מְנַעְנַע
𐤌𐤍𐤏𐤍𐤏
mᵉnaʻnaʻ
H4517 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A type of musical rattle or percussion instrument, specifically a sistrum, used in ritual or ceremonial contexts in ancient Israel. The term designates a handheld instrument made to produce a rattling or jingling sound when shaken, typically constructed of metal or reeds. Its function was to create rhythmic noise accompanying music, dance, or ritual acts.
Semantic Range
shaken rattle; sistrum; musical instrument resembling a jingle or jingling rattle instrument used in ritual or celebratory occasions
Root / Etymology
From the root נוע (to move, shake, stagger). The word מְנַעְנַע is a reduplicated form based on this root, indicating a repeated shaking motion. The instrument's name derives from the core verbal meaning 'to shake' and refers to its use in being vigorously shaken to produce sound.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The מְנַעְנַע (menan‘a‘) is likely analogous to the Egyptian sistrum, widely documented in neighboring cultures and occasionally referenced in later rabbinic literature. Its mention in the Hebrew Bible is rare; the term highlights the onomatopoetic nature of ancient Hebrew musical nomenclature. The instrument's presence attests to the inclusion of percussive sound-makers in ancient Israelite musical practice, sometimes used in cultic or festive settings. English translations as 'cornet' are misleading, as a cornet is a brass wind instrument with no relation to a shaken rattle. The term specifically refers to a rattle or sistrum-type instrument, not a horn or trumpet. No evidence suggests any religious identity attached to the player or that the instrument signified ethnic Judean identity. Comparable Hebrew words include תֹּף (tof, 'tambourine') and מְצִלְתַּיִם (meziltayim, 'cymbals'), which denote other percussion instruments rather than shaken rattles.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נוּעַ; a sistrum (so called from its rattling sound); cornet.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נוע (n-w-ʿ) — to move, shake, stagger, wave
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5128 | נוּעַ | I will cause you to wander |
| H5269 | נֵעָה | the Shaken-Place |
| H5270 | נֹעָה | Noʿah |
| H8569 | תְּנוּאָה | my estrangement |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4517-01 |
וּ/בִ/מְנַֽעַנְעִ֖ים | uvimenaaneim | HC/R/Ncmpa |
and castanets | shaking rattles | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4517-01 |
2 Samuel 6:5 | וּ/בִ/מְנַֽעַנְעִ֖ים | uvimenaaneim | HC/R/Ncmpa |
and castanets | shaking rattles |