Lexical Summary alalazó: To shout, to cry aloud, to wail Original Word: ἀλαλάζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wail. From alale (a shout, "halloo"); to vociferate, i.e. (by implication) to wail; figuratively, to clang -- tinkle, wail. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom alalai (a battle cry) Definition to raise a war cry NASB Translation clanging (1), wailing (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 214: ἀλαλάζωἀλαλάζω; (from Pindar down); a. properly, to repeat frequently the cry ἄλαλα, as soldiers used to do on entering battle, b. universally, to utter a joyful shout: Psalm 46:2 d. to ring loudly, to clang: 1 Corinthians 13:1 (cf. ἐν κυμβάλοις ἀλαλαγμοῦ, Psalm 150:5). 1. 1 Corinthians 13:1 – the apostle Paul likens speech without love to “a clanging cymbal.” Shouting and Wailing in the Ancient World Public noise—whether a triumphal shout on the battlefield or a piercing cry in a funeral cortege—was a familiar feature of Greco-Roman and Jewish life. Loud vocalization served to rouse courage, announce victory, or express communal grief. Scripture occasionally reflects these customs (Joshua 6:20; Ezra 3:11-13), reminding readers that God’s people shared the same human impulses to shout for joy or lament in sorrow. The Sound of Empty Religion (1 Corinthians 13:1) Paul’s contrast is stark: extraordinary gifts are worthless when separated from love. The image of a “clanging cymbal” evokes the raucous instruments employed in pagan processions and noisy street festivals. Such din drew attention yet conveyed no message of grace. Likewise, eloquence and even angelic tongues become spiritual noise when love is absent. The passage establishes an enduring principle: God values the motive of love above the magnitude of gifts (1 Corinthians 16:14). Wailing Without Hope (Mark 5:38) At Jairus’s house mourners were already certain the little girl was dead; their shrill lamentations conveyed finality. Jesus dismissed them, not out of coldness, but because their commotion clashed with the hope He was about to reveal. His authority over death silenced the frantic cries and replaced them with astonished joy (Mark 5:42). The scene underscores the difference between despair that wails and faith that waits. Contrasts Between Fleshly Noise and Spiritual Substance • Fleshly noise is self-centered; spiritual substance is love-centered. Pastoral Applications 1. Worship Leadership – Music and exhortation must channel affection for Christ, not merely volume or spectacle (Colossians 3:16). Worship and Liturgical Insight The Old Testament sanctions cymbals and jubilant shouts in temple praise (Psalm 150:5). The New Testament does not abrogate such expressions yet places a higher premium on intelligibility and edification (1 Corinthians 14:7-9). Corporate gatherings that balance passionate sound with clear proclamation best reflect the Scriptures’ holistic vision of worship. Eschatological Perspective Revelation anticipates a universe filled with “a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven” crying “Hallelujah!” (Revelation 19:1). That future thunder is not empty clamor but the harmonious overflow of perfected love. Until that day, believers are called to ensure their present voices foreshadow heaven’s chorus by embodying faith working through love (Galatians 5:6). Englishman's Concordance Mark 5:38 V-PPA-AMPGRK: κλαίοντας καὶ ἀλαλάζοντας πολλά NAS: weeping and wailing. KJV: and them that wept and wailed greatly. INT: [people] weeping and wailing greatly 1 Corinthians 13:1 V-PPA-NNS Strong's Greek 214 |
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