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Psalms 33:2 — Word Study

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WLCהוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה בְּכִנּ֑וֹר בְּנֵ֥בֶל עָ֝שׂ֗וֹר זַמְּרוּ־ לֽוֹ׃

BSAPraiseyâdâh [give thanks, honor] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah] with the harpkinnôwr [lyre, a stringed instrument] make musiczâmar [sing praises, play skillfully] with ten stringsʻâsôwr [a tenth, of the psaltery, a musical instrument]

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 33
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (lo) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Go deeper All lexicon entries Interlinear Parallel verse page
Psalms 33:2quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist calls for communal praise of the LORD using musical instruments.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing the righteous.
Where we areIn a psalm celebrating worship and music.
The hard wordהוֹד֣וּ
Take awayPraise is an act of worship that involves music and instruments.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbיָדָה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Psalms 33:2

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — A Call to Praisegenerated

1Rejoice in the LORD, O righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.
2Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to Him with ten strings.
3Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.
4For the word of the LORD is upright, and all His work is trustworthy.

Psalm 33:2 invites the faithful to engage in worship through music, emphasizing the importance of praising the LORD with instruments. This psalm is part of a larger context that encourages the righteous to rejoice and celebrate God's goodness, as seen in the surrounding verses. The use of musical instruments highlights the communal aspect of worship and the joy found in praising God together.

Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 81:2–3Lift up a song, strike the tambourine, play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.
2Psalm 92:3with the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre.
3Psalm 98:4–5Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises!
4Psalm 144:9I will sing to You a new song, O God; on a harp of ten strings I will make music to You—
5Psalm 149:3Let them praise His name with dancing, and make music to Him with tambourine and harp.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

PraisePsalm 81:2–3 Psalm 92:3 Psalm 98:4–5 Psalm 144:9 Psalm 149:3 Psalm 150:3–6 Exodus 15:20 2 Samuel 6:5 1 Chronicles 15:16–28 1 Chronicles 25:3–6 Revelation 5:8 Revelation 14:2

Nave’s Topical Bible — the subjects this verse is filed under

PraiseUnclassified Scriptures Relating ToPraiseFor God's attributesPsalmsPraiseHarpUsed in worshipHarpTen stringsMusicUnclassified Scriptures Relating ToPsalteryUsed in religious services

The Key Word — הוֹד֣וּ, ho.Dugenerated

The verb יָדָה (yadah) means to give thanks or praise, originating from a root that suggests throwing or casting, similar to shooting an arrow. This word is often used in the context of worship, indicating an act of extended hands in praise or confession.

In this verse, הוֹד֣וּ is an imperative form, calling the community to actively participate in worship. The emphasis is on expressing gratitude and honor to the LORD, which is a central theme throughout the Psalms.

How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses praise and make music to convey the actions of worship.

Sentence Structuregenerated

The structure of the verse centers around two imperative verbs: הוֹד֣וּ and זַמְּרוּ, both calling for action. The first verb invites giving thanks to the LORD, while the second verb urges making music.

The verse employs prepositional phrases to specify the means of praise, indicating the instruments used in worship — בְּכִנּ֑וֹר (with harp) and בְּנֵ֥בֶל (with lyre), creating a vivid image of musical worship.

Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates הוֹד֣וּ as ἐχομολογεῖσθε, which carries the meaning of confessing or giving thanks, emphasizing the communal aspect of worship. This choice reflects a focus on the act of acknowledging God's greatness.

The translation of musical instruments, such as κιθάρᾳ for harp, aligns with the Hebrew terms, maintaining the emphasis on music as a form of praise.

In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 33:2 calls on the faithful to praise the LORD using musical instruments, specifically the harp and lyre. This verse emphasizes the importance of worship through music and the joy of communal praise.

Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to praise the LORD with instruments?

Praising the LORD with instruments involves using music as a form of worship, expressing gratitude and joy through sound.

Why is music important in worship?

Music enhances the experience of worship, allowing for emotional expression and communal participation in praising God.

What instruments are mentioned in this verse?

