Lexical Definition

‎נֶבֶל‎ nebel (neh'-bel) bag ^H:N-M
or נֵבֶל nêbel (nay'-bel); from ‎נָבֵל‎

bottle, pitcher, psaltery, vessel, viol.

• a skin-bag for liquids (from collapsing when empty)
• hence, a vase (as similar in shape when full)
• also a lyre (as having a body of like form)

1) a skin-bag, jar, pitcher
1a) skin-bottle, skin
1b) jar, pitcher (earthen)
2) harp, lute, guitar, musical instrument

See Greek: ἀγγεῖον · ἀσκός · εὐφροσύνη · κιθάρα · ψαλμός

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎נֵ֫בֶל‎ noun masculine^{Jer 13:12}

1. skin-bottle, skin;

2. jar, pitcher; — ‎נֵ֫בֶל‎absolute 1Sam 10:5 +; construct v1Sam 10:3 + (on ‎נֶכֶל‎ see Baer^{1Sam 1:24}); —

1. skin of wine, ‎נֵ֫בֶל יַיִן‎ 1Sam 1:24; 1Sam 10:3; 2Sam 16:1, compare also Jer 13:12 (twice in verse); plural ‎נִבְלֵי יַיִן‎ 1Sam 25:18 : figurative ‎נִבְלֵי שָׁמַיִם‎ Job 38:37 i.e. clouds (|| ‎שְׁחָקִים‎).

2. earthen jar, pitcher: figurative of connections of Eliakim ‎כְּלֵי נְבָלִים‎ Isa 22:24 ‎נִבְלֵיהֶם יְנַפֵּ֑צוּ‎ Jer 48:12 (|| ‎כֵּלִים יָרִיקוּ‎) in figure of Moab (compare Ps 2:9); ‎נִבְלֵיתֶֿרֶשׂ‎ Lam 4:2 simile of men of Judah (|| ‎מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי יוֺצֵר‎); simile of destruction of Judah, ‎שֵׁבֶר נֵ֫כֶל יוֺצְרִים‎ Isa 30:14.

II. ‎נֵ֫בֶל‎, ‎נֶ֫בֶל‎ noun masculine^{Ps 57:9*} a musical instrument, either a portable harp, or a lute, guitar (with bulging resonance-body at lower end); (perhaps = 1. ‎נֵבֶל‎, and then shape seems to favour lute; perhaps independent word, e.g. Egyptian loan-word, compare nfr, lute, We^{Hpt 222}); — absolute ‎נֵ֫בֶל‎ 1Sam 10:5 + 3 t., ‎נֶ֫בֶל‎ Ps 71:22 + 3 t.; ‎נָ֑בֶל‎ Amos 6:5 + 2 t.; plural ‎נְבָלִים‎ 2Sam 6:5 + 4 t.; suffix ‎נְבָלֶיךָ‎ Amos 5:23; Isa 14:11 — harp (or lute), played at feasts and religious ceremonies, probably less simple, cheap and common than ‎כִּנּוֺר‎ (q. v.; often named with ‎׳‎‎נ‎): — as mark of luxury, revelry Amos 5:23; Amos 6:5; Amos 14:11, so Amos 5:12 (‎תֹּף חָלִיל‎ ‎׳‎‎כִנּוֺר נ‎), also (not in bad sense) 1Kgs 10:12 played by wandering band of prophets 1Sam 10:5 (list as Isa 5:12); in worship 2Sam 6:5 elsewhere only Psalms, Chronicles, always in worship: Ps 57:9*; Ps 81:3*; Ps 92:4*; Ps 108:3*; Ps 150:3 ‎כְּלִי נֶבֶל‎ Ps 71:22 ‎עָשׂוֺר‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ a harp with ten strings Ps 33:2; Ps 144:9; 1Chr 13:8; 1Chr 15:16; 1Chr 15:20; 1Chr 15:28; 1Chr 16:5 (‎כְּלֵי‎ ‎נְבָלִים‎), 1Chr 25:1; 1Chr 25:6; 2Chr 5:12; 2Chr 9:11; 2Chr 20:28; 2Chr 29:25; Neh 12:27. — compare further Benz^{Archaeology 273 ff.} Now^{Archaeology i..273 ff.} Dr^{Amos 234 ff.} We^{Hpt 222 ff}.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References