SG Heritage Dictionary

Instrument [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. A tool; that by which work is performed or any thing is effected; as a knife, a hammer, a saw, a plow, etc. Swords, muskets and cannon are instruments of destruction. A telescope is an astronomical instrument

2. That which is subservient to the execution of a plan or purpose, or to the production of any effect; means used or contributing to an effect; applicable to persons or things. Bad men are often instruments of ruin to others. The distribution of the Scriptures may be the instrument of a vastly extensive reformation in morals and religion.

3. An artificial machine or body constructed for yielding harmonious sounds; as an organ, a harpsichord, a violin, or flute, etc., which are called musical instruments, or instruments of music.

4. In law, a writing containing the terms of a contract, as a deed of conveyance, a grant, a patent, an indenture, etc.; in general, a writing by which some fact is recorded for evidence, or some right conveyed.

5. A person who acts for another, or is employed by another for a special purpose, and if the purpose is dishonorable, the term implies degradation or meanness.

Instrument [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. That by means of which any work is performed, or result is effected; a tool; a utensil; an implement; as, the instruments of a mechanic; astronomical instruments.

2. A contrivance or implement, by which musical sounds are produced; as, a musical instrument.

3. A writing, as the means of giving formal expression to some act; a writing expressive of some act, contract, process, as a deed, contract, writ, etc.

4. One who, or that which, is made a means, or is caused to serve a purpose; a medium, means, or agent.

Instrument [Verb transitive] Webster's Dictionary 1913

To perform upon an instrument; to prepare for an instrument; as, a sonata instrumented for orchestra.

Instrumental [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. Conducive as an instrument or means to some end; contributing aid; serving to promote or effect an object; helpful. The press has been instrumental in enlarging the bounds of knowledge.

2. Pertaining to instruments; made by instruments; as instrumental music, distinguished form vocal music, which is made by the human voice.

Instrumental [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. Acting as an instrument; serving as a means; contributing to promote; conductive; helpful; serviceable; as, he was instrumental in conducting the business.

2. Pertaining to, made by, or prepared for, an instrument, esp. a musical instrument; as, instrumental music, distinguished from vocal music.

3. Applied to a case expressing means or agency; as, the instrumental case. This is found in Sanskrit as a separate case, but in Greek it was merged into the dative, and in Latin into the ablative. In Old English it was a separate case, but has disappeared, leaving only a few anomalous forms.

Instrumentalist [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

One who plays upon an instrument of music, as distinguished from a vocalist.

Instrumentalities [Plural] Webster's Dictionary 1913

of Instrumentality

Instrumentality [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Subordinate or auxiliary agency; agency of any thing as means to an end; as the instrumentality of second causes.

Instrumentality [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

The quality or condition of being instrumental; that which is instrumental; anything used as a means; medium; agency.

Instrumentally [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. By way of an instrument; in the nature of an instrument; as means to an end.

2. With instruments of music.

Instrumentally [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. By means of an instrument or agency; as means to an end.

2. With instruments of music; as, a song instrumentally accompanied.

Instrumentalness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Usefulness, as of means to an end; instrumentality.

Instrumentalness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Usefulness or agency, as means to an end; instrumentality.

Instrumentary [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Instrumental.

Instrumentation [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. The act of using or adapting as an instrument; a series or combination of instruments; means; agency.

2. The arrangement of a musical composition for performance by a number of different instruments; orchestration; instrumental composition; composition for an orchestra or military band.

3. The act or manner of playing upon musical instruments; performance; as, his instrumentation is perfect.

Instrumentist [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

A performer on a musical instrument; an instrumentalist.

King James Bible KJV Bible

Berean Standard Bible BSB Bible

65 KJV and 20 BSB verses contain “instrument” — showing the first 20. Show all 67 verses (searchable)

Genesis 49:5

Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.

Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are weapons of violence.

Exodus 25:9

According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

You must make the tabernacle and design all its furnishings according to the pattern I show you.

Numbers 3:8

And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

They shall take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and fulfill obligations for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle.

Numbers 4:12

And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put them on a bar:

They are to take all the utensils for serving in the sanctuary, place them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame.

Numbers 4:26

And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.

the curtains of the courtyard, and the curtains for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. The Gershonites will do all that needs to be done with these items.

Numbers 4:32

And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.

and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and everything related to their use. You shall assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry.

Numbers 7:1

And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;

On the day Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, along with the altar and all its utensils.

Numbers 31:6

And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.

And Moses sent the thousand from each tribe into battle, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, who took with him the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.

Numbers 35:16

And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

If, however, anyone strikes a person with an iron object and kills him, he is a murderer; the murderer must surely be put to death.

1 Samuel 8:12

And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, to make his weapons of war, and to equip his chariots.

1 Samuel 18:6

And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick.

As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.

2 Samuel 6:5

And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of wood instruments, harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals.

2 Samuel 24:22

And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.

Araunah said to David, “My lord the king may take whatever seems good and offer it up. Here are the oxen for a burnt offering and the threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood.

1 Kings 19:21

And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s equipment, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.

1 Chronicles 9:29

Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the instruments of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices.

Others were put in charge of the furnishings and other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the fine flour, wine, oil, frankincense, and spices.

1 Chronicles 12:33

Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.

From Zebulun: 50,000 fit for service, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, who with one purpose were devoted to David.

1 Chronicles 12:37

And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.

And from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh there: 120,000 armed with every kind of weapon of war.

1 Chronicles 15:16

And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

David also told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers to lift up their voices with joy, accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals.

1 Chronicles 16:42

And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.

Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for the songs of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.

1 Chronicles 21:23

And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.

Ornan said to David, “My lord the king may take whatever seems good. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering—I will give it all.”