קָהָל (Qahal)

MEANINGAssembly, congregation, gathered community. The primary OT word for the gathered covenant people of Israel. The corporate body that is elected in bachar --- the nation as a whole, not pre-selected individuals within it.

GRAMMARClosely related to edah (congregation) but qahal emphasizes the actual gathering/assembling. Used in the Septuagint as the basis for ekklēsia (church/assembly) --- the NT word for the gathered covenant community.

SIGNIFICANCEThe qahal is the corporate elected body --- Israel as the gathered covenant people. The LXX translation of qahal as ekklēsia is the bridge that makes the church the NT continuation of the qahal --- not replacing Israel but expanding the corporate elected community through Christ to include all nations (Ephesians 2:11-22). This supports Thread 2's corporate election: God elected a people (qahal), not a pre-selected list of individuals.

KEY VERSE / SCRIPTURESDeuteronomy 9:10; 10:4 (the qahal at Sinai); Deuteronomy 23:1-3 (who shall enter the qahal --- the assembly); 1 Kings 8:14 (Solomon turned to bless the qahal); Nehemiah 13:1.

CROSS-REFERENCESDeuteronomy 7:6 · ἐκκλησία ekklēsia (NT --- assembly/church) · ἐν αὐτῷ en autō