Lexical Summary qalah: To roast, to burn, to parch Original Word: קָלַהּ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gather together For qahal; to assemble -- gather together. see HEBREW qahal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originthe same as qahal, q.v. Brown-Driver-Briggs קלהּ 2 Samuel 20:14 Kt, see קהל p.874. Topical Lexicon Canonical Occurrence and Narrative Context In 2 Samuel 20:14 the verb קָלַהּ describes how “all the Berites rallied to him and followed him inside”. The scene unfolds during Sheba son of Bichri’s revolt against King David, as the fugitive crosses Israel and seeks refuge in Abel Beth-maacah. The word depicts a swift, cohesive movement: an entire clan tightening around a rebel leader. Semantic Field and Connotations Though hapax, קָלַהּ carries the idea of gathering, closing ranks, or compressing into one body. It conveys intensity—people knit together in purpose—and immediacy, implying a rapid, almost reflexive decision to unite. Such solidarity can serve either righteousness or rebellion; the text records the latter. Historical Background Absalom’s insurrection had just failed, leaving tribal tensions high. Sheba, a Benjaminite, exploited northern discontent, crying, “We have no portion in David” (2 Samuel 20:1). The Berites—likely Benjaminites linked to Beeroth—joined him. Their adhesion escalated the crisis, forcing Joab’s army to lay siege. The verb קָלַהּ highlights how local loyalties could destabilize national covenant order and threaten the Davidic kingdom. Theological Themes 1. Loyalty and Authority. By rallying to a usurper, the Berites illustrate misplaced allegiance, contrasting with Scripture’s call to fear the Lord and honor His anointed. Ministry Implications • Discern Allegiance. Churches must resist the temptation to gather around grievance, celebrity, or novelty; true unity forms around the rightful King. Christological Foreshadowing The narrative contrasts false and true kingship. Sheba rejects David—type of the Messiah—while the faithful find blessing in submitting to the anointed. Those who rally to Christ enjoy peace; those who rally to rebellion meet destruction (Psalm 2:12). Related Motifs • Righteous gathering: Exodus 35:1; Acts 4:32. Summary קָלַהּ captures a moment when a people united under the wrong banner, illustrating the peril of misguided solidarity and the enduring need to rally to God’s chosen King. Forms and Transliterations וַיִּקָּ֣הֲל֔וּ ויקהלו vaiyikKahaLu way·yiq·qā·hă·lū wayyiqqāhălūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Samuel 20:14 HEB: [וַיִּקְלֵהוּ כ] (וַיִּקָּ֣הֲל֔וּ ק) וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ INT: and all the Berites gather together went and also 1 Occurrence |
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