According to Exodus 15, what instrument did Miriam use while leading the women of Israel?

The story behind the answer

According to Exodus 15, Miriam used a timbrel while leading the women of Israel.

After the Israelites crossed the sea, Miriam is introduced as a prophetess and as Aaron's sister. She took a timbrel in her hand, and the women followed her with timbrels and dancing. The group then joined the song celebrating the defeat of Pharaoh's forces.

A timbrel is a frame drum, commonly described as a hand percussion instrument and often associated with a tambourine-like form. The passage does not say that Miriam played a harp, trumpet, or flute. Miriam's song is presented as a response to the song of Moses and the Israelites earlier in the chapter, making the scene one of the Bible's earliest recorded examples of communal musical celebration.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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