References to the Trumpet in the Bible

How is a Shofar Made and what is it made from?\ What kids of Shofars is there?

Just click to find out the answers to those questions.

Music can call us to remember even when there are no words, simply becasue we can associate certain sound with certain evenets and ideas.  When the bugler played to remind the people about this rest, he will have played the same melody each time.  At the sound of that melody all will have responded in the appropriate way.  Even the children, growing up and hearing this, will have know the  meaning of the music.   " You shall then sound a ram's horn abroad on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall sound a horn all through your land.

The sound of the horn (shofar) signals a major event for the Israelites.  The shofar is an animal horn hollowed out and always curved as opposed to some other horns that were straightened.  The shofar is the one instrument that has survived in its ancient form to the present day.  For this reasons, "rams" horn is probably the best translation for this instrument. In Numbers 10  1:10 we find detailed instructions to emphasize how important the trumpets were in communicationg to this large group of people, possibly several million. For Moses and the Levites the trumpets were extremely effective. Gideon used trumpets to defeat an army of 135,000 and the walls of Jericho came down to their vibrations.

More about the Shofar and Sound Examples

 Soundroom

The Chotzotzerah, The shofar, the Trumpet

The Shofar is the ritual instrument of the ancient and modern Hebrews, the only Hebrew cultural instrument to have survived until now. Of martial origin, the shofar was a priestly instrument in Biblical times. According to the Mishna, two different forms of shofar were used in the Temple: one made of ibex horn, its bell ornamented with gold, was sounded at New Year and during the Yovel Days; one made of ram's horn, with silver ornamentation, was sounded on fast days. We learn from the Mishna and the Talmud that in the Hellenistic period no improvements or modifications that might affect the tone were permitted: no gold-plating of its interior, no plugging of holes, no alteration of its length (the minimum permissible length of a ritually approved horn was 3 handbreadths); the shofar tone was to be preserved unaltered. Nor was the process of steaming or boiling permitted. Apart from its liturgical uses the shofar was closely connected with magical symbolism. Its blast destroyed the walls of Jericho, and in the Dead Sea scrolls we read that during battles shofar blowers sounded a powerful war cry to instill fear into the hearts of the enemy while priests blew the six trumpets of killing. Historically the shofar has also served in a number of popular usages: it was sounded during rites to bring rain, in the event of local disasters, and so on. In our times its liturgical use is restricted to New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

This is a craft that the children make it is a shofar.

For this Hands On craft you will need large party horns, brown wrapping paper, glue and paints, Q-tips.

1. Lay out brown wrapping paper wrap the party horn up in it and cut it to length.

2. You will need to place glue on the party horns

3. Then wrap the brown paper around the party horn and let it dry.

4. Bend up the end of the party horn

5. Let the children paint the "Shofar" in bright colors and you can even use some ribbon at the end to let it hand after the paint is dry.

Like all the Hands On crafts you should use a Biblical scripture or scriptures to incorporate into the lesson. You may use the walls of Jericho or any other scriptures. Scripture examples are listed below.

The Chotzotzerah (khats-o-tser-aw') is the silver trumpet used in the temple service.

The name of the instrument based on its piercing and surrounding sound that it makes.

Where is the Chotzotzerah in the Bible?

In the book of Numbers 10:2 it says: "The Lord said to Moses: Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out. When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the tent of meeting. If only one is sounded, the leaders - the heads of the clans of Israel - are to assemble before you. When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out. At the sounding of the second blast, the camps on the south are to set out. The blast will be the signal for setting out. To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but not with the same signal.

The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is a lasting ordinance for you and generations to come When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. The you will be remembered by the LORD your God and rescued from your enemies. Also at your times of rejoicing - your appointed feasts and New Moon festivals - you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the LORD your God.

                         Other References

(Note that the word for blowing of a Chotzotzerah, Chotzorer may also be referenced here)

Hosea 5:8

2nd Kings 11:14

2nd Chronicles 5:13, 29:28

Leviticus 23:24

Numbers 10:2, 10:8, 10:9, 10:10, 29:1, 31:6

2 Kings 11:14, 12:13

1st Chronicles 13:8, 15:24, 15:28, 16:6, 16:42

2nd Chronicles 5:12, 5:13, 7:6

2nd Chronicles 3:12, 13:14, 15:14, 20:28, 23:13, 23:13, 29:26, 29:27

Ezra 3:10

Nehemiah 12:35, 12:41

Psalm 98:6

What information do we have on the Chotzotzerah?

Little information exists on Temple implements like the Chotzotzerah. Writings in the Talmud, painting, scriptural references together help paint the picture.

The Chotzotzerot (plural) where plundered from the temple by the Romans when Titus invaded. The arch of Titus was made by the Romans as a memorial to the event. For us, it gives a historic record of the Chotzotzerahs appearance.

Other early temple related illustrations show their depiction of the Chotzotzerah.

Interesting note: The word regarding walls enclosing a small town uses the same root word as Chotzotzerah. You could consider that the Lord was hitting Jericho with poetic justice.

Feast of the Trumpet YomKippur

contact Dan Wheeler shalomtoyou321@aol.com