A congregation is a group of people with common loves, interests, and purposes. It often refers to a church group. In the Word it is almost always used to speak of the whole group of the Children of Israel, as the tabernacle of the congregation, or the people of the congregation. Sometimes the original Hebrew is translated as assembly, too. This is a case where readers and translators need to be aware of the context and potential nuances of meaning. Swedenborg writes that,'The congregation of the people' stands for people who are ruled by truths constituting intelligence, since 'congregation' is used with reference to truths... as also is 'people'... 'the assembly of the old' stands for people who are ruled by good. The usage of the term congregation also implies an ordering, or arrangement of truths.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 417; Arcana Coelestia 6338, 7843, 7891; The Apocalypse Explained 724 [17])

7843. 'And all the congregation of the assembly of Israel shall slaughter it' means preparation for enjoyment by all in general belonging to the spiritual Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'slaughtering', when used in reference to the lamb or the she-goat for keeping the Passover, as preparation for enjoyment, the enjoyment of the good of innocence meant by the lamb and the she-goat; and from the meaning of 'all the congregation of the assembly of Israel' as by all in general belonging to the spiritual Church, dealt with above in 7830. 'The congregation of the assembly' means the truths of good which those belonging to that Church possess; for 'congregation' is used with reference to truth, 6355, and 'assembly' with reference to good.