Tortured (5178) (tumpanizo is from the Greek word tumpanon = a tambourine or drum; English = tympanic membrane or eardrum) is a very picturesque verb which means to stretch on an instrument of torture resembling a drum and thus to beat to death. Vine comments that The verb tumpanizo signifies either to beat to death (tumpanon, a drum, beaten with a drumstick), or to stretch upon a wheel for torture. The sense is general, i.e., to inflict any kind of torture. John MacArthur notes that... The particular torture referred to involved stretching the victim over a large drum-like instrument and beating him with clubs, often until dead. God’s faithful are willing to be beaten to death rather than compromise their faith in Him. They would not sacrifice the future on the altar of the immediate. They preferred being put to death, because by faith they knew that one day they would be resurrected. (MacArthur, John: Hebrews. Moody Press) The root word tympanum is used in the Septuagint (LXX) for the timbrel or tambourine. Liddell Scott quote Hdt.4.76, which describes it as a kettledrum as was used in the worship of the mother goddess and Dionysus. There are two uses below describing the tympanum as a rack, a wheel shaped instrument of torture, over which criminals were stretched as though they were skins (like skins over a tambourine) and then were horribly beaten with clubs or thongs. It follows that the verb used here in Hebrews 11 means to beat or scourge the victim upon the rack (tumpanon), in essence beating them to death, a horrible way to die. The root word tympanum is used 21x in 20 verses all in the Septuagint (LXX) - Ge 31:27; Ex 15:20; Jda. 11:34; Jdg 11:34; 1 Sam 10:5; 18:6; 2 Sam 6:5; 1 Chr 13:8; 1Esd 5:2; Jdt 3:7; 16:1; 1Macc 9:39; 2Macc 6:19, 28; Ps 80:3; 149:3; 150:4; Isa 5:12; 24:8; Jer 38:4. Note that all of these uses except for two refer to the musical instrument upon which one beats to "make a beat". The NRSV has the following two exceptions in the Apocryphal writings... 2 Maccabees 6:18-20 Eleazar, one of the scribes in high position, a man now advanced in age and of noble presence, was being forced to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh. 19 But he, welcoming death with honor rather than life with pollution, went up to the rack (tumpanon) of his own accord, spitting out the flesh, 20 as all ought to go who have the courage to refuse things that it is not right to taste, even for the natural love of life. 2 Maccabees 6:27-28 Therefore, by bravely giving up my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age 28 and leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws." When he had said this, he went at once to the rack (tumpanon). "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://preceptaustin.org/hebrews_1135-36.htm#t