20. Miriam the prophetess--so called from her receiving divine
revelations
(Nu 12:1;
Mic 6:4),
but in this instance principally from her being eminently skilled in
music, and in this sense the word "prophecy" is sometimes used in
Scripture
(1Ch 25:1;
1Co 11:5).
took a timbrel--or "tabret"--a musical instrument in the form of
a hoop, edged round with rings or pieces of brass to make a jingling
noise and covered over with tightened parchment like a drum. It was
beat with the fingers, and corresponds to our tambourine.
all the women went out after her with timbrels and with
dances--We shall understand this by attending to the modern customs
of the East, where the dance--a slow, grave, and solemn gesture,
generally accompanied with singing and the sound of the timbrel, is
still led by the principal female of the company, the rest imitating
her movements and repeating the words of the song as they drop from her
lips.
JFB.
Picture Study Bible