John Gill Commentary Amos 6:5

"that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol; that invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;" — Amos 6:5 (ASV)

That chant to the sound of the viol Or psaltery; an instrument of twelve cords, and that gave twelve sounds, as Josephus ^F24 says, being stricken with the fingers; and to these sounds these men chanted or quivered, made like sounds with their voice, which they raised higher or lower, according to the sound of the instrument: they "particularized", as the word signifies ^F25 ; or observed the divisions and distinctions of notes and sounds, by the modulation of their voice:

[and] invent to themselves instruments of music, like David : not content with old ones, such as were used in former times, they invented new instruments and new tunes, and new songs to sing to them; as David made songs and invented several instruments of music to sing them upon and to, in religious worship, and for the praise and glory of God; so these men invented new ones to indulge their carnal mirth and jollity, in which they thought themselves to be justified by the example of David.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F24: Antiqu. l. 7. c. 19. sect. 3.
• F25: (Myjrwph) "particularizantes", Montanus; "qui particularia habent cantica", Pagninus; "qui particulatim canunt", Vatablus, Mercerus; "variis modulationibus concinunt", Tigurine version.