צֶלְצְלִים
tsel.tse.lim
banging
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe word "צֶלְצְלִים" (tsel.tse.lim, Strong's number: H6767D) is defined as "banging." This onomatopoeic word imitates the sound of repetitive, resonant impacts. In the three instances where this word is used in the Bible, it describes different phenomena. In one instance, it refers to the banging of the stones by the people of Jerusalem during the time of King David's exile in Moab. This suggests a sense of protest or lament. In the other two instances, the word is associated with the people rejoicing or making a festive noise, like banging on pots and pans to create music. This usage suggests a celebratory or joyful atmosphere. The significance of this word lies in its depiction of communal sounds and actions that convey emotions such as protest, joy, or celebration. As an onomatopoeic word, it effectively conveys the auditory sensations of banging and the emotions it evokes in the biblical context.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences across the text
Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals!
Psalms 150:5Praise him with loud cymbals! Praise him with resounding cymbals!
2 Samuel 6:5David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all kinds of instruments made of cypress wood, with harps, with stringed instruments, with tambourines, with castanets, and with cymbals.