The verse mentions the harp and lyre, which are stringed instruments traditionally used in worship.

How can I incorporate music into my worship?

You can incorporate music into your worship by singing, playing instruments, or listening to worship music that glorifies God.

Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I express my gratitude to God in my daily life?
  2. What role does music play in my personal worship experience?
  3. In what ways can I encourage others to join in worship through music?
  4. How can I use my musical talents to praise God and serve my community?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss the significance of music in worship, emphasizing its role in expressing devotion to God.

Basil of CaesareaHOMILIES ON THE Psalms 15:2 (Psalms 33) c. 330–379
It is necessary to praise the Lord on the harp; that is, to render harmoniously the actions of the body. Since, indeed, we sinned in the body, “when we yielded our members as slaves of sin,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 33 →
Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 33 354–430
"Praise the Lord with harp:" praise the Lord, presenting unto Him your bodies a living sacrifice. [Romans 12:1] "Sing unto Him with the psaltery for ten strings" [Early Church Fathers on Psalms 33 →
CassiodorusEXPLANATION OF THE Psalms 33:2 c. 485–585
The harp and the lute are within us, or rather, we ourselves are the instruments when in their likeness we sing by the Lord’s grace through the quality of our actions.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 33 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 33:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Praise the Lord with harp,.... An instrument David was well skilled in the use of, the inventor of which was Jubal, Genesis 4:21; sing unto, him with the psaltery; the name of this instrument is in

Read John Gill on Psalms 33 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Praise ... harp. The voice is felt inadequate to do justice to the glory of God: the aid of instruments is enlisted.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 33 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

He mentions these instruments, because they were used in the public worship and praises of God in the tabernacle.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 33 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 33:2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery [and] an instrument of ten strings.Ver. 2. Praise the Lord with harp] Or cittern, Jubal’ s invention, Genesis 4:21, much used by David and others of old under the Jewish pedagogy, as a help to devotion, as were also other musical instruments, here and elsewhere mentioned. Now it is otherwise; the best melody is to sing psalms with grace in our hearts; and for other music, when Aristotle was asked what he thought of it, he answered, Iovem nec canere, neque citharam pulsare, that Jupiter regarded it not.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 33 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Harp.—Heb., khinnôr (LXX. and Vulg., “cithara”), most probably a trigon or three-cornered harp, such as may be seen sculptured in Egyptian bas-reliefs. The number of strings probably varied, as different accounts are given. (See Bible Educator, 1:19.) With the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.—Properly, as LXX. and Vulg., “with the ten-stringed psaltery.” (See 1 Samuel 10:5.) Evidently a more elaborate instrument than the khinnôr, and with greater capacities. (See Bible Educator, 1:70, and art. “Psaltery” in Smith’s Biblical Dictionary.) From the Greek psalterion comes the title “psalter” for the Book of Psalms. By its derivation it meant an instrument played with the fingers.…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 33 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 2. Praise the Lord with harp] כנור kinnor; probably something like our harp: but Calmet thinks it the ancient testudo, or lyre with three strings. The psalter] נבל nebel. Our translation seems to make a third instrument in this place, by rendering עשור asor, an instrument of ten strings; whereas they should both be joined together, for נבל עשור nebel-asor signifies the nebal, or nabla, with ten strings, or holes. Calmet supposes this to have resembled our harp. In one of Kennicott's MSS., this Psalm begins with the second verse.

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 33 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. Give thanks unto the Lord with harp: Sing praises unto him with the psaltery of ten strings (R.V.). The harp and psaltery were both stringed instruments, differing somewhat in form.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 33 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Praise the Lord with harp - For a description of the “harp,” see the notes at Isaiah 5:12.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 33 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to Him with ten strings.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre. Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to Him with ten strings.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Give thanks to the Lord with the harp! Sing to him to the accompaniment of a ten-stringed instrument!

