κύμβᾰλον G2950
cymbal, percussion instrument for religious music
Paul declares that love is essential—without it, 'I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal' (1 Corinthians 13:1). Cymbals were percussion instruments used in worship, including temple service. The point is not that cymbals are bad but that they are mere noise without musical context and purpose. Speech without love is like a cymbal struck randomly—loud but meaningless. Paul may also allude to pagan religious rites where cymbals accompanied ecstatic frenzy. Love distinguishes meaningful communication from empty sound.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Paul's famous love chapter uses the cymbal as image of loveless speech—loud, metallic noise signifying nothing. Cymbals were common in both Jewish temple worship and pagan rites. The point isn't that cymbals are inherently bad but that they produce mere noise when divorced from musical purpose and harmony. All language witnesses identify the percussion instrument. Without love, even prophetic speech and angelic tongues become random clanging—sound without substance, noise without meaning. 1×
AR["صَنْجًا"]·ben["কাঁসি"]·DE["Zimbel"]·EN["a-cymbal"]·FR["cymbale"]·heb["מְצִלְתַּיִם"]·HI["झाँझ"]·ID["canang"]·IT["cembalo"]·jav["bèngkèl"]·KO["꿔과리"]·PT["címbalo"]·RU["кимвал"]·ES["címbalo"]·SW["upatu"]·TR["zil"]·urd["جھانجھ"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κύμβᾰλον, τό, (κύμβος) cymbal, Refs 5th c.BC+: mostly in plural, LXX+5th c.BC+