כנורCinnor. Κιθάρα, ψαλτήριον, κινύρα. Gen. iv. 21. 1 Sam. xvi. 16, 23. Psal. cxxxvii. 2. 1 Kings x. 12. & 2 Chr. ix. 11.CINYRA. This, and the Hebrew, Cinnor, which is generally translated Cithara, or Lyra, or Psalterium, are the same. This instrument was in use before the Flood, and Jubal the Son of Lamech was the inventor of it. It was upon the Cinnor that David played before Saul, and it was this the captive Levites hung upon the Willows of Babylon. It was made of Wood, and was played on in the Temple of Jerusalem. The Prophet Isaiah intimates, that the sound of it was sad and mournful, when he says, Isai. xvi. 11. my bowels shall sound like the Cinnor or Harp. Hesychius observes, that Cinnyros in Greek signifies sad and lamentable. Josephus says, that the Cinyra of the Temple had ten strings, and that it was touched with a Bow1. In another place he says,2 that Solomon made a great number of them with a precious kind of Metal called Electrum; wherein he contradicts the Scripture, which informs us that 1 Kings x. 12.Solomon’s Cinnors were of Wood.
The first Book of Maccabees seems to distinguish the Cithara from the Cinyra; Templum renovatum est in Canticis & citharis & cinyris. Others confound them. It is certain, that there was very little difference in these Instruments, and all that there was, consisted perhaps in the number only, or disposition of the strings. For among the Antients there were Citharæ or Harps of several sorts. So much seems to be out of all dispute, that the generality of the Instruments, whereof the Antients make any mention, are derived from the Cinnor of the Hebrews, and even those too which are in use at present, as the Harp, the Guitar, Psaltery, Lute, Violin, Base Viol, &c. What the Greeks tell us of the invention of the Harp by Mercury, and the perfection it was brought to by several Musicians, relates to Greece only. Musick, and the Instruments of it were known in perfection among the Hebrews long before Mercury, Orpheus, Linus, Terpander, Simonides, and Timotheus.
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