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Give thanks unto Jehovah with the harp: Sing praises unto him with the psaltery of ten strings.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Give thanks unto the LORD with harp: sing praises unto him with the psaltery of ten strings.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Praise the LORD with harp: sing to him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Prayse the Lord with harpe: sing vnto him with viole and instrument of ten strings.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Give thanks unto Jehovah with the harp; sing psalms unto him with the ten-stringed lute.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Give ye thanks to Jehovah with a harp, With psaltery of ten strings sing praise to Him,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Give thanks to YHWH with a harp, || With stringed instrument of ten strings sing praise to Him,

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Give thanks unto the Lord with the harp: with the ten-stringed psaltery do ye sing [praises] unto him.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Give thanks to Yahweh with the harp; sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall be always in my mouth.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Praise the Lord with the lyre, play music to him on the ten-stringed harp.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Give praise to the Lord on the corded instrument; make melody to him with instruments of music.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.

The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseverbהוֹד֣וּgive.thanksprepositional phrase · prepositionalלַtoיהוָ֣הYahwehprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּwithכִנּ֑וֹרharpclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּwithnoun phraseנֵ֥בֶלlyreעָ֝שׂ֗וֹרof.tenverbזַמְּרוּmake.musicprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֽtoוֹhim

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.

The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely, with all seven words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align with the Masoretic Text, though some words were supplied by editors due to damage.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה בְּכִנּ֑וֹר בְּנֵ֥בֶל עָ֝שׂ֗וֹר זַמְּרוּ־ לֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הוֹד֣וּἐχομολογεῖσθεלַיהוָ֣הκυρίῳבְּכִנּ֑וֹרκιθάρᾳבְּנֵ֥בֶלψαλτηρίῳעָ֝שׂ֗וֹרδεκαξόρδῳזַמְּרוּ־ψάλατεלֽוֹ׃αὐτῷ

7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q83a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[הודו] [ליהוה] [בכנור] [בנבל] עשור זמרו ל׳ו

3 words on the leather — 4 supplied entire by an editor.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q98a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

הודו [ליהוה] בכנור בנבל עשור זמרו ל׳ו

5 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 1 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.

The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 33:2יָדָהgive thanksgive thanksיָדָהיהוהto Yahwehto Yahwehיהוהכִּנּוֹרwith harpwith harpכִּנּוֹרנֵ֫בֶלwith lyre owith lyre ofנֵ֫בֶלעָשׂוֹרtentenעָשׂוֹרזמרmake musicmake musicזמרוֹto himto himוֹיָדhandhandיָדהָיָהto beto beהָיָהנָבֵלbe senselebe senselessנָבֵלעֶשֶׂרtentenעֶשֶׂרזָמַרto pruneto pruneזָמַרמְצִלְתַּיִםcymbalcymbalמְצִלְתַּיִםנֵ֫בֶלbagbagנֵ֫בֶלכִּנּוֹרlyrelyreכִּנּוֹרהָלַלto shineto shineהָלַלפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַלנְאֻםutteranceutteranceנְאֻםצָבָאarmyarmyצָבָאעֲשִׂירִיtenthtenthעֲשִׂירִי
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 33:2

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

הוֹד֣וּ give thanksלַיהוָ֣ה to Yahwehבְּכִנּ֑וֹר with harpבְּנֵ֥בֶל with lyre ofעָ֝שׂ֗וֹר tenזַמְּרוּ־ make musicלֽוֹ׃ to him
“give thanks to Yahweh with harp with lyre of ten make music to him”
הוֹד֣וּho.Du give thanks H3034 Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine plural
114× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To give thanks or praise, originally meaning to throw or cast, like shooting an arrow. In the Bible, it's used to describe worship or confession with extended hands. It appears in Psalms and other books, like 1 Chronicles.
Amplified meaning
give thanks, honor
Tyndale gloss
to give thanks
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָדָה (yadah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to throw or cast, particularly in the context of shooting arrows or stones. It also encompasses the meanings of giving thanks, praising, and confessing, especially in a ritual context. The word is built from a primitive root and has various forms, including Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances of action.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[יָדָה] vb. throw, cast

