Daniel- musical instruments

[Charlie744]

I would like some thoughts and opinions on a specific subject within Daniel.

Daniel’s 3 friends were required by Nebuchadnezzar to bow to the golden image when the music began to play. If they did not, they would be placed in the furnace.

Question:

Within this chapter (3), Daniel makes a point of listing the 6 individual instruments. Three times they are listed, however in one of the listings he fails to list  one of the six instruments- the dulcimer.

What do you think is the reason why this one instrument was not listed, AND, why was it listed in the specific place (that specific verse and place within this story), only 1 of the 3 times they were listed?

PS: For me, everything He does has a very important purpose / reason, whether something is included or excluded. Perhaps the message speaks to having only 5 of the 6 instruments play (at that specific time in the story) telling us it would not be accepted by Him (5 of 6), since it was associated with an image... Perhaps He has special uses and purpose for music and His worship?

Thank you, Charlie 

[John n Claudia]

Charlie,

In Daniel chapter 3, I see the musical instruments listed four times.  Verse 5, 7, 10 and 15.  You are correct that in verse 7, only five of the instruments are listed.  I do not think that anyone other than God can say for sure why there are only five instruments listed there, but let us take a look at what is happening.

Verse 5:  The order goes out that people must worship if 6 instruments are played.

Verse 7: When only 5 instruments are played, the general public worships.

Verse 10: Accusations made that the three Jews are not worshiping when six instruments play.

Verse 15: Nebuchadnezzar demands the Jews worship when all six instruments play.

 

It is possible that this is meant to show that there is more "fear of man" than there is "fear of God".  After all, God tells us to worship Him and many times we just refuse to worship without even giving an excuse.  However when a man told people to worship if they heard six instruments, they worshiped as long as the requirements for worship were close to being met.

Imagine what would happen if we as people of God were to fall on our knees, worshiping and praising God every time He inspired us to do that?  How would that change the world?

[luigi]

20 hours ago, Charlie744 said:

I would like some thoughts and opinions on a specific subject within Daniel.

Daniel’s 3 friends were required by Nebuchadnezzar to bow to the golden image when the music began to play. If they did not, they would be placed in the furnace.

Question:

Within this chapter (3), Daniel makes a point of listing the 6 individual instruments. Three times they are listed, however in one of the listings he fails to list  one of the six instruments- the dulcimer.

What do you think is the reason why this one instrument was not listed, AND, why was it listed in the specific place (that specific verse and place within this story), only 1 of the 3 times they were listed?

PS: For me, everything He does has a very important purpose / reason, whether something is included or excluded. Perhaps the message speaks to having only 5 of the 6 instruments play (at that specific time in the story) telling us it would not be accepted by Him (5 of 6), since it was associated with an image... Perhaps He has special uses and purpose for music and His worship?

Thank you, Charlie 

Possibly rapidly fading glory. I cannot see where people over an extended period of time will continue prostrating themselves to an inanimate object. As such, the choir was possibly also getting bored.

[keet]

I checked and it looks like the New King James Version omits the last instrument in verse 7 because it's absent from the Masoretic Text.  The other versions that I checked (N.E.T. and N.A.S.B.) didn't.  I think that one's answer depends on one's view of Biblical inerrancy (scribal errors and omissions, which is my initial semi-flippant answer to the whole question), one's view of which manuscripts are more authoritative and accurate, and of course possibly the whole debate of K.J.V. versus "modern" translations.  I imagine that there are probably other threads here about those subjects, though.

Generally, though, the versus say "if you hear these sound of the (list of instruments) and a bunch of instruments and music..." so it's not (in my opinion) really meant to be an exhaustive or strictly-adhered-to list of specific instruments.

Edited November 4, 2020 by keet

[Leonardo Von]

On 8/22/2020 at 8:25 PM, John n Claudia said:

It is possible that this is meant to show that there is more "fear of man" than there is "fear of God".  After all, God tells us to worship Him and many times we just refuse to worship without even giving an excuse.  However when a man told people to worship if they heard six instruments, they worshiped as long as the requirements for worship were close to being met.

This is an important observation.