that resulted in the sudden and widespread death of the cattle. It was
confined to the cattle of the Egyptians that were in the field (9:6).
- MUSHI receding, the second of the two sons of Merari (Exodus 6:19;
Numbers 3:20). His sons were called Mushites (Numbers 3:33; 26:58). - MUSIC Jubal was the inventor of musical instruments (Genesis 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 (Genesis 31:27). After their triumphal passage of the Red Sea,
Moses and the children of Israel sang their song of deliverance (Exodus
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 Samuel 10:5; 19:19-24; 2 Kings 3:15; 1
Chronicles 25:6). There now arose also a class of professional singers (2
Samuel 19:35; Ecclesiastes 2:8). The temple, however, was the great school
of music. In the conducting of its services large bands of trained singers and
players on instruments were constantly employed (2 Samuel 6:5; 1
Chronicles 15; 16; 23;5; 25:1-6).
In private life also music seems to have held an important place among the
Hebrews (Ecclesiastes 2:8; Amos 6:4-6; Isaiah 5:11, 12; 24:8, 9; Psalm
137; Jeremiah 48:33; Luke 15:25).
- MUSICIAN, CHIEF (Hebrews menatstseah), the precentor of the
Levitical choir or orchestra in the temple, mentioned in the titles of
fifty-five psalms, and in Habakkuk 3:19, Revised Version. The first who
held this office was Jeduthun (1 Chronicles 16:41), and the office appears
to have been hereditary. Heman and Asaph were his two colleagues (2
Chronicles 35:15). - MUSIC, INSTRUMENTAL Among instruments of music used by the
Hebrews a principal place is given to stringed instruments. These were,
(1.) The kinnor, the “harp.” (2.) The nebel, “a skin bottle,” rendered
“psaltery.” (3.) The sabbeka, or “sackbut,” a lute or lyre. (4.) The gittith,
occurring in the title of Psalm 8; 8; 84. (5.) Minnim (Psalm 150:4),
rendered “stringed instruments;” in Psalm 45:8, in the form minni,