The drum, as a musical instrument, is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible. However, percussion instruments similar to drums, such as the tambourine or timbrel, are referenced in several passages. These instruments were often used in celebrations, worship, and various cultural expressions among the Israelites.

Biblical References and Context

1. Tambourine/ Timbrel: The tambourine, also known as the timbrel, is the closest biblical equivalent to the modern drum. It was a handheld percussion instrument, often played by women during joyous occasions. In Exodus 15:20, Miriam, the sister of Moses, is described as leading the women with tambourines in a dance of celebration after the crossing of the Red Sea: "Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing."

2. Celebration and Worship: The use of percussion instruments in worship and celebration is a recurring theme in the Bible. In Psalm 150:4, the psalmist encourages the use of various instruments to praise God: "Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute." This verse highlights the role of rhythm and percussion in the worship practices of ancient Israel.

3. Cultural Significance: Percussion instruments like the tambourine were integral to the cultural and religious life of the Israelites. They were used in processions, religious ceremonies, and festivals. In 2 Samuel 6:5, when King David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, the celebration included a variety of instruments: "David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of wood instruments, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals."

Symbolism and Spiritual Implications

The use of percussion instruments in the Bible often symbolizes joy, victory, and divine worship. The rhythmic sounds produced by these instruments were a means of expressing exuberance and gratitude towards God. The communal aspect of playing percussion instruments, such as the tambourine, also reflects the unity and collective worship of the Israelite community.

Historical and Archaeological Insights

Archaeological findings and historical records from the ancient Near East provide additional context for understanding the use of percussion instruments in biblical times. Similar instruments have been discovered in various ancient cultures, indicating their widespread use in religious and secular settings. These findings help to illuminate the cultural backdrop of the biblical references to percussion instruments.

Conclusion

While the Bible does not specifically mention drums as we know them today, the presence and significance of percussion instruments like the tambourine are evident throughout the Scriptures. These instruments played a vital role in the worship and cultural expressions of the Israelites, symbolizing joy, celebration, and reverence for God.1. (n.) An instrument of percussion, consisting either of a hollow cylinder, over each end of which is stretched a piece of skin or vellum, to be beaten with a stick; or of a metallic hemisphere (kettledrum) with a single piece of skin to be so beaten; the common instrument for marking time in martial music; one of the pair of tympani in an orchestra, or cavalry band.

2. (n.) Anything resembling a drum in form

3. (n.) A sheet iron radiator, often in the shape of a drum, for warming an apartment by means of heat received from a stovepipe, or a cylindrical receiver for steam, etc.

4. (n.) A small cylindrical box in which figs, etc., are packed.

5. (n.) The tympanum of the ear; -- often, but incorrectly, applied to the tympanic membrane.

6. (n.) One of the cylindrical, or nearly cylindrical, blocks, of which the shaft of a column is composed; also, a vertical wall, whether circular or polygonal in plan, carrying a cupola or dome.

7. (n.) A cylinder on a revolving shaft, generally for the purpose of driving several pulleys, by means of belts or straps passing around its periphery; also, the barrel of a hoisting machine, on which the rope or chain is wound.

8. (n.) See Drumfish.

9. (n.) A noisy, tumultuous assembly of fashionable people at a private house; a rout.

10. (n.) A tea party; a kettledrum.

11. (v. i.) To beat a drum with sticks; to beat or play a tune on a drum.

12. (v. i.) To beat with the fingers, as with drumsticks; to beat with a rapid succession of strokes; to make a noise like that of a beaten drum; as, the ruffed grouse drums with his wings.

13. (v. i.) To throb, as the heart.

14. (v. i.) To go about, as a drummer does, to gather recruits, to draw or secure partisans, customers, etc,; -- with for.

15. (v. t.) To execute on a drum, as a tune.

16. (v. t.) (With out) To expel ignominiously, with beat of drum; as, to drum out a deserter or rogue from a camp, etc.

17. (v. t.) (With up) To assemble by, or as by, beat of drum; to collect; to gather or draw by solicitation; as, to drum up recruits; to drum up customers.

DRUM

drum (tumpanon): This was the Hebrew toph, "tabret" or "timbrel," a hand-drum, consisting of a ring of wood or metal covered with a tightly drawn skin, with small pieces of metal hung around the rim, like a tambourine. It was raised in the one hand and struck with the other, usually by women, but sometimes also by men, at festivities and on occasions of rejoicing. See 1 Maccabees 9:39, the Revised Version (British and American) "timbrels."

