twist, to turn around. The Arabie word is b

hhala to be turned. The Septuagint designates it by xopov, chōrōn, often signifying a dance accompanied by singing.

It is probable that the Hebrews were not very precise or accomplished in their movements. They had a higher object than celerity and gracefulness in the exercise and especially after their victory over the Egyptians at the Red Sea, for their vocal and instrumental music and dancing on that occasion were all employed as an expression of their gratitude to God in view of their miraculous deliverance from their enemies.

EXODUS, XV. 21.

And Miriam answered them:

Sing ye to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously; The horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

Miriam answered them. It seems from this that a part of the performers had been singing, but had now ceased, and Miriam with the female Israelites uttered the answering strains in beautiful lyric poetry (vid. Remarks on Ex. xv. 1. 18, supra).

Sing. The general term is here used in the original (vid. Remarks on Gen. xxxi. 27).

EXODUS, xix. 13.

There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

The inspired writer is here narrating the circumstances of

an august scene, viz.: the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. Jehovah, through his servant Moses, commanded the Israelites to sanctify themselves and be prepared for the great event which was to transpire at the end of three days, when the Divine power and goodness would be manifested. Moses was directed to set bounds, beyond which none could pass, and to inform his people that whoever should touch the Mount, would be instantly destroyed. When all things should be ready, a long blast of the trumpet was to be the signal for the people to approach the Mount and hear the message of Jehovah.

Trumpet.-Here is an instrument not before mentioned by the inspired writers. Its use in this instance was about 250 years after that of the timbrel mentioned in Gen. xxxi. 27, and about 2353 years after the use of the harp and organ mentioned in Gen. iv. 21. From the Scriptures we learn that the harp and organ were played about 1495 years before the deluge, the timbrel about 610, and the horn 851 years after that catastrophe. The Hebrew word here translated trumpet, is yōbhel, generally jyōbhel, signifying a joyful shout, the clangor of trumpets, trumpet-signal, alarm. The Chaldee paraphrasts and rabbins supposed that it signified a ram, and that, géren hayyo bhel signified a ram's-horn; but this is a mere conjecture. Rabbi Levi and Akiba assert that it has the same meaning in Arabic; but this must be a mistake, as such a definition does not appear in Arabic lexicons (vid. Bocharti Hieroz. p. i. lib. ii. c. 43).

geren, horn, generally precedes, 3 yöbhel or 3, hayyobhel, though here it does not. When used together, the two words signify horn of jubilee, horn of alarm, i. e., a horn with which a signal or alarm is sounded. Sometimes it is written, as, probably in this case, elliptically, 77, qéren, horn, being implied. Yobhel, then, signifies here, jubilee or jubel horn. Jahn supposes that 17, geren was one of the most ancient instruments of music and was originally nothing more than the horn of an ox with an opening made in the top. Subsequently, a ram's horn was made hollow and used for a wind instrument, and finally, the geren was

made of brass.* The same learned author thinks it not unlikely that Jubal invented this instrument. He may have first used the horn; but it is probable that the jubilee horn received its name from the fact that it was used to proclaim the commencement of the jubilee among the Jews (vid. Lev. xxxv. 9, 10). It was also employed to announce the beginning of the civil and sabbatical year (Lev. xxiii. 24; Num. xxix. 1); but as the jubilee was the most important event, it doubtless gave its name to the instrument. Being subsequently improved, it was probably called by different names. Josephus informs us that the tube or pipe of the trumpet was of the thickness of the common flute. The mouth was barely wide enough to admit the breath of the performer, and the end bell-shaped like that of the modern trumpet (Joseph. Ant. iii. xii. 6). The instrument had then become much improved. At first, the Israelites had but two in the camp, though subsequently they had more. In Joshua's time, there were at least seven (vid. Josh. vi. 4), and at the dedication of Solomon's temple 120 priests sounded with trumpets (II Chron. v. 12). The Hebrew generals also used them in war. Originally, they were horns or crooked trumpets, and subsequently, straight tubes like those described by Josephus, to which reference is made above. Of this latter kind, probably, were those mentioned in Num. x. 8, 10; I Chron. xv. 24; II Chron. vii. 6 and xxix. 26. In time of peace when the rulers or people were to be called together, these trumpets were blown softly; but when the camps were to move forward, or the people to rush to battle, they were sounded with a deeper tone. Moses caused two silver trumpets to be made for the priests; but in the time of David, these and other musical instruments were much more numerous, ornamented and varied in form. T. H. Horne maintains that the horn and trumpet were two distinct instru. ments. When made of a cow's or ram's horn, he calls it horn or crooked trumpet, and when straight, and perhaps made of

* Cf. Varro de lingua Lat. IV. p. 35, where he says, "Cornua, quod ea, quæ nunc sunt exære, tunc fiebant ex bubulo cornu."

other materials, he calls it trumpet or straight trumpet. This distinction is perhaps proper, as the horn or crooked trumpet is much more ancient than the straight one. That mentioned in Ex. xix. 13, was doubtless a crooked one, made, perhaps, of the horn of an ox.

We here present some specimens of the ancient trumpet. The following (Fig. XXX) represents four (Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4) crooked trumpets, and one straight one. Soundeth long (Ex. xix. 13). The occasion was a very solemn one, and the trumpet was sounded longer and louder than usual in time of peace. The LXX employ the term σαλπιγγες, sal

pinges, trumpets. The word, m'shok, soundeth is from

masaka), to

EXODUS, xix. 16.

And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

This is a striking instance of the effect which the sound of

the trumpet sometimes produced on the minds of the Israelites. At this time, the effect was much greater than usual in consequence of the solemn circumstances under which the blast was made; but the sound of the trumpet always produced a thrilling effect upon the mind of an Israelite, as it was a sacred instrument and only blown on important occasions. They trembled in their camps.

Trumpet., shōphar, usually, shōphar, a trumpet, a horn. Jerome remarks on Hos. v. 8; "Buccina pastoralis est et cornu recurso efficitur, unde et proprie Hebraice sophar Græce κερατίνη appellatur.” "The pastoral trumpet is made of a crooked horn, hence it is properly called in Hebrew shophar and in Greek Kepaτívn, keratine," signifying made of horn. The shophor was, doubtless, the same instrument as the, yobhel, the jubilee horn or crooked trumpet. Gesenius remarks, that there seems to have been no difference between geren hayyobhel and, shophar hayyobhel, both designating the horn or crooked trumpet. It is evident that the instrument was made of horn or in the shape of a horn, as it is frequently interchanged with qeren, horn (vid. Josh. vi. 5; cf. verses 4, 6, 8 and 13 of same chap. ; also, Job, xxxix. 25). The Septuagint has σáhmуyoç, salpingos, trumpet, the same word which is used for, yobhel (vid. Remarks on Ex. xix. 13 supra). Dr. Jahn thinks that the shophar was very similar, if not the same instrument as the geren, since both words are often exchanged with each other, and both instruments were used in war. It is now customary in crusades to blow horns. The ancient Thracians used these instruments to give necessary signals in war, and the Persian armies blew upon the same as a signal to march (vid. Exped. Cyr. viii. 4. 15; Cyr. v. 3; xix. 19). Aquila, Symmachus and the Alexandrine translators often render the word by kepaτivη, keratine (from kɛpaç, keras, a horn). Josephus asserts that the instruments blown by Gideon's warriors were shophars. In course of time, they were made of metal. The