Lexical Summary qahal: Assembly, congregation, gathering Original Word: קָהָל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance assembly, company, congregation, multitude From qahal; assemblage (usually concretely) -- assembly, company, congregation, multitude. see HEBREW qahal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition assembly, convocation, congregation NASB Translation army* (1), assembly (95), companies (1), company (15), congregation (8), crowd (1), horde (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs קָהָל123 noun masculineEzekiel 38:15 assembly, convocation, congregation; — absolute ׳ק Jeremiah 31:8 +; construct קְהַל Exodus 12:6 +; suffix קְהָלָ֑ךָ Ezekiel 38:13, etc.; plural suffix קְהָלֶיךָ Ezekiel 38:7; — 1 assembly specially convoked: a. for evil counsel, "" סוד Genesis 49:6 (poem); מרעים ׳ק Psalm 26:5; for civil affairs Proverbs 5:14 (see Toy), Proverbs 26:26; Job 30:28 (Di publice). b. for war or invasion, Numbers 22:4 (E), Judges 20:2; Judges 21:5,8; 1 Samuel 17:47; Ezekiel 16:40; Ezekiel 38:7 (plural only here), + 8 t. Ezekiel; גדול ׳ק ("" חיל רב) Ezekiel 38:15; רב ׳ק ("" חיל גדול) Ezekiel 17:17; Ezekiel 38:4; גוים ׳ק Jeremiah 50:9; עמים ׳ק Ezekiel 23:24; Ezekiel 32:3. c. company of returning exiles, Jeremiah 31:8; Ezra 2:64 = Nehemiah 7:66. d. for religious purposes, to hear words of ׳י at Horeb Deuteronomy 5:19, ׳ביום הק Deuteronomy 9:10; Deuteronomy 10:4 (gloss, not in ᵐ5), Deuteronomy 18:16; word of Jeremiah Jeremiah 26:17; Jeremiah 44:15; for feasts, fasts and worship 2Chronicles 20:5; 30:25 (twice in verse); Nehemiah 5:13; Joel 2:16; Psalm 107:32; רב ׳ק Psalm 22:26 4t.; לרב מְאֹד ׳וַיֵּאָֽסְפו ק֗֗֗2Chronicles 30:13; גדול ׳ק 1 Kings 8:65 2Chronicles 7:8; ׳בתוך (ה)ק2Chronicles 20:14; Psalm 22:23. 2 congregation, as organized body: a. of Israel: יהוה ׳ק Micah 2:5; Numbers 16:3; Numbers 20:4 (P), 1 Chronicles 28:8; (׳י) ׳באבק Deuteronomy 23:2; Deuteronomy 23:3 (twice in verse); Deuteronomy 23:4 (twice in verse); Deuteronomy 23:9; Nehemiah 13:1; Lamentations 1:10; ישׂראל ׳כל ק Deuteronomy 31:30; Joshua 8:35 (D)Leviticus 16:17 (P) 1 Kings 8:14 (twice in verse); 1 Kings 8:22,55 2Chronicles 6:3 (twice in verse); 2Chronicles 6:12,13, 1 Kings 12:3; 1 Chronicles 13:2; עדת ישׂראל ׳כל ק Exodus 12:6 (ᵐ5 reads בני before ׳יִשׂ), Numbers 14:5 (P; ᵐ5 συναγωγή; ᵑ0 probably conflation); ׳כל עם הק Leviticus 16:33; ׳כל הק Exodus 16:3 (P) 1 Chronicles 13:4 12t. Chronicles; ׳הק Leviticus 4:13,14,21 8t. Numbers (P) 8 t. 2 Chronicles b. restored community in Jerusalem Ezra 10:12,14; Nehemiah 8:2,17; הֵגּוֺלָה ׳ק Ezra 10:8; later the better part of it, חסידים ׳ק Psalm 149:1. c. of angels, קדשׁים ׳ק Psalm 89:6. d. more General: company, assembled multitude, גוים ׳ק Genesis 35:11 (P), עמים ׳ק Genesis 28:3; Genesis 48:4 (P), רפאים ׳ק Proverbs 21:16. Topical Lexicon General Meaning and Scopeקָהָל designates a gathered body of people summoned for a common purpose. The term ranges from the entire nation (Exodus 12:6; Deuteronomy 5:22) to tribal, civic, military, or liturgical gatherings. With