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קָהָל

𐤒𐤄𐤋

qâhâl

H6951 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קהל to assemble, to gather, to summon a meeting

Definition

An organized gathering or assembly of people, typically called together for a particular purpose, most often for worship, communal decision-making, or military action. The term designates both the act of assembling and the body of people so assembled. In various contexts, it can refer specifically to the whole community of Israel assembled for religious or civic purposes.

Semantic Range

assembly, congregation, gathering, the whole community of Israel, official convocation, public meeting, war muster, people summoned for a specific purpose

Root / Etymology

From the root קהל (q-h-l), meaning 'to assemble, convene, gather together.' The noun form qāhāl derives from this root and denotes the resulting assembly or congregation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Torah and later literature, קָהָל often refers to the full assembly of the Israelite people, particularly when convened for religious ceremonies (Deuteronomy 9:10, 18:16), leadership decisions (Numbers 27:17), or to hear proclamations of the law. During the monarchic period, the term retained this inclusive, official character, signifying formal gatherings summoned by leaders (e.g., 1 Kings 8:14). In military contexts, qāhāl can refer to a war gathering or muster (e.g., Genesis 49:6; Judges 20:2). It sometimes contrasts with עֵדָה (ʿēdāh), which may denote a smaller, representative group or council, although these terms can overlap. In post-exilic and Second Temple periods, distinctions between qāhāl and ʿēdāh become more pronounced, especially regarding membership in the community of Israelites. Later, the Greek Septuagint generally translates qāhāl as ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia), which contributed to later Christian usage but originally signified any assembly or civic gathering. Modern English translations such as 'assembly' or 'congregation' sometimes obscure the term's official, legal, or cultic connotations in ancient contexts. The meaning and scope of qāhāl could shift with changing social, religious, and political structures across Israelite and Judahite history.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from קָהַל; assemblage (usually concretely); assembly, company, congregation, multitude.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קהל (q-h-l) — to assemble, to gather, to summon a meeting

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4721 מַקְהֵל in gathered assemblies
H4722 מַקְהֵלֹת in Assemblies
H6950 קָהַל in being assembled
H6952 קְהִלָּה summoned assembly
H6953 קֹהֶלֶת the assembler

Word Forms

21 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6951-05 הַ/קָּהָ֥ל haqahal HTd/Ncmsa the assembly the assembly 42
H6951-11 קְהַ֥ל qehal HNcmsc assembly assembly of 22
H6951-03 בִּ/קְהַ֥ל biqehal HR/Ncmsc into the assembly in assembly of 15
H6951-10 קָהָ֨ל qahal HNcmsa assembly summoned assembly 15
H6951-20 וְ/הַ/קָּהָֽל vehaqahal HC/Td/Ncmsa and the assembly and the assembly 3
H6951-19 בַ/קָּהָ֛ל vaqahal HRd/Ncmsa in the assembly in the assembly 3
H6951-02 בְּ/קָהָ֥ל beqahal HR/Ncmsa in-assembly in assembly 3
H6951-13 קְהָלֶ֖/ךָ qehalekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your company your assembly 2
H6951-21 וְ/קָהָ֥ל veqahal HC/Ncmsa and-assembly assembly 2
H6951-14 קְהָלֵ/ךְ֙ qehalekhe HNcmsc/Sp2fs your company your assembly 2

Occurrences in Scripture

123 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6951-08 Genesis 28:3 לִ/קְהַ֥ל liqehal HR/Ncmsc an assembly to an assembly of
H6951-16 Genesis 35:11 וּ/קְהַ֥ל uqehal HC/Ncmsc and a company/assembly assembly of
H6951-08 Genesis 48:4 לִ/קְהַ֣ל liqehal HR/Ncmsc a company to an assembly of
H6951-04 Genesis 49:6 בִּ/קְהָלָ֖/ם biqehalam HR/Ncmsc/Sp3mp into their assembly in their assembly
H6951-11 Exodus 12:6 קְהַ֥ל qehal HNcmsc assembly assembly of
H6951-05 Exodus 16:3 הַ/קָּהָ֥ל haqahal HTd/Ncmsa the assembly the assembly
H6951-05 Leviticus 4:13 הַ/קָּהָ֑ל haqahal HTd/Ncmsa of the assembly the assembly
H6951-05 Leviticus 4:14 הַ/קָּהָ֜ל haqahal HTd/Ncmsa the congregation the assembly
H6951-05 Leviticus 4:21 הַ/קָּהָ֖ל haqahal HTd/Ncmsa of the congregation the assembly
H6951-11 Leviticus 16:17 קְהַ֥ל qehal HNcmsc congregation assembly of
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