Nehiloth
Nehiloth
(Heb. Nechiloth’, , with the art. the plur. of , which, however, is not found), occurs only in the title of Psalms 5, where the A.V. renders “upon Nehiloth” (). The Sept., Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion translate , and the Vulgate, “pro ea quae haereditatent consequitur,” by which Augustine understands the Church. The origin of their error was a mistaken etymology, by which Nehiloth is derived from , nachdl, “to inherit.” Hengstenberg maintains that the title with this derivation has a mystical or spiritual meaning, “for the inheritance,” or “upon the lots,” i.e., of the righteous and the wicked. Other etymologies have been proposed which are equally unsound.
In Chaldee , nechil, signifies “a swarm of bees.” and hence Jarchi attributes to Nehiloth the notion of multitude, the psalm being sung by the whole people of Israel. R. Hai, quoted by Kimchi, adopting the same origin for the word, explains it as an instrument, the sound of which was like the hum of bees, a wind instrument, according to Sonntag (De tit. Psalm page 430), which had a rough tone. Michaelis (Suppl. ad Lex. Heb. page 1629) suggests, with not unreasonable timidity, that the root is to be found in the Arab. nachala, “to winnow,” and hence to separate and select the better part, indicating that the psalm, in the title of which Nehiloth occurs, was ” an ode to be chanted by the purified and better portion of the people.” It is most likely, as Gesenius and others explain, that it is derived (instead of ) from the root , chalal, “to bore, perforate,” whence , chall, a flute or pipe (1Sa 10:5; 1Ki 1:40), so that Nehiloth is the general term for perforated wind-instruments of all kinds, as Neginoth denotes all manner of stringed instruments. The title of Psalms 5 is therefore addressed to the conductor of the Temple choir who played upon flutes and the like, and these are directly alluded to in Psa 87:7, where ( , cholelim) “the players upon instruments” who are associated with the singers are properly “pipers” or “flute-players.” SEE FLUTE. Others, like Aben-Ezra among rabbinical commentators, and Hitzig among living scholars, understand it to be the name of an air to which the psalm was sung, “after, or according to, the inheritance.” Furst suggests that Nehiloth was a musical choir, having their chief seat at a town which bore a cognate name, perhaps Hilen (1Ch 6:58; comp. his explanation of Neginoth). The use of the preposition in this connection does not justify the rendering “upon,” but requires us to understand that the psalm under consideration was to be chanted in imitation or in the style of (a la) the air or musical instrument in question. SEE PSALMS.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Nehiloth
only in the title of Ps. 5. It is probably derived from a root meaning “to bore,” “perforate,” and hence denotes perforated wind instruments of all kinds. The psalm may be thus regarded as addressed to the conductor of the temple choir which played on flutes and such-like instruments.
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Nehiloth
Title of Psalm 5, Gesenius explains, “upon the flutes,” from chalil a “perforated instrument”, chaalal (“to bore”); a direction “to the chief musician” that it was to be sung to wind instruments in the temple service; compare Psa 87:7, “players on instruments,” i.e. flute or pipe players (cholelim, Gesenius), “dancers” (Hengstenberg, from chuwl). Hengstenberg on Psalm 5 title objects, el (“upon”) is never used to introduce the instruments. The title enigmatically and poetically expresses the subject. Septuagint translated “concerning the heiress”; so Vulgate. She is the church, possessing the Lord as her “inheritance” (Psa 16:5), or possessed by Him as “His inheritance” (Deu 32:9). The plural “upon the inheritances” marks the plurality of members in the church; or else “upon the lots,” namely, the twofold inheritances, blessing from God to the righteous, misery to the wicked.
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Nehiloth
NEHILOTH.See Psalms, p. 772a.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Nehiloth
See Musician
Fuente: The Poor Mans Concordance and Dictionary to the Sacred Scriptures
Nehiloth
ne-hiloth, nehi-loth (Psa 5:1-12, title). See MUSIC.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Nehiloth
A word which occurs in the title of Psalms 5 [PSALMS, BOOK OF].
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Nehiloth
[Nehi’loth]
This word occurs only in the heading of Psa 5. It is supposed to refer to some wind instrument or choir, but its meaning is uncertain.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Nehiloth
H5155
See Music
Music
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Nehiloth
Nehiloth (n’hi-loth), Psa 5:1-12, title, meaning “perforated,” as flutes, “wind instruments,” R. V.
Fuente: People’s Dictionary of the Bible
Nehiloth
Nehiloth. The title of Psa 5:1, in the Authorized Version, is rendered, “To the chief musician upon Nehiloth.” It is most likely that Nehiloth is the general term for perforated wind-instruments of all kinds, as Neginoth denotes all manner of stringed instruments.