How Many Musical Instruments Are Mentioned In The Bible
The Holy Scriptures mention several different types of music, including songs to praise God for his work (“O Praise the Lord!”), prayers, and lamentations. When reading through the Bible, there are two things that you should look out for when finding these references of music.
First, make sure your interpretation is appropriate. For instance, some churches interpret the sound of drums as being demonic. Therefore, they will likely skip over any passages with this type of music.
Second, be aware of what era each piece of literature was written in. Technology changes quickly, so whether or not someone could play an instrument back then may no longer apply.
This article will discuss how many musical instruments are mentioned in the Bible, where people were allowed to play them, and how to identify which ones you have mastered.
String instruments
Music has been around for centuries, even pre-dating written language! Ancient people sang songs to praise God, tell stories, give advice, celebrate events, and more. Some even used music as an effective tool to influence others.
There are several types of stringed instruments mentioned in the Old Testament and New Testaments. These include harps, lyres, lutes, psalteries, viols, zithers (similar to a guitar), panders (like a ukulele) and ouds (lute like devices with frets).
Some scholars believe that some of these were one instrument to which parts were added over time. For example, there is talk about early Christians using a “lyre” or “stringed musical instrument” (Acts 13:16–17).
However, we know what kind of stringed instrument this was because later writers refer to it by name. We also have pictures and illustrations of ancient musicians playing similar ones. This makes it very plausible that these three verses describe just such an instrument!
Incidentally, one of my favorite passages in the Bible mentions the use of strings and instruments…it's Jeremiah 17:19-21. The Lord says that He will send someone to prepare His children for battle.
Brass instruments
The brass instrument category includes trumpets, horns, and trombones. These instruments are made of bronze or copper alloy and contain air holes to produce sounds.
The trumpet is an ancient musical tool that has many uses; it can be used for signaling, summoning, or calling out orders. Because it produces a high-pitched tone, it is often called a horn.
Traditionally, trumpeters wear heavy leather gloves to protect their hands from heat and dryness caused by the instrument’s mouthpiece. Some musicians use washable plastic or rubberized latex gloveless techniques instead.
You probably know the flute as the most common wind instrument. Biblical references describe several different types of flutes, including the eschalochon (literal translation: “shimmering like gold”), which was popular with early Hebrews.
Woodwind instruments
There are five different woodwind instruments mentioned in the bible, which include flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, and horns. All of these can be played either actively or passively, depending on what kind of music they are used for!
The trumpet is typically considered to be the most important instrument in Christianity because it was frequently used during liturgical services and settings. The trombone, however, seems to have been more popular than the trumpet since there are not as many examples of it being used in church services.
There are several theories about why this is the case. One theory is that musicians would borrow equipment from each other so people may have lost track of what exactly made up one piece. Another possibility is that the trombonist just did not like their part very much so they would take it out less often. A third possible reason could be that some people do not like large brass instruments so they did not use them as much.
Charlie K is a music writer and blogger for Sounds of Gold. He also composes background music for a range of web-based businesses.
