Original Word: תֹּף
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: toph
Pronunciation: tofe
Phonetic Spelling: (tofe)
KJV: tabret, timbrel
NASB: tambourines, timbrel, tambourine, settings, timbrels
Word Origin: [from H8608 (תָּפַף - beating) contracted]

1. a tambourine

tabret, timbrel

From taphaph contracted; a tambourine -- tabret, timbrel.

see HEBREW taphaph

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a timbrel, tambourine
NASB Translation
settings (1), tambourine (2), tambourines (7), timbrel (6), timbrels (1).

תֹּף noun masculine timbrel, tambourine; — absolute ׳ת Genesis 31:27 +; plural תֻּמִּים Judges 11:34 +; suffix תֻּמֶּ֫יךָ Ezekiel 28:13, תֻּמַּ֫יִח Jeremiah 31:4; — timbrel, held and struck with hand, especially by dancing women, often with other musical instruments: — sign of merriment, gladness Genesis 31:27 (E) Job 21:12, reverly Isaiah 5:12; ׳מְשׂוֺשׂ ת Isaiah 24:8, compare Jeremiah 31:4; Ezekiel 28:13; exultation, triumph Exodus 15:20 (twice in verse) (E) Judges 11:34; 1 Samuel 18:6; Isaiah 30:32; used by prophets in ecstasy 1 Samuel 10:5; in praise of ׳י 2 Samuel 6:5 "" 1 Chronicles 13:8; Psalm 81:3; Psalm 149:3; Psalm 150:4. — See Prince^{EB Music.§ 3}.

Description and General Character

The תֹּף is a small, handheld frame drum—commonly translated “tambourine” or “timbrel”—struck with the palm or fingers and often accompanied by rhythmic dance. Light, portable, and well suited to outdoor processions, it appears throughout the Old Testament as the pre-eminent instrument of spontaneous celebration.

Biblical Occurrences

Seventeen passages employ the term, spanning Torah, Historical Books, Poetic Books, and Prophets. The distribution itself signals a consistent cultural presence:

• Celebration of deliverance: Genesis 31:27; Exodus 15:20
• Homecoming and victory: Judges 11:34; 1 Samuel 18:6
• Prophetic procession: 1 Samuel 10:5
• Royal and covenantal worship: 2 Samuel 6:5; 1 Chronicles 13:8
• Wisdom literature’s observation: Job 21:12
• Cultic exhortations in Psalms: Psalm 81:2; 149:3; 150:4
• Social feasting and revelry, righteous or otherwise: Isaiah 5:12; 24:8
• Eschatological judgment and restoration: Isaiah 30:32; Jeremiah 31:4
• Cosmic imagery: Ezekiel 28:13

Role in Early Israelite Worship

After the Red Sea crossing, “Miriam the prophetess… took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing” (Exodus 15:20). This first explicit mention is already liturgical: the instrument leads the congregation in a responsive song of redemption. The pattern recurs whenever the covenant community publicly magnifies the Lord for mighty acts, grounding the תֹּף in a theology of remembrance.

Function in National Celebrations

Victories under Jephthah, Saul, and David are greeted by women “with singing and dancing, with tambourines and lutes” (1 Samuel 18:6). The recurring female leadership in these scenes highlights the inclusive nature of communal praise; the tambourine’s light weight allowed the women’s procession to meet returning warriors outside city gates, visually proclaiming that triumph belongs to the Lord.

Prophetic and Priestly Contexts

Saul’s initial anointing includes a sign: “You will meet a procession of prophets… with lyres, tambourines, flutes, and harps, and they will be prophesying” (1 Samuel 10:5). The תֹּף accompanies ecstatic utterance, underscoring its suitability for enhancing spiritual sensitivity. Later, when the Ark is moved, “David and all the House of Israel were celebrating before the LORD… with tambourines” (2 Samuel 6:5). Here the instrument supports ordered, priest-directed liturgy rather than mere spontaneity, showing its adaptability to both prophetic and priestly ministries.

Usage in the Psalms

Three imperative psalms feature the tambourine:

• Psalm 81:2: “Lift up a song, strike the tambourine, the melodious harp and lyre.”
• Psalm 149:3: “Let them praise His name with dancing and make music to Him with tambourine and harp.”
• Psalm 150:4: “Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute.”