approximately one hundred twenty-three occurrences, it supplies the Old Testament’s primary vocabulary for Israel’s corporate identity before God. Covenant Origins: The Assembly at Sinai The word’s theological weight is established at Horeb: “The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain, from the midst of the assembly” (Deuteronomy 5:4–5). Here קָהָל becomes synonymous with the covenant people who hear, receive, and respond to divine revelation. Moses reminds the next generation, “Remind them of the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when He said to me, ‘Assemble the people before Me to hear My words’” (Deuteronomy 4:10). Corporate hearing and obedience frame Israel’s identity from that moment forward. Liturgical and Festal Gatherings 1 Kings 8:14 places קָהָל at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple: “As the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed the entire assembly of Israel.” Hezekiah and Josiah revived nationwide worship by “gathering the assembly” for Passover and covenant renewal (2 Chronicles 30:2, 2 Chronicles 34:29–31). In Ezra–Nehemiah, public reading of the Law before “the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding” (Nehemiah 8:2) demonstrates that true worship includes both Scripture and response. Judicial and Civil Functions קָהָל is the arena where justice is rendered. “The cities are to be a refuge… until he stands trial before the assembly” (Numbers 35:12). Civil crises such as Korah’s rebellion (Numbers 16:3), the Benjamite atrocity (Judges 20:2), and Rehoboam’s accession (1 Kings 12:3) are addressed in assembly, affirming that righteousness and order are communal responsibilities. Military Musters Before battle the tribes “were gathered as one man to the LORD at Mizpah” (Judges 20:1). Saul “summoned them with the trumpet” (1 Samuel 13:4), and Jehoshaphat “stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD” to seek divine aid (2 Chronicles 20:5). Warfare is never detached from spiritual accountability; victories and failures are interpreted in the presence of the community. Praise and Instruction in the Wisdom Books The Psalms convert קָהָל into a setting of praise: “I will declare Your name to my brothers; I will praise You in the assembly” (Psalm 22:22; see also Psalm 107:32; Psalm 111:1). Proverbs makes it the place where folly is exposed and wisdom vindicated: “I was on the verge of utter ruin in the midst of the assembly and congregation” (Proverbs 5:14). Corporate life shapes moral formation. Holiness Boundaries and Membership Because the assembly belongs to the LORD, entrance is regulated: “No one who is emasculated… may enter the assembly of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 23:1–3). Foreigners who embrace covenant loyalty, however, are welcomed (Deuteronomy 31:12; Isaiah 56:3–8). The lines are not ethnic but covenantal, pointing forward to a purified, obedient people. Prophetic Vision of a Future Assembly The prophets promise a restored קָהָל. “I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel” (Micah 