•The trumpet (shophar) same as horn, 2.
•The straight trumpet.
•The flute (halil, meaning “bored through ”), a pipe perforated with holes, originally made from
reeds, but afterward of wood bone, horn or ivory. It was chiefly consecrated to joy or pleasure.
•The flute, alluded to in (Daniel 3:6) probably a kind of double flageolet.
•The dulcimer, (Daniel 3:5) a kind of bagpipe with two shrill reeds. The modern dulcimer is a
triangular instrument strung with about 60 brass wires, and played upon with little sticks or metallic
rods. It more resembles the ancient psaltery than the dulcimer of (Daniel 3:5)—ED.)
Mustard
is mentioned in (Matthew 13:31; 17:20; Mark 4:31; Luke 13:19; 17:6) It is generally agreed
that the mustard tree of Scripture is the black mustard (Sinapis nigru). The objection commonly
made against any sinapis being the plant of the parable is that the reed grew into “a tree,” in which
the fowls of the air are said to come and lodge. As to this objection, it is urged with great truth that
the expression is figurative and Oriental, and that in a proverbial simile no literal accuracy is to be
expected. It is an error, for which the language of Scripture is not accountable, to assert that the
passage implies that birds “built their nests” in the tree: the Greek word has no such meaning; the
word merely means “to settle or rest upon” anything for a longer or shorter time; nor is there any
occasion to suppose that the expression “fowls of the air” denotes any other than the smaller
insessorial kinds—linnets, finches, etc. Hiller’s explanation is probably the correct one,—that the
birds came and settled on the mustard-plant for the sake of the seed, of which they are very fond.
Dr. Thomson also says he has seen the wild mustard on the rich plain of Akkar as tall as the horse
and the rider. If, then, the wild plant on the rich plain of Akkar grows as high as a man on horseback,
it might attain to the same or a greater height when in a cultivated garden. The expression “which
is indeed-the least of all seeds” is in all probability hyperbolical, to denote a very small seed indeed,
as there are many seeds which are smaller than mustard. The Lord in his popular teaching,” says
Trench (“Notes on Parables”, 108), “adhered to the popular language;” and the mustard-seed was
used proverbially to denote anything very minute; or may mean that it was the smallest of all garden
seeds, which it is in truth.
Muthlabben
“To the chief musician upon Muth-labben” is the title of (Psalms 9:1) which has given rise to
infinite conjecture. It may be either upon the death (muth) of the fool (labben), as an anagram on
Nabal or as Gesenius, “to be chanted by boys with virgins’ voices,” i.e. in the soprano.
Myra
an important town in Lycia, on the southwest coast of Asia Minor, on the river Andriacus, 21
miles from its mouth referred to in (Acts 27:5) Myra (named Dembra by the Greeks) Is remarkable
still for its remains of various periods of history.
Myrrh
This substance is mentioned in (Exodus 30:23) as one of the ingredients of the “oil of holy
ointment:” in (Esther 2:12) as one of the substances used in the purification of women; in (Psalms
45:8; Proverbs 7:17) and in several passages in Canticles, as a perfume. The Greek occurs in
(Matthew 2:11) among the gifts brought by the wise men to the infant Jesus and in (Mark 15:23)
it is said that “wine mingled with myrrh” was offered to but refused by, our Lord on the cross.
Myrrh was also used for embalming. See John 19;39 and Herod. ii. 86. The Balsamodendron myrrha,
which produces the myrrh of commerce, has a wood and bark which emit a strong odor; the gum
frankie
(Frankie)
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