Lexical Summary
qahal: Assembly, congregation, gathering
Original Word:קָהָל
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:qahal
Pronunciation:kah-HAHL
Phonetic Spelling:(kaw-hawl')
KJV: assembly, company, congregation, multitude
NASB:assembly, company, congregation, horde, companies, crowd
Word Origin:[fromH6950 (קָהַל - assembled)]
1. (usually concretely) assemblage
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
assembly, company, congregation, multitude
Fromqahal; assemblage (usually concretely) -- assembly, company, congregation, multitude.
see HEBREWqahal
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitionassembly, convocation, congregation
NASB Translationarmy* (1), assembly (95), companies (1), company (15), congregation (8), crowd (1), horde (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
123Ezekiel 38:15 ; — absolute
Jeremiah 31:8 +; construct
Exodus 12:6 +; suffix
Ezekiel 38:13, etc.; plural suffix
Ezekiel 38:7; —
assembly specially convoked:
, ""Genesis 49:6 (poem);Psalm 26:5; for civil affairsProverbs 5:14 (see Toy),Proverbs 26:26;Job 30:28 (Dipublice).
,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; ("" )Ezekiel 38:15; ("" )Ezekiel 17:17;Ezekiel 38:4;Jeremiah 50:9;Ezekiel 23:24;Ezekiel 32:3.
company of returning exiles,Jeremiah 31:8;Ezra 2:64 =Nehemiah 7:66.
at HorebDeuteronomy 5:19,Deuteronomy 9:10;Deuteronomy 10:4 (gloss, not in ),Deuteronomy 18:16; word of JeremiahJeremiah 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;Psalm 22:26 4t.; 2Chronicles 30:13;1 Kings 8:65 2Chronicles 7:8; 2Chronicles 20:14;Psalm 22:23.
congregation, as organized body:
of Israel:Micah 2:5;Numbers 16:3;Numbers 20:4 (P),1 Chronicles 28:8; ()Deuteronomy 23:2;Deuteronomy 23:3 (twice in verse);Deuteronomy 23:4 (twice in verse);Deuteronomy 23:9;Nehemiah 13:1;Lamentations 1:10;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;Exodus 12:6 ( reads before ),Numbers 14:5 (P; ; probably conflation);Leviticus 16:33;Exodus 16:3 (P)1 Chronicles 13:4 12t. Chronicles;Leviticus 4:13,14,21 8t. Numbers (P) 8 t. 2 Chronicles
Ezra 10:12,14;Nehemiah 8:2,17;Ezra 10:8; later the better part of it,Psalm 149:1.
,Psalm 89:6.
more General:company, assembled multitude,Genesis 35:11 (P),Genesis 28:3;Genesis 48:4 (P),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 alsoPsalm 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), andHebrews 2:12 quotesPsalm 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).
• Covenant Accountability: Church discipline mirrors Israel’s judicial assemblies, guarding holiness (Matthew 18:15-20).
• Mission: As the prophets anticipated, the gathering is now drawing “every tribe and tongue” (Revelation 7:9), fulfilling the promise of an enlarged קָהָל.
• Leadership: Elders and overseers shepherd the congregation as Moses and the elders did (Numbers 11:16;1 Peter 5:1–3).
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 wəqāhāl
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