לַהֲקָה
𐤋𐤄𐤒𐤄
lahăqâh
H3862 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A group of people assembled or gathered together; most commonly an assembly, band, or company, especially in military contexts or situations involving collective gathering. Frequently designates a throng or organized group, sometimes with a focus on a tumultuous or martial gathering. While the general sense refers to any assembly, the term is often used where there's an overtone of noise or activity.
Semantic Range
assembly, company, band, group, throng, gathering (especially martial or tumultuous in nature)
Root / Etymology
Derived from a root (להק) meaning 'to gather' or 'to assemble,' though the specific root is not attested elsewhere in biblical Hebrew. The substantive formation לַהֲקָה (lahăqâh) denotes the product of gathering, that is, an assembly or group. The root meaning is 'to gather' or 'to collect.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
לַהֲקָה appears chiefly in poetic and military contexts, notably in narratives describing the gathering of forces or bands, such as raiding parties or hosts. It is less commonly used for religious, cultic, or formal civic gatherings (for which קָהָל/qāhāl or עֵדָה/‘ēdāh are more typical). The nuance often differs from these latter terms by emphasizing the physical act of collecting people rather than institutional or religious association. In later post-biblical Hebrew, the term is retained for general assemblies or companies. Standard English translations often render it 'company' or 'band,' which reflect the martial or active connotation, but sometimes obscure the distinction between לַהֲקָה and Israelite-specific assemblies indicated by other terms. The word does not carry the established sacral or ethnic identity connotations that are often present in קָהָל/qāhāl or עֵדָה/‘ēdāh.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably from an unused root meaning to gather; an assembly; company.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
להק (l-h-q) — to gather, to assemble, to collect
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3862-01 |
לַהֲקַ֤ת | lahaqat | HNcfsc |
company | assembly of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3862-01 |
1 Samuel 19:20 | לַהֲקַ֤ת | lahaqat | HNcfsc |
company | assembly of |