8. r6rp, vtachalath, which occurs in the titles of Ps. liii. and lxxxviii., is supposed by Gesenius and others to denote a kind of lute or guitar, which instrument others find in the minnim above noticed. We should not like to affirm that instru ments of this kind are represented by either of these words--not that we doubt whether the He brews had such instruments, but because we are not satisfied that these are the precise words by which they were denoted. The prevalence in the East of instruments of this sort would alone sug gest the probability that the Jews were not without them ; and this probability is greatly increased by the evidence which the Egyptian paintings offer, that they were equally prevalent in ancient times in neighbouring nations. Before this evidence was obtained it wins usual to offer figs. r and 3 in the preceding cut (No. 355), as affording probable examples of Hebrew instruments of this class ; and fig. 3, from Niebuhr's Travels, as a model n Arabian example. Objections were urged to these figures, which it would, until lately, have been difficult to answer. But now we find their prototypes among the ancient Egyptians. This will be seen from the subjoined engravings, a very cursory inspection of which will show the general resemblance of the above to the instruments represented in at least figs. 3 (No. 386), or in other words, to instru
ments of the lute and guitar class. The Egyptian guitar consisted of two parts, a long flat neck or handle, and a hollow oval body, composed wholly of \ nod, or covered with leather, whose upper sur face was perforated with several holes to allow the sound to escape ; over this body, and the whole length of the handle, extended three strings of cat gut secured at the upper extremity. The length of the handle was sometimes twice, sometimes thrice that of the body, and the whole instrument seems to have measured three or four feet. It was struck with a plectrum, and the performers usually stood as they played. Both men and women used the guitar ; some danced while they touched its strings (No. 386, fig. 2), supporting it on the right arm ; and in one instance (fig. 3) it is seen slung by a band round the neck, like the modern Spanish guitar. The others (No. 387) are variations of these instruments ; in fig. 3 making a near approach to the lute. They are from actual and somewhat de cayed specimens, and therefore do not exhibit the wires and other minute parts.
With all this evidence before us, we need not hesitate to conclude that the Hebrews were in possession of instruments of this kind, although we may not venture to affirm by what name they were called.