Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Nir:

Sorry, I can’t follow the links you give—they’re in languages I don’t know. Biblical Hebrew is the only Hebrew language that I know. Except for a small smattering of Aramaic, just enough to read the Aramaic of Daniel and Ezra, Biblical Hebrew is the only Semitic language I studied.

The word עדה comes from the same root as the verb יעד which has the idea of an appointed meeting, one that is called out, often on a regular schedule, מועד is a noun refers to the time and place of the meeting. The feminine form מועדה is used only twice, Joshua 20:8, 2 Chronicles 8:13, and appears to refer to any meeting, not a specific meeting. עדה refers to the participants of the meeting. עדת is also found, I’m not sure how עדה and עדת differ.

עדה is used to refer to the congregation of Israel, the whole people. Is this a theological understanding in that God called the whole people out of Egypt?

The word קהל differs from יעד in that is seems to refer to a grouping, not necessarily physically in one place, cf Genesis 28:3, 35;11, Ez 32:3 etc. It has nothing to do with noise or a voice, as it can refer to peoples not even physically together, hence not all are able to hear a sound or voice. The noun can refer to a group.

Both עדה and קהל are synonyms, yet with distinctly different meanings, found together in the same verse e.g. Exodus 35:1, Leviticus 4:13, Numbers 14:5.

This is my 2¢ on the subject.

Karl W. Randolph.

On Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 5:36 PM, Nir cohen - Prof. Mat. <nir AT ccet.ufrn.br> wrote:

 קהל קהילה may be associated with noise,  קול. either the voice summoning the
crowd, or the noisy crowd itself. unclear connection with קהלת (see קהלת
יעקב). some jewish interpreters see הקהיל as “summoned by trumpets”, see
sources below.

עדה may be associated with a timed meeting, מועד, נועד, יעד or live witness
.עד, עדות (as observed by chavoux). this might, INDEED, indicate, originally,
a smaller group, later "inflated" in BH; but even today עדה (ethnic/religeous
group) is less than a nation. see also the jewish view (rav hirsch) which is
consistent with these words but less so with isaac’s עוד/עדד.

http://www.meirtv.co.il/site/content_idx.asp?idx=37966

according to some jewish views the difference עדה-קהל in BH is one of
organization and purpose, not of size: ideally, holy congregation vs a simple
mob. observe the recurring phrase הקהל את העדה, showing no difference in size.

on קהל the talmudic interpretation can be found in

http://www.aspaklaria.info/100_QOF/%D7%A7%D7%94%D7%9C.htm

nir cohen