The tabret, also known as the timbrel, is a musical instrument frequently mentioned in the Bible, particularly in the context of worship and celebration. It is akin to the modern tambourine, consisting of a wooden frame with a membrane stretched over it, often accompanied by small metal jingles. The tabret was primarily played by women and was used in various religious and social settings.

Biblical References:

The tabret is first mentioned in Genesis 31:27, where Laban confronts Jacob for leaving secretly: "Why did you flee secretly and deceive me without telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps." This passage highlights the tabret's role in joyful celebrations and farewells.

In Exodus 15:20, following the Israelites' miraculous crossing of the Red Sea, Miriam, the prophetess and sister of Aaron, leads the women in a victory dance with timbrels: "Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing." This event underscores the tabret's association with praise and thanksgiving to God for His deliverance.

The tabret is also mentioned in Judges 11:34, in the account of Jephthah's return home after a victorious battle: "When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing." Here, the instrument is part of a celebratory welcome, though the account takes a tragic turn.

In 1 Samuel 10:5, the tabret is part of a prophetic procession: "After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where there are Philistine garrisons. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres before them, and they will be prophesying." This indicates the tabret's use in religious and prophetic contexts.

Cultural and Religious Significance:

The tabret was an integral part of ancient Hebrew music and worship. It was often used in conjunction with other instruments such as the harp, lyre, and flute. The playing of the tabret was typically accompanied by singing and dancing, forming a vital component of communal worship and celebration.

In the Psalms, the tabret is frequently associated with praise and worship. Psalm 81:2 exhorts the faithful: "Raise a song, strike the tambourine, play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre." Similarly, Psalm 149:3 encourages worship through dance and music: "Let them praise His name with dancing, and make music to Him with tambourine and harp."

The tabret's role in worship reflects the biblical emphasis on expressing joy and gratitude to God through music and dance. It symbolizes the celebratory and communal aspects of faith, where believers come together to honor God with their talents and instruments.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In biblical symbolism, the tabret represents joy, celebration, and the expression of faith through music. It is often associated with victory, deliverance, and the presence of God among His people. The use of the tabret in worship signifies the believer's response to God's mighty acts and His faithfulness.

The tabret's presence in both joyous and solemn occasions in the Bible illustrates the breadth of human experience and emotion in worship. It serves as a reminder of the importance of music in spiritual life, as a means to glorify God and to unite the community in shared expressions of faith and devotion.Tabret Timbrel

(Heb. toph). In old English tabor was used for any drum. Tabouret and tambourine are diminutives of tabor, and denote the instrument now known as the tambourine. Tabret is a contraction of tabouret. The Hebrew toph is undoubtedly the instrument described by travellers as the duff or diff of the Arabs. It was played principally by women, (Exodus 15:20; Judges 11:34; 1 Samuel 18:6; Psalms 68:25) as an accompaniment to the song and dance. The diff of the Arabs is described by Russell as "a hoop (sometimes with pieces of brass fixed in it to make a jingling) over which a piece of parchment is stretched. It is beaten with the fingers, and is the true tympanum of the ancients." In Barbary it is called tar .

8596. toph -- a timbrel, tambourine
... tabret, timbrel. From taphaph contracted; a tambourine -- tabret, timbrel. see
HEBREW taphaph. 8595, 8596. toph. 8597 . Strong's Numbers.
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