sheminith Summary and Overview

eight; octave, a musical term, supposed to denote the lowest note sung by men's voices (1 Chr. 15:21; Ps. 6; 12, title).

(eighth), a musical term found in the title of #Ps 6:1| A similar direction is found in the title of #Ps 12:1| Comp. 1Chr 15:21 It seems most probable that Sheminith denotes a certain air known as the eighth, or a certain key in which the psalm was to be sung.

Psalm 6 and Psalm 12's title. Feminine of shemini, "the eighth" (Exodus 22:32); 1 Chronicles 15:21, "the singers were appointed with harps on the sheminith to excel," or "oversee." Gesenius explains, the lowest of the three keys of the human voice, an octave or eighth below the treble; the bass sung by men; as "on alamoth" answers to the treble or female voice, as alamoth means. Hengstenberg takes it as indicating the time measured according to the number eight. Septuagint and Vulgate translated "concerning" or "for the eighth."