Taber
An Archaic Word for Drumming
The word "taber" appears only once in the King James Version, in Nahum 2:7, where it describes the mourning gestures of women during the prophesied fall of Nineveh. The Hebrew word "taphaph" means to strike or beat, related to the timbrel or hand drum (toph) that was a common musical instrument in ancient Israel. In this context, the women beat upon their breasts in a rhythmic, drum-like fashion as an expression of extreme grief and lamentation.
The Fall of Nineveh in Nahum
The prophecy of Nahum is entirely devoted to the destruction of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. In the vivid scene of Nahum 2:7, the city's fall is described in graphic terms. The queen or the personified city is led away in disgrace, and her attendants follow, mourning and tabering upon their breasts. The image captures the reversal of Nineveh's fortunes: a city once associated with power and splendor is reduced to weeping and breast-beating. The detail of the mourning women adds emotional weight to the prophecy of destruction.
Breast-Beating as a Sign of Grief
The gesture of striking one's breast was a recognized expression of deep grief throughout the ancient Near East and in biblical culture. In Luke 18:13, the tax collector beats his breast in anguish over his sins while praying in the temple. In Luke 23:48, the crowds who witnessed Jesus' crucifixion returned home beating their breasts. The connection between the rhythmic beating of a drum and the beating of one's chest in mourning explains why the same Hebrew root underlies both the musical instrument and the grief gesture.
The Timbrel Connection
The Hebrew root behind "taber" also gives us the timbrel or tambourine (toph), one of the most frequently mentioned instruments in the Old Testament. Miriam played the timbrel after the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 15:20), and the instrument appears regularly in contexts of celebration (Psalm 68:25; Psalm 149:3). The same striking motion that produced music and celebration in one context expressed devastating grief in another, highlighting the full range of human emotion captured in biblical language.
Biblical Context
The word 'taber' appears in Nahum 2:7 within the prophecy of Nineveh's fall. The underlying Hebrew root connects to the timbrel/tambourine (Exodus 15:20; Psalm 68:25) and to the gesture of breast-beating seen in Luke 18:13 and Luke 23:48.
Theological Significance
The tabering in Nahum represents God's judgment on Assyria, the empire that had oppressed Israel and terrorized the ancient world. The mourning women drumming on their breasts signal the complete reversal of Nineveh's power and pride. This prophecy fulfilled God's justice against a cruel empire and brought comfort to the nations Assyria had devastated.
Historical Background
Nineveh fell to a coalition of Babylonians and Medes in 612 BC, fulfilling Nahum's prophecy. The city had been the capital of the Assyrian Empire, one of the most powerful and feared empires in the ancient world. Mourning rituals involving breast-beating, hair-tearing, and loud wailing are well documented in ancient Near Eastern texts and art. Archaeological discoveries at Nineveh have confirmed the city's grandeur and its sudden, violent destruction.