AMAREL - It means "The Message or Word of God"

I'll just bet that you don't give much thought to trumpets. Not many do. But this is a subject to which more attention should be given. It's of very special importance in The Word of YAHWEH (God).

• Trumpets served many functions in Scripture.
• Do you know what they were?
• Do you understand why they were so important? 
• Isn't it time you found out?

Listed below are the Scrpture words that are used in relation to trumpets. Each of them has a specific focus. Beneath them are some of the places where the terms are used. Look up the surrounding verses in order to discover the context in which these references occur. Without the context it's often difficult to fully comprehend the meanings and the significance of what's involved.

There were two types of "trumpets". There were silver trumpets used for the sanctuary. And there were the ram's horns, also used in various ways for religious purposes. There were different types of "blasts", or "soundings", specified for different purposes. To research those, and their meanings, you'll need to look a bit further than Scripture itself. Some of those details are quite fascinating.

Because there are several terms used this can get a bit confusing to us. In the day of these Scriptures people knew the differences between the trumpets and which one was used for what occasion. Thus, they didn't make a clear distinction in the text as to which one was being used. That would have been most helpful for us today, since we don't have that degree of familiarity with these processes.

May you be enriched as you grasp a new appreciation for "trumpets" (or horns) and how they were used. There is a time coming - yet in the future - when a very special trumpet sound will occur. Do you know what it is? Read on.

From The Old Covenant

3104. lEbwøy  yowbel, yo-bale´; or lEbyú  yobel, yob-ale´; apparently from 2986; the blast of a horn (from its continuous sound); specifically, the signal of the silver trumpets; hence, the instrument itself and the festival thus introduced:
— jubile, ram’s horn, trumpet.

2986. lAbÎy  yabal, yaw-bal´; a primitive root; properly, to flow; causatively, to bring (especially with pomp):
—bring (forth), carry, lead (forth).

NOTE: In Strong’s Definitions everything after the (:—) is a word that was used to “translate” the term within the King James Version of The Bible. it is not part of the definition.

Ex. 19:13:  He is not to touch it with his hand 
because he will be stoned, 
stoned or shot,
shot! 
Whether animal or human being 
it will not live. 

At the drawing out of the trumpet sound 
they may go up on the mountain.” 
     (At the giving of The Torah at Sinai.)

Lev. 25:10-13: And you are to set apart 
the year itself,  את
the fiftieth year! 

And you are to proclaim freedom in the land 
for the sake of all its inhabitants. 
It is to be a horn blast for you. 
And you are to return, each man to his possession. 
And each man is to return to his family.

yowbel, or yobel - the blast of a horn.

Tradition translates this as "Jubilee". That's a transliteration of the word, not a translation of it. Thus we've been given "The Year of Jubilee". It should be translated, more properly, as "The Year of The Horn Blast."

Now a distinction was indeed needed because Yom Teruah (The Day of The Trumpet) is held once every year, at this very same time of the year. The Year of The Yobel needs to be distinguished from this.

But there's something else we need to identify. The blast of the horn was heard by The Yisra'elites at Mount Sinai when YAHWEH spoke The Torah to them. There was a lound "noise", like a rushing wind (horn blast?) at Shavuot (Pentecost). And there will be a loud horn blast sounded at the return of The Messiah. Each of these events proclaims a "freedom" of some sort.

25:11 A horn blast year the fiftieth year is to be for you. 
You are not to sow.
And you are not to cut down what grows on its own.  את
And you are not to gather its consecrated vines themselves  את
25:12 because it is a horn blast. 
It is to be set apart for you. 
From the field you are to eat of its produce itself.  את

25:13 In this Year of The Horn Blast 
you are to return, each man to his possession. 

Joshua 6:4 And seven priests 
are to carry seven ram's horns 
before The Chest. 
And on the seventh day 
you are to encircle 
the city itself  את
seven times. 
And the priests 
are to sound the ram's horns.

6.5 And it will be 
at a prolonged sounding 
on the ram’s horn, 
at your hearing 
the sound itself  את
of the ram's horn, 
all the people are to shout 
a great noise. 
And the wall of the city 
will fall down flat. 
And the people are to go up, 
each man straight before him.”

6.6 And Yahoshua, 
son of Nun, 
called for the priests. 
And he said to them, 
“Lift up The Chest of The Covenant itself.  את
And seven priests 
are to carry seven ram's horns 
for sounding blasts 
before The Chest of YAHWEH.”

Josh. 6.7 And he said to the people, 
“Pass over and encircle 
the city itself.  את
And the armed ones 
are to pass over 
before The Chest of YAHWEH.”

6.8 And it was as Yahoshua 
had spoken to the people. 
And the seven priests 
carrying the seven rams’ horns 
for sounding the blasts before YAHWEH 
passed over. 
And they sounded with the ram's horns. 
And The Chest of The Covenant of YAHWEH 
came behind them. 

Joshua 6.13 And the seven priests 
carrying seven ram's horns 
for sounding  
before The Chest of YAHWEH 
were walking, walking. 
And they sounded with the ram's horns. 
And the armed men walked before them. 
And the gathering walked behind 
The Chest of YAHWEH 
walking and sounding on the ram's horns. (S4S Version)

7782. rDpwøv  showphar, sho-far´; or rDpOv  shophar, sho-far´; from 8231 in the original sense of incising; a cornet (as giving a clear sound) or curved horn: 
—cornet, trumpet.

8231. rApÎv  shaphar, shaw-far´; a primitive root; to glisten, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) fair:—x goodly.

Ex. 19:16:  And it was on the third day, in the morning. 
And there were loud sounds 
and lightnings, 
and a heavy cloud over the mountain. 
And the sound of the ram’s horn was exceedingly loud. 
And all the people who were in the camp shuddered with terror.

Ex. 19:19: And the sound of the ram’s horn was continuing. 
And  it was exceedingly powerful. 
Moshe spoke. 
And The Elohim responded to him with a voice.

Ex. 20:18:  And all the people saw 
the sounds themselves,   את
the lightning flashes themselves,  את
the sound of the ram’s horn itself,  את
and the mountain itself smoking.   את 
And the people saw and they trembled and stood at a distance.

Lev. 25:9:  And you are to pass over a shofar blast. 
in the seventh new moon, 
on the tenth after the new moon, 
on The Day of Atonement 
you are to pass over a shofar blast in all your land.

'abar - to cross over; used very widely of any transition. 
"Pass over" has been used because of its extreme significance in Scripture.
The shofar, a ram's horn, was to be blown so that it "passed over" the entire land. 
When connected to The Day of Atonement it symbolizes the passing over of our sin debt that YAHWEH would accomplish much later in sending The Messiah to earth.

Josh. 6:16:  And it was at the seventh time. 
The priests sounded on the ram's horns. 
And Yahoshua said to the people, 
“Shout, 
because YAHWEH 
has given to you 
the city itself!  את

Josh. 6:20:  And the people shouted. 
And they sounded on the ram's horns. 
And it was at hearing 
the sound of the ram's horn. 
And the people shouted a great shout. 
And the wall fell down flat!

And the people went up into the city, 
each man straight before him. 
And they captured 
the city itself!  את  (S4S Version) 

Judg. 3:27:  And it was as he was coming. 
And he blew the shofar
in the mountains of Ephraim. 
And the children of Yisra’el 
went down with him from the mountains. 
And he was in front of them.

Judg. 6:34:  And the Divine Nature of YAHWEH 
clothed Gid'on himself.  את
And he blew the shofar. 
And the Abi'ezerites gathered behind him.

Judg. 7:8: And the people took food itself  את
in their hands  
and their shofars themselves.  את
And all the rest of Yisra'el itself  את
he sent away,  
each man to his tent. 
And with three hundred men 
he was strengthened.

Judg. 7:16:  And he split 
the three hundred men themselves  את
to three leaders. 
And he gave a shofar 
into the hands of all of them 
and empty jars 
and torches within the jars. 

Judg. 7:18-22: And I will blow on the shofar, 
I and all who are with me myself.  את
And you are to blow on the shofar also, 
you yourselves,  את 
all round the entire camp.
And you are to say,
 ‘For YAHWEH 
and for Gid'on!’ ”
7.19 And Gid’on 
and the hundred men 
who were with he himself  את
came to the edge of the encampment 
at the beginning of the middle watch. 
The new watch itself  את
had just stood up. 
And they blew on the shofars 
and broke the jars 
that were in their hands. 
7.20 And the three companies 
blew on the shofars. 
And they broke the jars. 
And they held the torches 
in their left hands 
and in their right hands 
the shofars for blowing. 
And they called out, 
“For YAHWEH 
and for Gid'on!” 
7.21 And each stood in his place 
all around the encampment. 
And all the encampment ran 
And they cried out. 
And they fled. 
7.22 And the three hundred 
blew the shofars. 
And YAHWEH placed 
the sword itself  את
of each one
against his companion 
and all the encampment. 
And the encampment fled to Bet Shitta, 
toward Tzererat, 
as far as the border of Abel Meholah, 
beside Tabbat.

1Sam. 13:3:  And Yahonathan struck 
the garrison of the Philistines itself  את
that was at Geba. 
And the Philistines heard. 
And Sha’ul blew the shofar 
is all the land saying, 
“Let the Hebrews listen attentively!” 

2Sam. 2:28:  Yo’ab then blew a shofar. 
And all the people stood. 
And they did not pursue Yisra'el any longer. 
And they did not fight any more. 

2Sam. 6:15: And David 
and all the house of Yisra’el 
brought up 
The Chest of YAHWEH itself  את
with shouting 
and with the sound of the shofar.

2Sam. 15:10: And Abshalom sent spies 
into all the tribes of Yisra'el saying, 
“As you hear the sound itself  את
of the shofar
then you are to say,
‘Abshalom has become king at Hebron!’ ”

2Sam. 18:16: And Yo’ab blew with a shofar. 
And the people returned from pursuing after Yisra’el 
because Yo’ab restrained 
the people themselves.  את

2Sam. 20:1:  And a man of worthlessness was there. 
And his name was Sheba, 
son of Bikri, 
a Binyamite. 
And he blew on a shofar. 
And he said, 
“None of us 
have an allotment with David, 
nor an inheritance 
in the son of Yishai! 
Every man to his tents, 
Yisra'el!”

2Sam. 20:22:  And the woman went in her wisdom 
to all the people. 
And they cut off 
the head itself  את
of Sheba, son of Bikri. 
And they threw it down to Yo’ab. 
And he blew with a shofar. 
And they dispersed from the city, 
each man to his tent. 
And Yo’ab returned to Yerushalaim, 
to the king.

1Kings 1:34:  And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and you blow with the trumpet, and say, YAHWEH save king Solomon. 

1Kings 1:39:  And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, YAHWEH save King Solomon. 

1Kings 1:41:  And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar? 

2Kings 9:13:  Then they hurried, and every man took his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Yehu is king. 

1Chr. 15:28:  Thus all Israel brought up The Chest of the Covenant of YAHWEH with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps. 

2Chr. 15:14:  And they swore unto YAHWEH with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with coronets. 

Neh. 4:18:  For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so built. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. 

Neh. 4:20: In whatever place therefore you hear the sound of the trumpet, resort there to us: our Elohim will fight for us. 

Job 39:24:  He swallows the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believes that it is the sound of the trumpet. 

Job 39:25:  He says among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. 

Psa. 47:5:  Elohim is gone up with a shout, YAHWEH with the sound of a trumpet. 

Psa. 81:3:  Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. 

Psa. 98:6:  With trumpets and sound of a coronet make a joyful noise before YAHWEH, The King. 

Psa. 150:3:  Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. 

Is. 18:3:  All you inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, you look when He lifts up an ensign on the mountains; and when He blows a trumpet, you listen. 

Is. 27:13:  And it will come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet will be blown, and they will come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and will worship YAHWEH in the holy mountain at Jerusalem. 

Is. 58:1:  Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 

Jer. 4:5:  Declare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities. 

Jer. 4:19:  My bowels, my bowels! I am pained in my very heart; my heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, O my life, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. 

Jer. 4:21:  How long will I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? 

Jer. 6:1:  O you children of Binyamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appears out of the north, and great destruction. 

Jer. 6:17:  Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Listen to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not listen.
(It's possible to ignore the warning sounds.)

Jer. 42:14:  Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we will see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger for bread; and there will we dwell: 

Jer. 51:27:  Set up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her. Call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz. Appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers. 

Ezek. 33:3-6:  If when he sees the sword come upon the land, he blows the trumpet, and warns the people 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet, and takes no warning; if the sword comes, and takes him away, his blood will be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took no warning; his blood will be upon him. But he that takes warning will deliver his vital essence. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword come, and blows not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword comes, and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. 

Hos. 5:8:  Blow the coronet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after you, O Benjamin. 

Hos. 8:1:  Set the trumpet to your mouth. He will come as an eagle against the house of YAHWEH, because they have violated My covenant, and rebelled against My Torah. 

Joel 2:1:  Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of YAHWEH comes, for it is near at hand; 

Joel 2:15:  Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: 

Amos 2:2:  But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it will devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab will die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet: 

Amos 3:6:  Will a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Will there be evil in a city, and YAHWEH has not done it? 

Zeph. 1:16:  A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. 

Zech. 9:14:  And YAHWEH will be seen over them, and His arrow will go forth as the lightning: and YAHWEH Elohim will blow the trumpet, and will go with whirlwinds of the south.

2689. h∂rVxOxSj  chatsotsrah, khats-o-tser-aw´; by reduplication from 2690; a trumpet (from its sundered or quavering note):
—trumpet(-er).

2690. rAxDj  chatsar, khaw-tsar´; a primitive root; properly, to surround with a stockade, and thus separate from the open country; but used only in the reduplicated form.

Num. 10:2:  Make for yourself two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece you are to make them: that you may use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 

Num. 10:8 : And the sons of Aharon, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they will be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. 

Num. 10:9:  And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then you will blow an alarm with the trumpets; and you will be remembered before YAHWEH, your Elohim, and you will be delivered from your enemies. 

Num. 10:10:  Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, you are to blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings, that they may be to you as a memorial before your Elohim: I am YAHWEH, your Elohim. 

Num. 31:6:  And Moshe 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. 

2Kings 11:14:  And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, "Treason, Treason." 

2Kings 12:13:  However, there were not made for the house of YAHWEH bowls of silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of YAHWEH. 

1Chr. 13:8:  And David and all Israel played before YAHWEH with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets. 

1Chr. 15:24:  And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before The Chest of YAHWEH: and Obededom and Yehiah were doorkeepers for the ark. 

1Chr. 15:28:  Thus all Yisra’el brought up The Chest of the Covenant of YAHWEH with shouting, and with sound of the coronet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps. 

1Chr. 16:6:  Benaiah also and Yahazi’el the priests with trumpets continually before The Chest of the covenant of YAHWEH. 

1Chr. 16:42:  And with them Heman and Yeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of YAHWEH. And the sons of Yeduthun were porters. 

2Chr. 5:12-13:  Also the Levites, the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Yeduthun, with their sons and their brothers, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the slaughter stie, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets: 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking YAHWEH; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised YAHWEH, saying, For He is good; for His mercy is for ever: that the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of YAHWEH; 

2Chr. 13:12:  And, behold, YAHWEH Himself is with us as captain, and His priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Yisra’el, fight not against YAHWEH, The Elohim of your fathers; for you will not prosper. 

2Chr. 13:14:  And when Yahudah (Judah) looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto YAHWEH, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 

2Chr. 15:14:  And they swore unto YAHWEH with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with coronets. 

2Chr. 20:28:  And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets to the house of YAHWEH. 

2Chr. 29:26:  And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 

2Chr. 29:27-28:  And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of YAHWEH began with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel. 28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 

Ezra 3:10:  And when the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of YAHWEH, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise YAHWEH, after the ordinance of David king of Yisra’el. 

Neh. 12:35: And certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Yonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph: 

Neh. 12:41:  And the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; 

Psa. 98:6:  With trumpets and sound of coronet make a joyful noise before YAHWEH, The King. 

Hos. 5:8:  Blow the coronet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after you, O Binyamin.

From The New Covenant

Below are The New Covenant passages containing the word" trumpet". Since The New Covenant has come to us mainly from the Greek copies of it we must consider that these verses apply just as if they were The Old Covenant terms. Unfortunately, you'll have to try to discern from the surrounding text which Old Covenant term to use. There is little to tell us other than historical uses.
4537. salpi÷zw salpizo, sal-pid´-zo; from 4536; to trumpet, i.e. sound a blast (literally or figuratively): 
— (which are yet to) sound (a trumpet).

4536. sa¿lpigx salpigx, sal´-pinx; perhaps from 4535 (through the idea of quavering or reverberation); a trumpet:
— trump(-et).
4535. sa¿loß  salos, sal´-os; probably from the base of 4525; a vibration, i.e. (specially), billow:
— wave. salpizo, sal-pid´-zo; from 4536; to trumpet, i.e. sound a blast (literally or figuratively): — (which are yet to) sound (a trumpet).

Matt. 6:2:  Therefore, when you do a charitable deed do not sound a trumpet blast in front of you exactly like the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they might be honored by human beings. Assuredly I say to you, they have their compensation.

Matt. 24:31:  And He will send out His messengers with a great sound of a trumpet. And they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other.

1Cor. 14:8:  Indeed, if the battle trumpet makes an uncertain sound who will prepare for battle?

1Cor. 15:52:  in an instant, in the blink of an eye at the last trumpet. Indeed, the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we who are alive will be made different.

Heb. 12:19:  or the blast of a trumpet or the sound of speech, so that those who heard begged that The Word should not be presented further to them,

The Book of Revelation has a number of references to trumpets. Each of them has its unique significance. It's a study in itself.

Rev. 1:10:  I was in the vital essence on YAHWEH’s Day, and heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

Rev. 4:1:  After these things I looked. And behold! A door was standing open in The Heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here and I will show you what must take place after these things!”

Rev. 8:13:  And I observed. And I heard one messenger flying in the midst of the sky, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who reside upon the earth, because of the remaining sounds of the trumpet of the three messengers who are about to sound a blast!”

Rev. 9:14:  saying to the sixth messenger who had the trumpet, “Release the four messengers who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

Perhaps now you'll have a new appreciation for a trumpet sound when you hear one. They're great instruments for musical enjoyment. And Scripturally they were among the more important instruments used.

NOTE:  These pages are a "work in progress". They're updated fairly often as new information or insights are provided that require a change in what's presented. Please check back regularly to see what may have changed since your last visit. Scripture verses used on the site are from Scripture For Seekers (see the Home Page) where the text has been completed. All of the books of Re-Thinking The New Covenant are completed. Work on The Old Covenant Revisited has been started. New books will be added as they're completed. They're not always presented on these pages in exactly the same format as they occur in the book due to space considerations but the text is the same. Every available book is in PDF format. Download or print your own copy today. Personal use is free, but these are not to be used for any commercial purpose. Please contact the site owner if you have an interest in commercial usage..