מְנַעְנַע
a sistrum (so called from its rattling sound)
Definition
מְנַחְנַע refers to a musical instrument known as a sistrum, a type of rattle or shaken percussion instrument. The name is derived from the Hebrew root meaning 'to shake,' directly describing its sound and method of playing. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in 2 Samuel 6:5, where it is listed among the instruments played during King David's procession to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. There are no other distinct biblical senses or meanings for this specific term.
Biblical Usage
This word is used a single time in the Old Testament, specifically in the historical narrative of 2 Samuel 6:5. It is used in the context of a grand, celebratory procession involving King David and all the house of Israel, who were playing various musical instruments before the Ark. The usage is purely descriptive, listing the מְנַחְנַע alongside other instruments like lyres, harps, tambourines, and cymbals to depict the joyful noise of the event.
Etymology
The noun מְנַחְנַע (mᵉnaʻnaʻ) is derived from the root נוּעַ (H5128, nûaʻ), which means 'to shake,' 'to waver,' or 'to tremble.' It is a reduplicated form (a type of intensive or iterative construction) that vividly mimics the repetitive shaking or rattling action of the instrument. This etymological connection directly informs its identification as a shaken rattle, the sistrum.
Semantic Range
While the word itself names a simple instrument, its single biblical occurrence is theologically significant. Its use in 2 Samuel 6:5 is part of the description of David's uninhibited, joyous worship as he sought to restore the Ark—the symbol of God's presence—to the center of national life. Understanding this specific instrument enriches the reader's mental picture of the celebratory, musical, and physically expressive nature of corporate worship in ancient Israel, highlighting the full-engagement of heart and body in honoring God.
The מְנַחְנַע is understood to be a sistrum, a U-shaped metal rattle with loose crossbars that produce a jingling or rattling sound when shaken. It was a common percussion instrument in the ancient Near East, particularly associated with Egyptian religious ceremonies and later adopted in Israelite worship music. This cultural detail helps modern readers visualize the specific sounds and instruments that contributed to the atmosphere of major public religious celebrations in ancient Israel.
תֹּף (tōph, H8596) — a hand-drum or tambourine, played by striking, not shaking. מְצִלְתַּיִם (mᵉtsiltayim, H4700) — cymbals, two metal plates clashed together. כִּנּוֹר (kinnôr, H3658) — a lyre, a stringed instrument played by plucking, not a shaken percussion instrument.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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