After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:
The hill of God - probably Geba (1 Samuel 13:3), so called from a school of the prophets being established there. The company of prophets were, doubtless, the pupils at this seminary, which had probably been instituted by Samuel, and in which the chief branches of education taught were a knowledge of the law, and of psalmody, with instrumental music, which is called 'prophesying' (here and in 1 Chronicles 25:1; 1 Chronicles 25:7).
A psaltery, х neebel (H5035)] - a species of harp or lyre, having, according to Josephus ('Antiquities,' b.
vii., ch. 12:, sec. 13), twelve strings, and being played with the fingers, and not a plectrum; according to Jerome ('N. Vitruv.' 6:, 1), it was triangular in form, resembling an inverted Delta, (cf. Wilkinson's 'Ancient Egyptians,' 2:, pp. 280-287).
And a tabret, х wªtop (H8596)] - and a hand drum, timbrel, or tambourine (see the note at Exodus 15:21).
And a pipe, х wªchaaliyl (H2485)] - an instrument of music, so called from being perforated х wªkinowr (H3658), a lyre]; the modern guitar (Josephus, 'Antiquities,' b. 7:, ch. 12:, sec. 3), as having ten strings, and being struck with a plectrum (but see the note at 1 Samuel 16:23; 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Samuel 19:9). It was of great antiquity (Genesis 4:21), used by the Hebrews chiefly, as here, in their sacred music (cf. 1 Samuel 16:23; 1 Kings 10:12); and hence, it became the national and favourite musical instrument of that people. Joseph Wolff ('Researches and Missionary Labours,' p. 492) says, that 'the external form of these prophets is still existing among the dancing Fakirs of Constantinople, and those in the valley of Kashmir.'