Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

LUTE

A musical instrument that likely had a long neck, skin head, two or three strings, and a triangular form. Heb. šālîš (1 Sam. 18:6) is interpreted by some as “lute”; its name (from Heb. šālôš, “three”) refers to its three strings. In this passage, Israelite women played these instruments along with timbrels (tambourines) in celebration of David’s killing of Goliath. The lute was not an instrument used in temple worship. The Hebrew term corresponds to Akk. šalaštu, an instrument with a long neck, similar to the modern banjo.

Representations of such instruments are known in both Egyptian tomb paintings and a relief at Carchemish; there are no known examples from Palestine. Although the NRSV translates Heb. nēḇel and ʿāśôr as lute (Ps. 150:3; 92:3[MT 4], respectively), these instruments were likely harps with more than three strings (Heb. ʿāśôr, “ten”).

Jennie R. Ebeling

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

LUTE

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)