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מְצֵלֶת

𐤌𐤑𐤋𐤕

mᵉtsêleth

H4700 noun

SILEX Entry

Root צָלַל to ring, to tinkle, to produce a sharp sound

Definition

A pair of percussion instruments made of metal (cymbals), typically struck together to produce a ringing or clashing sound, used in ritual and musical settings. The word primarily refers to a set of two cymbals (dual form), employed in praise or temple ceremonies.

Semantic Range

pair of cymbals, percussion instruments for ritual or sacred music, metallic clashing sound-makers; used in musical procession or temple worship

Root / Etymology

Root צָלַל (ts-l-l), meaning 'to tingle, ring, or produce a clear sharp sound.' מְצֵלֶת is a dual form noun, indicating a pair of objects (cymbals) that produce a resonant metallic sound when struck together. The relationship between the root sound (ringing, tinkling) and the instrument is direct: the cymbals are so named for their characteristic piercing sound.

Historical & Contextual Notes

מְצֵלֶת occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in 2 Samuel 6:5 and 1 Chronicles 13:8, both contexts describing musical accompaniment to the procession of sacred objects. The dual form emphasizes their function as a pair. The use of cymbals is attested in temple and procession contexts, where they accompany other instruments (such as lyres and harps). The מְצֵלֶת should not be confused with צִלְצַל (H6767), another Hebrew term for cymbals or tinkling instruments, which may reflect either a broader category of metallic percussion or a linguistic variant. English translations typically render מְצֵלֶת as 'cymbals,' which accurately reflects its musical function, though modern associations (e.g., with orchestra cymbals) may not fully capture the size, shape, or specific usage in ancient Israelite ritual. Ancient Near Eastern parallels suggest these were small, hand-held, and used in pairs to create sound marking significant moments in cultic worship.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from צָלַל; (only dual) double tinklers, i.e. cymbals; cymbals.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

צלל (ts-l-l) — to ring, tingle, produce a sharp metallic sound

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1212 בְּצַלְאֵל In-the-Shadow-of-God
H4698 מְצִלָּה tinkling-bells of
H4699 מְצֻלָּה in the deep abyss
H6738 צֵל in the shade
H6741 צִלָּה Tsillah

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4700-05 וּ/בִ/מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם uvimetsiletayim HC/R/Ncfda and with cymbals and in a ringing cymbal-pair 4
H4700-02 בִּ/מְצִלְתַּ֥יִם bimetsiletayim HR/Ncfda with cymbals with ringing cymbals 4
H4700-04 וּ/מְצִלְתָּ֑יִם umetsiletayim HC/Ncfda and cymbals and ringing cymbal-pair 2
H4700-01 בַּֽ/מְצִלְתַּ֔יִם bametsiletayim HRd/Ncfda with the cymbals with the ringing cymbal-pair 2
H4700-03 מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם metsiletayim HNcfda cymbals ringing cymbal-pair 1

Occurrences in Scripture

13 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4700-01 Ezra 3:10 בַּֽ/מְצִלְתַּ֔יִם bametsiletayim HRd/Ncfda with-cymbals with the ringing cymbal-pair
H4700-03 Nehemiah 12:27 מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם metsiletayim HNcfda cymbals ringing cymbal-pair
H4700-05 1 Chronicles 13:8 וּ/בִ/מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם uvimetsiletayim HC/R/Ncfda and with cymbals and in a ringing cymbal-pair
H4700-04 1 Chronicles 15:16 וּ/מְצִלְתָּ֑יִם umetsiletayim HC/Ncfda and cymbals and ringing cymbal-pair
H4700-02 1 Chronicles 15:19 בִּ/מְצִלְתַּ֥יִם bimetsiletayim HR/Ncfda with cymbals with ringing cymbals
H4700-05 1 Chronicles 15:28 וּ/בִ/מְצִלְתָּ֑יִם uvimetsiletayim HC/R/Ncfda and with cymbals and in a ringing cymbal-pair
H4700-01 1 Chronicles 16:5 בַּֽ/מְצִלְתַּ֥יִם bametsiletayim HRd/Ncfda with the cymbals with the ringing cymbal-pair
H4700-04 1 Chronicles 16:42 וּ/מְצִלְתַּ֨יִם֙ umetsiletayim HC/Ncfda and cymbals and ringing cymbal-pair
H4700-05 1 Chronicles 25:1 וּ/בִ/מְצִלְתָּ֑יִם uvimetsiletayim HC/R/Ncfda and with cymbals and in a ringing cymbal-pair
H4700-02 1 Chronicles 25:6 בִּ/מְצִלְתַּ֨יִם֙ bimetsiletayim HR/Ncfda with cymbals with ringing cymbals
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