Qal shoot (arrows) at

Pi. and they cast (stones) on me

Hiph.

give thanks, laud, praise

confess

Hithp.

confess

give thanks, in ritual worship

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3034 [יָדָה] throw, cast .shoot (arrows) at

. and they cast (stones) on me

. . give thanks, laud, praise

. confess

. . confess

. give thanks, in ritual worship

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3034 yadah yaw-daw'

a primitive root; used only as denominative from 3027;

literally, to use (i.e. hold out) the hand; physically, to

throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or

worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by

wringing the hands):--cast (out), (make) confess(-ion),

praise, shoot, (give) thank(-ful, -s, -sgiving).

see HEBREW for 03027

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָדָה (ya.dah) — to give thanks.

1) to throw, shoot, cast

1a) (Qal) to shoot (arrows)

1b) (Piel) to cast, cast down, throw down

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to give thanks, laud, praise

1c2) to confess, confess (the name of God)

1d) (Hithpael)

1d1) to confess (sin)

1d2) to give thanks

Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדָא "to praise" H3029)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Impv-2mp — Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine plural
HVhv2mp
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
אֱלֹהִיםGod×שֵׁםname×הָלַלto shine×עוֹלָםforever: antiquity×חַטָּאָהsin×יָדָהto give thanks×פָּלַלto pray×חַיalive×
“give thanks to Yahweh with harp with lyre of ten make music to him”
לַיהוָ֣הla.Yah.weh to Yahweh H3068 Preposition · noun proper
6,528× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Amplified meaning
Yehovah
Tyndale gloss
The Lord
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)

יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb

יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D

the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy

יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'

from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish

national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

see HEBREW for 01961

see HEBREW for 03050

see HEBREW for 03069

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.

Jehovah = "the existing One"

1) the proper name of the one true God

1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.

Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper
HR/Npt
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
כֹּהthus×נְאֻםutterance×צָבָאarmy×
“give thanks to Yahweh with harp with lyre of ten make music to him”
בְּכִנּ֑וֹרbe.khi.Nor with harp H3658 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
42× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Kinnor is a musical instrument, specifically a lyre or harp. It is used to make music and is mentioned in the Bible as a instrument used by musicians.
Amplified meaning
lyre, a stringed instrument
Tyndale gloss
lyre
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּנּוֹר (kinnor) refers to a lyre or harp, derived from a root meaning to twang. The term is consistently used across lexicons to denote this stringed musical instrument.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּנּוֹר n.m. lyre

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3658 כִּנּוֹר lyre

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3658 kinnowr kin-nore'

from a unused root meaning to twang; a harp: -harp.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּנּוֹר (kin.nor) — lyre.

lyre, harp

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

harp.

See MUSIC.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Harp

(Heb. kinnor), the national instrument of the Hebrews. It was invented by Jubal (Gen. 4:21). Some think the word kinnor denotes the whole class of stringed instruments. It was used as an accompaniment to songs of cheerfulness as well as of praise to God (Gen. 31:27; 1 Sam. 16:23; 2 Chr. 20:28; Ps. 33:2; 137:2).

In Solomon’s time harps were made of almug-trees (1 Kings 10:11, 12). In 1 Chr. 15:21 mention is made of “harps on the Sheminith;” Revised Version, “harps set to the Sheminith;” better perhaps “harps…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The harp was the national instrument of the Hebrews, and was well known throughout Asia. Moses assigns its invention to Jubal during the antediluvian period. (Genesis 4:21) Josephus records that the harp had ten strings, and that it was played on with the plectrum. Sometimes it was smaller having only eight strings, and was usually played with the fingers.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Hebrew KINNOR, the most ancient and common stringed instrument of the Jews, more properly translated lyre. It was light and portable, and was used on joyful occasions, whether sacred or not. It was invented by Jubal, Ge 4:21 31:27 1Ch 16:5 25:1-5 Ps 81:2. David was a proficient in its use, 1Sa 16:16,23 18:10. The instrument most nearly resembling our harp was the Hebrew NEBEL, translated, psaltery in the Old Testament, Ps 57:8 81:2 92:3 108:2. It had a general triangular shape, and seven to twelve strings, Ps 33:2 144:9. It was played with the hand or with a short…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
נֵ֫בֶלbag×מְצִלְתַּיִםcymbal×תֹּףtambourine×זמרto sing×שִׁירsong×קוֹלvoice: sound×שָׁמַעto hear: hear×עוּרto rouse×
“give thanks to Yahweh with harp with lyre of ten make music to him”
בְּנֵ֥בֶלbe.Ne.vel with lyre of H5035 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A harp is a musical instrument, and this word is also used to describe a skin-bag for liquids or a vase. It is often translated as a psaltery or viol in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
bag
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נֵ֫בֶל (nevel) refers to both a container and a musical instrument. It can denote a skin-bottle or jar used for liquids, as well as a harp or lute. The word is derived from a root meaning to collapse, reflecting its use for a flexible container. The entries consistently highlight these two main meanings without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נֵ֫בֶל n.m.

skin-bottle, skin

jar, pitcher

base

נֵ֫בֶל, נֶ֫בֶל n.m. a musical instrument, either a portable harp, or a lute, guitar

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5035a נֵ֫בֶל . skin-bottle, skin

. jar, pitcher

H5035b נֵ֫בֶל, נֶ֫בֶל a musical instrument, either a portable harp, or a lute, guitar

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5035 nebel neh'-bel

or nebel {nay'-bel}; from 5034; a skin-bag for liquids (from

collapsing when empty); hence, a vase (as similar in shape

when full); also a lyre (as having a body of like

form):--bottle, pitcher, psaltery, vessel, viol.

see HEBREW for 05034

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נֵ֫בֶל (ne.vel) — bag.

1) a skin-bag, jar, pitcher

1a) skin-bottle, skin

1b) jar, pitcher (earthen)

נֵ֫בֶל (ne.vel) — harp.

harp, lute, guitar, musical instrument

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncmsc — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
כִּנּוֹרlyre×מְצִלְתַּיִםcymbal×יַ֫יִןwine×כְּלִיarticle/utensil×שִׁירsong×עוּרto rouse×שִׁירto sing×תֹּףtambourine×
“give thanks to Yahweh with harp with lyre of ten make music to him”
עָ֝שׂ֗וֹרa.Sor ten H6218 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
16× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The number ten is significant in the Bible, often representing completeness or perfection. It can also refer to a ten-stringed instrument, like a harp. This word appears in books like Genesis and Leviticus.
Amplified meaning
a tenth, of the psaltery, a musical instrument
Tyndale gloss
ten
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשׂוֹר (asowr) means 'ten' or 'decade.' It can also refer to a ten-stringed instrument, such as a harp. The word is derived from another Hebrew term, indicating its connection to the number ten.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשׂוֹר a ten, decade

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6218 עָשׂוֹר a ten, decade

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6218 `asowr aw-sore'

or masor {aw-sore'}; from 6235; ten; by abbrev. ten strings,

and so a decachord:--(instrument of) ten (strings, -th).

see HEBREW for 06235

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשׂוֹר (a.s.vor) — ten.

1) ten, decade

1a) ten, tenth

1b) ten-stringed, harp

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(`eser; deka).

See NUMBER.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ (Used for an indefinite number) Ge 31:7; Le 26:26; Nu 14:22; Zec 8:23

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
חֹ֫דֶשׁmonth×שְׁבִיעִיseventh×שָׁנָהyear×עֲשִׂירִיtenth×זֶהthis×נֵ֫בֶלbag×חֲמִישִׁיfifth×מָלַךְto reign×
“give thanks to Yahweh with harp with lyre of ten make music to him”
זַמְּרוּ־za.me.ru- make music H2167 Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to sing or make music, often with praise and celebration. In the Psalms, it describes singing with instruments and voice, giving thanks to God. It's about joyful noise and worship.
Amplified meaning
sing praises, play skillfully
Tyndale gloss
to sing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָמַר (zamar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sing or make music, particularly in praise of God. It is derived from a root that suggests touching the strings of a musical instrument. The word covers actions like singing, playing instruments, and celebrating through music. The Piel form specifically emphasizes making music in worship.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[זמר] vb. only Pi. make music in praise of God

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2167 זמר only Pi. make music in praise of God

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2167 zamar zaw-mar'

a primitive root (perhaps ident. with 2168 through the idea

of striking with the fingers); properly, to touch the strings

or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make

music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song

and music:--give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.

see HEBREW for 02168

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָמַר (za.mar) — to sing.

