קְהֵלָ֫תָה (qe.he.la.tah)
qe.he.la.tah
Kehelathah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The name Qehelathah means "assembly" or "gathering." It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times as a place name in the lists of Israel’s wilderness encampments (Numbers 33:32-33). The word itself is derived from the root qahal, which refers to a congregation or public meeting.
As a station on the journey from the Red Sea to Mount Hor, Qehelathah marks a specific moment in the Israelites’ wandering. Its inclusion in the itinerary highlights the orderly progression of their travels under divine guidance. The name likely reflects the communal nature of the camp, where the people gathered as a single entity before moving on.
Though brief, this reference reminds readers that every stop in the wilderness had significance. The assembly was not just a physical gathering but a spiritual one, bound together by shared purpose and covenant. Qehelathah stands as a quiet testament to the rhythm of faithfulness in the desert journey.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Qehelathah means "assembly" or "gathering." It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times as a place name in the lists of Israel’s wilderness encampments (Numbers 33:22-23). The word itself is derived from the root qahal, which refers to a congregation or public meeting. As a station on the journey from the Red Sea to Mount Hor, Qehelathah marks a specific moment in the Israelites’ wandering.
Its inclusion in the itinerary highlights the orderly progression of their travels under divine guidance. The name likely reflects the communal nature of the camp, where the people gathered as a single entity before moving on. Though brief, this reference reminds readers that every stop in the wilderness had significance. The assembly was not just a physical gathering but a spiritual one, bound together by shared purpose and covenant.
Qehelathah stands as a quiet reminder of the rhythm of faithfulness in the desert journey. It invites us to consider how our own lives are shaped by the communities we join and the pauses we take along the way.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ Kehelathah1×
- at/ Kehelathah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/קְּהֵלָ֑תָה1×
- בִּ/קְהֵלָֽתָה\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 33:22
They traveled from Rissah, and encamped in Kehelathah.
This verse marks the arrival at Qehelathah, highlighting the communal gathering aspect of the name as the Israelites settle for a period.
-
Numbers 33:23
They traveled from Kehelathah, and encamped in Mount Shepher.
This verse shows the departure from Qehelathah, emphasizing the transient nature of their assembly as they continue their journey toward Mount Shepher.