– Came into Portuguese through the French assemblée and means meeting, group of people to deliberate.
– In this sense, it is used in the AT as a gathering of people and warriors:
Ez 13,9 : They will no longer be part of the council of my people, they will not be enrolled in the number of the house of Israel.
Num 10,1-3 : They will be used to summon the assembly and to give the signal to break up the camp.
Judg 20,1-2 : The heads of all the people and all the tribes of Israel presented themselves before the assembly.
Judg 21,5.8 : Is there anyone among all the tribes of Israel who has not attended the assembly?
– Also the sacred meetings receive this same name:
Leviticus 23:2-3 : These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim as holy assemblies.
Deut 5:22 : The Lord spoke with a loud voice to all your assembly, without adding anything else.
1Kings 8:5 : King Solomon and the whole assembly of Israel gathered around him stood before the ark.
Ne 8,18 : They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly.
– In the NT, the assembly of Christians both to make decisions common to all, and to pray and break bread, came to be called church. This word, coming from the Greek ecclesia , also means meeting, assembly of the people:
Mt 16:18 : And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.
Mt 18:20 : For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst.
Acts 2,42-43 : They persevered in the apostles’ doctrine, in common meetings, in the breaking of bread and in prayers.
Acts 12:12 : Where many had gathered and prayed.
1Cor 1,2 : To the church of God which is in Corinth, to the faithful sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to holiness.
1Cor 4,17 : He will remind you of my rules of conduct, as I teach them everywhere, in every church.
1Cor 11,17-22 : I cannot praise you about your assemblies that do more harm than good.
– See CHURCH.