1) to sing, sing praise, make music

1a) (Piel)

1a1) to make music, sing

1a2) to play a musical instrument

Aramaic equivalent: ze.mar (זְמָר "music" H2170)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Impv-2mp — Verb · Piel · imperative second person masculine plural
HVpv2mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mu'-zik:

I. IMPORTANCE

1. The Sole Art Cultivated

2. A Wide Vocabulary of Musical Terms

3. Place in Social and Personal Life

4. Universal Language of Emotions

5. Use in Divine Service

6. Part at Religious Reformations

II. THEORY OF MUSIC

1. Dearth of Technical Information

2. Not Necessarily Unimpressive

III. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

1. Strings

2. Winds

3. Percussion Instruments

LITERATURE

I. Importance.

That the Hebrews were in ancient times, as they are at the present day, devoted to the study and practice of music is obvious to every reader of the Old Testament. The references to it are numerous, and are frequently of such a nature as to emphasize its importance. They occur not only in the Psalter, where we might expect them, but in the Historical Books and the Prophets, in narratives and in declamations of the loftiest meaning and most intense seriousness. And the conclusion drawn from a cursory glance is…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Music

Jubal was the inventor of musical instruments (Gen. 4:21). The Hebrews were much given to the cultivation of music. Their whole history and literature afford abundant evidence of this. After the Deluge, the first mention of music is in the account of Laban’s interview with Jacob (Gen. 31:27). After their triumphal passage of the Red Sea, Moses and the children of Israel sang their song of deliverance (Ex. 15).

But the period of Samuel, David, and Solomon was the golden age of Hebrew music, as it was of Hebrew poetry. Music was now for the first time systematically cultivated. It was an essential part of training in the schools of the prophets (1 Sam. 10:5; 19:19-24; 2…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The most ancient music. --The inventor of musical instruments, like the first poet and the first forger of metals, was a Cainite. We learn from (Genesis 4:21) that Jubal the son of Lamech was "the father of all such as handle the harp and organ," that is, of all players upon stringed and wind instruments. The first mentioned of music in the times after the deluge is in the narrative of Laban’s interview with Jacob, (Genesis 32:27) so that, whatever way it was preserved, the practice of music existed in the upland country of Syria, and of the three possible kinds of musical instruments two were known and employed to accompany the song. The three kinds are alluded to in (Job 21:12) On the banks of the Red Sea Moses and the…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The ancient Hebrews had a great taste for music, which they used in their religious services, in their public and private rejoicing, at their weddings and feasts, and even in their mourning. We have in Scripture canticles of joy, of thanksgiving, of praise, of mourning; also mournful elegies or songs, as those of David on the death of Saul and Abner, and the Lamentations of Jeremiah on the destruction of Jerusalem; so, too, songs of victory, triumph, and gratulation, as that which Moses sung after passing the Red Sea, that of Deborah and Barak, and others. The people of God went up to Jerusalem thrice a year, cheered on their way with songs of joy, Ps 84:12 Isa 30:29. The book of Psalms comprises a wonderful variety of inspired pieces for music, and is an inexhaustible treasure…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
אֱלֹהִיםGod×שִׁירto sing×זמרto sing×שֵׁםname×כִּנּוֹרlyre×יָדָהto give thanks×עֶלְיוֹןhigh×כָּבוֹדglory×
“give thanks to Yahweh with harp with lyre of ten make music to him”
לֽוֹ׃lo to him H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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