קִיתָרֹס
a lyre
Definition
The word קִיתָרֹס (qîythârôç) refers to a specific stringed musical instrument, a type of lyre or harp, used in ancient contexts. It appears exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the Book of Daniel, where it is listed among the instruments to be played at the command of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:5, 7, 10, 15). The term denotes a portable, hand-held instrument, likely with a distinct sound, that was part of the royal court's ensemble for ceremonial and religious events. Its consistent pairing with other instruments like the 'symphony' (sûmpōnyâ) and 'psaltery' (psantērîn) in these verses indicates it was a standard component of official Babylonian music.
Biblical Usage
This word is used four times, all within the same narrative in Daniel 3. It is part of a fixed list of musical instruments decreed by King Nebuchadnezzar to signal the moment for all peoples to fall down and worship a giant golden image. The usage is formulaic and repetitive, emphasizing the royal command and the unified act of idolatrous worship that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to perform. The context is exclusively Aramaic, courtly, and tied to a test of religious loyalty in a foreign empire.
Etymology
The word is an Aramaic loanword, borrowed from the Greek κιθάρα (kithara), which refers to a lyre-like instrument. This linguistic borrowing reflects the cultural and political interactions of the Neo-Babylonian and later Persian empires with the Greek world. The Greek 'kithara' itself is the root of the English word 'guitar.' The term's presence in biblical Aramaic showcases the international exchange of art and culture in the ancient Near East.
Semantic Range
The קִיתָרֹס is theologically significant as it represents the coercive power of a pagan state religion and the sounds of enforced idolatry. In Daniel 3, the command to play this instrument is the trigger for an act of worship that directly violates the First Commandment. The faithful refusal of the Jewish exiles to bow, even at the sound of this music, highlights the supreme loyalty owed to God alone. Understanding this instrument as part of the royal decree enriches the reading by emphasizing the public, sensory, and totalitarian nature of the temptation faced by the three men.
In its original setting, the קִיתָרֹס was a sophisticated instrument associated with official ceremonies, royal proclamations, and the worship of deities in Mesopotamian culture. Its use in Daniel 3 reflects the Babylonian practice of employing music to unify public religious observance under imperial authority. The modern understanding of a 'harp' or 'lyre' may not fully capture the specific design and cultural resonance this instrument held in the Neo-Babylonian court as a symbol of royal power and religious conformity.
כִּנּוֹר (kinnôr, H3658) — The more common Hebrew term for a lyre or harp, used in Israelite worship (e.g., Psalms). נֵבֶל (nēvel, H5035) — A larger, harp-like instrument, often translated as 'psaltery' or 'harp,' also used in worship.
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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