Cymbal
Cymbals are very much part of modern music, and modern Western drumsets. Traditionally they are casted alloy instruments(bronze and brass are alloys). Some modern ones (like B8 of Sabian) are from rolled flat bronze sheets.
Cymbals are made to have different tone characteristics(Turkish styles have pronounced and longer white sound, and Chinese styles and wide mouthed bells have dark or German sounds) for different purpose. They have pitches(although usually thought of as pitchless percussion instruments) after white sounds.
They can be played by hitting two cymbals together or hitting a cymbal with a stick or striker.
Cymbals of bronze(having the right mix of metals) have loud deep musical tones.
Cymbals of brass tend to have less volume and higher pitch sounds.
Ironware, such as cow bells, have less volume and sustain in their sounds.
Bronze cymbals are most desirable.
Bronze gongs can be made to sound loud. Their sounds, as in Chinese cymbals(referring to shape, pattern and categories), tend to be dark or German.
Cymbal-1Cor13v1:
13:1
我若能說萬人的方言, 並天使的話語卻沒有愛, 我就成了鳴的鑼, 響的鈸一般.Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. -KJV
Expressions of speeches are like sounding brass and tinkling symbal, very loud, clear and touching for the audience.
Sounding brass in the KJV is translated as sounding gong in the Chinese HO-Ho version.
Cymbols:
2Sam 6v5:
6:5
大衛和以色列的全家在耶和華面前, 用松木製造的各樣樂器和琴, 瑟, 鼓, 鈸, 鑼, 作樂跳舞.And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
All instruments are to be played before the Lord. And this did not occur in the Temple, as it was not built yet.
Cornets(small shofar/trumpet) not mentioned in the Chinese translation.
The Chinese translation mentioned that the people even dance with music. Reverence is not shown with quietness. It is shown/expressed with the greatest joy possible.
鈸, 鑼 refered to as cymbals.
8 occurrence in 1Ch. The highest concentration in the Bible.
1Ch13v8:
13:8
大衛和以色列眾人在神前用琴, 瑟, 鑼, 鼓, 號作樂, 極力跳舞歌唱.And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.
This verse seemingly repeats that of 2Sam6v5.
Praise God with all our might, with everything we have.
鑼 refered to as cymbals.
1Ch15v16:
15:16
大衛吩咐利未人的族長, 派他們歌唱的弟兄用琴瑟和鈸作樂, 歡歡喜喜地大聲歌頌.And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.
Here cymbals come after other instruments.
1Ch15v19:
15:19
這樣, 派歌唱的希幔, 亞薩, 以探敲銅鈸, 大發響聲.So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass; -KJV
Musicians for the Lord are so significant that their names are mentioned in scriptures.
The singers played the music instrument at the same time.
Here in KJV the cymbals are mentioned to be of brass. NASV uses bronze.
1Ch 15:
22 利未人的族長基拿尼雅, 是歌唱人的首領. 又教訓人歌唱, 因為他精通此事.And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.
There is a leader to singers. And he instructed about the song.
Christians do not and should not just rely on the moving of the Spirit to do things. Skill and instruction are required.
1Ch15v28:
15:28
這樣, 以色列眾人歡呼吹角, 吹號, 敲鈸, 鼓瑟, 彈琴, 大發響聲, 將耶和華的約櫃抬上來.Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.
With shouting! Lets not keep quiet in matters concerning God.
鈸=cymbals here.
Make a (Joyful) noise for the Lord.
15:29
耶和華的約櫃進了大衛城的時候, 掃羅的女兒米甲從窗戶裡觀看, 見大衛王踴躍跳舞, 心裡就輕視他.And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart. -KJV
We ought not look down upon the dancers for the Lord God. "Leaping and making merry" used in NASV.
This joy is approved of God.
1Ch16v5:
16:5
為首的是亞薩, 其次是撒迦利雅, 雅薛, 示米拉末, 耶歇, 瑪他提雅, 以利押, 比拿雅, 俄別以東, 耶利, 鼓瑟彈琴. 惟有亞薩敲鈸, 大發響聲.Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;
Asaph the instrument chief led and played with cymbals.
16:6
祭司比拿雅和雅哈悉常在神的約櫃前吹號.Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.
Music and musicians of the Lord are led by shofar blowing.
1Ch16v42:
16:40
且派祭司撒督和他弟兄眾祭司在基遍的邱壇, 耶和華的帳幕前燔祭壇上, 每日早晚, 照著耶和華律法書上所吩咐以色列人的, 常給耶和華獻燔祭.To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;
Music is played with songs and instruments during sacrifice offering.
16:41 與他們一同被派的有希幔, 耶杜頓, 和其餘被選名字錄在冊上的, 稱謝耶和華, 因他的慈愛永遠長存.
And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever;
We praise the Lord God for His everlasting mercy.
