Kings
1 Kings 8:1-2, 14, 22, 55, 65, 12:3, 21
1 Kings 8:1 Then Solomon GATHERED TOGETHER (all) the elders of IsraEl (in Zion), all the leaders of the Israelite tribes and families in Jerusalem, so they could witness the transferal of the ark of the LORD’s covenant from the city of David (that is, Zion).
(adz yaq’hel eth-dzeek-nye Ishra-El / to-te egzek’klaysi-asen pantas tous pres-Vuterous Isra-El en sion)
1 Kings 8:2 All the men of Israel GATHERED TOGETHER before King Solomon during the festival in the month Ethanim (the seventh month).
(vye-ka-h’loo)
** 1 Kings 8:14 Then the king turned around and blessed everyone of (the) MULTITUDE of Israel, and (the) whole MULTITUDE of Israel stood-listening.
(ath call q’Hal Ishra-El / kai pasa ek’klaysia Isra-El)
Note: It is curious that the Greek translation uses a plural “panta”, this means the sentence is referring to Israel as a person and not as a nation – all the people of the person Israel. If they were going to refer to Israel as a kingdom they should have said pasan Israel, referring to Israel as a single nation, but this sentence refers to the individuals of Israel, the person.
The word “ei-staykei” in it’s context always refers to either a person who stays somewhere or a person being present or to a crowd who is listening to a speaker. The word does not mean to stand-up from the seated position. The word literally means “stood” but it is not the action of rising, it is more the action of being there in that place, and most likely in the standing position.
The translation difficulties in this passage are caused by the differences in the Hebrew and Greek text.
Hebrew – and blessed whole qahall of Israel, and whole qahall of Israel stood-listening.
Greek - and blessed everyone of ecclesia of Israel , and whole ecclesia of Israel stood-listening.
This shows that whatever ecclesia meant, it was something interchangeable with referring to individuals of Israel, the whole of Israel or all who belong to Israel.
1 Kings 8:22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of (the) whole MULTITUDE of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven,
( call q’Hal Ishra-El / pasays ek’klaysias Isra’El)
1 Kings 8:55 And he stood and blessed (the) whole MULTITUDE of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
(ath call q’Hal Ishra-El / pasan ek’klaysia Isra-El)
** 1 Kings 8:65 So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, A great MULTITUDE, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt, met with Y’H'Vah our God, seven days.
(qa-hal ga-dole / ek’klaysia megalay, also Genesis 4:14 “face/meet”)
Note: This multitude was not all of Israel. Neither was it a local congregation. It was just a the people designated by a region. This use is used in Revelation in the New Testament and other places to talk about people from different regions.
** 1 Kings 12:3 They sent for him, and Jeroboam and (the) whole Israelite MULTITUDE came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
(v’call q’hall Ishra-El / kai elalayson hoe laos)
Note: (see 2 chron 10:3) note the difference in the Hebrew and Greek. What the Hebrew translates as q’hall / MULTITUDE the Greek translates as hoe laos / the people because that is all it represents. Qahal does not represent a worship service or a worship assembly or a religious group, it just means a whole lot of people, a multitude.
Also 2 Chronicles 10:3 uses the wording “all Israel” in the Hebrew and “pasa hay ek’klaysia Israel” using the word ecclesia in the Greek. This shows the interchangeable nature of the words: all, whole, qahal, ekklaysia, multitude, people, see Leviticus 4:13
** 1 Kings 12:21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he GATHERED TOGETHER 180,000 skilled warriors from (the) whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.
(vaya q’hall eth call byth I’hoo-Dah / kai egzek’klay-siasen sunago-ogayn Iouda)
Note: this verse shows the relationship between the words house and multitude and qahall and ecclesia. Notice the difference in Hebrew and Greek concerning the word house/byth where the Greek uses the word sunago-ogayn which I have been translating “union” where it refers to the union of Israel’s 12 tribe government. Yet, I suppose you could replace the word union with “house” and say the whole house of Israel. See Leviticus 4:13
