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The Schools of the Prophets

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 22, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 20.

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The Schools of the Prophets

By M. E. CADY

— No. 7

The Study of Music

M. E. CADY
The first mention of the schools of the prophets is where the freshly anointed Saul, after leaving Samuel, met a company of the sons of the prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, a tabret, a pipe, and a harp, playing, singing, and prophesying. When Saul met this company of students, “the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.” 1 Sam. 10: 5-10.
The schools of the prophets from time to time sent out students in companies, or bands, to instruct and help the people, and probably this was one of these missionary bands that Saul met as it was starting out on its mission of service. After gaining an experience and education that would qualify for efficient service, these youth were appointed as teachers and counselors, and went from city to city, instructing the people. This educational extension work was done during the reign of King Jehoshaphat, and its good results are spoken of in 2 Chron. 17: 7-10. When Israel failed to provide these teachers and counselors, great loss and perplexity came to the nations. 2 Chron. 15: 1-6.
Sacred music was one of the four principal subjects taught in these schools; for it, along with a knowledge of Sacred Scriptures, sacred history, and sacred poetry, was considered indispensable as a means of uplifting and elevating the morals of the people.
“Music was made to serve a holy purpose, to lift the thoughts to that which is pure, noble, and elevating, and to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God. What a contrast between the ancient custom and the uses to which music is now too often devoted!”
“Sanctified intellects brought forth from the treasure house of God things new and old, and the Spirit of God was manifested in prophecy and sacred song.”—“Patriarchs and Prophets,” page 594.
The thoroughness and efficiency of the sacred music course is best attested to by considering one or two graduates from the course. David, whom we have already found to have been a great poet, evidenced superior ability as an instrumentalist when only a young man. His reputation as a skillful, soulful player of the harp reached the royal courts, and he was secured to play in the presence of Saul when the evil spirit was upon him. The influence and power of the melodies produced upon an instrument of ten strings were so overpowering that the evil spirit could not remain in the presence of this master musician. Much of the playing on instruments today has the contrary effect, and invites the presence of the evil spirit.
Not only was the spiritual element of music emphasized, but also the technical; for David instructed the orchestra “to play skillfully with a loud noise.” Ps. 33:3.But David’s playing appealed to the heart, and through his instrument he could utter what words could not express. “I will open my dark saying upon the harp.” Ps. 49: 4.
David was not only a great instrumentalist, but a great vocalist—the “sweet psalmist of Israel.” 2 Sam. 23: 1. It was David who arranged the various orders of musicians and singers for the temple service. “David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy. . . . So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass; and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliah, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth; and Mattithiah, and Ellipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel. And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skillful. . . . And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of song with the singers.” 1 Chron. 15: 16-27.
Speaking of the choir and orchestra composed of Levites, David says, “Four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made, . . . to praise therewith.” 1 Chron. 23: 5. Of this number 288 were leaders and instructors in music. “So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the Lord, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.” 1 Chron. 25: 7.
The scriptures already cited plainly indicate that David placed a great deal of emphasis on music as a feature of religious worship. He made musical instruments and played upon them skillfully. He composed words and sang them. The instrument and the voice were dedicated to God.
While David was a great musician, Solomon, his son, was, perhaps, even greater. He composed 1,005 songs. The music rendered at the time of the dedication of the temple by Solomon has probably never been equaled. At least no choral assembly and orchestra has ever been accorded such divine recognition and honor; for “it came even to pass, as the trumpets and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.” 2 Chron. 5: 13, 14.
Solomon, speaking of his interest in music, says: “I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.” Eccl. 2: 8.
The musical instruments used in Solomon’s temple may be classified as follows:—
Wind Instruments
Organ Ugab
Flute Holel
Cornet Chatzotzerah
Trumpet Shophar
Horn Keren
Percussion Instruments
Cymbal M’tsil-tayim
Drum Toph
Timbrel Tziltzelim
Sistra Mena’an’im
Sistrum Shalish
Bell Pahamon
Stringed Instruments
Psaltery Nebel
Viol Kinnor
Harp Nebel ’asor
The following are some of the instruments of whose nature scholars are not certain:—
Neginoth—probably some stringed instrument. Psalms 4, 6, etc.
Neginah. Psalm 61.
Nehiloth—probably wind instrument. Psalm 5.
Alamoth. Psalm 46.
We have in the Bible a number of different terms or names applied to the songs that were sung. Below we give the names of the songs, with a short description of each class:—
Shir—a song in general, adapted to the voice.
Mismor—a song accompanied by music.
Neginoh—a melody expressly adapted for stringed instruments.
Mascil—a lyric requiring nice musical skill.
Michtom—mysterious or precious song.
Shiggayon—an irregular song, or a song with variations and changes; a ballad.
Tehillah—a hymn of praise.
Kinah—a dirge or funeral song.
Shir-yediduth—a love song—Song of Solomon.
Mashal—a parable.
Chedoh—an enigma, a riddle, a dark saying.
Melitsah—a satire.
Tephilah—a prayer.
The careful application of these terms to various musical compositions shows that the ancient Hebrews were very versatile in their poetical and musical genius. This is evident from the fact that every psalm is described by a term which distinguishes it from every other psalm.
The course in sacred music in the schools of the prophets must have included a mastery of at least one instrument, and a thorough training of the voice. It also included a knowledge of musical composition for both the voice and the various musical instruments. We must conclude that the sacred music course was thorough, practical, and comprehensive. These schools must have led out in all lines of advancement, developing men that were wise and intelligent leaders and educators in the nation.
“These schools proved to be one of the means most effective in promoting that righteousness which ‘exalteth a nation.’ In no small degree they aided in laying the foundation of that marvelous prosperity which distinguished the reigns of David and Solomon. The principles taught in the schools of the prophets were the same that molded David’s character and shaped his life. . . . In the early life of Solomon also are seen the results of God’s method of education.”—“Education,” pages 47, 48.
One writer has said that it is the music of a nation that measures its standing in the grade of human civilization. What would our psalmody today be without the psalms of Israel’s “sweet singer”? The psalms of David, without the music he set to them, are music still; and rendered with modern musical composition, they excel anything in modern psalmody.
The music of ancient Israel was not copied nor borrowed from the nations about them. It was an expression of the individual and national life of the chosen people of God. Their songs, both the words and the music, were composed to memorialize great events. Examples of this kind are the Song of the Red Sea, Song of Deborah, etc. David felt so grateful for the successful transfer of the ark from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem that he wrote the words and music of a song, giving expression of his gratitude to God. He placed it in the hands of Asaph to be rendered by the choir and orchestra. “Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.” 1 Chron. 16: 7. Several of the psalms David composed express his gratitude for personal deliverances from the hands of his enemies. Examples: Psalms 34, 52, 56, 59.
One proof that the Hebrews produced a musical literature of their own, not copying or borrowing from the surrounding nations, was their refusal to sing their songs in the land of their captivity. “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” Ps. 137: 1-4. But the Lord, through the “weeping prophet,” gave Israel another and the last song which they sang, even in a “strange land.” This was a funeral song—the song of Lamentations. Their former glory never returned, and their “swan song” proved to be the funeral dirge of what was once a mighty and glorious nation.
In learning and in piety, Israel reached greater heights than any nation of her time; and this was largely due to the character of her schools.