hand drum / frame drum

The musical instrument that is most often translated as “tambourine,” “timbrel,” or “drum” in English is translated in the following ways:

In the UBS Helps for Translators‘ Human-made Things in the Bible (original title: The Works of Their Hands: Man-made Things in the Bible) it says the following:

Description: The drum consisted of a membrane, usually of animal skin, which was stretched over a shallow circular, triangular, or square frame.

Usage: The drum was struck sharply with one or two hands, depending on where it was situated. It could be held in the left hand, under the left arm, or against the chest and struck with the right hand, or it could be held on the knees or the ground and struck with one or two hands. The fingers of the left hand could be used to tighten or loosen the tension on the membrane as it was struck with the palm of the right hand.

Translation: The use of the Hebrew word tof is usually associated with singing, processions, and festivals. Archaeological evidence indicates that drums with metal circlets on the frame (“tambourines” or “timbrels”) were not known in biblical times. As a general rule, the best translation for this word will be “hand drum” or simply “drum.”

Lyre (source: Knowles, revised by Bass (c) British and Foreign Bible Society 1994)

Quoted with permission.

Translation commentary on 1 Maccabees 9:39

They raised their eyes and looked, and saw a tumultuous procession with much baggage: They raised their eyes and looked is a Hebrew idiom. Translators may follow Good News Bible with “They kept watch and saw,” or they may say simply “From there they saw” or even “Soon they saw” (Contemporary English Version). A tumultuous procession refers to the bridal party coming from Nadabath. Good News Bible says “a noisy crowd,” but this may give the wrong impression. It suggests a disorderly group. An better model is “a large group of people making a lot of noise.” The baggage the procession was bringing would be the bride’s dowry, the goods that would become the husband’s property. The first half of this verse may be rendered “While they were watching, they saw a large group of people [or, the bridal procession] coming. The people were making a lot of noise, and they had lots of goods with them.”

And the bridegroom came out with his friends and his brothers to meet them with tambourines and musicians and many weapons: It is not certain where they came out from. We may avoid this problem by saying “were on their way.” His brothers probably refers to his extended family, so it may be rendered “his relatives” (Good News Bible). Tambourines is better translated “drums” (Good News Bible). Musicians may refer to people playing musical instruments or to singers or to both; verse 41 implies singers. The Greek word for weapons may render a Hebrew term that can refer to “things” in general as well as “weapons” in particular. So the last half of this verse may be translated “Another group was on its way to meet them, led by the bridegroom and his friends and brothers, all heavily armed [or, all bringing many things to the wedding]. There was music [or, singing], and the sound of drums” or “The heavily armed bridegroom, his friends, and his relatives were on their way to meet them [or, the bridal party]. People were singing and playing drums.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.