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SHEMINITH
(Shemʹi·nith) [Heb., shemi·nithʹ].
Although the literal meaning of this musical term is “the eighth,” its exact significance is uncertain. It may refer to a particular musical register, or mode, a lower one, and if any musical instruments were associated with the term, they would probably be those used to play the bass tones of the musical scale.
At 1 Chronicles 15:21, harps are spoken of as being “tuned to Sheminith [‘possibly referring to the eighth key or to the octave, a lower octave,’ ftn. c, NW, 1955 ed.; ‘probably the bass octave,’ ftn. z, Da].” Consistently, the superscriptions of Psalms 6 and 12 (both psalms being of somber character) read: “To the director (on stringed instruments) on the lower octave [shemi·nithʹ],” which may indicate that these songs would be accompanied by music in a lower range and sung accordingly.
