Decachord (Heb. nêbel’âí’ôr, “ten strings”). Stringed instrument with a large half-pear-shaped body or box and a long neck. It was played by the pulsing of its strings. Decachords have existed in the world since ancient times, as revealed by paintings, reliefs, and instruments found in tombs (fig 155). But it is not known for sure if this would be the instrument mentioned in the Bible. 155. Assyrian (left) and Egyptian (right) playing the decachord (or lute). 156. Syrian women, 8th century BC, playing zithers. In 2 passages (Psa 33:2; 144:9) the Heb. nêbel, “harp”,* is modified by ‘âí’ôr, “ten”, so the phrase is then translated “ten-stringed harp” (BJ) or “decachord” (RVR). In Psa 92:3 only ‘âí’ôr appears as the name of the musical instrument and both versions render it as in the previous passages. It has been suggested that this “ten-stringed harp” or “decachord” may be the zither,* which was known to the Phoenicians, neighbors of Israel. Two 10-stringed zithers, played by 2 women, are engraved on an ivory jewelery box found at Nimrûd (fig 156). Also a strange illustrated letter attributed to Jerome, the translator of the Bible into Latin, shows a Phoenician zither with 10 strings under the title of Psalterium decachordum 310 (fig 157), to which the explanation was added: “It has ten strings, like it is written: I will praise you with the ten-stringed psaltery*.” Bib.: Curt Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments (New York, 1940), p 118. 157. Phoenician 10-stringed zither (according to Jerome). Decalogue. See Ten Commandments.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
†¢Music and musical instruments.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary