THE TRUMPET.――Three kinds are mentioned in the Bible, viz., the
_keren_, the _shophar_, and the _chatzozerah_. The first two were more
or less curved and might properly be considered as horns. Most
commentators are of opinion that the _keren_――made of ram’s horn――was
almost identical with the _shophar_, the only difference being that
the latter was more curved than the former. The _shophar_ is
especially remarkable as being the only Hebrew musical instrument
which has been preserved to the present day in the religious services
of the Jews. It is still blown in the synagogue, as in time of old, at
the Jewish new-year’s festival, according to the command of Moses
(Numb. xxix. 1). The _chatzozerah_ was a straight trumpet, about two
feet in length, and was sometimes made of silver. Two of these
straight trumpets are shown in the famous triumphal procession after
the fall of Jerusalem on the arch of Titus.
THE DRUM.――There can be no doubt that the Hebrews had several kinds of
drums. We know, however, only of the _toph_, which appears to have
been a tambourine or a small hand-drum like the Egyptian darabuka. In
the English version of the Bible the word is rendered _timbrel_ or
_tabret_. This instrument was especially used in processions on
occasions of rejoicing, and also frequently by females. We find it in
the hands of Miriam, when she was celebrating with the Israelitish
women in songs of joy the destruction of Pharaoh’s host; and in the
hands of Jephtha’s daughter, when she went out to welcome her father.
There exists at the present day in the East a small hand-drum called
_doff_, _diff_, or _adufe_――a name which appears to be synonymous with
the Hebrew _toph_.
THE SISTRUM.――Winer, Saalschütz, and several other commentators are of
opinion that the _menaaneim_, mentioned in 2 Sam. vi. 5, denotes the
sistrum. In the English Bible the original is translated _cymbals_.
CYMBALS.――The _tzeltzelim_, _metzilloth_, and _metzilthaim_, appear to
have been cymbals or similar metallic instruments of percussion,
differing in shape and sound.
BELLS.――The little bells on the vestments of the high-priest were
called _phaamon_. Small golden bells were attached to the lower part
of the robes of the high-priest in his sacred ministrations. The Jews
have, at the present day, in their synagogues small bells fastened to
the rolls of the Law containing the Pentateuch: a kind of
ornamentation which is supposed to have been in use from time
immemorial.
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