16:42 希幔, 耶杜頓同著他們吹號, 敲鈸, 大發響聲, 並用別的樂器隨著歌頌神. 耶杜頓的子孫作守門的.
And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.
Loud shofar and cymbals come together in worship.
Singing and playing instrument together.
1Ch25v1:
25:1
大衛和眾首領分派亞薩, 希幔, 並耶杜頓的子孫彈琴, 鼓瑟, 敲鈸, 唱歌 ((唱歌原文作說預言本章同)). 他們供職的人數記在下面,Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:
There needed leaders for the teams/bands.
The sons of the leaders also joined in.
Singing equating to prophesy.
1Ch25v6:
25:6 都歸他們父親指教, 在耶和華的殿唱歌, 敲鈸, 彈琴, 鼓瑟, 辦神殿的事務. 亞薩, 耶杜頓, 希幔都是王所命定的.
All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.
The Temple was not yet built. The House of the Lord refers to the worthy shelter of the Lord. Music instruments are not reserved to the Temple only.
Cymbals were leading instrument.
25:7 他們和他們的弟兄學習頌讚耶和華. 善於歌唱的共有二百八十八人.
So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.
Instruction指教 is needed to be good at the job, yet selection to duties belongs to the Lord.
Christians ought not rely on the moving of the Spirit in horning their skill.
25:8 這些人無論大小, 為師的, 為徒的, 都一同掣籤分了班次.
And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.
The order of the king according to casting of lots. Not primarily a human decision.
3 occurrence in 2Ch
2Ch5v12: The Temple service
5:12
他們出聖所的時候, 歌唱的利未人亞薩希幔耶杜頓和他們的眾子眾弟兄, 都穿細麻布衣服, 站在壇的東邊, 敲鈸, 鼓瑟, 彈琴, 同著他們有一百二十個祭司吹號.Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
The singing Levites played the instruments while arrayed in white linen, atanding at the east end of the altar.
Cymbals got mentioned first.
2Ch5v13:
5:13
吹號的, 歌唱的, 都一齊發聲, 聲合為一, 讚美感謝耶和華. 吹號, 敲鈸, 用各樣樂器, 揚聲讚美耶和華說, 耶和華本為善, 祂的慈愛永遠長存. 那時耶和華的殿有雲充滿,It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
They made sounds together. Shofar and cymbals played at the same time, praising and thinking the Lord God.
2Ch29v25:
29:25
王又派利未人在耶和華殿中敲鈸, 鼓瑟, 彈琴, 乃照大衛和他先見迦得, 並先知拿單所吩咐的, 就是耶和華藉先知所吩咐的.And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.
The priests blow the shofar while the Levites played other instruments.
29:26
利未人拿大衛的樂器, 祭司拿號, 一同站立.And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.
David made the instruments, they lasted for long; probably protected in the Temple. The priests used shofar.
29:27 希西家吩咐在壇上獻燔祭, 燔祭一獻, 就唱讚美耶和華的歌, 用號, 並用以色列王大衛的樂器相和.
And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.
Every offerings are made at the same time in harmony.
29:28 會眾都敬拜, 歌唱的歌唱, 吹號的吹號, 如此直到燔祭獻完了.
And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
Singing and shofar blowing are offered together with worship.
Worship with burnt offering, singing of songs, blowing of shofar for the duration of the burnt offering. A long time.
29:29
獻完了祭, 王和一切跟隨的人都俯伏敬拜.And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.
Bow and worship again after the offering and songs.
Ezr3v10:
3:10 匠人立耶和華殿根基的時候, 祭司皆穿禮服吹號, 亞薩的子孫利未人敲鈸, 照以色列王大衛所定的例, 都站著讚美耶和華.
And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
Shofar followed by cymbals, to praise the Lord.
Whorship and praise go hand in hand.
3:11 他們彼此唱和, 讚美稱謝耶和華說, 他本為善, 他向以色列人永發慈愛. 他們讚美耶和華的時候, 眾民大聲呼喊, 因耶和華殿的根基已經立定.
And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Praising, singing, and thanks giving go hand in hand. Sound off the glory of the Lord.
Praise with a great shout. Many Christian churches have losed this idea of worshipping and praising with all one have.
Neh12v27:
12:27
耶路撒冷城牆告成的時候, 眾民就把各處的利未人, 招到耶路撒冷, 要稱謝, 歌唱, 敲鈸, 鼓瑟, 彈琴, 歡歡喜喜地行告成之禮.And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.
Gladness with thanksgivings, and with singing and instruments. Everything in harmony.
2 occurrence in Ps150v5:
150:5
用大響的鈸讚美他, 用高聲的鈸讚美他.Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
-KJVPraise the Lord God with loud sounding and high sounding cymbals. We ought to praise God throughout great distances with what we have to spread the news afar.
Praise God with loud and beautiful ways and devices.
Praise Him with choiced instruments.
The sounds of praise are not to be confined to the Temple only.