The lyre

— a national stringed instrument of the Hebrews, undoubtedly one of the first musical instruments with which man became acquainted. The invention of the lyre, in the book of Genesis (4:21), is attributed, as is the invention of the pipe, to Jubal, son of Lamech. Among the Hebrews the kinnor (lyre) served from the deepest antiquity chiefly for the expression of joy and gladness (Gen. 31:27; Job 21:12, and elsewhere). David was especially skilled in playing the lyre (1 Sam. 16:17–23).

“And David took an harp, and played,” the sacred historian says, “and there was refreshment to Saul, and the evil spirit departed from him” (v. 23). Religious (1 Kings 10:12) and civic celebrations among the Hebrews were also accompanied by playing the lyre. To the accompaniment of the kinnor, the greater part of the psalms and hymns of praise among the Hebrews were sung (Ps. 33 [32]:2; 43 [42]:4, and elsewhere). As to the outward form of the lyre, opinions differ considerably. Some give it the form of the modern harp, others maintain that it resembled the Greek letter delta (Δ).

Josephus asserts that it had ten strings, and that it was played with the aid of a plectrum; others increase the number of strings of the kinnor to 24 and even to 47.