Flute

FLUTE, a musical instrument, whereof there is mention sometimes made in Scripture, Chalil.by the names Chalil, Machalath, Masrokoth, and Huggab. This last is generally translated Organum, an Organ: but in all probability it was nothing more than a Flute with many pipes of an unequal size, which had no holes, and were open only at the upper end. Their manner of playing on it was, by letting these pipes slide successively upon the nether lip, and so blowing into them. See ORGAN.

As to the other Flutes mentioned in Scripture, it is not easy to describe the form of them. It is said, that of old they who played upon the Flute, held two in their mouths, one on the right side, which had no hole, and another on the left, which had two. The sound of one was sharper, of the other duller. See our Dissertation on the musical instruments of the Hebrews, prefixed to the second Tome of our Comment on the Psalms, page lxxxvi, &c. There is some Matth. ix. 23, 24.notice taken in the Gospel of players on the Flute, who were got together to assist at the funeral of Jairus’s daughter, and to attend her body to the grave with their instruments playing.

The Rabbins inform us, that it was not allowed to have less than two players on the Flute, at the funeral of persons of the meanest condition, besides a woman hired to cry with formality; and Josephus relates, that the false report of his death being spread at Jerusalem, several persons hired players on the Flute in the way of preparation for his funeral. But in the Old Testament we see nothing like it. The Jews very probably borrowed this custom from the Romans¹. When an old woman died, they made use of Trumpets, and Flutes when it was a young woman that was to be Stat. Thebaïd. l. 6. Ovid. Propert. Servius.buried; as we see practised in the history which we have just now related from the Gospel.

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