Dict: easton - Congregation

easton:

Congregation @ (Heb. kahal), the Hebrew people collectively as a holy community kjv@Numbers:15:15). Every circumcised Hebrew from twenty years old and upward was a member of the congregation. Strangers resident in the land, if circumcised, were, with certain exceptions kjv@Exodus:12:19; kjv@Numbers:9:14; kjv@Deuteronomy:23:1-3), admitted to the privileges of citizenship, and spoken of as members of the congregation kjv@Exodus:12:19; kjv@Numbers:9:14 kjv@Numbers:15:15). The congregation were summonded together by the sound of two silver trumpets, and they met at the door of the tabernacle kjv@Numbers:10:3). These assemblies were convened for the purpose of engaging in solemn religious services kjv@Exodus:12:27; kjv@Numbers:25:6; kjv@Joel:2:15), or of receiving new commandments kjv@Exodus:19:7-8). The elders, who were summonded by the sound of one trumpet kjv@Numbers:10:4), represented on various occasions the whole congregation kjv@Exodus:3:16 kjv@Exodus:12:21 kjv@Exodus:17:5 ; 24:1). After the conquest of Canaan, the people were assembled only on occasions of the highest national importance kjv@Judges:20; 2Chronicals:30:5 kjv@2Chronicals:34:29; kjv@1Samuel:10:17; kjv@2Samuel:5:1-5; kjvKings:12:20; kjv@2Kings:11:19 kjv@2Kings:21:24 kjv@2Kings:23:30 ). In subsequent times the congregation was represented by the Sanhedrim; and the name synagogue, applied in the Septuagint version exclusively to the congregation, came to be used to denote the places of worship established by the Jews. (
See CHURCH.) In kjv@Acts:13:43, where alone it occurs in the New Testament, it is the same word as that rendered "synagogue" (q.v.) in ver. 42, and is so rendered in ver. 43 in R.V.