as the nabla; SUMPHONIA, a dulcimer, or cymbal with four strings. The GNASUR, or HASUR, (y) mentioned in the Psalms, appears to have been an instrument of ten strings, similar to or the same with the cythara, or harp. As the nabla or kinoor were the most common, a further description may be necessary. NABLA OF NEBEL (2), a stringed musical instrument, probably so called from its belly resembling a jug or flaggon, 2 Sam. vi. 5. Psal. xxxiii. 2. Athenæus says, Να λα Φοινικων ειναι ευρημα, the nabla was invented by the Phoenicians," which he proves from these words of Sopater, οτε του Σιδωνίου Ναβλα Λαρυγγόφωνος εκκεχορδοται τυπος. and the Sidonian nabla Sonorous instrument, is not unstrung. Nafaa here seems undeclinable, like the Phoeni |