cornet Summary and Overview

Heb. shophar, "brightness," with reference to the clearness of its sound (1 Chr. 15:28; 2 Chr. 15:14; Ps. 98:6; Hos. 5:8). It is usually rendered in the Authorized Version "trumpet." It denotes the long and straight horn, about eighteen inches long. The words of Joel, "Blow the trumpet," literally, "Sound the cornet," refer to the festival which was the preparation for the day of Atonement. In Dan. 3:5, 7, 10, 15, the word (keren) so rendered is a curved horn. The word "cornet" in 2 Sam. 6:5 (Heb. mena'an'im, occurring only here) was some kind of instrument played by being shaken like the Egyptian sistrum, consisting of rings or bells hung loosely on iron rods.

(Heb. shophar), a loud-sounding instrument, made of the horn of a ram or a chamois (sometimes of an ox), and used by the ancient Hebrews for signals, #Le 25:9| and much used by the priests. #1Ch 15:28|

COR'NET . 1 Chr 15:28. An instrument of music about 18 inches long, used by the priests, and giving a loud, smooth sound.

A horn trumpet used for war, for signals, for proclaiming the Jubilee and new year. The shophar was long and straight; the qeren (Daniel 3) crooked. Shophar is generally translated "trumpet," qeren "cornet" (Daniel 3). God appointed the making of two silver trumpets. They were 120 in Solomon's time (2 Chronicles 5:12), and were employed for other purposes besides those originally contemplated, namely, in the temple orchestra. The first day of the seventh month was "the memorial of blowing of trumpets" (Leviticus 23:24; Numbers 29:1). The beginning of the civil new year was thus ushered in with joyful thanksgivings for the mercies of the old year, the Levites chanting Psalm 81. This usage, however, cannot be proved so early as Moses' time, when the beginning of the (religious) year was fixed at the spring equinox, the period of the institution of the Passover, the month Abib (Exodus 12:2). The rabbis represent the seventh month as the anniversary of creation. The first day "memorial of blowing of trumpets" preluded the tenth day yearly great "atonement."