5178. tumpanizo -- to beat a drum, to torture by beating
... to beat a drum, to torture by beating. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: tumpanizo
Phonetic Spelling: (toom-pan-id'-zo) Short Definition: I torture, break ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5178.htm - 7k

4102. pistis -- faith, faithfulness
... We cannot produce faith ourselves, nor can we "drum it up at will." Rather, faith
comes as Christ speaks His -word within (see Ro 10:17, Gk text). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4102.htm - 18k

8608. taphaph -- to sound the timbrel, beat
... taber, play with timbrels. A primitive root; to drum, ie Play (as) on the tambourine --
taber, play with timbrels. 8607, 8608. taphaph. 8609 . ...
/hebrew/8608.htm - 6k

Illusive Appearance of the Moon.
... But frequently, also, they suspend on high from the ceiling, at a distance, a drum,
[266] but which, being covered with some garment, is concealed by the ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter xxxvii illusive appearance of the.htm

Trophies of Grace
... Now she must leave him. Years later, when visiting Reading, she met Shepherd,
a bandsman in full uniform, beating the drum in Silver Street. ...
/.../carpenter/the angel adjutant of twice born men/xii trophies of grace.htm

Diamond Managed with Many Blunders to Read this Rhyme to his ...
... Little Boy Blue, come blow me your horn"-. Yes, of course it is"-for this one
went `blowing his horn and beating his drum.' He had a drum too. ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 21 diamond managed with.htm

Psalm XXXIV.
... "And He drummed:" because a drum is not made, except when a skin is extended on
wood; and David drummed, to signify that Christ should be crucified. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xxxiv.htm

The Past and the Future
... distinctions of calendars and dates make any difference in that uniform strand of
our life which just runs the same, which is reeled off the great drum of the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the past and the future.htm

The Question of the Tall Gentleman as to Whether Diamond could ...
... Calling for followers still as he went,. Blowing his horn, and beating his drum,.
And ... come; So he hit him hard with the stick of his drum. ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 20 the question of.htm

Book ix. On Jerusalem and Her Enemies
... [Ps.150:4]. A drum is the body weakened in fasting; in the psalm: praise Him with
drum and strings. [Ps.150:4]. The strings are harmony; in the psalm: as above. ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/book ix on jerusalem and.htm

A Little Sermon to School-Girls.
... For the same reason it is bad manners to drum on a piano, or to drum on table or
desk or chair, or to shuffle the feet, or to make any noise that distracts or ...
/.../a little sermon to school-girls.htm

The Absurdity and Impiety of the Heathen Mysteries and Fables ...
... "I have eaten out of the drum, I have drunk out of the cymbal, I have carried the
Cernos, [880] I have slipped into the bedroom." Are not these tokens a ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter ii the absurdity and impiety.htm

Apion Book 2 Footnotes
... nation by Moses, their great legislator. [2] Called by Tiberius Cymbalum
Mundi, The drum of the world. [3] This seems to have been ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/against apion/apion book 2 footnotes.htm

Drum
... 2. (n.) Anything resembling a drum in form. ... 10. (n.) A tea party; a kettledrum. 11.
(vi) To beat a drum with sticks; to beat or play a tune on a drum. 12. ...
/d/drum.htm - 9k

Beat (85 Occurrences)
... blows upon; as, to beat one's breast; to beat iron so as to shape it; to beat grain,
in order to force out the seeds; to beat eggs and sugar; to beat a drum. ...
/b/beat.htm - 35k

Roll (57 Occurrences)
... rollers or small wheels. 8. (n.) To beat with rapid, continuous strokes,
as a drum; to sound a roll upon. 9. (n.) To apply (one ...
/r/roll.htm - 33k

Tambour (7 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A kind of small flat drum; a tambourine.
2. (n.) A small ... tambour work. 3. (n.) Same as Drum. 4. (n ...
/t/tambour.htm - 9k

Tambourine (8 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) A small drum, especially a shallow drum with only
one skin, played on with the hand, and having bells at the sides; a timbrel. ...
/t/tambourine.htm - 9k

Timbrel (7 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (Hebrews toph), a small drum or tambourine; a tabret
(qv). ... (n.) A kind of drum, tabor, or tabret, in use from the highest antiquity. ...
/t/timbrel.htm - 9k

Tabor (12 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A small drum used as an accompaniment to a pipe or fife, both being played
by the same person. 2. (vi) To play on a tabor, or little drum. ...
/t/tabor.htm - 21k

Drumming (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Drum. 2. (n.) The act
of beating upon, or as if upon, a drum; also, the noise ...
/d/drumming.htm - 7k

Drugs (8 Occurrences)

/d/drugs.htm - 8k

Music (143 Occurrences)
... Of instruments of percussion mention is made of,. (1.) The toph, an instrument of
the drum kind, rendered "timbrel" (Exodus 15:20; Job 21:12; Psalm 68:25); also ...
/m/music.htm - 78k

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