normal classes (comp. Numb, xi, IG, and Dent, i, 15). The members of the Congregation were convened by the ruler, or judge, or king, for the time being; e. g. by jNIoses, ;>ass4»J ; by Joshua (xxiii, 1, 2); probably by the high-priest (Judges xx, 27, 28); frequently by the kings — \>\ David (1 Chron. xiii, 2), hj Solomon (1 Kings viii, 5, etc.), by Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. xx, 4, 5), by Hezekiah (2 Chron. xxx, 2), probablj- by the Tirshathahs afterwards (see Ezra x, 8, 9, 12), and b}' Judas Maccabwus (1 Mace, iii, 42-4G). The place of meeting was at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation ; sometimes, however, some other place of celebrity was selected, as Shechem by Joshua (xxiv, i) ; Mizpeh (Judg. xx, i) ; Bezek by Saul ; and Gilgal by Samuel (1 Sam. xi, 8, 15).
As long as the Israelites were encamped in the wil- derness, the Edahs were convened bj' the sound of sil- ver trnmpyts. From Numb, x, 2-4, it appears that the blowing of one trumpet only was the signal for a more select convention, composed only of the heads of the Mishpachoth and the princes of the tribes ; whereas when both trumpets sounded the larger congregations met. But after the occupation of Canaan, when this mode of summons would be clearly ineffectual, the congregations seem to have been convened by messen- gers (Judg. XX, 1, 12 ; 1 Sam. xi, 7, 8).
As to the powers and authority of the congregation — it was not a legislative body (Conringius, 7Jj Hep. Hehr. see 10, p. 24G). The divine law of Mosos had already foreclosed all leg'slatlon, \iVO]}CY\y so-called; there was only room for bj'-laws (Sherlock, /Ji^-se/-<. iii, 317). Nor was the taaing power within the compe- tency of the Israelite Edah: "the national revenues of the state were so settled in the tithes and other of- ferings, and there being no soldiery in pay, all holding their estates by military service, there was no room for new or occasional taxes : so that the Hebrew par- liament could have no business either to make new laws or to raise money" (Lowman, Dessert, p. 135). But there was, for all that, a large residue of authority, which sufficiently guaranteed the national autonomy. (1) The divine law itself was deliberately submitted to the Edih for acceptance or rejection (Exod. xix, .3-. 9, and xxiv, 3). (2) Their chiefs were submitted to this body on appointment for its approval ; e. g. Joshua (Numb.'^xxvli, 19) ; Saul (1 Sam. x, 24) ; Saul again, I on the renewal of the kingdom (1 Sam. xi, l.'>); David (2 Sam. V, 1-3); Solomon (1 Chron. xxix, 22) ; so the later kings — we take as an instance Joash (2 Chron. xxiii, 3). (3) The Edah seems to have the power of staying the execution of a king's sentence (as in Jonathan's case, where "?/je rescue" Avas not by force or violence, but by constitutional power [^'^3'^ carries with it the idea of authority], 1 Sam. xiv, 44, 45). (4) As in parliament, if it had not actually the prerog- ative of making peace and war, it possessed the power of checking, by disapprobation, the executive author- ity (see Josh, ix, 15 ; comp. with ver. 18). In later times, indeed, the prince seems to have laid questions of foreign alliance, etc., before the congregation, either for deliberation or approbation, or both (sec the case of Simon Maccabreus in 1 Mace, xiv, 18-28\ (5) But in the absence of a ruler, the Edah itself apparent- 1.}' decided on war or peace (Judg. xx, 1, 11-14; also xxi, 13-20). (G) The congregation was a high court of appeal in cases of life and death (Numb, xxxv, 12, 24, 25). (7) Capital punishment was not inflicted without the cognizance of the Edah, and the execution of the sentence was one of its functions (Lev. xxiv, 10- 14; Numb. XV, 32 -.30). Lastly, the congregation. was consulted by Hezekiah and Josiah in their pious en- deavors to restore religion (2 Chron. xxx, 2-4; xxxiv, 29). When David menti(ms his "praises in the great congregation" (-"^ 'r^i^, Psa. xxii, 2G, etc.), it is prob- ably in reference to his " composition of Psalms for the use of the Israelitish Church, and the establishment
GOVERNOR
958
GOVERNOR
in its full splendor of the choral Levitical service" 1 (Thriipp, Pna. i, 141), in all wliich lie would require and olitain the co-operation and sanction of the Edah. After the rejection of the theocratic constitution by Jeroboam, the congregation sometimes receives a more limited designation, e. g. sb"^'^"^"'^ ^vi;'^'"'?) "All the Congregation of Jerusalem'''' (2 Chron. xxx, 2), and m'H^ '?rip""?3, '-All the Congregation of Ju- da/i," TTuaa t) tKWiiaia 'lovca (ver. 25). The phrase " Congregation of Israel" is used, indeed, twice in this later j)eriod (see 2 Chron. xxiv, G, and xxx, 25) ; but in the former passage the expression directlj' refers to the original institution of Moses, and in tlie latter to the ct)ni]iany whom Ilezekiah invited out nf the neigh- boriii;/ kinr/dom to attend his passover. — Kitto, s. v. Congregation. See Coxgregatiox.
4. Literature. — Seethe Crilici Biblici,vo\.i: Couring, Depolitica IlebrKorum (Helmstadt, 1G48); CunaBUS, Z^e republica Ilebrwoi-um (Le3'den, 1617 ; Cur. IGGG ; with notes bj' Nicolai, Lej'd. 1705) ; Dietrich, De jure et sta- tu Judivoruni (Marb. 1G48, IGGl) ; HiiUmann, Staats- iKrfassung der Israeliten (Lpz. 18o4) ; Leidekker, An- tiquitates Judxorum (Amst. 3704); id. De varia I'epub- lica Hebneor. (ib. 1710) ; Lowman, Civil Government of the Ilehretcs (Lond. 1740, with an appendix, ib. 1741) ; Meuoclie, De rejmblica IleLrworum (Par. 1G48) ; Paal- zom, De civitate Judxorum (Berlin, 1803); Keimer, De rejmblica Hebrreorum (Havn. 1G57) ; Keiske, Theocralia (Jena, 1G70) ; Sigonius, De republica Hebraorum (F. a. '^l. 1585 ; also in his Annotat. et Antiq. Lcyden, 1701) ; "W'alch, Munarchie der Hebrder (from the Spanish of Vine. Marques de S. Philippe, Ntirnb. n. d. s. 1. vol. i) ; "Welincr, De irpubllca Ilebrworum (Vitemb. 1G57).