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מְצִלָּה

𐤌𐤑𐤋𐤄

mᵉtsillâh

H4698 noun

SILEX Entry

Root צָלַל to tinkle, to ring, to make a metallic sound

Definition

Small metallic disc or bell, especially as attached to garments or harnesses for the purpose of producing a tinkling sound; refers specifically to a kind of ornament or implement that makes a ringing, jingling, or tinkling sound when moved.

Semantic Range

small bell, tinkling ornament, metallic disc for sound, garment ornament making noise, ritual sound device

Root / Etymology

The term derives from the root צָלַל (ts-l-l), which carries the sense of 'to tinkle, ring, make a resonant or metallic sound.' The noun form מְצִלָּה is formed with the mem-prefix and a noun-forming suffix, denoting an object associated with this sound.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מְצִלָּה is attested chiefly in contexts relating to sacred vestments, notably in the description of the high priest's ephod and robe. Bells (מְצִלּוֹת) were sewn onto the hem, intended to make sound as the high priest entered the sanctuary (Exodus 28:33–35; 39:25–26). The sound was significant for ritual reasons—serving as an audible sign of the priest’s movements within the most holy space, ensuring ritual propriety and, as the text presents it, his safety. The same term later comes to mean bell more generally, and is possibly linked etymologically to the Aramaic/late Hebrew as well as later uses involving musical percussion (cf. cymbal), although the primary referent in the Torah remains the priestly garment bell. The later English term 'bell' approximates but perhaps narrows the semantic range; 'tinkling ornament' is broader but less precise in modern use.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from צָלַל; a tinkler, i.e. a bell; bell.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

צלל (ts-l-l) — to tinkle, to ring, to make a metallic sound

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1212 בְּצַלְאֵל In-the-Shadow-of-God
H4699 מְצֻלָּה in the deep abyss
H4700 מְצֵלֶת with the ringing cymbal-pair
H6738 צֵל in the shade
H6741 צִלָּה Tsillah

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4698-01 מְצִלּ֣וֹת metsilot HNcfpc bells tinkling-bells of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4698-01 Zechariah 14:20 מְצִלּ֣וֹת metsilot HNcfpc bells tinkling-bells of
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