The tambourine, also known as the timbrel, is a musical instrument mentioned several times in the Bible. It is a percussion instrument consisting of a frame, often made of wood or metal, with pairs of small metal jingles, known as zills, attached around the frame. The tambourine is played by shaking or striking it with the hand, producing a rhythmic sound that is both melodic and percussive.

Biblical References:

The tambourine is frequently associated with joy, celebration, and worship in the Scriptures. It is often mentioned in contexts of praise and victory, highlighting its role in the cultural and religious life of the Israelites.

1. Exodus 15:20-21: One of the earliest mentions of the tambourine is in the account of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. After crossing the Red Sea, Miriam, the prophetess and sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing. "Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang back to them: 'Sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted; the horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.'"

2. Judges 11:34: The tambourine is also mentioned in the account of Jephthah. When Jephthah returned home after a victorious battle against the Ammonites, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and dancing, celebrating his triumph. "When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing. She was his only child; he had no other son or daughter."

3. 1 Samuel 18:6: The tambourine was used in the celebration of David's victories. As David returned from striking down the Philistine, women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. "As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments."

4. Psalm 150:4: The Psalms, which are rich in expressions of worship, include the tambourine as an instrument of praise. "Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute."

Cultural and Religious Significance:

In ancient Israel, the tambourine was more than just a musical instrument; it was a symbol of celebration and divine worship. Its use in religious ceremonies and public celebrations underscores its importance in expressing joy and gratitude to God. The tambourine's association with women, as seen in the accounts of Miriam and Jephthah's daughter, highlights its role in communal and familial celebrations.

The tambourine's presence in the Bible reflects the broader cultural practices of the ancient Near East, where similar instruments were used in various religious and social contexts. Its enduring legacy in Christian worship today can be seen in its continued use in church music and celebrations, where it serves as a reminder of the joy and victory found in the Lord.(n.) A small drum, especially a shallow drum with only one skin, played on with the hand, and having bells at the sides; a timbrel.8596. toph -- a timbrel, tambourine
... a timbrel, tambourine. Transliteration: toph Phonetic Spelling: (tofe) Short Definition:
tambourines. ... From taphaph contracted; a tambourine -- tabret, timbrel. ...
/hebrew/8596.htm - 6k

8608. taphaph -- to sound the timbrel, beat
... taber, play with timbrels. A primitive root; to drum, ie Play (as) on the tambourine --
taber, play with timbrels. 8607, 8608. taphaph. 8609 . ...
/hebrew/8608.htm - 6k

Choosing Her Course
... Whenever able, she hied off to The Army hall, carrying her tambourine in a little
green baize bag, and, as often as not, a bundle of 'War Crys' under her arm. ...
/.../carpenter/the angel adjutant of twice born men/ii choosing her course.htm

Following the Cloud.
... Moses led them in a song of praise, and Miriam, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine,
and the women followed her in dances as they answered in a chorus of ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xii following the cloud.htm

How Samuel Found a Leader
... As you come to the city you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high
place with a lyre, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them, while they ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/how samuel found a leader.htm

The Escape from Egypt
... And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and
as all the women followed her with tambourines and with dancing, she sang ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/the escape from egypt.htm

David the Shepherd Youth.
... and went to live with Samuel's young men at Ramah, to learn to read and write, he
learned also to play upon the pipe and guitar, the tambourine and large harp ...
/.../anonymous/children of the old testament/david the shepherd youth.htm

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 BC )
... Above these, again, three musicians march in procession, one playing on a harp,
another on a five-stringed lyre, and the third on a tambourine. ...
/.../chapter iiisargon of assyria 722-705.htm

Native Christians (Continued).
... Army. Accompanied by a band of native Christians, he has been entering
villages and towns with song and drum and tambourine. The ...
/.../chapter xxvii native christians continued.htm

Chapter xxxi
... the smooth hypocrite: "I should have set thee on thy way with joyful festivities
(Hebrew: "joy") and songs, with timbrel (toph, a kind of tambourine) and harp ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxi.htm

Tambourine (8 Occurrences)
... a timbrel. Multi-Version Concordance Tambourine (8 Occurrences). Genesis
31:27 Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn ...
/t/tambourine.htm - 9k

Tambour (7 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A kind of small flat drum; a tambourine.
2. (n.) A small frame, commonly circular, and somewhat ...
/t/tambour.htm - 9k

Tambourines (13 Occurrences)
... 31:27 Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn't tell me, that I might
have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp ...
/t/tambourines.htm - 10k

Lyre (32 Occurrences)
... 31:27 Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn't tell me, that I might
have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp ...
/l/lyre.htm - 15k

Flute (16 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Job 21:12 They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound
of the pipe. ... Psalms 150:4 Praise him with tambourine and dancing! ...
/f/flute.htm - 13k

Timbrel (7 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (Hebrews toph), a small drum or tambourine; a tabret
(qv). The antiquity of this musical instrument appears ...
/t/timbrel.htm - 9k

Pipe (13 Occurrences)
... happen, when you have come there to the city, that you shall meet a band of prophets
coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tambourine, and a ...
/p/pipe.htm - 13k

Games (2 Occurrences)
... Of the former we have two striking examples in the Old Testament: the dance accompanied
by the tambourine with which the maidens of Israel, led by Jephthah's ...
/g/games.htm - 40k

Harp (36 Occurrences)
... 31:27 Why did you flee secretly, and deceive me, and didn't tell me, that I might
have sent you away with mirth and with songs, with tambourine and with harp ...
/h/harp.htm - 20k

Operation (8 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 5:12 The harp, lyre, tambourine, and flute, with wine, are at their feasts;
but they don't respect the work of Yahweh, neither have they considered the ...
/o/operation.htm - 10k

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