FLUTE.See Music and Musical Instruments.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909
Dan_3:5; Dan_3:7; Dan_3:10; Dan_3:15. Used at the worship of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image. A pipe or pipes, not blown transversely as our flute, but by mouthpieces at the ends as the flageolet.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
By Andrew Robert Fausset, co-Author of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's 1888.
Flute. 1Ki_1:40. (margin, Pipe). A musical instrument mentioned amongst others, Dan_3:5; Dan_3:7; Dan_3:10; Dan_3:15, as used at the worship of the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up. It bore a close resemblance to the modern flute, and was made of reeds, of copper, and other material. It was the principal wind-instrument.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863
floot. See MUSIC.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.
Flute [MUSIC]
The Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
by John Kitto.
Flute
(מִשְׁרוֹקַיתָא, mashrokitha', from its hissing or whistling sound; Theodot. σὐριξ, a pipe), a musical instrument, mentioned among others (Dan_3:5; Dan_3:7; Dan_3:10; Dan_3:15) as used at the worship of the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar had set up. (Comp. the αὐλός of 1Es_5:2, as a Persian instrument.) According to the author of Shilte-Haggiborim, this instrument was sometimes made of a great number of pipes a statement which, if correct, would make its name the Chaldee for the musical instrument called in Hebrew עוּגָב, ugab', and erroneously rendered in the A.V. organ. SEE PIPE.
There is notice taken in the Gospels of players on the flute (αὐλητής, minstrel), who were collected at funerals (Mat_9:23-24). The Rabbins say that it was not allowable to have less than two players on the flute at the funeral of persons of the meanest condition, besides a professional woman hired to lament; and Josephus relates that, a false report of his death being spread at Jerusalem, several persons hired players on the flute by way of preparation for his funeral. In the Old Testament, however, we see nothing like it. The Jews probably borrowed the custom from the Romans. When it was an old woman who died they used trumpets, but flutes when a young woman was to be buried. SEE FUNERAL.
Flutes, or rather flageolets, were very early in use in ancient Egypt, where they were of various forms and lengths, both single and double, with different numbers of holes, and used by players of both sexes.
So also among the Greeks and Romans these instruments were common (Wilkinson, Anc. Eg. 1:126 sq., abridgm.; Kitto, Pictorial Bible, note on Dan_3:10).
They are likewise frequent in the modern East (Lane's Egyptians, 2:82). SEE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.