What Did David’s Lyre Look Like? - The BAS Library
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Home > Magazines > BAR > January/February 1982

What Did David’s Lyre Look Like?

A delicate jasper seal may tell us

“The spirit of Yahweh had forsaken Saul, and at times an evil spirit from Yahweh would seize him suddenly. His servants said to him, ‘You see, sir, how an evil spirit from God seizes you; why do you not command your servants here to go and find some man who can play the harp? Then, when an evil spirit from God comes on you, he can play and you will recover.’ “Saul said to his servants, ‘Find me a man who can play well and bring him to me.’ “One of his attendants said, ‘I have seen a son […]

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Footnotes

1.

See C. Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments, (1940). Also see B. Bayer, “The Finds That Could Not Be,” in this issue.

2.

See James Pritchard, ed., The Ancient Near East in Pictures, (1954), Figs. 191–193 and “World’s Oldest Musical Notation Deciphered on Cuneiform Tablet,” BAR 06:05.