2:12). Zephaniah foresees nations converted: “Then I will restore pure speech to the peoples, so that all of them may call on the name of the LORD” (Zephaniah 3:9). The messianic hope is corporate, global, and worship-oriented. From קָהָל to ἐκκλησία The Septuagint regularly renders קָהָל with ἐκκλησία, giving the New Testament term “church” its Old Testament pedigree. Stephen speaks of Moses “in the assembly in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38), and Hebrews 2:12 quotes Psalm 22:22 of Christ praising God “in the midst of the assembly.” The continuity underscores one redemptive people, old and new. Ministry Significance Today • Corporate Worship: Scripture, prayer, and praise remain central because the LORD still addresses His people in assembly (Colossians 3:16, echoing the Psalms). קָהָל therefore traces a line from Sinai’s awe-filled gathering to the worshiping, witnessing church, binding together worship, holiness, justice, and mission in the life of God’s redeemed people. Forms and Transliterations בְּקָ֘הָ֤ל בְּקָהָ֣ל בְּקָהָ֥ל בְקָהָֽל׃ בִּקְהַ֖ל בִּקְהַ֣ל בִּקְהַ֥ל בִּקְהַ֧ל בִּקְהַל־ בִּקְהָלָ֖ם בַּקָּהָ֖ל בַקָּהָ֖ל בַקָּהָ֛ל בַקָּהָ֣ל בקהל בקהל־ בקהל׃ בקהלם הַ֠קָּהָל הַקָּהָ֑ל הַקָּהָ֔ל הַקָּהָ֕ל הַקָּהָ֖ל הַקָּהָ֗ל הַקָּהָ֛ל הַקָּהָ֜ל הַקָּהָ֞ל הַקָּהָ֣ל הַקָּהָ֥ל הַקָּהָֽל׃ הַקָּהָל֒ הַקָּהָל֙ הקהל הקהל׃ וְהַקָּהָ֑ל וְהַקָּהָ֖ל וְהַקָּהָֽל׃ וְקָהָ֥ל וּבְקָהָ֣ל וּבִקְהַ֣ל וּקְהַ֥ל ובקהל והקהל והקהל׃ וקהל לְקָהָ֥ל לִקְהַ֣ל לִקְהַ֥ל לַקָּהָ֜ל לַקָּהָל֙ לקהל מִקְּהַ֥ל מקהל קְהַ֣ל קְהַ֤ל קְהַ֥ל קְהַלְכֶ֜ם קְהַל־ קְהָלֵ֖ךְ קְהָלֵךְ֙ קְהָלֶ֑ךָ קְהָלֶ֖ךָ קְהָלָ֔הּ קָהָ֑ל קָהָ֔ל קָהָ֖ל קָהָ֣ל קָהָ֥ל קָהָ֨ל קָהָל֙ קהל קהל־ קהלה קהלך קהלכם bakkaHal baq·qā·hāl ḇaq·qā·hāl baqqāhāl ḇaqqāhāl bə·qā·hāl ḇə·qā·hāl bekaHal bəqāhāl ḇəqāhāl bikHal bikhaLam biq·hā·lām biq·hal biq·hal- biqhal biqhal- biqhālām hakkaHal Hakkahol haq·qā·hāl haqqāhāl kaHal keHal kehaLah kehalChem kehaleCh kehaLecha lakkaHal laq·qā·hāl laqqāhāl lə·qā·hāl lekaHal ləqāhāl likHal liq·hal liqhal mikkeHal miq·qə·hal miqqəhal qā·hāl qāhāl qə·hā·lāh qə·hā·le·ḵā qə·hā·lêḵ qə·hal qə·hal- qə·hal·ḵem qəhal qəhal- qəhālāh qəhālêḵ qəhāleḵā qəhalḵem ū·ḇə·qā·hāl ū·ḇiq·hal ū·qə·hal ūḇəqāhāl ūḇiqhal ukeHal ūqəhal uvekaHal uvikHal vakkaHal vehakkaHal vekaHal wə·haq·qā·hāl wə·qā·hāl wəhaqqāhāl wəqāhālLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 28:3 HEB: וְיַרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְהָיִ֖יתָ לִקְהַ֥ל עַמִּֽים׃ NAS: you, that you may become a company of peoples. KJV: and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; INT: and multiply you may become A company of peoples Genesis 35:11 Genesis 48:4 Genesis 49:6 Exodus 12:6 Exodus 16:3 Leviticus 4:13 Leviticus 4:14 Leviticus 4:21 Leviticus 16:17 Leviticus 16:33 Numbers 10:7 Numbers 14:5 Numbers 15:15 Numbers 16:3 Numbers 16:33 Numbers 16:47 Numbers 19:20 Numbers 20:4 Numbers 20:6 Numbers 20:10 Numbers 20:12 Numbers 22:4 Deuteronomy 5:22 Deuteronomy 9:10 123 Occurrences |
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