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Music

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

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In the early days of the human race, music was one of the first expressions of artistic and cultural development (Genesis 4:21). It soon became widely used, along with singing and dancing, to celebrate special occasions, whether private or public, domestic or national, secular or sacred (Genesis 31:27; Exodus 15:20-21; 2 Samuel 6:14-15; 2 Chronicles 20:28-29; Psalms 92:1-3; Psalms 144:9; Isaiah 5:12; Amos 6:5; Daniel 3:4-5; see also DANCING; SINGING). At other times people played or listened to music purely for relaxation or enjoyment (1 Samuel 16:16-17; 1 Samuel 16:23; 1 Samuel 18:10; Job 21:11-12; Ezekiel 26:13; Ezekiel 33:31-32; Lamentations 5:14; Revelation 18:22). Music also accompanied mourning and singing at funerals (Matthew 9:23; Luke 7:32; see FUNERAL).

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Hebrew musical instruments were of three kinds – stringed, wind and percussion. Chief among the stringed instruments were the harp (1 Samuel 10:5; 2 Samuel 6:5; 1 Kings 10:12; Isaiah 5:12) and the lyre (Genesis 4:21; Genesis 31:27; 1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 16:23; 2 Samuel 6:5). The main wind instruments were the flute (Isaiah 5:12; Jeremiah 48:36; Matthew 9:23), the pipe (Genesis 4:21; 1 Kings 1:40; Job 21:12; Matthew 11:17), the horn (2 Samuel 6:15) and the trumpet (Numbers 10:2; Numbers 31:6; Amos 3:6; Matthew 24:31). Percussion instruments included cymbals (2 Samuel 6:5; Psalms 150:4; 1 Corinthians 13:1), tambourines (Genesis 31:27; 1 Samuel 10:5; 2 Samuel 6:5; Job 21:12) and timbrels (Exodus 15:20; Judges 11:34; Psalms 150:4). In the music that David organized for Israel’s temple worship, the main instruments were harps, lyres and cymbals (1 Chronicles 15:16; 1 Chronicles 15:19-21; 1 Chronicles 16:5).

Bibliography Information
Fleming, Don. Entry for 'Music'. Bridgeway Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​bbd/​m/music.html. 2004.
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