I The tabret. toph. This was one of the instruments which were struck with the hands. It was the kettle-drum of the ancients, and it is more easy to determine its form and use than it is of inost of the instruments used by the Hebrews. The LXX and other Greek translators render it by Tбpravov. This word, as well as the Latin tympanum, is manifestly derived from the Hebrew. The Arabic word duf applied to the same instrument is also derived from the same Hebrew word. It was an instrument of wood, hollowed out, and covered over with leather and struck with the hands-a species of drum. This form of the drum is used by the Spaniards, and they have preserved it ever since the time of the Moors. It was early used. Laban wished to accompany Jacob with its sound. Gen. xxxi. 27. Miriam, the sister of Moses, and the females with her, accompanied the song of victory with this instrument. Ex. xv. 20. Job was acquainted with it (Job xvii. 6, xxi. 12), and David employed it in the festivities of religion. 2 Sam. vi. 5. The occasions on which it is mentioned as being used are joyful occasions, and for the most part those who play on it are females, and on this account they are called 'drum-beating women' (Ps. lxviii. 26) -in our translation, "damsels playing with timbrels." In our translation it is rendered tabret,-Isa. v. 12. 1 Sam. x. 5. Gen. xxxi. 26. Isa. xxiv. 8, xxxi. 22. |

1 Sam. xviii. 6. Ezek. xxviii. 13. Jer xxxi. 4. Job xvii. 6; tabring, Nah. ii. 7; and timbrel, Ps. lxxxi. 2. Ex. xv. 20. Job xxi. 12. Ps. cxlix. 3, cl. 4. Judges xi. 34. Ps. lxviii. 25. It is nowhere mentioned as employed in war or warlike transactions. It was sometimes made by merely stretching leather over a wooden hoop, and thus answered to the instrument known among us as the tamborine. It was in the form of a sieve, and is often found on ancient monuments, and particularly in the hands of Cybele. In the East there is now no instrument more common than this. Niebuhr (Th. i. p. 181) has given the following description of it: "It is a broad hoop covered on one side with a stretched skin. In the rim there are usually thin round pullies or wheels of metal which make some noise, when this drum, held on high with one hand, is struck with the fingers of the other hand. No musical instrument perhaps is so much employed in Turkey as this. When the females in their harems dance or sing, the time is always beat on this instrument. It is called doff." The fol. lowing figures are representations of it

13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because "they have no knowledge; and their

a Hos. 4. 6. Luke 19, 44.

honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.

3 glory are men of famine.

"Depart from us;

For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him ?

And what profit should we have if we pray unto him ?" Job xxi. 11-15.

¶ In their feasts. "The Nabathæans of Arabia Petræa always introduced music at their entertainments (Strabo, xvi.), and the custom seems to have been very general among the ancients. They are mentioned as having been essential among the Greeks, from the earliest times; and are pronounced by Homer to be requisite at a feast:

Μολπή τ' ὀρχηστές τε τά γάρ τ' ἀναθήματα

Od. 1. 152.

δαυτός. Aristoxenus, quoted by Plutarch, De Musicâ, says that the music was designed to counteract the effects of inebriety; for as wine discomposes the body and the mind, so music has the power of soothing them, and of restoring their previous calmness and tran

quillity." See Wilkinson's Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians, vol. ii. pp. 248, 249. But they regard not, &c. The reproof is especially, that they forget him in their entertainments. They employ music to inflame their passions; and amid their songs and wine, their hearts are drawn away from God. That this is the tendency of such feasts all must know. God is commonly forgotten in such places; and even the sweetest music is made the occasion for steal

ing the affections from Him, and of inflaming the passions, instead of being employed to soften the feelings of the soul, and raise the heart to God. The operation of his hands. The work of his hands-particularly his dealings among the people. God is round about they do not perceive him. them with mercy and judgment, but

13. Therefore my people are gone. This is evidently used with reference to the future. The prophet described events as passing before his eyes as a vision (Note ch. i. 1); and he here seems to see the people going into captivity, and describes it as an event actually occurring. Into captivity. Referring doubtless to the captivity at Babylon. Because they have no

14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty

knowledge. Because they do not choose to retain the knowledge of God. ¶ And their honourable men. The Hebrew is," the glory of the people became men of famine" that is, they shall be destroyed with famine. This was to be a punishment for their dissipation at their feasts. T And their multitude. The mass, or body of the nation; the common people. Dried up with thirst. Are punished in this manner for their indulgence in drinking. punishment here specified refers particularly to a journey through an arid, desolate region, where drink could be obtained only with difficulty. Such was the route which the nation was compelled afterwards to take in going to Babylon.

The

14. Therefore hell. The word translated hell, sheol, has not the same meaning that we now attach to that word. Its usual signification among the Hebrews was the lower world, the region of departed spirits. It corresponded to the Greek ans, hades, or place of the dead. This word occurs eleven times in the New Testament (Matt. xi. 23, xvi. 18. Luke x. 15, xvi. 23. Acts ii. 27, 31. 1 Cor. xv. 55. Rev. i. 18, vi. 8, xx. 13, 14), in all of which places, except 1 Cor. xv. 55, it is rendered hell, though denoting in most of those places, as it does in the Old Testament, the abodes of the dead. The LXX in this place, and usually, translate the word sheol by äons, hades. It was represented by the Hebrews as low down, or deep in the earth-contrasted with the height of heaven. Deut. xxxii. 22. Job xi. 8. Ps. cxxxix. 7, 8. It was a place where thick darkness reigns. Job x. 21, 22: "The land of darkness and the shadow of death; a land of darkness as dark

man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:

16 But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and 'God, that is holy, shall be sanctified in righteousness.

7 the God the holy, or, the holy God. ness itself." It is described as having valleys, or depths, Prov. ix. 18. It is represented also as having gates, Isa. xxxviii. 10; and as being inhabited by a great multitude, some of whom sit on thrones, occupied in some respects as they were on earth. See Note Isa. xiv. 9. And it is also said that the wicked descend into it by openings in the earth, as Korah, Dathan and Abiram did. Num. xv. 30, &c. In this place it means evidently the regions of the dead without the idea of punishment; and the poetic representation is, that so many of the Jews would be cut off by famine, thirst, and the sword, that those vast regions would be obliged to enlarge themselves in order to receive them. It means, therefore, that while many of them would go into captivity (ver. 13), vast multitudes of them would be cut off by famine, thirst, and the sword. ¶ Opened her mouth. As if to absorb or consume them-as a cavern, or opening of the earth does. Compare Num. xvi. 30. Without measure. Without any

limit. And their glory. All that they esteemed their pride and honour shall descend together into the yawning gulf.

Their multitude. The

multitude of people; their vast hosts. ¶ Their pomp. Noise, tumult; the bustle, and shouting, and display made in battle or war, or victory. Isa. xiii. 4. Amos ii. 2. Hos. x. 14. that rejoiceth. All that the nation prided itself on, and all that was a source of joy, should be destroyed.

And he

15, 16. And the mean man-the mighty man. The expressions here mean that all ranks would be subdued and punished. See Note ch. ii. 9.

The eyes of the lofty, &c. See Note