עֵדָה

“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.

“You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the congregation are to take a count of what was captured, both of man and beast.

Then divide the captives between the troops who went out to battle and the rest of the congregation.

…this half belonged to the congregation: 337,500 sheep,

So the Gadites and Reubenites came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the leaders of the congregation, and said,

…which the LORD conquered before the congregation of Israel, are suitable for livestock—and your servants have livestock.”

You are to have these cities as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer will not die until he stands trial before the assembly.

…then the congregation must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances.

The assembly is to protect the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood. Then the assembly will return him to the city of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.

All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.

They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.

On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.

Then the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. And though the land was subdued before them,

He is to stay in that city until he stands trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest serving at that time. Then the manslayer may return to his own home in the city from which he fled.”

These are the cities appointed for all the Israelites and foreigners among them, so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

And when they heard this, the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them.

“This is what the whole congregation of the LORD says: ‘What is this breach of faith you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the LORD and building for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel against the LORD this day?

Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.

And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.

Was not Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel? Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin!’”

When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation—the heads of Israel’s clans who were with him—heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were satisfied.

When Samson returned later to take her, he left the road to see the lion’s carcass, and in it was a swarm of bees, along with their honey.

Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.

So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.

Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.

Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”

There, before the ark, King Solomon and the whole congregation of Israel who had assembled with him sacrificed so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.

When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

There, before the ark, King Solomon and the whole congregation of Israel who had assembled with him sacrificed so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.

For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

Surely He has now exhausted me; You have devastated all my family.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Let the assembled peoples gather around You; take Your seat over them on high.

For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.

Rebuke the beast in the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations, until it submits, bringing bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.

Remember Your congregation, which You purchased long ago and redeemed as the tribe of Your inheritance—Mount Zion, where You dwell.

A Psalm of Asaph. God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods:

The arrogant rise against me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life; they have no regard for You.

The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it covered the assembly of Abiram.

Then fire blazed through their company; flames consumed the wicked.

Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

I am on the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.”

Therefore hear, O nations, and learn, O congregations, what will happen to them.

Their children will be as in days of old, and their congregation will be established before Me; and I will punish all their oppressors.

As they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the air. I will chastise them when I hear them flocking together.