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קָהַל

𐤒𐤄𐤋

qâhal

H6950 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To assemble or gather (of people), especially for a public, religious, or official purpose; to call or summon an assemblage. The verb denotes the act of bringing individuals together, often at the initiative of a leader, and may imply formality, solemnity, or a collective mission. Used both literally (to physically convene a group) and with emphasis on the event or meeting thus initiated.

Semantic Range

to call an assembly, to gather a group, to convoke people for public or religious purposes, to bring together for deliberation or crisis, to assemble for war, to gather the community for proclamation

Root / Etymology

The verb derives from the root קהל (q-h-l), whose core idea is gathering or assembling. The root is used both as a verb (to assemble) and as a noun (assembly or congregation). Both nominal and verbal forms reflect the idea of collective gathering for a purpose, whether cultic, civic, military, or communal.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, קָהַל is frequently used in the context of assembling the Israelite community for significant occasions such as covenant renewals, public addresses, worship, crisis response, or warfare. The verb often reflects a formal call to gather, usually by an authority such as Moses or a tribal leader. In pre-exilic texts, it can designate gathering of the entire Israelite body (e.g., at Sinai), or a tribal unit, or those eligible to participate in sacred festivals. In later (post-exilic) writings, the term remains functional for both community and religious assemblies. The related nouns (קָהָל, קְהִלָּה) share the same range but can acquire more institutional connotations (such as an established community or congregation). The Greek Septuagint often renders קָהַל and its forms as 'ekklēsia,' which later influenced English Bibles to translate as 'church'; however, the ancient usage referred broadly to assembly, and not to the later specialized concept. In early periods, the term did not carry the religious exclusivity or ecclesiastical organization that later became associated with 'congregation' or 'church.'

Translation Consistency

primary "assemble" 33 occurrences

Matches the primary SILEX sense (calling or bringing people together for public/religious/official purposes), is the most frequently attested English rendering in the P2 data, and is a natural, flexible verb that covers both literal gathering and formal convocation—making it ideal for consistent use across all forms of H6950.

Alternatives (6 occurrences):
"convened an assembly" (1x) "when the assembly was gathered" (1x) "convene" (1x) "convened" (1x) "convoked" (1x) "convenes" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to convoke; assemble (selves) (together), gather (selves) (together).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

קהל (q-h-l) — to assemble, to gather, to convoke

Root קהל to assemble, to gather, to convoke
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4721 מַקְהֵל in gathered assemblies
H4722 מַקְהֵלֹת in Assemblies
H6951 קָהָל in the summoned assembly
H6952 קְהִלָּה summoned assembly
H6953 קֹהֶלֶת the assembler

Word Forms

19 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H6950-13 וַ/יִּֽקָּהֲל֞וּ vayiqahalu HC/VNw3mp and they assembled and they assembled themselves and they assembled themselves 8
H6950-11 וַ/יַּקְהֵ֣ל vayaqehel HC/Vhw3ms and assembled and he convened and he assembled 7
H6950-08 נִקְהֲל֨וּ niqehalu HVNp3cp assembled they assembled themselves they assembled themselves 4
H6950-03 הַקְהֵ֑ל haqehel HVhv2ms Assemble Convene! Assemble! 3
H6950-10 וַ/תִּקָּהֵל֙ vatiqahel HC/VNw3fs and the congregation assembled she assembled herself and it assembled itself 2
H6950-14 וַ/יִּקָּהֵ֨ל vayiqahel HC/VNw3ms And gathered and he assembled himself and assembled themselves 2
H6950-07 לְ/הִקָּהֵל֮ lehiqahel HR/VNc to assemble to assemble oneself to assemble themselves 1
H6950-16 וְ/הִ֨קְהַלְתָּ֔ vehiqehaleta HC/Vhq2ms you shall assemble and you shall convene and you shall assemble 1
H6950-18 יַקְהֵ֣ל yaqehel HVhj3ms assembled let him convene assembled 1
H6950-04 הַקְהִ֧ילוּ haqehilu HVhv2mp Assemble Convene! Assemble 1

Occurrences in Scripture

39 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H6950-14 Exodus 32:1 וַ/יִּקָּהֵ֨ל vayiqahel HC/VNw3ms gathered themselves together and he assembled himself and assembled themselves
H6950-11 Exodus 35:1 וַ/יַּקְהֵ֣ל vayaqehel HC/Vhw3ms and assembled and he convened and he assembled
H6950-03 Leviticus 8:3 הַקְהֵ֑ל haqehel HVhv2ms gather Convene! Assemble!
H6950-10 Leviticus 8:4 וַ/תִּקָּהֵל֙ vatiqahel HC/VNw3fs and was gathered she assembled herself and it assembled itself
H6950-06 Numbers 1:18 הִקְהִ֗ילוּ hiqehilu HVhp3cp they assembled they convened an assembly they convened an assembly
H6950-16 Numbers 8:9 וְ/הִ֨קְהַלְתָּ֔ vehiqehaleta HC/Vhq2ms you shall assemble and you shall convene and you shall assemble
H6950-09 Numbers 10:7 וּ/בְ/הַקְהִ֖יל uvehaqehil HC/R/Vhc when assembling and in convening and in assembling
H6950-13 Numbers 16:3 וַ/יִּֽקָּהֲל֞וּ vayiqahalu HC/VNw3mp and they assembled and they assembled themselves and they assembled themselves
H6950-11 Numbers 16:19 וַ/יַּקְהֵ֨ל vayaqehel HC/Vhw3ms and gathered and he convened and he assembled
H6950-01 Numbers 17:7 בְּ/הִקָּהֵ֤ל behiqahel HR/VNc when assembling in being assembled when the assembly was gathered
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