Where in the Bible does it speak about the first musician and what instrument did they play?

Answer 1

What a good question! And the answer is not as easy as one would think.

The standard Christian Bible doesn't really identify the first musician and the instrument(s) he/she played. Singing is mentioned early on in The Bible and it seems likely that, if there were singing, there were most likely instruments and people who played them.

Genesis 4:21 is the first biblical reference to musicians, in a vague sort of way. In Cain's bloodline, the sixth generation down, Jubal is identified as the father of those who play stringed instruments and pipes. Obviously, then, one or more of his children were musicians (or else, one of them, and not Jubal, would have been titled the father of those who used stringed instruments and pipes). Genesis pre-dated the Flood epic and the freeing of the Children of Israel from captivity.

In Genesis 31:27, after Jacob fled his father-in-law's house in the middle of the night, Laban caught up to him. Laban chided Jacob for deception and bemoaned not being able to send Jacob away with song and the music of timbrels and harps.

The next reference is to, surprisingly, a woman. In Exodus 15:20, immediately after the Children of Israel were delivered from the pharoah at the Red Sea, the prophetess Miriam--sister of Moses and Aaron--played her timbrel and led the women of Israel with their timbrels in dance.

Trumpets appear as an instrument in Leviticus 25:9, where Moses instructs his people (the Levites in particular) to sound the Trumpet throughout the land on every tenth day of every seventh month; on the Day of Atonement. it is rather obvious by now, that there were lots of musicians, especially since the priests were charged with playing instruments for various religious services.

After this, as the Hebrews are conquering their Promised Land, Judges 3:26-27 tells us about Ehud, an emissary for God, who blew a trumpet to call the Israelites together in Ephraim to fight for the land. Ehud is very obviously a musician.

In 1 Sam. 10:5, just prior to the anointment of Saul as King of the Israelites, Samuel tells Saul to go on a trip where, among other things, he will be met by a number of prophets who will be playing (or cause to be played) lyres, timbrels, pipes, and harps.

The above tells us that there is a rich history of music and musicianship from early on in the biblical account of man.

Now, we get to the part you may be looking for. I suspect that the crux of your question is about King David for, indeed, he is the most well known of all the musicians in the standard Christian Bible.

1 Samuel 16:16-23, tells the beginning of King Saul and David's relationship. Saul's spirit has been blighted and, upon the advice of his servants, he issues order to find someone who can play the lyre artfully. They find David who is brought to the King's court. Saul was pleased with him. This account closes with the statement that whenever the evil spirt came upon Saul, David would play the lyre. Saul would feel better every time.

From here on out, we learn how much music plays a role in King David's life, particularly in the Psalms, most of which he authored.

Simply stated, the first musician identified by name in the Christian Bible is Miriam. The second is Ehud. The third is David.