Together they associate the תֹּף with corporate festivity, bodily movement, and full orchestration. The instrument supplies a percussive accent that unites voices and strings, modeling a holistic worship pattern still instructive for the Church.

Moral and Prophetic Warnings

Isaiah laments a society intoxicated by pleasure where “lyres, harps, tambourines, flutes, and wine are at their feasts, but they do not regard the deeds of the LORD” (Isaiah 5:12). Likewise, the desolation of judgment silences joy: “The mirth of tambourines ceases” (Isaiah 24:8). These texts remind worshipers that music divorced from covenant fidelity degenerates into empty revelry. In contrast, Jeremiah’s restoration oracle promises: “Again you will take up your tambourines and go out in joyful dancing” (Jeremiah 31:4), revealing that right relationship with God restores legitimate celebration.

Symbolic Significance

1. Joy and Deliverance: Its earliest use after the exodus forever ties the tambourine to salvation history.
2. Communal Unity: Portable and rhythmic, it gathers diverse participants into a single cadence.
3. Female Participation: Repeated references to women wielding the instrument affirm their God-honoring role in public praise.
4. Prophetic Accompaniment: It fosters receptivity to the Spirit while anchoring ecstatic expression in audible order.
5. Divine Judgment: When silenced, the tambourine becomes a barometer of national calamity.

Historical Parallels

Archaeological finds from Egypt and Mesopotamia depict similar frame drums in the hands of dancers and priestesses. Israel, while distinct in monotheistic content, shared regional musical technology. The biblical narrative, however, uniquely intertwines the תֹּף with theological confession, ensuring that the instrument’s meaning transcends mere artistry.

Implications for Contemporary Ministry

• Participation: Congregational worship benefits when instrumentation invites physical engagement—clapping, stepping, and dancing in reverent joy.
• Inclusivity: Encouraging varied demographics to contribute musically reflects the covenant community’s breadth.
• Discernment: Music must remain tethered to sound doctrine; otherwise the tambourine’s joyful clang becomes hollow.
• Eschatological Hope: The promise of restored tambourines in Jeremiah points to the ultimate feast of the Lamb, where redeemed music will resound untainted.

Related Instruments and Distinctions

While often listed alongside lyres, harps, and flutes, the תֹּף functions primarily as rhythm rather than melody. Unlike metallic cymbals or wooden castanets, its stretched skin produces a resonant yet mellow tone capable of sustaining group tempo without overpowering vocals.

Conclusion

Across Scripture the תֹּף punctuates moments of divine intervention, frames prophetic activity, and energizes congregational praise. Whether echoing on the banks of the Red Sea, resounding in Davidic processions, or promised in future restoration, the tambourine embodies an exuberant response to the works and character of the LORD—an enduring call to every generation to “Praise Him with tambourine and dancing” (Psalm 150:4).

בְּתֹ֥ף בְּתֻפִּ֖ים בְּתֻפִּ֥ים בְתֹ֣ף בְתֻפִּ֖ים בתף בתפים הַתֹּ֖ף התף וְתֹף֙ וּבְתֻפִּ֔ים ובתפים ותף כְּתֹ֣ף כתף תֹ֑ף תֹּ֧ף תֻּפִּ֔ים תֻּפֶּ֤יךָ תֻפַּ֔יִךְ תף תפיך תפים bə·ṯōp̄ ḇə·ṯōp̄ bə·ṯup·pîm ḇə·ṯup·pîm beTof bəṯōp̄ ḇəṯōp̄ betupPim bəṯuppîm ḇəṯuppîm hat·tōp̄ hatTof hattōp̄ kə·ṯōp̄ keTof kəṯōp̄ Tof tōp̄ ṯōp̄ ṯup·pa·yiḵ tup·pe·ḵā tup·pîm tupPayich ṯuppayiḵ tupPeicha tuppeḵā tupPim tuppîm ū·ḇə·ṯup·pîm ūḇəṯuppîm uvetupPim veTof vetupPim wə·ṯōp̄ wəṯōp̄Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts