מַשְׁרוֹקִי
𐤌𐤔𐤓𐤅𐤒𐤉
mashrôwqîy
H4953 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A musical pipe or flute, typically a simple reed or wind instrument capable of producing a high-pitched, whistling sound. The term denotes an instrument played in group celebrations or court orchestras, particularly in the Late Biblical and Persian periods, with emphasis on its function in accompaniment and signaling rather than melodic complexity.
Semantic Range
musical pipe, flute, wind instrument, pipe capable of whistling or shrill sounds
Root / Etymology
Root: שׁרק (to whistle). The Aramaic form מַשְׁרוֹקִי derives from a root cognate with the Hebrew שָׁרַק meaning 'to whistle' or 'make a shrill sound.' The noun form designates an object by its characteristic sound—so, an instrument that produces a whistling note, i.e., a pipe or flute.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Used in Daniel 3 in Aramaic sections, מַשְׁרוֹקִי reflects musical culture of the Persian and early Hellenistic periods, likely introduced or popularized under foreign influences. The exact instrument is debated: ancient translations mostly render it as 'pipe' or 'flute,' but some identify it with more specific regional instruments. The term does not appear in pre-exilic Hebrew; parallel Hebrew terms such as עוּגָב (ʿugav, 'pipe') or חָלִיל (chalil, 'flute') are more common in earlier texts. English translations often obscure this distinction, sometimes translating various terms as 'flute' or 'pipe' regardless of their different lexical backgrounds. Notably, the later English word 'flute' carries connotations (such as a specific structure or classical orchestration) not present in the ancient context, where such instruments were simple reed pipes for popular and ceremonial use.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to שָׁרַק; a (musical) pipe (from its whistling sound); flute.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שרק (š-r-q) — to whistle, make a shrill sound
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H8292 | שְׁרוּקָה | whistlings of |
| H8319 | שָׁרַק | I will whistle |
| H8322 | שְׁרֵקָה | a hissing sound |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4953-01 |
מַ֠שְׁרוֹקִיתָ/א | masheroqita | ANcfsd/Td |
flute | the whistling pipe | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4953-01 |
Daniel 3:5 | מַ֠שְׁרוֹקִיתָ/א | masheroqita | ANcfsd/Td |
flute | the whistling pipe |
H4953-01 |
Daniel 3:7 | מַשְׁר֨וֹקִיתָ֜/א | masheroqita | ANcfsd/Td |
flute-the | the whistling pipe |
H4953-01 |
Daniel 3:10 | מַ֠שְׁרֹקִיתָ/א | masheroqita | ANcfsd/Td |
flute | the whistling pipe |
H4953-01 |
Daniel 3:15 | מַשְׁרוֹקִיתָ֣/א | masheroqita | ANcfsd/Td |
flute | the whistling pipe |