Bible Dictionary
Minstrel
A minstrel was a musician, often a flute player employed at funerals, or a player of a stringed instrument. Music could accompany mourning, worship, or prophetic activity.
Definition
A minstrel was a musician, including a flute player or a player of a stringed instrument. Minstrels could perform in connection with mourning, worship, or other public occasions.
Biblical Usage
The minstrels at the ruler’s house in the Gospel account were flute players associated with funeral mourning. In another passage, a minstrel played a stringed instrument before prophetic activity.
Historical Background
Professional flute players served as mourners at funerals. Stringed instruments included instruments like the harp or kinnor, which were also used by David and by musicians seeking public attention.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(Matt. 9:23), a flute-player. Such music was a usual accompaniment of funerals. In 2 Kings 3:15 it denotes a player on a stringed instrument.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
The Hebrew word in (2 Kings 3:15) properly signifies a player upon a stringed instruments like the harp or kinnor [Harp], whatever its precise character may have been, on which David played before Saul, (1 Samuel 16:16; 18:10; 19:9) and which the harlots of the great cities used to carry with them as they walked, to attract notice. (Isaiah 23:16) The “minstrels” in (Matthew 9:23) were the flute-players who were employed as professional mourners, to whom frequent allusion is made. (2 Chronicles 35:25; Ecclesiastes 12:5; Jeremiah 9:17-20)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>min'-strel.</p><p>See MUSIC.</p>