** **There are two words in the OT that are translated as cymbals. Selseliym and mesiltayim. I have not found the difference between the two. Cymbal is found only once in the NT and is the word kymbalon.
David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals (selseliym). II Samuel 6:5
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and the flute,
praise him with the clash of cymbals (selseliym),
praise him with resounding cymbals (selseliym).
Ps. 150:3-5
David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals. I Chr. 15:16
The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; I Chr. 15:19
So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, with the sounding of rams' horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps. I Chr. 15:28
He [David] appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel: Asaph was the chief, Zechariah second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. I Chr. 16:4-6
David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. I Chr. 25:1
He [David] appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel: Asaph was the chief, Zechariah second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. I Chr. 16:4-6
Herman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. I Chr. 16:42
All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the LORD, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king. I Chr. 25:6
All the Levites who were musicians-Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives-stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang:
"He is good; his love endures forever."
Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God. II Chr. 5:12-14
He [King Hezekiah] stationed the Levites in the temple of the LORD with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David and Gad the kin's seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the LORD through his prophets. II Chr. 29:25
When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praises the Lord, as prescribed by David King of Israel. Ezra 3:10
At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. Neh. 12:27
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal (kymbalon). I Cor. 13:1
** Picture Credit: The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. 3, p 471, plate 80, Abington Press.
Created 1/2/97 Revised 08/31/01